Westbrook Village Golf Club

Course Conditions

The Overseed is Coming! December 5th Concert - Overseed Prescott Outing

By Brandon Evans II| Saturday, September 6th, 2025 | 0 Comments |

It’s hard to believe we’ve already made it to September! Throughout the summer, our team has been working hard to keep the courses healthy and alive (its hot here), applying heavy morning irrigation to create the warm, humid environment Bermudagrass needs to spread and fill in ahead of overseed. The summer is mainly healing and preparation for the winter and our winter overseed. With the arrival of our (somewhat late) monsoons and higher humidity, we’re were able to start cutting back on water now. However in a couple weeks, we go the opposite extreme and begin drying the courses to push the Bermudagrass into dormancy before transitioning to our winter grasses. Its an annual battle of two completely different grasses none which are native to Arizona, but that is Desert Golf for you!

The Vistas Course will close for overseeding from September 29 through October 17, and the Lakes Course will close from October 13 through October 31. Both courses will officially reopen on November 1. You’ll notice a short overlap in these dates—something we always try to minimize. However, mid-October provides the best weather window for successful overseed, and aligning both courses as close to that period as possible gives us the strongest chance for great results. While our goal is to keep the overlap to only five days each year, the weather can be unpredictable and sometimes forces adjustments as it did last season. If we seed when it is too hot, it will just be a waste and if we wait to long it will take to long to grow. It is like threading a needle.

During this short window, the Thursday RAZZ group will once again host their annual Prescott Outing, open to all members and guests (details at the end of this email). October also marks the start of ticket sales for our annual winter concert—information can also be found below. With the monsoons starting to wind down, all we need now is for temperatures to dip below 100 before September 29. Fingers crossed!

HOLD THE DATE - DECEMBER 5th
Westbrook Golf Club Presents
The 3 International Tenors Christmas
Tickets Available October 1
Open Seating - Doors Open at 6PM - Show Begins at 7PM
Tickets will be $40 tax inclusive (cash, credit card or check only)

Due to our overseed schedule
please view the the following dates and locations for ticket purchase:

Lakes Golf Shop: October 1 - October 12
Golf Admin Office: October 13 - October 17 [Cash or Check Only]
Vistas Golf Shop: October 18 - October 31
Either Golf Shop: November 1 - Sold Out

7th Annual Prescott Valley Golf Outing

Open to all Westbrook Golf Club members and guests

Overseed season is almost here, and while both Westbrook courses are closed, the Thursday RAZZ group is hosting our 7th Annual Prescott Valley Golf Outing. Come beat the Valley heat, enjoy the cool mountain air, and make it a fun transition back to Arizona for the winter golf season.

When & Where

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 — Prescott Golf Club
Thursday, October 16, 2025 — StoneRidge Golf Club

Bring your spouse, significant other, a friend, or a member of your weekly group—play one or both days.

Evenings in Prescott

Downtown Prescott around Courthouse Square and Whiskey Row offers great restaurants and bars. The Thursday Razz will organize a group dinner Wednesday evening after play (details to follow).

Format, Times & Details

See the info sheet below for tee times, formats, and additional details.

Format, Times & Details Here (pdf)

How to Sign Up

RAZZ members may register on Golf Genius.
All others please email Mark McCarthy (mccarthymark2002@yahoo.com) or Steve Karch (skarch@att.net).

Please indicate which day(s) you’ll play and whether you’ll have a guest.

Payment

Once confirmed, please mail separate checks for each course you have been confirmed for, payable to Steve Karch:

Prescott GC: $68 (golf) - Limited to first 60 players
StoneRidge GC: $95 (golf + lunch) - Limited to first 68 players

Mail To:
Steve Karch
1498 N. Range View Circle
Prescott Valley, AZ. 86314

Questions? Contact any committee member.
Prescott Valley Golf Outing Committee
Tim & Carol O’Brien
Mark McCarthy
Steve & Gloria Karch

Please reply as soon as possible to reserve your spot.

Last Few Days of the Labor Day Sale!

As always, we thank each of you for being such an important part of Westbrook Golf Club. It’s your continued support, energy, and passion for the game that make this such a special golf club. We’re proud of the work being done to keep our courses in top condition and excited for the upcoming season ahead. Thank you for your patience during the hot summer into the overseed and for being members of such a great club!

