Sound The Fog Horns...

Rob Williams, Stockton Golf & Country Club, Stockton, CA:

"Today we have a few signs we are heading into the winter months. The fog has rolled in off the delta, the leaves continue to fall and the 10 day forecast is quickly filling up with the likelihood of rain and showers. To the right is a view from tee to green on #15.

Below left, the sun rises over #17 Green and Approach area... then the sun begins to burn off the fog."

But our work continues on...	This will soon be a familiar site.

Visit Rob's blog at sgccturf.blogspot.com.

A Special Thanks...

Josh Clevenger, Claremont Country Club, Oakland, CA:

"Sadly, it's that time of year when we have to say goodbye to our seasonal employees. These guys provide a great assistance to the rest of our staff, as many more projects and special details around the golf course are completed. Each individual has very unique skill sets and certainly made a positive impact on the golf course. Their 'can do' attitude definitely resonates throughout the staff and supports a healthy working environment.

The seasonal staff did the majority of walk mowing, both greens and collars. They also spent time in working the corridors of the property, with pruning of trees/ shrubs around the fence line. Other tasks include, edging sprinklers, bunker detail, clean-up during aerification, flower bed maintenance, blowing fairways and rough, and hand watering of tees, approaches, and fairways.

These guys will certainly be missed and we hope to see all of them again next year! Thanks for the great work!"

Visit Josh's blog at claremontturf.blogspot.com.

Labels & MSDSs added...

Timothy Christians, Makray Memorial Golf Club, Barrington, IL:

"In an effort to make more information available to golfers and others, we have added a section to the blog where all pesticide labels & MSDSs are available for review.

Labels are guidelines developed for use by the pesticide applicator as the proper and safe way to apply pesticides. They are usually attached to the front of the container as you can see from this image. Labels give information such as use rates, crops to apply to and target pests. They are the law when applying any pesticide.

MSDSs (Material Data Safety Sheets) give detailed information for the safety concerns of all chemicals.

To view the list of Labels & MSDSs of our current inventory you can click on pesticide info on the menu and then click on the drop down page labeled Labels/MSDS or click here."

Visit Tim's blog at makraygolfmaintenance.wordpress.com.

Tree Removals...

Jeff Johnson, The Minikahda Club, Minneapolis, MN:

"A few hazardous and unhealthy trees needed to be removed this fall. Probably the most noticeable are three large willows next to the pond on 6. The willow trees were around 30-40 years old. After 30-40 years these trees served their purpose. Willows are a short lived trees and these particular trees had a great degree of rot and decay throughout their structures."

Before.

After... with a great view of the 7th hole.

Visit Jeff's blog at minikahdagrounds.blogspot.com.

What about this "Post"?

David Dore-Smith, Copperleaf Golf Club, Bonita Springs, FL:

"At the October Greens and Grounds Committee meeting, the use of the 150 yard pole, located in the center of all par 4 and par 5 fairways, was discussed.

Interestingly, there was much discussion regarding the need of such a device considering Copperleaf utilizes both GPS and Laserlink prisms to help golfers with their yardage. Several attendees commented that they use the pole as an indicator for their shot direction whereas others said that it detracted from the beauty of the course.

Unknown to many is that our new GPS units have the ability for the user to tap the screen and position a marker at their desired landing location...

Unknown to many is that our new GPS units have the ability for the user to tap the screen and position a marker at their desired landing location on the hole to determine distance.

It was decided to remove the poles for the immediate future and to gather member feedback to determine if the poles should be replaced.

The Green Committee would like to hear from you with your thoughts and suggestions regarding the use, and need, of the current 150 yard marker."

Visit David's blog at copperleafgcm.com.

What are you thankful for this year?

Neil Radatz, CGCS, Hawks Landing Golf Club, Verona, WI:

Today, I am looking back at my daily journal that I write of what we accomplished on the course, the weather and basically everything that was done on each day. This year started before we were even finished with our winter work and did not stop for the most part the entire golf season. We only had a handful of rain outs, most coming in October. Which leads into the lack of rain and heat this summer.

I am thankful that I hired Jeff Muller this spring as our new Assistant. Jeff had a lot to learn quick, and a big part of that was trying to figure me out. As many of you know, I do not stop from the time I wake up until I go to bed. There are so many things going on in my head that I expect Jeff to comprehend daily. Not an easy part of his job.

Jeff had a lot to learn quick, and a big part of that was trying to figure me out....

