Coming out of the winter of 1980, several chapters asked GCSAA to survey all the chapters to inquire whether they wanted to be mailed (no e-mail then) the minutes of GCSAA Board meetings for distribution to their chapters board members and to any of their chapter members requesting a copy.
The chapters voted 95-0 to implement this policy that served the Association well as evidenced by the fact that every existing activity/program given attention at the time realized sizable growth because t
My first week at Arsenal has come and gone, and so far I'm really enjoying it. We start each day at 8am, as we get our jobs for the day and get ready to go out.
Because it's the start of the summer, the days right now mostly consist of mowing the vigorously growing pitches (soccer fields). Mowing is done with either Jacobsen triplex mowers, Dennis Premier pedestrian mowers, or Honda Rear Roller rotary mowers. The triplexes are used to give the pitches a quick cut, while the Dennis mower
In this episode of Frankly Speaking, I speak frankly with Brian Youell, 36-year superintendent at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia.
Brian, a recipient of the Canadian Supt. Association Superintendent of the Year in 2012 and a Master Greenkeeper, will Speak Frankly about his traumatic brain injury from being hit by a golf ball in 2010, and the challenges he faces in the Pacific Northwest of Canada with 65,000 rounds annually.
As always, "Smart Talk from Leading Thinkers in
Just for a brief moment, imagine the following scenario. You are on your way to the clubhouse for an important management meeting with your GM. Before the meeting you rush to the first tee to check up on your project crew, who is handling the ongoing irrigation project on #1 tee (it has not been going well, and you know if you don't check in, things will only get worse). You arrive to find them standing around scratching their collective heads. You guide them through the next steps and tell them
Sunday brought a 5 AM start and a quick spin around the course. A handful of groups would be out at 7:30 starting on 16. We raked 18 first as a large group (as we had done each day) and then split into our smaller groups to work through the back nine.
As we finished up at 15 the players were arriving on the 16th tee so I decided to catch a few tee shots. After breakfast at the K Club employee canteen we returned to Lucan to rest up and watch the tournament when coverage started.
The st
Steve Mason, TurfNet member, is the golf course superintendent of Sky Valley Country Club, a stunningly beautiful "hidden gem" of a golf course, tucked into the mountains of Georgia at nearly 3500 feet.
Unlike many courses in the Appalachians, Sky Valley was skillfully positioned in the gentlest part of the valley and lacks the claustrophobic feel of a layout that was narrowly carved into the side of a mountain with dynamite. The pastoral view of the valley is magnificent and alluring. (
After two days of relatively good weather, the rainy day we all knew was coming arrived on Saturday. We experienced two lightning warnings in the afternoon and a steady then lashing rain.
We did our best to mow fairways and fill divots when it was safe to be back on the course. It was of course, all hands on deck for volunteers and full time staff. Many hands made light work and we were pleased that all this happened during the smaller field. Fewer players means fewer divots to find and fill
Reporting to work at 4 AM creates a special bond. This is my friend Neil McCarrick from County Meath. He works for a construction company there but is working the golf tournament this week. Neil and I are on the back nine bunker crew so we spend the first three early hours of the day together. As has been the case with so many people I meet in Ireland we are instant friends and the craic and banter is non-stop.
Neil has four kids - three boys and a girl all of whom are involved in sports (most
When we arrived to start work on the Irish Open at the K Club we were surprised to meet two other Americans in town to help with the event. John Fleck (Colden, NY) and Brian Coyne (Hamburg, NY) are longtime friends of Gerry Byrne's and worked during the 2006 Ryder Cup.
They were back to bring their many years of golf management expertise to tournament week. John is currently with Professional Turf Services and Brian is a longtime superintendent in upstate New York. They were instantly deemed
It's been really neat to volunteer with Jon Kiger and Nathan McKinniss at the Irish Open.
Nathan reminded me that he initially came to me (at the Ohio State intern program) looking at going to Torrey Pines in California and I somehow talked him into going to Ireland. He is very happy I did as he will have an Open tournament on his resume and a 'pot of gold experience' as a result along with a massive network of great people in the industry.
This was Jon's first tournament also. As a resu
After several consecutive days of helping Pat in the shop, we were offered the opportunity to have a little fun Friday afternoon. I often fish for bass at the pond at Framingham CC before starting work, so I jumped at the chance to try fly fishing for trout in Ireland. Burnout Bill (the K Clubs nickname for him, not mine) mows rough, valets cars, and serves as the resident fly fishing guide at the K Club.
We took a utility vehicle up to the K Club's Fishing Lodge and checked out our gear. Wi
With the prospect of rain for Saturday and Sunday it seemed like Friday afternoon would be the best chance to catch some of the competition. Josh Dunn, Mossy Daly, Mike OKeeffe, Pete Williams, Katie Stillwell and I decided to walk the course for a few holes. I must say seeing the crowds and players around bunkers I raked and divots I filled was a personal thrill. When youre out on the course alone its hard to visualize the end result of your work on the course during the tournament.
