Turf Talk By: Geoff Sheffield

Avatar photo Date: Categories: News, Turf Care, Wildlife

The course is in great shape. The wetting agent applications have been working well for us. The months of July and August will be the full test for this product as the heat rises. Let’s hope the winds stay down as this is truly what dries out the course. We have been applying this on a bi-weekly basis for the greens and every 4 weeks for the fairways. 

The pump on Highland #4 is now running and supplying us with more water for our range and the golf course. You will notice the water level decrease. Please do not go looking for golf balls in this hazard as the bottom is quite muddy and slippery and therefore quite dangerous.

Many of you will notice that we are doing something to Highland #7 & 8 greens. Small round plugs are being removed and replaced. This is an attempt to control silver thread moss. This moss is an invasive species that we spray regularly to try and control. Our spray works but not enough to completely remove it. Our chemical use reduction strategy requires us to try more than one method of control. We will be finishing Highland #8 this week and will pause our attempts until it gets cooler out. 

Our water source is onsite from wells and the upper lake and its chemistry is not good as it contains too much sodium and calcium. This requires us to flush the greens 2 or 3 times per season to remove the sodium and calcium bi-carbonate build up. We have just done the 1st flush as many of you may notice the greens are softer and a lot wetter than usual. The greens will be back to their usual firmness shortly.

Remember to stay hydrated while you are golfing and enjoying our facility and thank you for your support.

Turf Talk

Avatar photo Date: Categories: HP Team, News, Turf Care

The maintenance team has been working diligently every day to maintain the course in top condition. Our goal is to deliver outstanding playing surfaces throughout the year and we are preparing for another challenging summer from a climate perspective.

As it gets hotter and drier, water management becomes a priority to keep healthy turf. 

Some of the things we are doing are as follows:

  • Increased usage of wetting agents to hold moisture in the fairways.
  • Increased amounts of plant health products that will help with limited water supply.
  • Moisture meter readings daily on the greens to determine exactly how much water is required for optimum greens condition.
  • More cultural practice to help with water penetration and oxygen get to the root zone. This is “venting”, done regularly.
  • Hand watering of greens. Hot spot watering of fairways, often done during the day.

The supply of water at Highland Pacific come solely from wells, reservoirs and our upper lake on Highland #4. This lake has been used extensively for a couple of years now and is becoming more important during drought periods which have become more commonplace in recent years. Last year we used enough water to lower the lake 12 feet which was the most H2O ever drained from this location. This year we have moved the pump to the deeper end which will allow us to use significantly more water than in the past. Our goal is to ensure the driving range stays healthier and that we have enough to ensure great playing conditions on the course.

As our wells are our main source of water it is critical to maintain them at a high level at all times. We have purchased new spare well pumps for every well we have. If a well pump fails we can replace it very quickly and keep the course operational.

Enjoy your rounds of golf and please remember when you see a maintenance member out watering this is for the health of the course and that we are not tapping into the municipal supply. We use water according to our water usage plan and conserve as much as possible. 

With any questions in regards to our water use please contact me at geoff@highlandpacificgolf.com.

Pace Report By: Brian Dunster

Date: Categories: Uncategorized

Pace of Play at Highland Pacific Golf

Regular golfers at Highland Pacific Golf know that pace of play is a high profile and sometimes contentious issue. As a public course that attracts golfers of all ages and skill levels, we recognize that some individuals and groups will play quicker than others. With this in mind, we do our best to accommodate players that may be slightly slower while maintaining an overall pace of play that is acceptable to all.

In order to provide the best possible experience for all Highland Pacific golfers we ask that players/groups make their best effort to keep up with the group in front of them. In situations where a group is playing behind a much faster group and may not be able to keep up, we ask that rounds be completed in no longer that 2 hours and 15 minutes for 9 holes and 4 hours and 30 minutes for 18 holes. Again, these are the maximum allowable times and groups should strive to maintain a quicker pace if possible.

If you are approached by a Course Monitor or Starter regarding your group’s pace please don’t take it personally. We are simply pointing out where a group may have an opportunity to improve their pace in an effort to provide a more enjoyable experience for all golfers on the course that day.

Pace of play can be impacted by a number of factors including weather conditions and how busy the course is, but ultimately results from the actions of individual players. While there is lots of resource material available online for individuals and groups interested in improving their pace. following are some key considerations for providing an optimum playing environment for all:

  • Report to the Starter no later than 10 minutes before your scheduled tee time. Players arriving too close to their tee time can cause confusion and delays in getting groups out onto the course.
  • Don’t spend too much time looking for lost balls … anything longer than a minute or so will negatively impact the pace of play on the course.
  • If there are beginners in your group, consider playing a best ball format and/or encourage them to pick up their balls if they are holding up other groups … or when they have reached the maximum playing time (15 minutes) for an individual hole.
  • Most importantly, be prepared to play! Move deliberately to your ball after each shot and hit your next shot as soon as the group in front is safely out of range.

Please ask one of our golf operations staff if you have questions about Highland Pacific’s pace of play policy or if you would like suggestions for improving your group’s pace of play.

Upcoming: HP Speakers Series- *Complimentary*

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Golf Tips, Health & Fitness, News

The Athlete Centre, one of our event sponsors, is proud to present a speakers series available to all loyal HP players in 2024 as part of it’s ongoing commitment to helping golfers. The first session of the series will be based on the topic ‘Warming Up for Your Golf Game, led by Dr. Benjamin Stebbins on May 7th, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Highland Pacific Banquet Room.

Join us as we explore the vital role of sport specific warm-up for your golf game. In this interactive session, we will delve into dynamic movements tailored specifically for golfers, unlocking the secrets to enhancing flexibility, mobility and power. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a beginner, this session looks to energize, educate and empower you to unleash your full potential on the golf course.

The Athlete Centre is a team of passionate therapists that believe there is an athlete in Every Body and that everyone deserves acccess to the activities they love in a safe and inclusive environment.

The Athlete Centre’s mission is to challenge the status quo in injury prevention and redefine rehab to support an active community and keep people doing what they love. They take the time to understand your unique goals, provide an individualized plan that supports you every step of the way, and educate you on the how and why.

Dr, Ben Stebbins has earned his Doctor of Chiropractic and Master’s of Science degree in Sports Medicine, with the ambition of helping people to get out of pain. He aspires to make his patients stronger and more resilient so they can get back to the activities they love. Dr. Stebbins works with golfers of all abilities and is a certified TPI Golf therapist.

To RSVP for this free event contact Highland Pacific Golf General Manager, Jeff Palmer, at jeff@highlandpacificgolf.com.

April Turf Talk

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Golf Tips, Hole Walkthroughs, News, Turf Care, Wildlife

The golf course is looking amazing for this time of year with many projects nearing completion. This article will outline what to expect over the next few weeks to make your golfing experience even better. Although it may seem to be disruptive, these turf-care practices are necessary for healthy turf. Please note the following springtime golf maintenance activities:

  • Fairways and tees are being aerated and top dressed. No cores are being pulled. 
  • The collars around the greens will be vertically cut and top dressed. This is done to firm them up.
  • The new tee’s that have been sodded should be open May 1st, 2024.
  • The driving range has been over seeded and fertilized. This with some warmer weather should help grow grass for a better presentation.
  • The pump on Highland #4 has been moved to supply us more water for the range and other areas that turn brown during the drought.
  • The bunkers on the course have been thoroughly refreshed with new sand. This should make the hazard easier to play from.
  • Course fertilizer and plant health products are being applied now. We have been modifying these products each year to improve the playing surfaces. This year we will be using a completely organic based fertilizer, or plant health product on our fairways. This is to improve the soil microbial population. This is a natural way of feeding the plants.

I have been asked several times lately “ how long until the holes are filled in on the green?” “What is taking so long?” “ Why did you do it now?”

We strive to complete this disruption to greens as early in the season as possible. In the past few years the temperature has been warmer and the greens have healed faster. This year we have completed this work but it has not warmed up. The evening temperatures below 10 degrees have slowed the recovery process of the greens. With higher temperatures as we move towards summer will result in outstanding course conditions!