Jeff and my son, Matt, worked just about every day during the drought this summer hand watering. I will tell you that pulling a 100 foot 1-inch hose around for hours a day is no easy task. We managed to have a great golf course in spite of the lack of moisture. We had a good plan this year, I am always looking to find a better more efficient way to provide you with a golf course that plays well daily.

I am thankful for the opportunity to work with a great management team and a membership that understands what it takes to maintain Hawks. I enjoy coming to work each and every day. As soon as I wake up I am ready for the challenge of providing you with a great golf experience. That's not to say that my dogs would let me sleep much past 5 anyway.

As the golf season winds down I continue to look back at this year and see what we can do to make Hawks even better the next year. We continue to work on the little details right now that you may or not notice right away but I am sure the golf course will be better for it.

I could not forget my family. I am fortunate to have the most understanding wife that you could ask for. She has been with me through two golf course constructions, a remodel, a major and the daily life of a golf course superintendent who works so many hours that I lose track of the total by June. This year, my son worked on our crew. How lucky am I to be able to be with Matt every day. My daughter continues her studies at UW, trains horses and competes at a high level in many different riding styles. She has no stop in her.

I hope that you can take some time to reflect on your year, and how you can make it better next year."

Visit Neil's blog at hawkslandinggreens.blogspot.com.

Assistant Experiences a Special Ryder Cup...

Nelson Caron, The Ford Plantation, Williamsburg, VA:

Ford Plantation Assistant Matt Sumpter volunteered for the Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. His jobs ranged from final greens set up (Figure 1) to mowing bunker banks (Figure 2). The jobs at Medinah allowed all the volunteers to experience various aspects that go into preparing for a major golf tournament.

Matt, a former intern from 2010, had special ties to the course. Having spent a summer helping grow in the renovated fairways and greens, the tournament was especially exciting. "To go back, see how the golf course has come together over the years since the renovation and hosting The Ryder Cup was special," said Sumpter.

For Matt, the experience was topped off by the opportunity to get to work side by side with past classmates, former supervisors, and industry professionals from all over the world.

Matt's Ryder Cup experience is highlighted with other Purdue Alumni in an article in Purdue Connections."

Visit the Ford Plantation blog at tfpagronomy.blogspot.com.

I'm thankful for...

Joel Kachmarek, Tacoma Country and Golf Club, Lakewood, WA:

"First and foremost, I am thankful that I had the pleasure of knowing John Harbottle III and that he actually referred to me as 'a friend'. Without John's vision and leadership, I can tell you with complete confidence that we would not be working on a complete master plan today. And, I can also say that we wouldn't be embarking on this plan in such bold fashion. The new 'Golden era' bunkering that we're creating today is based on those six prototype bunkers that John created this past spring. They are not only amazing looking, but they are excellent hazards with just the right amount of penalization. John was brilliant but he was also just a great man which is why I admired him and aspire to be more like he was.

I try and never get personal on this blog but come on... look at my four beautiful children. They are such a blessing. No matter what kind of day I'm having, they make me smile. I am so thankful for them. Of course my wife is the ultimate love and joy in my life, but if I put her picture in here, she'd kill me. You're just going to have to trust me that she's gorgeous. I am so thankful for her and the family.

Okay, back to work. I am thankful for the past President of Tacoma C&GC and his leadership with his Board. They had the courage to trust John and I with our plan to restore this golf course to it's glory of old. The new teeways and the classic bunkering will create a golf experience that you won't find anywhere in our region, or perhaps the entire world. Thank you for 'going for it'.

I am so thankful that the club purchased this amazing machine. I'm not kidding... I'm sure you're tired of hearing this but in case you didn't know it, Puget Sound gets a little rain. Drainage can make or break a golf course in our region, and Tacoma has always drained well, but now, with the help of the Vertidrain 7416, our drainage is borderline ridiculous.

I can't say enough about the staff here at Tacoma C&GC. This group works hard, and I think the main reason this group is such a good team is that they want to be here. They like what they do. They're very good at it, and I love coming to work each day to watch them in action. Right now the restoration project is overwhelming, but this group is ready to take it on and get'r done. I am so thankful for this group of people.

Yes, I am thankful for Snowpocalypse 2012. Really what I'm saying is I love mother nature. This past ice storm was devastating in many ways, but it also cleared out some cluttering trees on the course and opened things up. I am thankful that my job is dictated by mother nature. You never know what she's going to throw at you, and you're always surprised at how the outcome is usually an improvement. She knows what she's doing. Don't fight it or worry over it.

I'm sure you get the point that I feel very blessed and I'm very thankful this holiday season."

Visit Joel's blog at tacomaturf.com.