Divot Mix

"Practice puts brains in your muscles." -- Sam Snead

Jacklin says drought threatens seed production

According to Jacklin Seed, a freak El Niño weather pattern over the winter closed ski resorts and created one of the smallest winter snowpacks in Washington State's history. This shortage of water has left the state is bracing for its worst agricultural drought in 28 years.

The comments appeared in an article written by Research Director Doug Brede, and published in the company's "Research Newsflash" enewsletter.

The issue has also attracted the attention of Washington governor, Christine Gregoire. At a recent news conference, Gregoire said, “It will take more than a little bit of rain and more than our best conservation efforts to avoid or minimize the potential harm to our farmers, to our cities and towns, and our fish." She added that she might call on Washington's neighbors to aid with possible forest fires by borrowing National Guardsmen from other states.

Brede says that in recent years, southeastern Washington State has become the primary Kentucky bluegrass-growing region in the United States, with production shifting from Idaho and Oregon. Kentucky bluegrass seed is grown in a desert region that receives less rainfall per year than most of Arizona. To grow the crops, water is drawn from the Columbia River, which is fed from mountain runoff from Idaho, Montana and British Columbia--areas hardest hit by the winter drought.

Gregoire added that conservation won't likely help farmers in eastern Washington, who depend primarily on snowpack for irrigation water.

“Too many of us will go out of business here and I will do my best not to go out of business,” says Charlie de la Chapelle, a grower in the lower Yakima Valley. Growers like Charlie with junior water rights can expect to get just 18 percent of their normal water allotment. Gregoire has watched the situation for weeks, and decided to declare a state of emergency and gear up the state government to help.

This winter's odd weather pattern sent all of the Northwest's normal precipitation down to Southern California, where residents were inundated with flooding.

The northwest winter was abysmally warm and dry for snowmobilers like Glenn Jacklin, who said, “I can't remember ever putting Stabil in the fuel tank of my snowmobile before May 1, and this year I did it in early March.  The snowpack is virtually gone!”

The U.S. Drought Monitor, includes a map of drought conditions that is updated weekly.

May is American Wetlands Month

During the month of May, the nation will celebrate the 15th annual American Wetlands Month.  This year's theme is "It Pays to Save Wetlands" and focuses on the economic benefits that wetlands provide.

In addition to replenishing and cleaning water supplies and reducing flood risks, wetlands are important spawning grounds for the fishing industry, essential habitat for many wildlife species and provide places for recreational activities like birding, canoeing and hunting.

Throughout the month, The U.S. EPA will join with elected officials, local and state environmental agencies, corporate officers, representatives from environmental groups, and individual citizens at local wetlands events across the country.  Events will educate, involve and engage Americans who want to better understand the value of one of Earth's most important ecosystems. EPA's wetlands goals are to increase the quantity and quality of wetlands nationwide.

To kick-off the month's events, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Water Benjamin Grumbles will spoke at Wetlands Awareness Day at Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County, Va., on May 1. For details about scheduled events, visit :
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/awm. 

For more information on wetlands, go to: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands.

Rock Fore Dough raises $54,000

Rock Fore Dough – a concert featuring rock-and-roll bands staged during Masters week – raised $54,000 for The First Tee of Augusta, according to Jill Brown, executive director of the facility that teaches positive life skills through the game of golf to the city's youth.

 “We were thrilled with the turnout and the amount of money raised for a first-time event,” Brown said, adding that Rock Fore Dough was the largest fund-raiser in the facility's four-year history.

 Nearly 6,000 people lined the natural amphitheatre at The First Tee on April 5th to hear Hootie and the Blowfish, Sister Hazel, Edwin McCain and Josh Kelley & the Pat Blanchard Band. Band members, who waived their normal fees, played golf with approximately 50 students involved in the First Tee program prior to the concert.

 Club Car was the event's presenting sponsor.

Brown said the money raised would go to the First Tee's general operating budget to support onsite and school golf programs. The 40-acre First Tee facility serves 500 to 600 children annually and approximately 4,000 others through its programs in local schools.

 “We really didn't know what to expect; so this was a great start,” Brown said. “We didn't have a single negative comment from neighbors or businesses in the area. It was just a good, wholesome environment that had broad appeal.”

Brown said the decision to make Rock Fore Dough an annual event would be up to the board of the First Tee. “We're getting the message loud and clear from the community that they want to continue. So we're very optimistic.”

U.S. Open entries set record

The USGA has accepted a record 9,048 entries for the 2005 U.S. Open to be played June 16-19 at Pinehurst No. 2.  The number is 322 entries higher than the previous record count accepted for the 2004 Open.

A total of 1,051 entries were received on the last two days before the April 27 deadline, 75 of which were submitted electronically in the final hour. The last entry to arrive was from David Kim, a 22-year-old amateur from San Jose, Calif., who submitted it at exactly 5:00:00 p.m.

The youngest entrant is 14-year-old Andrew Yun of Tacoma, Wash. and the oldest is 82-year-old Loyal Chapman, an amateur from Minnetonka, Minn. 

Sixty-one golfers, including seven past champions, are currently fully exempt from having to qualify for the upcoming Championship. Two other past champions, Hale Irwin and Tom Kite, will try to reach the field of 156 through sectional qualifying.

The number of fully exempt golfers will increase with the inclusion of the top 50 players from the World Rankings, the top 10 money leaders on the PGA Tour and the top two money leaders on the European PGA Tour at the end of May.

Local qualifying begins May 9. Sectional qualifying will be held May 30-June 7 and international sectional qualifiers will be offered for the first time on May 30 in Japan and June 6 in England.

Player exemptions include:

• Winners of the U.S. Open Championship for the last 10 years.
• Winner and runner-up of the 2004 U.S. Amateur Championship.
• Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years.
• Winners of the British Open Championship the last five years.
• Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years.
• Winner of the 2005 Players Championship.
• Winner of the 2004 U.S. Senior Open Championship.
• From the 2004 U.S. Open Championship, the 15 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 15 th place.
• From the 2004 final official PGA Tour money list, the top 30 money leaders.
• From the 2004 final official PGA European Tour, the top 15 money leaders.
• From the 2004 official PGA Tour money list, the top 10 money leaders through May 30.
• Any multiple winner of PGA Tour co–sponsored events whose victories are considered official from April 22, 2004 through June 7, 2005
• From the 2005 PGA European Tour, the top two money leaders through May 31.
• From the 2004 final Japan Golf Tour money list, the top two leaders provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of the World Rankings at that time.
• From the 2004 final PGA Tour of Australasia money list, the top two leaders provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of the World Rankings at that time.
• From the World Rankings list, the top 50 point leaders as of May 31.
• Special exemptions selected by the USGA Executive Committee International players not otherwise exempt as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.

For a complete list of exempt players, visit http://www.usga.org/news/2005/may/usopen_entries.html.