Matt Evans

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 […]
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. […]
June 28, 2016

A Fungus Among Us

For many, the dog days of summer signify a return to easy living; vacation at the beach, barbeque in the back yard, cold drinks by the camp fire and of course, golf! Summer is an amazing time of year to be on a golf course, I have logged many. The warm temperatures bring about a variety of bustling life both plants and animals, all of which I enjoy seeing as I go about my work. However there is a life […]
April 26, 2016

Aeration, is it really necessary?

Perhaps the most despised piece of equipment on the golf course; the aerator and the process involved with it, produces more golfer questions and frustrations than any other. I commonly hear the question “is it really necessary?” My answer is usually the same, “I wish it wasn’t.” Of course the aerating process is a very necessary part of maintaining healthy greens; however it is easy to understand why many golfers cringe at the very sight of the aerator. Usually right […]