Happy golfing from the maintenance team!

Bird Count Report March 2024

Avatar photo Date: Categories: News, Uncategorized, Wildlife

The changing seasons are a great incentive to get out and enjoy the natural cycles within our ecosystems. Technically it is still winter here, but to many birds, it is spring.

Early morning golfers should listen for the sounds of birds: Robins warbling their territorial song; Juncos issuing a subdued trill; Red-winged Blackbirds screeching their harsh “Onk-a-REEE-ya”.  Some migrant species have arrived back, but many are still to come, either to stay to nest or to continue northward to their preferred habitats. Many of these migrants will seek boggy forestlands or Arctic tundra—habitats that produce great hatches of insects. Watch for these transients; most will remain silent until they are “home” in their place of hatch.

Most of our wintering waterfowl have now moved north, including four Redheads, a duck that is a rare migrant on our coast. They were decoyed-in by other waterfowl on the driving range pond on November 24, 2023, to become Species Number 101 on the course bird list.

Pairs of our local Canada Geese have picked out potential nesting sites near the water hazards; and a pair of Hooded Mergansers present today may remain to nest here.

Local Northern Flickers are chattering loudly, searching for a spongy snag into which they can excavate a nest hole with a deep pocket. The groups of ground-feeding Golden-crowned Sparrows (a strictly western bird) that spent the winter with us, have left to nest in northern scrub forests or at timberline. They will be replaced here by White-crowned Sparrows that will nest on our out-of-bounds rock outcrops or in the deep rough.

But the surest signs of spring today were the 5 or more Violet-green Swallows swirling and chirping around Pacific 2 green. Early arrivals from southern Mexico or Central America, they will find old woodpecker holes or man-made cavities around the course, or may again nest in the Highland 4 Purple Martin tower.  And a pair of Belted Kingfishers is again excavating a deep nest tunnel in a tall sand bank in the compost area.

Total Species Identified on March 15, 2024:     20

Total Birds Tallied:   95

New Species Added:    Nil

The number of species seen on the course this day (20) is the same number tallied on the course during my December 16, 2023 annual Christmas Bird Count (although 7 were different species this time). On that long, very foggy day, I identified 203 birds of 20 species…impressive for a B.C. golf course in winter!

From the Corner Office

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Golf Tips, News, Uncategorized

Happy New Year to all of our loyal players and thank you for all of your support throughout another extremely busy 2023 golf season. Last year brought many great golf moments and it is all thanks to our supportive customers and staff. Some highlights include:

  • Hosted the BC Juvenile Championships
  • Hosted Zone 5 women’s and men’s events
  • Hosted HP Club men’s and women’s interclub matches
  • Raised over $10, 000 for Golf for Cancer (thanks Shelley Stewart)
  • Raised over $3500 for the Vancouver Island Children’s Hospital Foundation
  • Raised over $18, 000 for mental health and CMHA-Victoria
  • Helped raise over $20, 000 for the BC Autism Foundation

Our commitment to the community continues to create purpose for our management and staff and we will continue to focus on giving back to our local community. This also includes a significant commitment to the development of the game by supporting junior golf initiatives.

The 2024 season looks equally bright as we have some exciting things on the immediate horizon. Highland Pacific Golf will continue to focus on daily fee, tee time golf for our loyal HP players. We will not host outside tournaments other than the few charity golf tournaments approved by our management. This will ensure a modicum of tee times available for our regular HP and public players.

Please note some of the exciting happenings here in 2024:

  • Equal opportunities for the HP Men’s and HP Women’s divisions to come together and build community. HP Women’s division plays Thursday mornings while the HP Men’s division ball sweep will be held for the first time this year on Saturday mornings.
  • Highland Pacific Golf will continue with women’s and men’s golf days Monday and Wednesdays between April and August and conduct two shotgun with dinner events per month.
  • May 27th Highland Pacific Golf will host the PGA of BC Tournament of Champions.
  • June 17th Highland Pacific Golf will host the PGA America’s Royal Beach Monday Qualifier

I am also excited about having Callum Ashby, lead our golf operation as Head Golf Professional. Callum’s enthusiasm, professionalism as well as his knowledge of our business will be a great boost to our leadership team. I would also like to welcome Robert Grombach to our leadership team as our new Outside Services Manager. Robert brings an eye for detail to the operation from his experience managing franchise restaurants and I know he will boost the guest experience at our podium.

If you have any questions about our operation or any suggestions please feel free to reach out to me anytime.

Turf Talk

Avatar photo Date: Categories: News, Turf Care, Wildlife

The management of a year round golf course can be challenging. The winter months can bring us some very favorable weather in Victoria with low temperatures and sunny days, beautiful for golfing. Then we can experience frost that delays play for hours which can be frustrating for players. Our goal is to get the golf course prepared and open as soon as possible which means that often the golf course does not get serviced. In saying that, we try to service the greens as much as possible, rolling, hole changing and cutting when required. 

Even more challenging for the maintenance of the course are winter conditions like we have had in the last few weeks. We had several days of sub 0 weather and wind chills to -20C. This froze the greens to a depth of approximately 6”, then it snowed and snowed again. Now that the snow has lifted and everyone is eager to get out and golf as soon as possible we have stayed closed. Here are is why the course remains closed while there is no snow on the ground:

1- The ground is still frozen and we need to be able to roll the greens.  Foot traffic on greens that have not been treated would kill the turf.

2- Micro climates on the course affect the thawing. The Highland side often thaws faster than the Pacific side. The Highland side may open for play while the Pacific side needs to remain closed due to frozen conditions.

3- Usually the best thawing happens when it rains, this causes flooding on the course which can create unplayable conditions. We want to offer the best conditions possible while not damaging the turf.

In  the upcoming weeks players will observe several cultural practices on the golf course and especially on the greens. We will either vent the greens with a bayonet style tine on our aerator or use our planet air. Both put small deep slices into the green helping with air flow and drainage. Some areas look good but will stay closed, the putting green is closed for a while. It takes the most traffic of all greens and is showing signs of extreme wear and tear. We need to vent this green as soon as possible as it is struggling to breathe

. 

Cart traffic has been restricted to the path. The fairways are at capacity for moisture and the damage the carts do is unfavorable. We will be doing some drainage over the next two months that will help. Damage to the course in the winter can last all season and we are trying to minimize it and you can help. Please do not pull over off the path at tee, green or those highly worn areas. Please keep your carts in the middle of the path.

Warmer weather is forecast for now, let’s hope we have seen the last of the freezing temperatures. We are all looking forward to spring and drier playing conditions.  

Autumn Bird Report

Avatar photo Date: Categories: HP Team, Turf Care, Wildlife
Sora (Porzana carolina)

Congratulations golfers! We have reached the century mark!

In our quest to document the diversity of life on or over the Highland Pacific Golf Course, three sightings of birds that are new to the list have recently been confirmed, bringing us to an impressive 100 species in total. 

The hidden pond to the left (north) of Highland 6 fairway harboured two of these birds:  On July 26, a Solitary Sandpiper, a bird that nests in the boreal wetlands of Canada and Alaska, was seen just long enough to note its size, whitish barred tail, and brief flight pattern, followed by its indicative bobbing behaviour as it landed.  This is an “Uncommon” migrant for our area (just my second personal sighting for Vancouver Island), but Species No. 98 for our list.

On September 8, a different shorebird was seen in the same pond. It issued a brief, sharp “kreep” call as it flew a short distance to land at water’s edge. Scope views of its orange-brown plumage, white eyebrow and extremely long and straight, blackish bill (the bill more than twice the length of its head) indicated it was one of our two Dowitcher species…Short-billed or Long-billed Dowitcher. These two birds usually confuse most birders.  The predominant orange plumage with dark bars, of the breast and flanks, and the spectacular bill length convinced me that it was a Long-billed Dowitcher, Species NO. 100.

Prior to that, though, on August 26, a single Sora (see photo) became Species No. 99. This highly secretive, small rail nests in local marshlands, and like its relative the Virginia Rail, is seldom detected. A single Sora (probably the same bird) was there again on September 8. A quiet sit, with eyes on the reeds at the south end of the pond, may produce a sighting. Look for its bright yellow bill.

