Course Maintenance

December 12, 2018

The Art of Maintenance

Art and maintenance… two things that are not normally associated with each other. For many, maintenance is a mundane task, vacuous of thought and abundant in labor. On the golf course maintenance is taken to the next level. Superintendents have learned to shed the myopic view that sometimes accompanies repetition and look deeper into the business of maintenance. Timing, precision, and calculation, are all components of a well rounded plan that have their roots based in the art of maintenance. […]
May 9, 2018

POA – A Seed Head Unlike Any Other

May is a great month; the sun is bright and shining high in the sky, the threat of frost is all but gone and flowers are in full bloom all around us. But while May is one of my favorite months, there is a down side during this time period that I must deal with every new season, Poa seed heads. For many, the term poa seed heads means nothing, but for those that do know the term you are […]
December 13, 2017

An Open Mind

I am a fan of new discoveries. The allure of the unknown has always interested me, especially the notion that what I hold to be true could very well turn out to be false. The turf industry is no exception when it comes to new discoveries. It seems every year there is a new piece of equipment to try, a new chemical to spray or a lost philosophy that will solve all our problems. Choosing which new discovery to try […]
September 20, 2017

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work

This post is written by Steve Diehl, Assistant Superintendent at Candia Woods. “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Seeing as this is my first blog I wanted to write something sort of out of the realm of what others have posted in the past.  However, I came up short on what to discuss until […]
April 19, 2017

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

The year was 1963, Kennedy was president, Martin Luther King was standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, The Beatles were about to take America by storm and a quiet kid from Candia, NH began work on a golf course that would turn into a lifelong passion. These days Richard Weeks is synonymous with Candia Woods. Those that have remained part of the community through the years consider Richard the original care taker of this golf course; others that […]
April 5, 2017

How Do You Start?

Part 3 of our 2017 Guest Blog Series – This post is written by Brad Booth – Golf Course Architect. As a golf architect, the most common question I am asked is, “how in the world do you start”, (the design process).  The thought of looking at a very large parcel of land and then developing it into a new golf experience is indeed a daunting challenge.  My hope with this short piece is to share my starting process with […]
December 13, 2016

Sacrifice and Success

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had several inquiries about the large holes in the greens; a process called deep tine aerification. It comes as no surprise of course that a magnitude of worry rushes over the unsuspecting golfer as she approaches the first green and sees the atrocity that has been committed. At first she holds nothing but contempt for the man on the tractor that seems suspiciously content with his actions and obtuse to the deprivation he […]
September 21, 2016

A Glimpse Into the Past

The other day on a walk through Bear Brook State Park I came across a tree with long serrated leaves that I just knew had to be an American chestnut (Castanea Dentata.) After closer inspection of the leaves, bark and structure of the tree, there was no mistaking it, it was indeed an American chestnut. Most people have probably never seen an American chestnut, and for those that have, the grandeur of this tree is nothing more than a memory. […]
July 5, 2016

Bunker Sand

Bunker Sand A few years ago I was invited to play a golf course in Maine named Belgrade Lakes.  Located about 12 miles due north of Augusta, a bit off the beaten path, Belgrade Lakes is a lovely course. I found the layout, designed by Scotsman Clive Clark (he also did Lake Winnipesaukee Country Club), to be an enjoyable play through rolling terrain.  Beautifully conditioned greens, tees and fairways but, from the very first hole, the most striking feature of […]