The Villages designated as "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary"

The Villages Golf and Country Club Recognized for Environmental Excellence

SAN JOSE, CA – The Villages Golf and Country Club golf course has achieved designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program.  Brian Bagley, Course Superintendent, has led the effort to obtain sanctuary status on this course and is being recognized for Environmental Stewardship by Audubon International.  The Villages Golf and Country Club is the 66^th course in California and the 845^th in the world to receive the honor. 

"The Villages Golf and Country Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program.  They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property," said Jim Sluiter Staff Ecologist for the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programs.

"To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas," explained Sluiter.  These categories include: Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management.

Bird House Tour

Thanks to everyone who came out for the First Annual Golf Course Birdhouse Tour. Close to 65 people showed up to walk and ride around the golf course, looking at the 12 new birdhouses that were installed back on March 31st. Led by local bird experts, Mary and David Fullerton, the highlight of the morning had to be the birdhouse by the 4th tee, where the Violet-Green Swallows were swooping in and out of the birdhouse, being completely oblivious to the large crowd that had surrounded them. Hand outs included a map of the course and a complete inventory of all birds seen at The Villages. There will be extra copies at the pro shop for anyone still needing one.


Getting ready to take the Tour



Walkers heading down the 3rd fairway

Checking out the Violet-Green Swallow

Bird House Tour

         It’s time to gather up your binoculars, field guides and water proof shoes. The first annual Golf Course Bird Watching Tour heads out onto the golf course from the pro shop on Monday, June 6^th at 9:00 AM. Villages residents, Mary and Dave Fullerton will be leading the tour. They will take the group to 10 of the 12 birdhouses on the golf course, hopefully helping to identify any of the house’s new occupants as well as any other birds that they see along the way. The tour can be done on foot or in your golf cart. Everyone will receive a map of the golf course, showing the location of all 12 birdhouses and a list of all birds ever seen at The Villages.

Meet the Team

Francisco

Francisco  has been on the golf course maintenance team since 1993. Although he can operate all the equipment on the golf course, he is most often seen during the summer spot watering the front-9 fairways. Here he is operating the 'verticutter' on the 18th green.

Raptors of The Villages G and CC

Photo by Michael Kulakofsky

Cooper's hawks are agile forest hawks. They feed mostly on smaller birds. The curved tail is a good way to tell a Cooper's Hawk from a Sharp-shinned Hawk. The Cooper's Hawk has a tail that is longer in proportion to the wings than does the Sharp-shinned Hawk. You will  also see that the tail has a deeply curved tail while the Sharp-shinned Hawk's tail seems to be squared off.

Wild Thing

Lake Along the Right Side of the First Fairway

The golf course maintenance staff has created several vegetated buffer or "no spray" zones around the golf course. These areas which are around some of the edges of our lakes are specifically maintained with plants that will reduce storm water flow and potential pollution from runoff. Buffer zones protect water quality and aquatic species.

Smooth Greens

Verticutting the 13th Green

It's been a little over two weeks since the greens were aerified and heavily topdressed. (250,000 pounds!)The greens have pretty well healed, so it's now time to start getting them smoothed out. Today we verticut them. We will verticut them again this Friday, next Monday and next Friday. The greens should get progressively smoother and faster with each verticutting.