Technically, it is still summer here, but most of our seasonal and “neo-tropical migrants” have now left the golf course. Gone are the swallows, martins, White-crowned Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, most of the warblers and others. Some Arctic- and Subarctic-nesting shorebirds will still move through, but the golf course is generally very quiet. A lone Green-winged Teal appeared; look for more migrant ducks and geese now, some of which will stay with us until spring.

And speaking of diversity, a Black Bear was encountered by golfers on Pacific 5 early on September 8, and another has been digging into a ground-nesting wasp nest atop the rock outcrop to the left of Highland 4 fairway.

Happy birding HP golfers!

HP- August Bird Report

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Hole Walkthroughs, Turf Care, Wildlife

The next time you are on your hands and knees searching for your ball in the woods to the left of Pacific 4 or 5, look up! You might be met by a pair of large black eyes set in the middle of a round, feathered face. You would be looking at Species Number 96 on our Highland Pacific bird list, the Barred Owl (see photo). Although breeding across much of south central Canada, this large bird (about 19 inches long) was not known to occur on Vancouver Island until one was recorded in greater Victoria in 1969. Its westward expansion has continued; it is now one of our most common owls. Recall the recent cases of Barred Owls getting into living rooms in Oak Bay, presumably entering via the chimney, in search of a nesting site. Most surprising is that it took almost 3 years since I began this inventory for someone to see or hear a Barred Owl on this golf course. Credit goes to Sean Valikoski of the maintenance staff. He has shown a growing interest in identifying and photographing the birds, mammals and other vertebrates inhabiting the course. Sean is also credited with hearing the plaintive, descending “Peeeerrr” call of a Western Wood-Pewee, then later photographing it. It becomes Species Number 97 on the list.

Total Species Identified on August 10:  22

Total Birds Tallied on August 10:  262

New Species Added since last report: 2  (Barred Owl and Western Wood-Pewee)

It is clear that the autumn migration has begun, with large groups of mixed birds seen on the course today. Look for high numbers of swallows around the driving range pond and roosting on the power lines above. Groups of American Robins are here…both young and adults…scruffy looking as they moult into “basic” winter plumage. They have probably come from our north coast or SE Alaska.

Another breeding season has gone by with no Purple Martins accepting our martin nest tower on Highland 4-5. However, an estimated 40 martins were on the course this day, calling loudly as they work their way to South America. And watch and listen for pairs of Red-tailed Hawks soaring and screeching high overhead, wings stiff and legs hanging down. Puzzling but interesting behaviour!

And who will find our 100th species? It could happen any day now.

Barred Owl Highland Pacific

Turf Talk By: Geoff Sheffield

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Turf Care, Wildlife

August 2023 

For those HP loyal players that golf the course regularly you may have seen a change to our reservoir system and have asked yourself ‘what is happening to our ponds?’ This has been a drought year with minimal rainfall since April so this article aims to outline how this dry weather is affecting Highland Pacific Golf.

The ponds on the Highland nine, near #3 and #4, are connected to our infrastructure to be able to supply us with water when required. This year we really need to take as much water as possible from these ponds to keep our reservoir topped up in case one of our wells happens to break down..

We have five wells that supply our water and they are all currently working. We have all the components in stock to do major repairs if required but this could take up to 10 days if needed. This is why we keep a reservoir safety supply. We do not use any municipal water to water the course and are completely self reliant. Recently we were fortunate to have a little rain with 10mm being recorded on July 24th and 25th. Add this to the  25 mm on June 25th and 2 mm in April and that totals 37 mm of rain recorded in the past 4 months. This gives you some perspective to just how little rain we have had.

I believe the course is in the best condition ever at this time of year. We are constantly monitoring the playing conditions and our water supply and only applying what is needed. The use of wetting agents and other plant health products have helped significantly. August and September look to be very dry months with no rain in the forecast, but we should have enough water to get us to the rainy months. We have done this before and feel confident that we can do it again. This is becoming the normal condition. 

This week we thought the greens were getting a little too hard and needed to breathe, this is why we “vented” them. Venting is a form of aeration using knives that penetrate about 6” and will heal very quickly. We also sprayed the greens with some plant health products including the bi-weekly wetting agent.

I would like to extend gratitude to our golfers for participating in the divot filling. We go through about 3 wheel barrows a day of sand in the boxes. 

Good Golfing!

March Bird Report

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Health & Fitness, News, Wildlife
It’s a birdie!

HP March Bird Report

March 7, 2023

In a pervious note I mentioned the seasonal disappearance of our local nesting birds, to be replaced by increasing numbers of northern nesters. The latter are birds that migrate through here on their way to the tropics and sub-tropics. Some will even stay here to enjoy our “mild” winters.

 Well, seasons change! The reverse is now underway. A few of our common nesting birds are already back from the south — singing, squabbling, drumming (as with woodpeckers) and otherwise establishing well defined breeding territories. More are certain to arrive as daylight lengthens.

 At the same time, numbers of wintering waterfowl still remain with us, especially American Wigeons and Ring-necked Ducks. More migrating Canada Geese and Cackling Geese can be expected to drop in for a while, decoyed by our often unpopular resident Canada Geese. Have faith though; the numbers of these non-migratory birds are being well and humanly controlled by our grounds staff.

 Today’s count was relatively low, as expected.

 Total Species Identified:  16

Total Birds Identified:  110

New Species Added:  Nil  (see below)

Who is going to find the 100th bird species to appear on or over the golf course? During the annual Christmas Bird Count, (December 17, 2022), a flock of 10 Double-crested Cormorants, flying in a perfect “V” formation, passed over Highland Pacific as they moved from one local marine waterway to another. That was Species Number 94 for our list. Since then, two or more of this same species have been feeding and resting on the water feature at the driving range, no doubt finding invasive Small-mouthed Bass, frogs and tadpoles there. A preferred roosting place appears to be “On the ball” (see photos). Note the green eye, large mouth and impressively long, hooked beak — perfect for seizing underwater prey as this wide-spread bird dives with powerful webbed feet.

 Meanwhile, keep watching and photographing spring birds that appear on the course; there might be a prize for Number 100.

 

Double-crested Cormorant

Turf Talk By: Geoff Sheffield

Avatar photo Date: Categories: HP Team, Turf Care, Wildlife

It has been a very interesting year so far in terms of changing weather conditions and the climate. The golf course is considerably dryer than most years as our water storage reservoirs are still not quite full, depleted from drought conditions over the past two years and less winter rains. We seem to go in and out of an early spring into cold weather and course closures. Let’s hope that we are close to seeing spring soon. 

The Highland Pacific maintenance crew is working diligently to get all of the equipment and maintenance tools into top condition. You will see new and improved divot boxes on the course. Our long time member Larry Doerges has built two new boxes and has refurbished the existing two boxes which gives golfers more opportunity to fill their sand bottles and keep divots filled which will improve the overall conditions of the golf course. We appreciate it and know that your efforts help keep our facility up to the standards that everyone likes.

Shortly after fairway aeration you will see new yardage plates freshly painted and installed at the 100, 150 and 200 yard marks. We will also be adding some more new sets of tee markers for better separation of the white/blue and white/green tee’s. 

One of the maintenance department’s most exciting items that will be added this year is the addition of 3 more applications of wetting agent to the fairways, tees and now the driving range. Last year was the first year of using this on the fairways with four applications. We saw a great improvement of the quality of turf and will add additional applications for even better fairway conditions. We are also adding the driving range to this wetting agent and fairway plant health program. The range has been our largest single maintenance labor cost in the winter due to muddy non turfed areas. Now we want to keep it growing during the hot summer months. 

You may ask, “what is a wetting agent?”. Think of it as a skin moisturizer for grass. It basically works the same way. Only time will tell just how well it works.

The other projects that we will be doing soon are:

  • Drainage on pacific #4 from 200 yards in.
  • Leveling of some tee’s
  • Removing some collar dam’s
  • Greens aeration

Thanks again for your support in helping to maintain the best course in Victoria.

