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About this blog

Randy and the gang at Rockbottum Country Club pontificate on Rockbottum wisdom and skeletal golf, among other madness.

Entries in this blog

Rockbottum Radio Off the Leash: No-holds-barred edition

In this episode of Rockbottom Radio Off the Leash (or is it "Off the Rails"?), Randy discusses his experiences with flood recovery and correction recommendations; crow deterrents; the greatest golf course maintenance stuff; and Rudy, a member of the Golf Course Dog Hall of Fame. BTW, what is 'providential topdressing?" Presented by VinylGuard Golf

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

New Study Exposes What Actually Triggered The Great Golf Boom Of The 80s

In order to replicate golf's biggest growth surge, we have been doing research into what caused the 80s boom.  Was it greed?  No, although bankers and real estate developers rarely miss out on hyper-inflating a good bubble, turns out . . . it wasn't them. Was it the sharp increase in televised golf saturation?  No.  Was it the Boomers aging out of participatory team sports?  White belts?  Johnny Miller? It was none of these.  It may be hard to believe, but the 80s Golf Boom predated th

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Randy's Shop: How To Fix A Starter

Everybody wants to have their own shop.  I've been studying Hector's Shop for a while and I think I can do it, too. Here's a short training film that explains how to fix a bad starter.  

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

I Know Why Folks Are Getting Run Over With Carts

Lately, when I read the interweb, that guitar riff from Mike Judge's "Idiocracy" plays at full volume in my head.  You know what I'm talking about, the lick that sounds like it was ripped from Cheech and Chong? Judge has not only accidentally joined the ranks of dystopian prophets like Huxley, Orwell and Rand, he has provided a soundtrack worthy of the Ministry of Truth's daily expectorations. As the digital cacophony increases in volume, I find myself scurrying around seeking a safe space,

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Rockbottum Radio: Randy and Ludell Answer Your (e)Mail

In this episode of Rockbottum Radio, from deep in the TurfNet Zone, Randy and Ludell take to the airwaves to clear the air and set the record straight on many pressing issues of the day, including personal stimpmeters, golf insurance, special VIP parking, public school prison camps, quitting social media, and... solutions to course clutter. Presented by VinylGuard.    

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

How To Clone A Spray Rig

Back in '73, Norm assumed command of a wonderful muni outside of Atlanta; known as The Valley of Misery, it was rumored to be the last Dick Wilson course and it lived in a little village with a special golf name:  Redan. We pronounced it "Ree-dan", but newly arrived outsiders insisted it was "Ruh-dan", which sounded more like that giant Japanese moth.  We stuck with the way the locals said it, mostly because you don't get along with indigenous personnel by telling them how to say their word

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Matt Crowther's Fantasy Vacation

A while back, we released a short film starring Matt Crowther and it rocketed to #2 on the all time list of Rockbottum CC films, with over 250,000 hits.   Produced in a team effort--a key factor in TurfNet's high quality production--this film began as an idea in the high speed mind of Jon Kiger while visiting Matt. Jon provided 2nd unit camera work, Matt displayed his acting ability, Rockbottum CC Films piled on and after Claire finished editing, we knew we had a winner.  *Note:  Buddy

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Rockbottum Radio: Sales Rep Day

In this episode of Rockbottum Radio, direct from Rockbottum Country Club proshop, Momma demonstrates her proven techniques for handling sales reps; the health inspector visits; a no-cart shotgun start for the old-timers; Ludell innovates something; and in Storytime, that Demonized Cow During Construction, #337. Presented by VinylGuard. Oh, and Buddy just finished VinylGuarding everything in sight at the driving range!  

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Buddy's Method For World Class Success

Buddy has always been very successful at whatever he attempts, whether it's business, competitive sports, building cars from scratch or something difficult like golf course operations.  His secret:  If you observe Buddy carefully, it becomes obvious.  Painfully obvious. "Without persistence, you have no psychic wellspring of strength to combat what life will throw at you." -- Ben Stein, from Bunkhouse Logic When Buddy accepted the position of Equipment Manager at Swamp Hell Golf C

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Fishin' At Rockbottum

It's summertime at Rockbottum CC and that means it's time for us to lighten up. No more serious punditry, projections, predictions or pedantic posturing. Just fishin'.   

