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About this blog

Ohio State graduate Peter Braun's 2014 internship at Mount Juliet Golf Club, Co.Kilkenny, Ireland

Entries in this blog

Cutting Cups and Picking Pin Placement

Changing cups is one of the most important jobs on a golf course. But why is this?  Wouldn't it be simpler to leave the cup placement the same all year? While it may seem like an easier solution and would free up man hours there is much more to it than that. Changing the pin placement has many benefits including: changing course play, reducing wear, and uses the designers plan.   Course Play: Golfer's Point of View  By changing the hole to a new spot on the green changes the way a course can
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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Waiting on Rain

Mowing After a beautiful week last week this one has rain on the forecast. Luckily today had no rain! Recently I have been mowing greens, tees, and rough to get to know the course better. I enjoy mowing and it had been a bit different mowing greens with an 18" reel. The ones I'm used to are 21" and the tee mowers here are also 21". It takes a bit of thinking to remember that the greens mowers are 3" shorter so the sight line is different. I mowed two different greens routes this weekend and hav
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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Biking to Work

Boy, if I keep riding my bike to work I will be in great shape by the end of the summer.  Both ways on the 3 mile trek have uphill portions and few flat areas. The first time I biked I thought I was gonna have to walk the first hill, but I kept on. There is nothing like an early morning ride to get the blood flowing and muscles working.   As if the ride is not a workout in itself, today I went right out onto a greens mower. I am getting a lot of exercise as the greens, tees, and approaches are
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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Internship Start

First off I would like thank Jon Kiger for the work he put into creating an amazing first week in Ireland. I won't know what to do only working 8 hours a day instead of the 15 with Jon. I appreciate the hard work you did to get some great visits with superintendents and field managers around Ireland.   On Monday I started my internship at Mount Juliet. Starting work at 7 o'clock, I was put out on cup and tee change with Shem, the irrigation tech, who started in 1995 part time and 1997 full tim
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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Arrival!

A busy two days led to the arrival at Mt. Juliet Golf Club in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. On Saturday my trusty guide Jon took me to the ancient burial site of Newgrange. The 5,000 year old temple is older than the Great Pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge. The history behind this tomb is rich and can be seen in the intricate artwork of the time on the stone.      That afternoon Dundalk FC and Sligo Rovers were playing for the Setenta Cup finals at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Jon set me up to vol
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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A Day on the Radio

After a great night's stay in the County Louth Golf Club, Jon and I met with course superintendent Paul Malone for a visit. The course is a links style course and is really open with steep, sharp mounds all over. This gives the course great character and makes for an interesting game of golf. Paul said that he has a staff of seven employees that maintain the course at the highest possible level. Before the winter set in the course went under a few changes; some greens were renovated, a few bunke
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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Oldest Two Courses and a Ryder Cup Course

Thursday started off bright and early at 6:30 for a meeting with Trevor Dargan, course superintendent at Woodenbridge Golf Club. Woodenbridge is the second oldest course in Ireland, starting in 1884. Even though there was a steady rain, Trevor gave an exciting and energetic tour of his revamped facilities and eventually showed the course as the rain subsided. Trevor has a crew of six to maintain an 18 hole course, a number which I have seen a trend so far at the courses I have visited with Jon K
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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Typical Irish Weather

Today I experienced the weather of Ireland, one minute raining and the next sunny.   First, Jon and I did a free tour of the Kilmainham Gaol (Jail). The jail was the first of its time to have prisoners in individual cells and have faith in rehabilitation. It is also the home of many famous people involved in the Easter Rising in 1916.    Interior of the Kilmainham Gaol    Following the tour we traveled to Croke Park, home of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), which seats 83,000 fans.
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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A Great Welcome to Ireland

Yesterday I was fortunate to hit the ground running thanks to the itinerary that Jon Kiger put together. We visited three links courses in 9 hours! Immediately after landing we drove to Rush Golf Club to meet course manager Eddie Donlon.   Eddie is very enthusiastic and passionate about the turf industry. Rush Golf Club is the first links course that I have ever seen and what a sight it is. I love how open the links course is and how it has blends of natural and maintained growth to create a q
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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The Day Has Arrived

What a busy weekend I have had. On Sunday I graduated from The Ohio State University along with fellow classmates and fraternity brothers.      Today I woke up bright an early for a flight to Atlanta to meet up with Jon Kiger and a day of tours at East Lake Golf Club and Stone Mountain Golf Club. At East Lake, the course where the great Bobby Jones grew up playing golf, Assistant Jason Tharp met us and gave a tour around. We saw the effects a large tournament can have on a course for months
Peter Braun

Peter Braun

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