Good Golfing

The Crew @ Highland Pacific Golf

Sean’s Trip By: Sean Valikosky

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Health & Fitness, HP Team, News, Uncategorized, Wildlife

My partner and I are heading Costa Rica, and with an astounding 945 species (as of July 2022) of birds, we are definitely planning on birding but the sixteen-day trip is bound to be very action packed with other activities as well. 

From the capital, San Jose, we will begin our travels by bus. First, the popular laid back surf town of Dominical which lies at the mouth of the Baru River where we will be staying at an ecolodge surrounded by Baru National Wildlife Refuge which conserves 330 hectares of tropical rainforest. This wide variety of ecosystems means a high level of biodiversity. Hence why Bird Watchers have sighted over 365 species.

Next, Uvita, another little beach town that is in the heart of Marino Ballena National Park, and is famous the natural phenomenon occurring at low tide where two beaches meet and form a 600-meter-wide sand passage in the shape of a whale tail. While here, will be hiking into a few popular waterfalls and taking in a few permaculture farm tours. 

The Osa peninsula is next up, and getting there, an adventure in and of itself, as we need to get to the river town of Sierpe to catch a scenic 1-hour boat ride to Drake Bay.  Bordering the Corcovado National Park, we will be doing a 5-hour night jungle tour with chances to see Over 40 species of frogs, dozens of snakes, as well as 28 species of lizards. Just my kind of fun, but not too sure how my partner is feeling about it!

While I’m excited about many aspects of the trip, this next place is especially exciting, as it has been a dream since childhood. By boat, we will be heading to the Sirena ranger station for a 6-hour guided tour into jungle of Corcovado National Park. A reserve on the southwest of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, the park protects varied tropical ecosystems and is considered one of the world’s most biodiverse regions with a total of 42,750 hectares of land, and boasting 500 species of trees, 104 species of mammals, 367 species of birds, 117 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 40 species of freshwater fish.

In the Corcovado, you can also find the densest population of tapirs, jaguars and scarlet macaws.  The one bird I would love to encounter is the common Pootoo, known for its large yellow eyes and its comically wide mouth, and how well it can camouflage itself with it’s cryptic pose.

With our holiday coming to an end, we will be heading to San Gerardo de Rivas to stay in another eco lodge on the Chirripo Pacifico River.  This area is at the foot of Mt Chirripo and at 12,533 feet in elevation, it is the tallest point in all of Costa Rica. Chirripo means the land of eternal waters, and here we will be visiting the magical Cloudbridge Nature Reserve.

I will gladly post some pictures when we return. Until then happy golfing!

HP November Bird Report

Avatar photo Date: Categories: News, Wildlife

The nuthatch — the bird that is more “upside down than right side up!”

Of the three species of nuthatches that breed in BC, only the Red-breasted Nuthatch is common here on the coast. Listen for the repeated “Yank Yank Yank Yank …” of this species echoing through the treed habitats anywhere on the golf course — a very loud sound from a small bird. And watch for it as it searches for seeds, nuts and insects while hanging upside down from a branch, or walking down a tree trunk while hanging on by the sharp claw of the only one of its 4 toes that faces backwards. Today’s photos show a nuthatch searching between the scales of a Douglas fir cone, then coming out with the prize…a fir seed. 

And the nuthatch name?:  “nut” from the Anglo-Saxon word “hnutu”, and “hatch” from the word “hack”, which describes the bird’s habit of hacking away at a nut or seed to break or soften it. This bird will soon hack at the fir seed to remove the fibrous wing and, then, “down the hatch” so to speak.  The ability to hack with the sharp beak also allows nuthatches, on occasion, to excavate their own nest (woodpecker like) in a rotting tree. Most will then smear sticky pitch around the entrance to the nest in order to dissuade invaders.

The Nuthatch

Total Species Identified:  22

Total Birds Identified: 147

New Species Added: Nil  (Total remains at 93)

A passing flight of 6 birds thought possibly to be Double-crested Cormorants passed over the course early in the morning, but were not confirmed as to species; and a single swan was recently on the Pacific 8 pond; but again, the species was not confirmed and there are 3 species of swan possible here.  Ring-necked Ducks and American Wigeons are now back in numbers on the water hazards.

October Bird Report

Avatar photo Date: Categories: News, Wildlife

October 1st, 2022– Highland Pacific golfers are encouraged to enjoy the natural features of the golf course, birds being just one of those features. Michael Simmons, a regular at the course, was doing just that on September 28 on Pacific 2. Attracted by the disturbed and crying calls of a noisy Red-tailed Hawk (a common species here), he had a good look at the object of the redtail’s objections. It was a smaller raptor, one with which he was only vaguely familiar. He noted the broad and distinct black and white tail bands, its relative size and its flight pattern…a probable Broad-winged Hawk. He had seen one a few years ago at the southern-most tip of Vancouver Island…at the “hawk watch” site near Rocky Point. His latest sighting fits with the migratory patternof this species, one or two of which fly south now from southern Vancouver Island almost every August/September, yet there had been no Vancouver Island sight records of the species until the early 1990s. No photo was obtained, so this will be included as a provisional record, Species Number 93 on the course checklist.

By September 22, Green-winged Teal and Golden-crowned Sparrows had returned to the course; a whirling flock of up to 300 European Starlings had assembled; and a single Virginia Rail was skulking along the edge of Pac 8 pond. On September 27, 15 Killdeer were around the driving range pond, some of which were probably from local nests. Eight Band-tailed Pigeons flew over, they too now migrating off the Island.

September 30, 2022

Total Species Identified:  19

Total Birds Identified:  184

New Species Added: 1   Broad-winged Hawk  (see above).

Killdeer numbers at the driving range pond had increased to 26; up to 20 migrant Savannah Sparrows were on Pac 6; Green-winged Teal now up to 16; and a mink made a leisurely run through the maintenance yard.

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

October 18th, 2022- Here today, gone tomorrow!

That’s what happens during bird migration. Most of the so-called neotropical migrants — those species of birds that live for most of the year in the tropical climates of Central and South America but fly north to the temperate climates of northern USA and Canada — have now left us. They thrived on the abundance of insects, fruits and seeds available here through their nesting season, but with resources now dwindling, most have headed back to the topics. Lots of food there…and no snow!  

Replacing them, though, and now on the course, are certain migrants from north of us, including Golden-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Green-winged Teal. (A total of 41 teal were on our ponds on October 4, some of which will remain here through the winter). And you can expect more “northern” birds to join us in the next few weeks, especially various species of waterfowl.

Total Species Identified:  17

Total Birds Identified:  145

New species added: Nil  (Total remains at 93)

One spectacular bird to watch for in the ponds is the male Hooded Merganser pictured here.

Great wildlife activity happening at HP!
Hooded Meganser male

HP Autumn Bird Report

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Uncategorized, Wildlife

The silence of late summer! 

My last report, on June 21, 2022, with 33 species and 183 birds tallied, was primarily the result of prolific bird songs to be heard on the course. It was the peak of the breeding season! Today was very different. Territorial and breeding songs have all but ended for another year, and other than a raucous group of four Common Ravens, silence prevailed.

Today’s low totals reflect the importance of one’s ears when conducting bird inventories:

Total Birds Identified:  64

Total; Species Identified:  14

New Species Added:  Nil  (Total remains at 91)

An obvious proof that the southward migration is well underway was the total absence of swallows: all of the Barn Swallows, Violet-green Swallows and Cliff Swallows that nest at the large storage building near the 1st tee appear to have left. So have  the many White-crowned Sparrows and House Wrens that nest throughout the course. This raises the question: Is the real home of these birds the tropics of Central and South America and the near-tropics of southern USA? Or is it here where they breed, but stay for only a quarter of the year?

A young American Kestrel was a good find as it hunted on Highland 4, possibly indication another successful nesting on or near the course. And a lone Spotted Towhee, a large sparrow species that will spend the winter here, was hiding deep in a dense Garry oak. (And, no, it is not a young robin).