Summer Transition Update from your Director of Agronomy, David Escobedo

By Brandon Evans II| Saturday, July 19th, 2025 | 0 Comments |

With July temperatures now in full swing, we are deep into summer transition mode on both golf courses. This is a critical time of year when we focus on bringing our base turf, common Bermudagrass, back to full strength after the winter season.

Over the next few weeks, you’ll see us watering and fertilizing more heavily than usual. These efforts are intentional and necessary as we push our common Bermuda to grow aggressively and fill in any remaining thin areas. A question I often get this time of year is: “Why does the summer transition take so long?” The short answer is that common Bermudagrass simply recovers much slower than the newer hybrid Bermudas you’ll see at many other courses across the Valley.

A perfect example of this contrast can be seen on the Vistas driving range tee. That surface is planted with Tahoma 31, a newer hybrid Bermuda variety. It’s extremely aggressive, recovers quickly, and requires far less water and fertilizer than the common Bermuda we have on our fairways. As I told a member recently, “It’s like comparing a new Cadillac to an old Ford Pinto.” The difference is real and noticeable.

Read a great article from the USGA on the History of Bermudagrass Breeding

USGA Article on History of Bermudagrass Breeding

That said, we are working diligently every day to strengthen our turf, improve playing conditions, and get our courses where we all want them to be. While it may take a bit more time and effort with common Bermuda, we are committed to doing everything possible to maximize its performance during the hottest months of the year.

Thank you for your patience and continued support as we work through this important transition.

June 2 - Both Courses Closed Due to Rain/Flooding - Golf Shops and Ranges Open for a Rainout Sale and Practice

By Brandon Evans II| Monday, June 2nd, 2025 | 0 Comments |

*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*

Vistas Hole #14 % #15 on June 1, 2025 - Now a very large lake

Both Courses are Closed Today - June 2
We finally got some much needed rain, but it seemed to all come at once and has flooded the courses. As such, both of our courses will be closed all day..

However, every cloud has a silver lining, and in this case, it's a shiny, irresistible "Rained Out Sale" at our golf shops! To brighten up your day, we're offering:

25% Off All Apparel and Hats
25% Off Most Putters and Wedges
20% Off Balls, Gloves and Bags

For those who still wish to defy the elements and work on their swing, our ranges will be open at 8am. Just swing by the golf shop to get started.

We appreciate your understanding and hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to stock up on some great Westbrook gear at even better prices. Here's to hoping we'll see the sun sooner rather than later, but to be honest I think it was 113 last June 2!

Both Courses are Closed Today Due to the Rain, Monday, June 2nd, 2025

By AMY WARDICK| Monday, June 2nd, 2025 | 0 Comments |

Due to the heavy rainfall overnight, both courses and practice facilities are CLOSED today.

Thank you,

WBGC Staff

Lakes Putting Green Update - Should be Back Open in a Few Weeks

By Brandon Evans II| Friday, May 30th, 2025 | 0 Comments |

UPDATE ON THE LAKES PRACTICE GREEN

As in previous summers, the Lakes Practice Green will be closed for a few weeks to encourage transition and recovery with nutrients and a few needle tine treatments. This update provides background on the recurring issue, expert analysis, and current status as we work to improve long-term conditions.

BACKGROUND
The Lakes Practice Green was rebuilt and enlarged in 2020 to address poor turf quality and high usage. While the renovation improved winter performance, the same decline occurs each summer as we transition to Bermuda grass.

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Agronomist Brian Whitlock (USGA) and golf course architect Gary Brawley identified two primary factors:

Excessive shade from surrounding trees, impacting the Bermuda's ability to thrive
Poor air circulation due to the proximity of the clubhouse, which traps moisture and encourages surface algae

2 Min Time Lapse Video of Lakes Putting Green from 5AM - 8PM

A time-lapse video confirmed substantial shade coverage throughout the day. Soil samples and profile analysis show the green’s soil is healthy and consistent with other greens on the Lakes course, ruling out soil conditions or maintenance as the root cause.

To manage algae and stress, we’ve enhanced maintenance practices:

Targeted plant protectants
Additional fertilization
Needle tine aerification for quick healing and airflow

CURRENT STATUS
Our findings confirm that:

Shade limits Bermuda growth
Restricted air flow promotes algae and prolonged moisture retention

As in past years, temporarily closing the green and applying focused agronomic practices helps restore playability very quickly. We appreciate your understanding as we work to maintain healthy turf and optimal conditions and we hope to have it reopened in a few weeks.

2024

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