Allister MacKenzie

“A golf course should be made interesting and a good test of golf by the tilt of the greens and the character of the undulations.”

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Rainfall Update




I started a blog post last week about our near record rainfall season.  As I revisit it this week our crew is hand watering greens after 4+ days of 70 degree weather.  Predicting weather is a failed cause but I do hope we receive more rainfall this season.  It's not because I want to break all the records or keep carts on the paths.  I want a little more rain to make all the rain we received seem worth it.  It doesn't really matter how much rain we get during the winter.  It only matters when we get it.  If we spread 30" evenly over 6 months it will conserve more water than 100" over 3 months.  Sure,  it helps replenish aquifers which is extremely important for many of our potable and agricultural needs within the county but, once the atmospheric river turns off it doesn't take long for us to be right back into irrigating.  I would hate to see us pay a potable water bill over the next 60 days that increased almost 40% last October after 60" of rainfall.

So now back to our near record season.  The chart below shows this year compared to the 5 wettest years in Santa Cruz since 1948.  As you can see we are a few inches from a record season.





Just a reminder we will be closed for aeration April 10th-13th.  Limited practice facilities will be open during aeration.  Ken will send out a schedule as we get closer.  Thank you for the positive comments about the golf course and as always if you have any questions or concerns please contact me or stop by my office.