CandiaOaks
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 18, 2017
It’s a new era for chefs… Calculators and pads of paper are a thing of the past. In today’s commercial kitchen a chef must be computer savvy. Integrating food math into excel programs have made our lives as chefs a little easier. Inventories, food costing , order guides, prep lists, cleaning schedules, employee schedules and even seating charts are all worked into an excel format. Some are simple; others more complex. Basic sheets with formulas for costing, robust workbooks to […]
May 10, 2017
Part 4 of our Guest Blog Series – This post is written by Chris Sargent, Program Director of The First Tee of New Hampshire. The First Tee of NH coaches life skills and core values that are inherent in golf, to children of all ages. However, on another level: The First Tee of NH nurtures the space by providing the place for its participants to self-discover their own swing, their authentic swing, their authentic way of Being in the world. […]
May 3, 2017
Golfers could soon be, in the words of Mike Love and the Beach Boys, “loading up their woody with their boards inside and headin’ out singing their song”? No. It’s not that golfers are about to give up their game to become surfers; instead, it’s a new concept being introduced to golf that may link these two sporting passions together. Named the Best New Product at the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show, a device called the GolfBoard is starting to appear […]
April 26, 2017
First of all there are no disadvantages to club fitting…only advantages! Club manufactures are spending millions of dollars annually to make golf clubs easier to hit, the resulting shots go higher, straighter and longer. A startling article I read quoted “90% of U.S. golfers may be playing with improperly fit clubs”! Another article stated that “golfers who completed a club fitting almost always saw an immediate improvement in their driving distance and scores”! If you have never had a club […]
April 19, 2017
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 12, 2017
Spring can bring beautiful weather with birds chirping, white cherry blossoms, the smell of winter going away and a fresh New Year starting. Outdoor weddings are beautiful in all seasons, especially in the spring. It is important to remember that each season brings its own colors, climate and weather conditions. You can plan your themed wedding around your season (See Woodland Theme Wedding). With that being said; spring weddings can be challenging and come with additional planning, especially with the […]
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 […]
March 29, 2017
After what has been a long winter, it is time for you to dust off your Mobile Golf Bag! For those who don’t have one, CLICK HERE to view my post about 5 Free Apps For Your Mobile Golf Bag (MGB). As we prepare for the 2017 golf season in New England, I have a new app to put into your MGB. The app is gottaGolf and it has loads of cool features but the one in particular I was […]
March 22, 2017
To understand what’s behind the chef coat you need to get the details from the chef. This is my story of an average day for this chef at a golf club. Beginning of the day… 7-9am So, the chef wakes up at 7:30 to be at work by 9ish. The Muddle through the morning goes something like this: Shower… Shave… Brush… Coffee… Breakfast and vitamins… Walk the dog… Run a few quick errands… A quick stop at Dunkin donuts for […]
March 1, 2017
Part 2 of our 2017 Guest Blog Series – This post is written by Brian Bain – Regional Manager of the PGA of America Player Development in New England PGA Junior League Golf (PGA JLG) is a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for boys and girls, ages 13 and under, to learn and enjoy the game of golf. The program is designed for kids of all abilities and skill levels, which gives juniors the opportunity to play a […]
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 […]
February 15, 2017
As we approach the upcoming golf season, it is not only important to work on your skillset, to play enjoyable golf; but we must also work on our mindset. In all sports, what happens first is our mind sees what must be done and then the body reacts. This is where it gets tough, is our mindset now positive or negative before hitting a shot; are we confident and believe that it can be done; do we have trust in […]
February 8, 2017
Written by Eddie Carbone, Executive Director of the US Senior Open Championship: Take it from someone who recently spent ten years working in a very different part of the country: New England has a rich sports history. From Bobby Orr scoring “The Goal” in 1970 to Adam Vinatieri’s field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI to current legends like David “Big Papi” Ortiz and… how about Sunday’s incredible Tom Brady Super Bowl dramatics. New England has a sports scene that few […]
February 1, 2017
Do you enjoy learning cool aspects about the game of golf… about the latest foods trending among golfers… about specialty drinks being served in the country’s best 19th holes? Last year we introduced the CandiaOaks BLOG called “OFF THE TEE”. Each week one of our team members posted some cool stuff about golf technique, course maintenance, the game’s new gadgets, 19th hole treats, some tidbits of golf history, an occasional personal story, even a tip or two about creating the […]
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 […]
December 7, 2016
Most of you know me as the General Manager/Director of Golf at Candia Woods and not as a golf professional and a teacher. I have actually been a golf professional since the tender age of 22 and a PGA Professional now for the past 41 years. One of the aspects of being a golf professional that I enjoyed the most was teaching the game to a wide variety of people that included men, women, and juniors of all ages. No […]
November 29, 2016
Do you set any golf goals? Have you ever wanted to improve some aspect of your golf game? If you have ever wanted to improve some part of your game, you need to have a plan. Not all goals are created equally. These goals do not have to be all about scores. Before you set your goals, you should set SMART goals, for a higher success rate. SMART goals are defined: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely goals. For example: […]
November 15, 2016
Those of you who have never been involved in the hospitality industry have likely never considered the stress on family that can come for those of us who have selected a career in a field which prime time literally matches traditional family time. Dinner service interrupts a time of day that is usually reserved for family. And, in the hospitality industry, weekends and holidays almost always create a conflict between work time and family time. But, my passion is food; […]