Spotted Towhee – Adult Male

2022 HP Club Championship

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: News, Uncategorized
Poontra Isarasakdi defend his title in 2022

2022 HP Club Championship

The 2022 HP Club Championship was staged on a beautifully sunny weekend this past August 27th and 28th, 2022. Amid the nerves and fear of humiliation, fifty-one HP faithful turned out to test their skill against the Pacific and Highland courses which were both tuned up to reflect pristine conditions. Congratulations to everyone that played and especially to those who claimed victory in their respective flights!

2022 HP Club Championship Results

Ladies Championship

1st Low Gross- Ginny Storey (176)

2nd Low Gross- Olivia Sabnal (179)

1st Low Net- Eunice Fast (146)

2nd Low Net- Berte Marr (149)

Senior Ladies

1st Low Gross- Val Clarke (188)

2nd Low Gross- Deb Ottenbreit (200)

Men’s Championship- Blue Tees

1st Low Gross- Poontra Isarasakdi (146)

2nd Low Gross- Matt Maloney (160)

Men’s Handicap Flight- White Tees

1st Low Gross- Mike King (160)

2nd Low Gross- Rick Boomer (163)

1st Low Net- James Scholes

2nd Low Net- Chris Stachura-Lally

Men’s Senior Flight

1st Low Gross– Larry Baichu (156)

2nd Low Gross- Yoshio Shimizu (163)

1st Low Net- Nick Sieirsen (140)

2nd low Net- Harry Hitchman (143)

Thank you everyone for playing and we look forward to an even better 2023!

HP Bird Report- Late Spring

Avatar photo Date: Categories: News, Wildlife

Bird sightings, songs and sounds dominate the golf course at this time of year. Identification of a bird by sight is one challenge, but the ultimate challenge is to identify the species by sound. Territorial songs and varied alarm notes can be utterly confusing to anyone. My recommended technique is to locate the bird, study its features, then “watch the sound come out of its mouth”.  Once the sound is “seen” along with the bird, the two can be associated in your mind, among the most vocal birds on the course this spring is the the House Wren. Widely distributed during breeding season, from as far north as the Peace River district and across south central and southern BC, it nests in selected habitats on the south and east sides of Vancouver Island. Highland Pacific seems to have prime House Wren habitat, at least this year.
Unfortunately, this presents a problem. In February of this year four nest boxes designed to attract Western Bluebirds back to Vancouver Island were placed on the course. House Wrens have taken possession off all four!  And by “possession” I mean they have filled the boxes with small twigs to the point where no other species is likely to be able to oust the wrens. (Photo).  The usurpers may add a few feathers, grasses, hairs or moss as a flimsy “nest” among the twigs. Or they may already have an active nest in a tree cavity nearby and may simply be filling our new boxes to prevent other cavity-nesting birds from invading their territory. It will be interesting to record the results later this summer.
May 24th survey: total  Birds Identified:  122Total Species Identified:  28New Species Added:  NilMay 29th survey:  Total Birds Identified:  83Total Species Identified:  26New Species Added:  Nil (Total remains at 89).Note that fairly high numbers of species, but relatively low numbers of total birds, are seen during May. That is to be expected, as few young birds have taken flight as yet, and the autumn and winter flocks of south-bound migrants are yet to arrive. 
A pair of Belted Kingfishers has returned to nest between Highland 3 and 4 (listen for their harsh, rattling call); Olive-sided Flycatchers are back (listen for their “Quick -THREE beers” call); and a male Purple Martin was calling over Highland 4, hopefully showing interest in the martin nest tower there, where a pair of Violet-green Swallows has claimed one of the four boxes on the tower.
Thanks,

Bryan Gates

Bird NestDownload

From the Corner Office By: Jeff Palmer

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: HP Team, News, Turf Care, Uncategorized

Even though summer is finally just approaching our management team is busy working on some projects for the future. Recently, Geoff Sheffield, Golf Course Superintendent, and I met with our course architect, Chris Young, and conducted a full course tour to identify future improvements. Many of our conversations revolved around expanding teeing areas to distribute foot traffic more evenly but we also discussed the overall vision to improve playability of the golf course and make it more enjoyable for all golfers. The goal is to create a master plan for golf course improvements over the next 15 years and once we have this complete we will share some of these with our regular loyal players. It is an exciting time for Highland Pacific Golf as we envision the future for the golf course.

Another exciting project we are working on has to do with the Highland Pacific driving range. In addition to our recent investment in the Range Select PI system which allows golfers to more conveniently access driving range balls at the machine and through the app, we are already preparing for the winter. Currently, we are in the process of installing our new Schwank gas heaters to ensure we are providing the best year round driving range experience. That’s right…we are switching from inefficient electric heaters to robust yet efficient natural gas heat. This will vastly improve the temperatures at our driving range during the winter months which will help golfers comfortably practice right through the winter. I am very proud of this facility upgrade and know our customers will be as well.

Highland Pacific Golf Driving Range Improvement

It is an honor to serve as a caretaker of this amazing facility and to envision the future as well. If anyone has any suggestions or feed forward for changes at Highland Pacific Golf please feel free to contact me directly at the course. Also, stay tuned for our HP Club survey due out later this summer. Our team is grateful to all of the players that continue to play, learn at and love this fabulous place and we look forward to creating the best possible golf experience for many years to come.

Natural Gas Heater at the Highland Pacific Driving Range

From the Corner Office

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Golf Tips, Health & Fitness, News

By: Jeff Palmer, PGA of Canada Executive Professional, General Manager

From the Corner Office     By: Jeff Palmer, PGA of Canada Executive Professional, General Manager

The last few years have been an extraordinary time for learning new things at Highland Pacific Golf. Our team has been through so much as the pandemic forced us to embrace a growth mindset and try new things. We learned a lot about what used to work for our operation and what works best now that we are living in a COVID reality. I am very proud of our team and how they have handled the constant change and adapted to serve our HP loyalty players and guests alike.

One of the biggest things I believe we have learned from the last couple of years is that fundamentally Highland Pacific is all about the game of golf and all about keeping it simple for golfers. The facility at Highland Pacific Golf isn’t one that constantly needs to focus on filling restaurant seats or booking large events to fill space or meet a large hospitality overhead. Our owners built the course and the clubhouse to deliver a simple, repeatable and pure golf experience, one that is focused on fun, practice, learning and enjoyment of the game. The facility is standing up very well as the course, driving range and Academy have all seen a record number of visitors in the last two years.

So where do we go from here as we adapt to our new reality and as people return to doing other things other than golf? Our team will work hard on the sense of arrival to service new golfers, growing the game and adding value to the players that frequent Highland Pacific. We will do this by continuing to make improvements to the course, the range and to focus on offering innovative learning programs for all golfers with an emphasis on lowering the barriers to entry so that everyone feels welcome at the facility. I am excited about the sustainable future of the game in our city and am so proud to work at Highland Pacific Golf. I look forward to leading the team here for many years to come.

If you have any questions, suggestions or feedback please feel free to contact me at jeff@highlandpacificgolf.com.

Turf Talk

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Uncategorized

By: Geoff Sheffield, Golf Course Superintendent

Invasive plant management at Highland Pacific Golf is an ongoing annual process. We have several species that we are aggressively trying to keep in check for the esthetic value and health of our course. 

  • The Scotch Broom is in flower now. This is the best time to try to stop it from growing as all of its energy is in flowering. 
  • Himalayan black berry grows all over the pond edges, rock outcropping and gravel road areas. This plant can take over a complete area very fast, as in the pictures of Highland #4 tee, Highland #5 split rail fence along the pond.

It makes for a good area for the wild life to hide and nest, so we need to choose where to remove it from. Our decision on whether to keep the black berry is based on whether it affects play and if it adds to the aesthetic value of the property. 

  • Spurge Laurel ( Daphne laureola) is on the Canadian Poisonous Plants Information system. This plant is growing in the out of play areas and requires special techniques to remove or to stop growing which usually requires chemicals.
  • Poison-hemlock is one of the largest threats to the natural ecosystems in Saanich. The district asks all private landowners to do their best at removing as much as possible. This plant is on the pond edge at Highland #4 near the Purple martin boxes.