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Rockbottum Radio: 'Bottum Golf

In this episode of Rockbottum Radio, broadcast live from the Rockbottum Country Club proshop, I explain Momma's newest attempts at Growing the Game: 'Bottum Golf... and Archery Golf, alongside Soccer Golf and Disc Golf. The biggest benefit of 'Bottum Golf? Listen and find out. In other matters, I ponder whether Snow Moles really exist, or whether it's just more fear-mongering by the scientists from Up North. Also in this episode, an improved calibration for the Deathmeter: the WSRF Ind

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

The Origins of "Momma" Rockbottum

We are often asked if the character of "Momma" is based on a real person.  The answer is yes.  My grandmother on my father's side was a fearsome woman known throughout Jackson, Tennessee as "Momma Ida", a broom-swinging matriarch who raised ten kids during the depths of the Great Depression. She did this alone, except for her broom, because her husband fell down dead from stress.  They were sharecroppers in those days and apparently, operating an agricultural facility owned by someone

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Rockbottum Radio: The Case of the Missing Golf Pro...

In this latest story on Rockbottum Radio -- broadcasting from deep in the TurfNet Zone -- private greenkeeper Willy Wilson embarks on a quest to help the missing golf pro's wife find him amidst allegations of corporate takeovers, meddling GMs, just-back-from-Augusta green chairmen, and... the new regional superintendent.     Presented by VinylGuard and their new hi-vis driving range yardage markers.

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Daddy Caddies And Dissin' Zoysia

There's a disturbing junior golf trend out there and I'm only now finding out about it.  It was probably hidden in the frantic flurry of golf growth initiatives, so us curmudgeons wouldn't post it on Turfy-Leaks. Yesterday, the growing tragedy of the "Daddy Caddie" was related to me by my brother Mike, an actual eyewitness of this weirdness.  Mike's background is important to this story, so I'll give you the short version:  Long time veteran golf course superintendent, US Army Ranger, skill

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Are You A Working Superintendent?

I heard that interview question three times.  It somehow implied that I was seeking employment consisting only of walking around with a clipboard, wearing Armani and spending all day in meetings. The first time, I was young and still possessed of blind optimism yet to be removed by the reality grinder . . . so I eagerly nodded in the affirmative.  The second time, I had no such delusions, but I reluctantly assured the despot that I was indeed, a WS. The third time?  I replied, "I don

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

What Is The F.H.D.?

In this short film, we discuss the cryptic acronym FHD and one other pressing topic in the world of golf course superintending.  

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Rockbottum Radio: Afternoon behind the scenes at RCC, then Storytime...

On this Rockbottum Radio audiocast, I drop in behind the scenes at Rockbottum Country Club to investigate a missing golf cart and a stuck trackhoe... then get an earful from Ludell about his difficulties being objectified by women... and hear about changing cups on a day other than Friday. Then, Storytime. Check out my new book, The Greens of Wrath, available in softcover and Kindle versions, at Amazon.com.

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

The Last Time I Saw Her

Back in '73, when I turned 17, which is middle age in Georgia, two of Dad's superintendent buddies, (a Mr. Maples and a Mr. Womack, if I recall) informed him that his eldest son was suffering from the worst case of golf irreverence they had ever seen.  They suggested the only cure was the Great Golf Pilgrimage in April. While it's true I may have used the offensively irreverent phrase "Overseed National", Cousin Ludell was much worse, as he often intentionally referred to our golfers as "pa

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Do You Wear Pants?

WARNING for those of you who wear pants!  Do you suffer from Mandatory Khaki? There has been a significant breakthrough!  Watch this film . . . or suffer this summer in sweltering silence.         

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Color And Invasive Species On The Golf Course

For decades, as I pursued affordable seasonal color with wildflowers, native grasses, ornamental shrubbery and ground covers, I worried about accidentally introducing dangerous, invasive species.  Our region has a history of suffering invasive species, the worst being Kudzu, Fire Ants, General Sherman, Carpetbaggers and Bentgrass. I abandoned the traditional golf course color platform--the formal tee-side annual flower bed--for two reasons:  First, beds of summer begonias, spring tulips, an

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson

Low Input Science At Work In The Lab

As promised, Mark Hoban hosts this inside look at a research lab, with Dr. Mussie Habteselassie, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Soil Microbiology at the University of Georgia Griffin Experiment Station campus. Dr. Habteselassie, while conducting an experiment dealing with Trichoderma Atroviride and its use in controlling certain turf pathogens, shows us one method for counting fungi in soils. While this film deviates from our typical offering and feels more like a college class in soil

Randy Wilson

Randy Wilson


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