Hole #7 May 4. 9 days to opening
Since my last post we have been busy at work in the bunkers, and cleaning the courses of the plethora of debris that was brought down with heavy snows. On average 90 yards of sticks, pine cones, sleds, and children's mittens are removed upon the recession of the snow. We also remove dirty sand, and replenish the bunkers with about 60 tons of fresh; and if you count in the 24 tons of fertilizer we will disperse "wall to wall", we are about 6 tons short of balancing the whole deal for this year. Although, if the weather improves to the point of drying the course a bit more a dose of 500 tons (down from 750 tons in previous years) of topdressing sand will be put down on top of all the fairways. This is a lot of hard work that goes unnoticed. But it is the type of challenging work that we thrive on in the spring. There is nothing more satisfying than giving your best effort and having an excellent course on opening day. The effort is there as always with an average work week of 70 plus hours, but having an excellent course is getting away from us, due to the weather.
By the end of this week, all greens and tees will have been fertilized, mowed, and the irrigation systems on both courses made fully operational. Testing of the majority of the 2,400 heads will be accomplished, and the 52 control boxes will be cleaned as well, assuring that when we need to water...... all will come on line and 2,400 gpm at 110 psi will flow out of the pump station to be distributed perfectly onto the turf.
If you ask most superintendents what is the most difficult part of their job, they will tell you the grass is the easy part. And it is true. Not that growing grass for golf is that easy, but relative to managing employees it is easier most of the time. We have almost all of our returning staff on hand this week, and it takes time to get 34 employees on line, and then to keep them productive (productive = motivated). Those employees we have, I feel, are the best on any golf course. They care about the quality of the course, and work hard at tasks that most people will not apply for based on the pay (golf maintenance does not pay much). I am eternally thank full that 90% of my staff are returning workers who want to go out and be the best at what they do.
Reading back on this post I realize that a lot of numbers have been pushed about. Sometimes it is necessary to do this to grasp what has been, and will be done; because frankly I think what I do in my work is pretty simple. I dance with the weather, equipment, agronomy, employee motivation, and golfers expectation's. It is intoxicating, and time goes by without recognition, making it important to realize where you in relation to the music being played. And for now it is a quick and lively tune, with a chorus of "opening May 13th".
Kevin
