Course Maintenance
December 20, 2017
To a golfer, few things are as satisfying as playing a good game of golf on a course with mature trees lining each side of the fairway. Players come to the course for the game but also to appreciate the calming beauty that a golf course can offer. However, it has long been known that trees on golf courses can wreak havoc with turfgrass quality and playability. For us, trees and the work they create have become a part of […]
May 24, 2017
I have been wanting to address this issue for a long time since I receive many comments about green speeds from our customers as our spring greens aeration is behind us for the time being and much anticipated improved weather is ahead of us ensuring peak golfing conditions. There have been past days when golfers would have asked me if I thought the green speed number posted outside the golf shop was accurate. Some has said the greens were faster […]
April 5, 2017
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 […]
February 22, 2017
Winterkill is an easy problem to define but difficult to understand. Winterkill simply put, is when turf dies during the winter. However, understanding the mechanism’s that cause winterkill whether it be ice, crown hydration, low temperature kill or desiccation is not that simple. Creating effective prevention strategies and formulating actual recovery tactics can be complex, time consuming and at times experimental. What causes winterkill? Winterkill is a catch all term describing winter injury to turf that can occur through a […]
December 20, 2016
There are two reasons for covering greens turf during the winter months in the northern climate of the U.S. 1) To protect the turf from cold, dry winter winds. 2) To help prevent the forma on of ice on the greens surface. But, not all cultivars on our northern greens are the same… some need extra protec on and some actually benefit with no protection. The most susceptible turf species to winter damage is Poa Annua (poa). Poa plants are […]
July 5, 2016
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 […]
June 14, 2016
The U.S Open at Oakmont — Green Speed and the Stimp Meter This week’s U.S Open championship will be contested just outside Pittsburg, PA at Oakmont Country Club. It will be the ninth U.S. Open hosted at this famed venue. Virtually all of golf’s aficionados consider Oakmont one of the most difficult courses in America; a fantastic facility to host the nation’s most prestigious golf championship. Narrow fairways, deep bunkers and punishing rough… but, the real challenge of Oakmont is […]
May 31, 2016
One of the unique aspects of golf is that it is a game of integrity. There are no umpires or referees; quite simply… there is no on course supervision. Instead, the game relies on the integrity of the individual – the golfer – to show consideration to others, abide by the rules and to have respect for the course. Over my more than 30 years as a golf course superintendent I’ve seen virtually every imaginable type golfer behavior… some good… […]
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 […]