Monday, January 06, 2014
Welcome to 2014. We are starting this year the same way we finished the last. 2013 was an above average year for rainfall at the club and I feel like the course has been saturated for months. For the record, our annual rainfall in 2013 was 58" which puts us 16" above average. It is currently raining and our staff is busy cleaning drain lines and pushing water off of turf surfaces with squeegees. Our temperatures will be steadily dropping today with a forecast low of 9°F tonight. This makes it very important for us to make sure all standing water is removed and all parts of the golf course are ready for the deep freeze. Things seem to be getting back to normal after tomorrow but more rain is in the forecast which will keep the golf course very wet. This time of year, our days are shorter (less sunlight), the temperatures are lower, the turf is not actively growing or taking up water, and the sun is lower in the sky (longer shade exposure.) All of these factors contribute to the course staying wet for extended periods of time after rainfall. Drainage projects, topdressing, and tree removal (opening up sunlight and air flow) are planned as usual to continue to improve quality and firmness of our turf surfaces.
This time of year is great for education on new products, industry trends, and university research. Our team attends local and national conferences to improve our knowledge and skill sets. There are not as many opportunities for our Equipment Manager, John Anderson as there are for the rest of our team. This year, the club has invested in new fairway units. John looked for information on these units but couldn't really find what he was looking for. John took the initiative to work with our local Toro representative, Smith Turf and Irrigation to host a seminar on the new fairway unit as well as new reel technology and other equipment. STI was kind enough to sponsor the event and provide a great equipment educator. John invited other Equipment Managers from around the area and 20 other individuals came to the shop today for a great networking and educational event. There are over 600 years of equipment experience sitting in our shop today discussing new improvements and asking great questions. This will greatly benefit John as well as the entire industry. I want to congratulate John on hosting this event as well as taking the initiative to educate himself on the new fairway units that the club has invested in.
We look forward to the new year and seeing you on the course. Have a great week and stay warm,
Jordan Booth, CGCS
jbooth@willowoakscc.org
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| This is one of the three new fairway units that the club invested in this year. We do everything in our power to take great care of this investment and maximize their operation and quality of cut. |
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| John's organization of an equipment manager's seminar was a huge success. Attendance, networking, and education were all excellent. After 27 years at the club, John still embraces continuing education. |