Earlier this year we purchased a mulcher attachment for our mini excavator to help combat these plants. I was able to get out last week and start on Highland #3 going forward, these pictures show before and after. We are doing our best to get out to the Pacific side next week. 

This should help you find those errant balls and help us with the invasive plant management control. 

Please contact me with any questions at geoff@highlandpacificgolf.com.

Highland #4
Highland #5

Swing Lube

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Golf Tips, HP Team, News

By: Callum Ashby, PGA of Canada, Director of Instruction

Junior Camps are BACK this summer!

Morning Half Day – Ages 5-9 – (9:00 am – 12:00 pm): $259 plus tax

Afternoon Half Day – Ages 10–16 – (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm): $259 plus tax

Camps run Monday to Friday and include fifteen hours of total range instruction. For three hours each day, campers sharpen their skills with our dedicated staff. Strong emphasis is placed on the fundamentals—stance, grip, posture, full swing, rules & etiquette, etc. As the week unfolds, campers receive quality short-game instruction and by Friday, each junior golfer will see improvement in his or her golf game!

Camps run each week from July 4th to September 2nd. Registration opens up June 1st!

Junior Clinics:

Junior Clinics starting up again in June! Email brad@highlandpacificgolf.com for more information

Group Programs for June:

Chicks with Sticks

Join Cal and Ty for an evening dedicated for the gals!

Come have a time covering all the skills you’ll need to jump start your golf this summer. Sessions 1 and 3 will be on the range honing our skills while sessions 2 and 4 will be out on the course! All aspects of the game will be covered. Comes with an HP Student Card!

Thursday’s 6:30PM – 8:00PM

June 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd

$299 plus tax

Get Course Ready

Geared towards beginner golfers looking to take the next step to the golf course! Callum will take you through a warm up clinic along with on course time. We will cover everything from where to go, basic rules, course strategies, course maintenance, different lies, pace of play and any other questions you may have to feel more comfortable on the course! Will get up to 9 holes of golf. Student Ratio 4:1.

6:00PM – 7:30PM

Dates Offered:
May 30th, June 8th, June 15th, June 29th

$89 plus tax/session

Up and Downs

Scott will be your short game wizards in becoming a master around the greens! This series will focus on everything around the greens. The weeks will be split up into each different shot from Chipping, Putting, Sand Play and Pitch Shots. Student to instructor ratio 5:1. Comes with an HP Student Card!

Wednesday’s 5:30PM – 6:30PM

June 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th

$159 plus tax

Turf Talk

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Turf Care

By: Geoff Sheffield

The cost of maintaining a golf course today is like what we are experiencing everywhere else. Costs are rising at significant rates. This is no more evident than in the case of our plant health plan for the year. This includes fertilizer, wetting agents, soil amendments and pesticides where we base spending decisions on the needs of the grass. Chemistry, soil conditions and environmental conditions are often our deciding factors as to what exactly we use. Today some of these choices are being affected by the global market availability and pricing. We strive to offer the best conditions possible within a reasonable budget. 

This is getting harder to do. Grass seed was hard hit by last year’s severe drought as most producers lost much of their crop. Today a 50lb bag of seed has gone up by at least sixty percent. Basic fertilizer, 46-0-0 all nitrogen, that we spray the fairways with has increased by eighty percent. Other plant health products have seen increases in the neighborhood of forty to fifty percent in 1 year.

The sand we topdress with has seen a regular increase in price of approximately five percent but the trucking cost has increased considerably with the fuel costs going up daily. We bought some products that came out of Okanogan and that trucking cost was a phone call to inform me that the regular shipping rate was increasing immediately by $1500. 

These increases are just a few of the inflationary issues that we are experiencing.Our operating budget is comparable to other similar courses in town and the cost of golfing is related not only to demand but also to these increasing costs. 

Our team will strive to manage the budget and find the balance of providing excellent playing conditions for our golfers at a reasonable value.

Geoff Sheffield

Course Superintendent

HP Ladies Division Update By: Debbie Bugg, Ladies Captain

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Uncategorized

Ladies League

We had a fantastic start to the season on April 9th, with 28 golfers taking part in our season opener, followed by a social gathering at the Range Café. It was wonderful to reconnect after the winter break, and we’re looking forward to a fun and active season ahead!

The Carr Cup, our winter match play tournament, is organized by Janice Graham. Originally established by Joyce Carr at Cedar Hill in 2015, the event moved to Highland Pacific in 2022 along with Joyce. The Carr Cup trophy and prizes were presented at our season opener.

(attach picture – sent in a separate email)

1st Debbie Bugg  

2nd Hillary Xu

3rd Deb King

4th Yvonne Phipps

5th Ginny Storey

6th Claudia Lang

Upcoming events:

April 23rd – Ladies League Fawn Frolic Tournament 

April 30th – Interclub with Cordova Bay at HP

May 25th & 26th – Zone 5 Amateur/Senior/ Handicap tournament. Open to all Zone 5 female golfers with a verifiable handicap. 

Amateur / Senior / Handicap Tournament

Flow of Play

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Golf Tips, News

By: Callum Ashby, PGA of Canada

The days are getting longer, which means more tee times and more people enjoying the golf course. We want everyone who comes out to have a great experience and the number one thing that impacts that is the flow of play.

At Highland Pacific, we see our HP Club, Premium, and Platinum players as ambassadors of our golf course. When the course is flowing well, you can feel it. There’s a rhythm to the round, you stay in it and the experience is simply better for everyone.

Here are a few simple tips that go a long way in keeping things moving:

Play ready golf
If you’re ready to hit, go ahead. This is the biggest factor in maintaining flow. Waiting for the player who is furthest away slows things down more than most people realize. Just be mindful and stay aware of others when playing ready golf.

Be ready on the tee
Have your ball, tee, and glove ready before it’s your turn. The honour can still be respected, but if someone is ready, they can step in and play.

Keep up with the group ahead
This is the most important one. Pace of play is measured by your position on the course, not just the time on the clock. If you start to see a gap, it’s a good time to pick things up.

Limit ball searches
We all want to find it, but after a short look, it’s best to keep moving. The Rules of Golf allow 3 minutes to search for a ball. After that, it is considered lost and play should continue.

None of this is about rushing. It’s about keeping a steady pace so everyone can enjoy their round the way it’s meant to be.

We’re grateful for the work our Player Assistants do each day to keep the course flowing. It’s not always the easiest role, and their efforts play a big part in creating a great experience for everyone.

We’re always looking for ways to improve and you play a big part in that.

We’ll see you out there.

A Friendly Reminder About Safety on the Course By Geoff Sheffield, Golf Course Superintendent

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Golf Tips, News, Turf Care

Golf at Highland Pacific is meant to be fun, enjoyable, and just the right amount of challenging. Along with the natural beauty and unique layout of the course, our terrain also creates a few situations where a little extra patience and awareness can go a long way.

As many of you know, the hills and slopes around the property help give Highland Pacific its character — but they also affect where we can safely drive power carts. There may be times when carts are restricted from certain areas, such as Pacific 7, where steeper slopes can create safety concerns.

You may also come across members of the maintenance team while they are out preparing the course each day. In some cases, it may be as simple as waiting for a team member to wave you onto the green, like on Highland 9. Other times, a staff member may need an extra moment to finish changing a hole or complete a task before play can continue. We know no one likes to cool off mid-round, but a short pause is better than an unexpected meeting with a piece of equipment.

A recent incident reminded us why this matters. Fortunately, no one was hurt. While our team was edging cart paths near the Highland 3 tee, a golfer attempted to drive around a Bobcat in a very tight area near the turn from the teeing ground. The operator had limited visibility and did not see the cart as they began to back up. Thankfully, the result was only damage and not injury, but it was a close call and a good reminder for all of us.

Our maintenance team works hard every day to make your round as enjoyable as possible, and safety is always a top priority for both staff and golfers. If you encounter a team member at work on the course, please make eye contact, wait for a clear signal, and proceed only when it is safe to do so.

