Golf Course Report

November 2019

            November id the “unofficial” start of the Golf season.  We kick it off with Women’s and Men’s Opening Days and we welcome back most of our seasonal members.  The golf course is in as good of condition as it has ever been heading into the onslaught of play.  All our major projects are completed and most of the little ones will be wrapped up in short order.  My entire team has pitched in with their efforts and ideas to make the course enjoyable for everyone.  With that being said, let’s all be prepared for the changes that lie ahead of us. 

            We have received close to 100% approval rating for the course conditions at this point of the journey.  Let’s all be cognizant of these warm and fuzzy feelings as the deluge of traffic and the colder temperatures are right around the corner.  Our department is confident we can produce the best possible conditions throughout the season.  We have added some new products to our arsenal, and we will tighten the intervals of applications to produce maximum growth potential.  With the elimination of most of the problems that hindered our previous seasons, a lot will be hinging on the awareness of those that are playing golf.  Signs, barriers and newsletters are ineffective if the golfer does not believe they are an integral part of the process.  Realizing that there are more golfers following your lead, the importance of reducing wear, fixing ball marks and filling divots becomes paramount.  If we all remember to stay on the provided cart path as much as possible and exit and enter each path at a different point each and every time, we are on the golf course, we will greatly reduce the wear and tear in our most traveled areas.  This rule of thumb should be adhered to by all members, guests, maintenance staff and rangers.  In the past I have labeled this initiative as “Take the Road less Traveled”, this season I am aiming for a sense of “Personal Pride”.  Play your round as if Jack Nicklaus is in the group behind yours.  The goal is to enjoy your time on the golf course and leave it in the best possible conditions for those that follow. 

            I am unbelievably proud of my team for all their hard work during a very busy and distracting Summer.  The course has improved dramatically over the previous year.  My hope is that Mother Nature will be kind to us, and that Jack Frost has decided not to come this far South.  We will stay very busy through now and December 31^st, a few more tiny projects and improvements before the madness begins.