Every
Everyone is reasonably familiar with the concept of a dog run. Dog runs can be a fenced area, usually rectangular, or a leash of sorts on a length of cable. Both configurations are meant to give the dog the maximum freedom of movement without giving the dog so much leeway that he can escape the yard, or be a nuisance to neighbors. The dog has some space, but is still held securely in a specific area.
I often think that green industry sustainability is like a dog run. Freedom to move within a
The Pro-Amateur round is held Wednesday, the day before the Irish Open tournament begins. By now the course is ready and rolling well. Comments from approaching golfers have been nothing but positive!
Sunrise, reporting for duty at 4:15 AM
Again I began the day making my laps on the intermediate rough. The morning start was very early in order to get ahead of today's golfers. There's no complaints, though, as we are used to starting before the sunrise.
The afternoon shift consisted
Wednesday afternoon at the Lucan Golf Club...
With the Irish Open Pro-Am in full swing at the K Club, we were given the afternoon off before returning to fill divots on the course. We were invited to play the Lucan Golf Club (adjacent to the Lucan Spa Hotel our headquarters hotel for the week) by course manager Richie Doyle and sponsor on the day, Frank Byrne.
Lucan Golf Club was established in 1897 and is a fairly typical parkland course in Ireland except for some of the elevation
Nate, Mike and I are on a split shift. We arrive at the course at 4:15 AM and head out to rake the bunkers (or in Nates case to mow intermediate rough.) After breakfast around 9 AM we are sometimes free to return to our hotel in Lucan until returning to the course at 4 PM for an early evening session of divoting.
Loading up divot mix.
On Tuesday we had a relatively easy day of divoting as we were only repairing divots from the relatively few number of pros who were practicing Monday an
Hello again! You might remember me from last summer's blog Pitch Prep in the UK as I travelled around Europe renovating soccer fields with Campey Turfcare. For those of you who don't remember, my name is Jeff Lenihan and I am from Omaha, Nebraska. In the fall, I will be a senior turfgrass management major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
This summer, I am back across the pond and have the great privilege of interning at the Arsenal Training Centre. Arsenal FC has a storied soccer histo
What a way to start an adventure.
Upon my arrival in Ireland, via England, I found myself settling down in the great village of Dundalk and meeting up with Jon Kiger, who has now become an old friend.
Jon's knowledge of Ireland is awesome. From a local barber shop, smartly located behind a candy store, to a locals pub named the Cobblestone in Dublin. After some great food, great music and I'm sure you'll figure out how I feel about the pints, we made our way towards the K Club.
Ge
It was great to catch up with one of my past interns who is now a full time employee here at the K-Club.Joe Carthy interned at the prestigious Pebble Beach resort while on the TOP program. He was involved in three tournaments while at Pebble Beach, the last being the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
Joe said the time in the States prepared him well to start into working at The K-Club the week of the Irish Open. Joe just lives 20 minutes away, having work previously at Naas GC with Davi
Monday, first full day of tournament week. In the morning I got back on the sidewinder to burn in the lines of the intermediate rough around tees, fairways, bunkers, greens and the players walking path. Patrick (Patty) and I were placed with this task going hole to hole. It is only one pass along the tees and fairways but maneuvering around the mass of bunkers can be very tricky.
Getting fueled up...
... and getting out and at it.
After completing the intermediate rough and enjoy
With everyone onsite by Sunday afternoon, Gerry Byrne hosted a kickoff night complete with that staple of Irish culture: Irish music. Volunteers were entertained by the sounds of Home Brew. TurfNet Ireland 2015 trip participants will recall hearing them on our final Saturday in Dublin last October. They played a nice mix of Irish ballads and classic favorites.
It wasn't a particularly late night, however, as we were due at the course by 5:30 to start dialing in the tournament conditions.
Golf course architect Mike Young and host Dave Wilber get into the reality of design, renovation, restoration and rehabilitation.
With over 40 designs under his belt, Mike Young has been a strong voice in the golf construction and renovation business for a very long time. A great communicator and an outspoken thinker, Mike doesn't suffer fools or pull punches when it comes to telling it like it is. Maybe it is his Georgia roots. Maybe it is just who he is. Perhaps both.
But quiet passion
Friday of last week arrived and after a full days work, my family drove me to Logan Airport in Boston. As mentioned previously this is my first international trip and I was excited about the opportunity. I was surprised to learn that the woman sitting next to me on the plane was from Boylston just two towns over from me.
After no sleep on the plane I caught my first glimpse of the Irish countryside Saturday morning. I was struck by the incredible asymmetrical countryside. All the farms had