We take pride in safe, incident-free days at Highland Pacific, and with everyone working together, we can keep it that way. A little patience, a little awareness, and a little less “I can squeeze through there” thinking will help make the course safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

— Geoff Sheffield, Golf Course Superintendent

Academy Newsletter – March Updates

Date: Categories: Golf Tips, HP Team, News

Welcome Our New TPI Certified Instructor – Jordan Murphy
We’re excited to welcome Jordan Murphy to the Academy staff as our new TPI Certified Instructor. TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) focuses on how your body moves during the golf swing. Through movement screening and golf-specific training, Jordan can identify physical limitations that may be affecting your swing and help you improve mobility, efficiency, and power. The result? Better consistency, more distance, and a lower risk of injury. Stay tuned for opportunities to book sessions with Jordan and learn how TPI training can elevate your game.

Clinics Are Back Next Month
Our Learn to Play Clinics return next month along with our Spring Workshop Series. These sessions are a great way to build fundamentals, sharpen skills, and get ready for the season ahead. Keep an eye out for registration opening soon — including our popular “Fix Your Slice” Workshop, designed to help you straighten out your tee shots and gain confidence off the tee.

TaylorMade Fitting Day – March 16
Our TaylorMade Fitting Day on March 16th is officially sold out! We’re excited for a full day of custom fittings and new gear. If you’re around the facility that day, feel free to stop by, say hello, and check out the latest TaylorMade equipment while the reps are on site.

Junior Spring Break Camps
Our Junior Spring Break All-Day Camps run March 16th through March 29th. These camps are a fantastic opportunity for young golfers to develop their skills, build confidence, and enjoy a fun week of golf during the school break. Instruction, games, and on-course activities make for a great learning environment for players of all levels.

Academy Tip – Control Your Putting Distance
Great putting starts with distance control. A simple drill (Ladder Drill): place three balls at 20, 30, and 40 feet from the hole. Use the same smooth tempo each time and adjust only the length of your backswing. Your goal is to stop each putt within a 3-foot circle around the hole. Mastering distance control will quickly reduce three-putts and help you save strokes on the green. 

Turf Talk By: Geoff Sheffield

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Health & Fitness, HP Team, News

The maintenance team has a unique new team member, I have been looking at robotic ball pickers for some time now and  finally found one. The Pik’r can now be seen on the range daily doing its job.

The crew will be getting trained over the next couple of weeks on how to manage this employee.

We will be developing new procedures for the maintenance crew as we fine tune our operations.

The Pik’r is Canadian made and we are the 2nd golf course on the island to have one. 

This robot has some features that will help us have a better turf surface. The discs that grab the balls will not dig into the turf as it turns, they are designed to rotate as it turns not dig in. The machine has castor front wheels and large drive wheels which will also help the turf. 

We will be monitoring its effectiveness closely for labour and machine cost savings. The labour saved on picking balls can then be redirected to course service. As we learn you may see it just sitting there waiting for us. As I write this the Pik’r is on pause in front of the flag near the small pond, It notified me of a problem. After lunch we will go find out what is happening.

The communication alerts go directly to the operator’s phone when there is an issue or if it’s full and on its way back to the club house.

Other maintenance news.

The crew is finishing up with the irrigation upgrade to Pacific #4 and 5. We have had to install some drainage in the boxes and run some basic tests. Very soon we will try the computer testing of these holes. Spring and summer is coming, we are going to need these sprinklers. Thanks again to these guys slugging it out in some ugly weather and muddy conditions.

Have a great spring.

Highland Pacific Golf Power Cart Sharing and Single Rider Policy

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Health & Fitness, HP Team, News, Turf Care

Highland Pacific Golf

Purpose

To ensure there are enough power carts available for all players throughout the day and to conserve cart battery capacity (amp hours), especially during periods of high demand.

Policy Summary

  • Carts are shared at all times whenever possible (two riders per cart).
  • Players are expected to share with members of their group or any players they are paired with by the Starter.
  • Players who must ride alone will be charged a mandatory Single Rider Fee of $35 + tax.

(Note: Highland Pacific’s published cart rates list a per-person power cart rate and a single rider option, which this policy aligns with.)

Cart Assignment Rules

  1. Default cart allocation is two players per cart.
  2. If your group has an odd number of riders, one single cart may be assigned if available (e.g., threesomes), but sharing is still expected whenever pairing makes it possible.
  3. If you choose not to share, or request a solo cart when sharing is available, you will be required to pay the Single Rider Fee.

Single Rider Fee

  • $35 + tax (mandatory) for any player riding alone (by necessity or by request).
  • The Single Rider Fee helps Highland Pacific manage fleet availability and battery usage, and ensures fair access to carts for all tee times.

Where This Policy Is Enforced

This policy is monitored and implemented throughout the guest journey, including:

  • Check-in at the Golf Shop
  • Guest Services cart staging / cart pickup
  • The Starter at the 1st tee

Receipt Verification

To manage the fleet appropriately, Guest Services and Starter staff are required by management to:

  • verify player receipts, and
  • confirm cart seating aligns with this policy (shared carts unless a Single Rider Fee has been paid).

Non-Compliance

If a player refuses to comply with cart sharing when sharing is available, management may:

  • require payment of the Single Rider Fee,
  • reassign carts to maintain availability for later tee times, and/or
  • deny a solo cart request if carts are needed to support scheduled play.

Thank You

Thank you for your cooperation—this helps us keep the day running smoothly and ensures cart availability for everyone.

Thank you Team Highland Pacific

Avatar photo Date: Categories: HP Team, News

I want to take a moment to sincerely thank our entire team at Highland Pacific for their hard work over the past few months.

This time of year brings its share of challenges—especially when the weather doesn’t cooperate—and our maintenance team has done an outstanding job keeping the golf course in excellent condition. Much of their work happens early in the morning and behind the scenes, and their dedication does not go unnoticed.

Across the entire operation, our staff continues to bring their best to Highland Pacific each day. Their energy, attitude, and ability to have fun while creating a welcoming environment are what make this place special.

A special thank you as well to our Café team. Your hard work, consistency, and positive service make a big difference to everyone who walks through our doors.

I truly believe we’ve built a team grounded in excellence and fun. It’s the people across our entire operation—from those on the front line to those working behind the scenes—who make Highland Pacific what it is, and the experience wouldn’t be the same without them. They are some of the hardest-working, most fun, and friendliest people I know, and it’s an honour to work alongside them.

And to our regular Highland Pacific players: thank you for being such an important part of our community. We’d really appreciate your help in continuing to make this a great place to be by treating our front-line staff with kindness and respect—especially during busy times.

Thank you again to our entire team for your hard work and commitment to making Highland Pacific what it is.

Turf Talk: Bunkers, Forward Tees and a Wet Start to 2026

Avatar photo Date: Categories: HP Team, News, Turf Care, Uncategorized

The Maintenance Department is looking forward to the 2026 season. Despite a January that’s been more West Coast than “winter wonderland,” we’ve had a productive start.

Our main focus has been the irrigation upgrade on Pacific #4 and #5, which is nearly complete. Chris Young—our course architect and contractor—has also been on site building additional forward tees on Pacific #1 and #9. These tees will be sodded in early March.

Bunkers: How They’re Built (and Why They’re a Challenge)

Bunkers are a continuing focus for us, and I’m often asked how they’re constructed and maintained. Here’s the breakdown.

How our bunkers were built

  • Designed and shaped by Chris Young
  • Liner installed below the sand to help prevent rocks from working up to the surface. It was among the best options available 20 years ago when the course was built. (Newer technologies exist now and may be used in future renovations.)
  • Drainage installed beneath the liner
  • 6” bunker board installed around the edges to establish the final shape and separate the grass rootzone from bunker sand (you can see an example from the renovation on Pacific #3)
  • Baja Tan bunker sand installed, originally at about 6” depth in the main hitting area, tapering to roughly 2” on steeper slopes to help reduce fried-egg lies
  • Once the surrounding turf establishes strong roots, the bunker board is removed and the bunker is prepared for play

Sounds tidy on paper… and then real life happens.

