Closed For The Season

Well, we are officially closed for the 2009 golf season.  We picked up the flags and cups today and then put the last snow mold treatment on the greens. 

 

We also filled in the holes with sand.  One, to prevent the holes from collapsing over the winter and also to discourage people putting sticks in the holes when they sneak out and play.  (You know who you are.)

It was a pretty good year, revenue and rounds were up and that's a real feat in this economy.  We're always looking at ways to further reduce our costs though, while still providing a great golf course.  This winter will be time to go back and identify what worked and what didn't and make plans accordingly. 

Thank you to all the golfers and staff for making this another wonderful season.  See you next year!

(I know, I won't make it as a sign painter)

Book Review

Recently I ran across a blog written by Anthony Pioppi, a golf writer for Golfdom, Links, and GolfPunk. He also authored a couple of books, one of which is titled "To The Nines", a celebration of nine-hole golf courses, a subject near and dear to my heart.  Needless to say, I ordered a copy. 

What a fantastic read! It covers the best nine-hole courses in the country, including Fenwick, Katherine Hepburn's favorite course, and Rolling Rock, a Donald Ross layout.

I recommend this book to every golf fan, especially those that have a soft-spot for nine-hole courses.  It can be ordered direct from Anthony.

This Blog Gets A Mention...

In a recent post on the blog from Golf Course Industry, a national golf magazine, they make mention of my blog.  It's a list of some of their favorite golf course superintendent's blogs.  Here is the link: http://www.golfcourseindustry.com/news/news.asp?ID=5547

Thanks, GCI!

Getting Towards The End

Tee signs were taken down on Friday, and the pumphouse has been winterized. It won't be long now before we officially close the golf course.  But with this nice weather we've been having, we might be open all winter!

Congratulations Are In Order...

to course worker Steve Ausmus. He just got accepted into the 2-year online certificate program in turfgrass management at Penn State University. This was his first year working at a golf course and the bug bit him hard. He's now got turfgrass in his blood!

Way to go, Steve!

Irrigation System Blowout

Today we blew out the irrigation system. This is the last big project we have to accomplish before we close the course.

We start with an air compressor that we hook up to the irrigation lines in the pumphouse:

This is number 2 green, the first one to get blown out:

We had a small problem when the green wouldn't shut off, so I had to close the control valve manually. And of course the valve box was full of water so I got nice and cold:

This is 6 teebox, during the first go-round:

We go through half the course since it's set up with two satellite controllers, each of which controls half of the irrigation system. Then we go through it again to get the remainder of the water blown out. It takes about 8 hours or so with Gary helping.

Dane's New Baby!

Here she is, Malia Joy Quigley:



She was born on Oct 19 at 5:44 pm. She is 5 lbs. 13 ¾ oz. and is 19 inches long.


Congrats Dane and Amber, she's beautiful!