Authors
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. […]
Do’s and Don’ts of Wedding Planning
As a wedding planner I get a lot of feedback from brides on things they wished they had done for their wedding and some things they wished they hadn’t spent so much time on. Planning a wedding is no easy task but it is a lot of fun for most! During the planning period it is easy to get a head of yourself and out a lot on your plate because you think you will have plenty of time…that time […]
Craft Beer: The Ever Changing Tap
We all know that brands like Budweiser, Coors Light, Heineken and so many others will never be a thing of the past, but could they be competing with some local craft beers? In the past few years there has been a climb in the number of craft breweries popping up in our communities, and it has begun to spark an interest and even create a hobby with many beer drinkers. As someone who enjoys going to new local restaurants I […]
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 […]
What Trends Will You Be Following This Season?
As somebody who loves attending weddings as much as I love to plan them there is nothing better than seeing what brides are doing at their weddings and what might be trending during that time. Year after year we see what trends brides are doing and what trends the wedding industry wants to see. It would take you a couple days to read through all of the trends that are arising, so I went thorough and picked out some of […]
May 24, 2016
Why are couples now looking for a Woodland Themed Wedding? Well, it starts with their personalities, outside activities, inspiration and vision of what their perfect day would be. Woodland Themed Weddings are gaining more and more popularity, as this is an amazing theme for an outdoor soiree that can be brought indoors. With all of the natural beauty and elements that you could utilize such as burlap, lace, wood based centerpieces, moss, tree branches and seasonal flowers, add a few […]
May 17, 2016
When going to the driving range/practice facility and you take a look around. What is the most commonly used golf club? That’s right…you guessed it…The Driver! It is the longest club in the bag…It hits the ball far…it makes that great smash sound when you hit the ball…and best of all, the golf ball is teed up! Of course, when we play it is important to hit the tee shot well. However, there are several parts of the game that […]
May 10, 2016
During the summer months of my golfing youth I loved playing a late day “twilight” nine with my father. We’d arrive at the course between 5:00 and 6:00 PM and always find a group of evening golfers to join with for a game. And, as the season moved to the latter part of the summer, we’d frequently finish these twilight rounds in the dusk of the soon to be darkness of night. The ninth hole at the course we played […]
May 3, 2016
Use my “Boy Scout “system to host, and still be able to enjoy these events. Every year, here at The Oaks, among our most popular events are our special “Holiday Buffets”. On Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving we host upwards of 600 guests. Yes – 600 guests going through the buffet line! And, as executive chef, it’s my responsibility to make certain that the guest experience is exceptional from the arrival of the first patron to the time that […]
April 26, 2016
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 […]
April 19, 2016
I was reading Peter’s Blog entitled “Golf’s Vernacular” and it reminded of the great times and people I met in golf during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s (that’s the 1900’s not 1,800’s) when many of those terms were popular. Golf, people and the times were much simpler then and as we enjoyed playing, competing and of course socializing together with our favorite past time. Besides the terminology that transpired then equally unique were the “sudo/nick” names that were anointed to […]
April 12, 2016
Twenty years ago I took on the position of a bookkeeper close to home at a Candia Woods Golf Links. Little did I know this position would then blossom into a job that I would take so much pride in and I would become apart of the lives of couples for the happiest day of their lives. With my past experience and education in interior design, flower arrangements and corporate events I was excited to take on the position as […]
April 26, 2016
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 […]
April 19, 2016
I was reading Peter’s Blog entitled “Golf’s Vernacular” and it reminded of the great times and people I met in golf during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s (that’s the 1900’s not 1,800’s) when many of those terms were popular. Golf, people and the times were much simpler then and as we enjoyed playing, competing and of course socializing together with our favorite past time. Besides the terminology that transpired then equally unique were the “sudo/nick” names that were anointed to […]
April 12, 2016
Twenty years ago I took on the position of a bookkeeper close to home at a Candia Woods Golf Links. Little did I know this position would then blossom into a job that I would take so much pride in and I would become apart of the lives of couples for the happiest day of their lives. With my past experience and education in interior design, flower arrangements and corporate events I was excited to take on the position as […]
April 5, 2016
Each week I read a Fishing blog posted by a well-known NH Professional Fishing Guide. For a number of reasons, I look forward to each of his posts. First and foremost — I’m a fly fishing nut! If you can’t find me at The Oaks, and I’m not playing in a golf tournament, chances are I’m waist high in a river searching for my next fish. Second — WHERE the fish are most likely to be biting. Third — WHAT […]
March 29, 2016
Technology is finding its way into almost every facet of life. With the ease of accessibility, you can put numerous tools at your fingertips. Golf is no exception. With so many applications available, which ones do you install into your “Mobile Golf Bag”? Being a tech nerd, I am always looking for the latest and greatest apps to improve in my golf game. Some may say there are not enough apps available to take on such a task, but I […]
March 22, 2016
It is my goal as your chef at Candia Woods to provide you, our Guests with the best quality and safest food products as possible. At least two or more of our kitchen staff are serve safe certified each season and our annual health inspection reports have passed with high scores. Sanitation is as important as the quality and flavor of the food products we produce. Speaking of sanitation, I have recently toured the Sysco warehouse in Plympton, Massachusetts. I […]
March 15, 2016
When I started as food and beverage director at The Oaks it was my first experience at a golf facility. I wasn’t sure what to expect. My culinary school education taught me a great deal, but it didn’t prepare me for everything…. What kind of food does a golf course serve? Who is the clientele? I soon came to the conclusion that, when it comes to the good food and beverage side, a golf course and a ski resort have […]
March 8, 2016
I have played Ping since I was 16 years old. Before that I couldn’t break an egg. I started with Eye irons – Broke 90. Went to Eye Woods, K2 Irons, Anser Putter – Broke 80. Then went to Eye 2 Woods, Eye 2 Irons, Pal Putter – broke 70, and won my first NHWGA State Amateur. Since then I’ve played the ISI Nickel, i3, Rapture, G5, I15, G25 and G30… Won 15 more NHWGA Championships, an Eastern Senior, the […]
March 1, 2016
A common question that course superintendents hear from golfers is: “what do you guys do in the winter?” Sometimes I think they presume that there really isn’t much for a golf course grounds crew to do during the cold, snowy months of a New England winter. The reality is actually quite the contrary. That said, like most golf course maintenance crews in our area, my assistants (Bill Nickerson and Jeremy Stafford) and I do scale back to a 40 hour […]