Day-to-day bunker maintenance: the realities

During the golf season, we usually aim for three bunker services per week, which typically looks like:

  • Quick touch-ups (footprints and basic smoothing)
  • Full rake-out (at least once per week)
  • Full service (about every two weeks): trim surrounds, check depths, move sand where needed, and rake thoroughly

Staffing and scheduling can make that tough at times, but we’ll always do our best to keep conditions strong.

Common bunker issues we battle

  • Poa seed & divots: Divots often end up in bunkers with Poa seed attached. In cooler parts of the season, this can lead to grass growing in the sand—meaning hand-pulling, and occasionally a growth herbicide (not our favourite, but effective).
  • Sand pushed to the faces/edges: Repeated bunker shots can build up the front edges over time. A great example is the new chipping green bunker—only 4+ years old and the front edge is already up about a foot from the original design.
  • Raking habits: Most golfers rake sand toward themselves as they exit. That pulls sand out of the main hitting area and can expose the liner. Sometimes sand gets raked so far to the edges that the entry area shrinks—and Poa happily moves in. (Watch the left-side bunker this spring when we edge it out—you’ll notice the hitting area increase.)
  • And of course… deer: The “Highland bunker crew” often visits at night—especially right after a full service—to lie in them, play in them, and generally redecorate.

Looking ahead

Improving bunkers has been a goal the past few years, and it remains one for 2026. We’ll be adding sand where needed throughout the season.

Let’s have a great year. And a friendly reminder: playing the appropriate tees helps pace of play—and everyone’s enjoyment of the game.

Tee Time Booking Policies

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Uncategorized

We’d like to send a quick reminder regarding our tee time booking policies. Recently, we’ve noticed an increase in bookings that are not following our guidelines, which negatively impacts the tee sheet and is unfair to those following the rules. In particular, we are seeing more tee times being held with placeholder bookings (including random letters or incomplete names), often for both morning and early afternoon times.

Tee Time Booking Policies

  • Please avoid using placeholders or fake names.
     Any bookings with incomplete or inaccurate player information may be removed 24 hours in advance to open the spot for others.
  • Arrive early and check in on time.
     Please check in at the Golf Shop at least 20 minutes before your tee time and be at the first tee 10 minutes prior, to help us stay on schedule and keep play moving.
  • Duplicate or misused bookings may be removed.
     This includes duplicate reservations or bookings made using falsified names. These may be removed at staff discretion with no notification to maintain fairness for all golfers.
  • Watch for frost delays.
     Cooler mornings are here. Please check your confirmation email or our website for the most up-to-date information before heading to the course.
  • Players must play in their booked tee time.
     If you book for someone else (which we ask you to avoid), their contact information does not attach to the reservation. This creates confusion and delays for both players and staff, especially during frost delays. (See image below.)

If these steps are not followed, we will take the following actions:

Step 1: Golfers will be restricted to one booking per account
Step 2: Tee times not following the above procedures may be removed 48 hours in advance without notice.
Step 3: Booking privileges may be restricted for repeat offenders

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep the booking system fair for everyone.

Honoring Family Legacy at Highland Pacific

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Hole Walkthroughs, HP Team, News

On December 20, members of the Plasterer family gathered at Highland Pacific Golf to honour loved ones who are no longer with us—individuals whose vision and dedication were instrumental in creating this beautiful course. Highland Pacific Golf stands as a proud part of an extraordinary family legacy, making it the perfect setting to celebrate three Plasterers who all passed during the holiday season.

Herbert Plasterer

Herbert, who passed away 40 years ago, was the inspiration behind the course. A businessman and sculptor, he purchased this land many years ago with the dream that it would one day become a golf course. His love of family is reflected in his sculptures and in the initials that form the course’s logo. A striking replica of his sculpture “Family” is prominently displayed on the course, pictured here alongside his descendants.

Rose Maria “Romi” Plasterer

Romi, who passed away 10 years ago, was the family’s matriarch. She carried the family business forward and championed new ventures, including the development of this course. Her unwavering support made this dream possible. Romi proudly cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony—a moment that symbolized the role she played in bringing Herb’s dream to life.

Tom Plasterer

Tom, who passed away five years ago, was the eldest son of Herb and Romi. Known for his work ethic and leadership, Tom oversaw the construction of Highland Pacific Golf. His vision, determination, and years of effort brought this course to life, allowing us all to enjoy its beauty today.

This gathering was a heartfelt tribute to these remarkable individuals and a reminder of the enduring family legacy that Highland Pacific Golf represents. We are grateful to uphold and celebrate this heritage.

Turf Talk

Avatar photo Date: Categories: Hole Walkthroughs, HP Team, News, Turf Care

Highland Pacific has a very good irrigation system, but the electrical control component has been slowly failing. When it was installed between 2006 and 2010, it was considered a top-of-the-line decoder operating system. Like buying a top-of-the-line automobile, as we all know, nothing is perfect.

The maintenance team has been doing their best to keep it running smoothly. This year, we presented our situation to the Board of Directors and received approval to upgrade the electronic operating system. We are now converting the system to a Rain Bird IC Series, a project that will take approximately 4–5 years to complete.

We are starting on Pacific holes #4 and #5. This area was chosen because it’s what we refer to as a “clean” portion of the course, and it allows us to troubleshoot the installation more easily as we go.

The crew photos were taken on Pacific #5 on January 6–7—some of the wettest days so far this winter. During that time, the team dug up approximately 40 sprinklers to attach the new modules and to raise and level them. The wiring photos show the new boxes being built to replace the decoders. These will be installed in standard valve boxes throughout the fairways and rough, with additional drainage added where needed to ensure the installation goes as planned.

Thank you to the team pictured here, from left to right:

  • Bob Flood, Crew Foreman
  • David Rowat, Plant Health Specialist
  • Josh Burke, Irrigation Technician
  • Craig William, Master Labourer
  • Sean Valikoski, Assistant Superintendent

Not pictured—but a big part of this project—are Jack Valikoski (Master Labourer), Dave McKellar (Mechanic and master of all things—we rely on him for box construction and his many words of advice), and Geoff Sheffield (Course Superintendent and the original installer of the system).

Keep an eye out for this team as they begin Pacific #4 next week.

Bilingual Golf Series

Jeff Palmer - General Manager Date: Categories: Golf Tips, Health & Fitness, News

Bilingual Beginner Golf Series

Saturdays at 1:00p.m. -2:15 p.m.- January 3, 10,17, 24, 31st, 2026

Have you ever thought about taking up golf? Highland Pacific Golf is the most welcoming course in Victoria and now you can learn the sport with our Mandarin Speakers Introduction to Golf series. Our award-winning PGA of Canada coaches have all the expertise to get you started on the right path to enjoying the greatest game on earth and our dynamic Mandarin speaking translator, Emma Han, will ensure you do not miss a beat! This all-inclusive five lesson program will feature amazing content to help you build confidence and skill to start practicing within three weeks. Starting at the hole and moving out into the fairway, you will be taught to graduate the arc until you are hitting shots straight down the fairway. Inclusive of instruction, clubs, practice balls and post-session notes, this is sure to set you up for success.

雙語初階高爾夫系列課程

2026 年 1 月 3、10、17、24、31 日（星期六）下午 1:00–2:15

你曾經想過開始學高爾夫嗎？

Highland Pacific Golf 是維多利亞最友善、最歡迎新手的球場，現在你可以透過我們的 中文（普通話）雙語高爾夫入門系列課程，輕鬆開始你的高球之旅。

我們屢獲殊榮的加拿大 PGA 專業高爾夫認證教練擁有專業知識，能帶領你踏上正確的學習道路，享受這項世界上最棒的運動。而我們充滿活力的中文翻譯 Emma 韓艾瑪，將確保你在課程中不會錯過任何細節！

這套全包式的五堂課程設計，內容精彩、循序漸進，能在三週內幫助你建立自信與基本技巧。課程從果嶺開始，逐步延伸到球道，指導你掌握從短到長、從近到遠的揮桿弧度，直到你能把球筆直地打向球道前方。

課程包含：

  • 專業教學
  • 高爾夫球桿
  • 練習球
  • 課後筆記與重點回顧

這是一套專為新手打造、助你成功入門的理想課程。

For more information and to book online follow the link below:

Group Programs