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1. Satterwhite Kerry

   
   6/14/2012 6:06 AM

   As I travel across the country I visit with Superintendents at all level of courses and in a variety of climates. Despite the differences, everyone seems to have similar challenges. One that I've frequently encountered is a member or a golfer telling the Superintendent that they do things differently at the club up north, or down south, or at a friends course, or the course across the street. I used to have golfers and staff members bring in articles they found, the internet has made everyone an expert, and ask me why don't do things that is recommended in the article. I'm wondering how common this is among the masses.

   
   
   
   
2. Baker Daniel

   
   6/14/2012 7:06 AM

   Its about as common as bad shots on the golf course. I've got a bunch of retired guys (all who hit bad shots) who think they can surf the web and read some superintendnet blogs and articles and maintain the golf course. They seem to forget that the blog they read was from Ohio or MInnesota and we are on a sandy peninsula in South Texas.
   
   Ya, common. I let most of those comments slide right off and try to use it as a "teachable moment" and give them some real facts about how we manage our grass in our location with our budget.

   
   
   
   
3. Ashton Alan W

   
   6/14/2012 9:06 AM

   I'll echo Daniel's comments...
   
   Seventy percent of my membership is snow-bird... constantly have to explain the difference in growing turf in Arizona versus Wisconsin, Minnesota, Alberta, Ontario.. you get the picture! The biggest part of the frustration is that most of them think we can/should shut down the course during the summer... and just open it up in a couple of weeks come October! We could just spray out the bermuda and drop new rye on bare dirt each fall like a neighbor course does...

   
   
   
   
4. Chris Wiedenmeyer

   

   0 posts
   
   6/14/2012 2:06 PM

   Alan, I am lucky enough to have some of your winter players that summer at the resort I work at here in Minnesota. Believe me you do everything perfect in Arizona we are the ones trying to figure it out yet up here.....at least that is what I am told.
   
   It is very common these days to be compared to the neighbor or the course they play in the winter. Rarely do they take into account budgets, time restrictions etc. A real problem I face is when the pro shop staff agrees with them and now you are stuck defending your practices rather than implementing them.

   
   
   
   
5. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   6/14/2012 3:06 PM

   Two article attached that were provided to me by our USGA Agronomist during his site visits. Used in our defense when these items start popping up.

   
   
   
   
6. James Smith

   

   113 posts
   
   6/15/2012 7:06 AM

   Just this Wednesday during a board meeting our treasurer asked me why I do not verticut the greens the week before aerifying them to stress them out, which he read will make them heal over faster?????? To my Presidents credit he spoke up and told the guy "that is the stupidest ideal I have ever heard". He then went into a small comment about the guy being a CPA and not an agronomist. I guess them basically healing over in ten days is not fast enough for him.

   
   
   
   
7. Nicholas Daak

   

   3 posts
   
   6/18/2012 10:06 PM

   James Smith said: Just this Wednesday during a board meeting our treasurer asked me why I do not verticut the greens the week before aerifying them to stress them out, which he read will make them heal over faster?????? To my Presidents credit he spoke up and told the guy "that is the stupidest ideal I have ever heard". He then went into a small comment about the guy being a CPA and not an agronomist. I guess them basically healing over in ten days is not fast enough for him.

   
   
   
   Stress + Stress= Stress for you. I have done it, only because that is what my "window" has open. I can get away with it pretty easy because of my bent and a northern climate helps. But if I was asked that this week with 85 degrees and 30mph winds, I would hand him my keys. Actually we have been in a drought for over a year and can barely get enough water, let alone some fertilizer on them to help.

   
   
   
   
8. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   6/18/2012 10:06 PM

   Kerry Satterwhite, CGCS said: As I travel across the country I visit with Superintendents at all level of courses and in a variety of climates. Despite the differences, everyone seems to have similar challenges. One that I've frequently encountered is a member or a golfer telling the Superintendent that they do things differently at the club up north, or down south, or at a friends course, or the course across the street. I used to have golfers and staff members bring in articles they found, the internet has made everyone an expert, and ask me why don't do things that is recommended in the article. I'm wondering how common this is among the masses.

   
   Kerry,
   I have been very lucky to have lived and worked under many conditions from very far north to the tropics,
   Grass is grass and weeds are weeds and the location makes the call. Golfers like fast greens worldwide because of TV / PGA / USGA and others. But more important is the green has to put true and smooth if they are that they forget that 8 foot stimp reading. Or 95% forget anyway. Golfers like green better than brown, They never want to see staff on the hole they are playing but love to see them two holes away. They do not care about budgets and greens fees at home have to be low and on the road they like to pay a premium. Then compare the best to home again and wonder why we can't give the same.
   They love to pay an expert 10X your wage to tell them everything is wrong and right. They then will almost believe the home Superintendent for a short time. An expert is better the more he has to travel to see a course he knows not a thing about and in many cases even the climate is unknown to him.
   And you are right the inter-web makes every on an instant consultant. We will never beat the key-stroke and I for I will never try.
   Have to go; back to back Typhoons this week one tonight and in two days one more. Wind could be 70+ and rain from 12" plus each one. I am inland 20 miles so maybe give me a break. But I have a good book and bottle of rum so should be okay. Raining hard now, time to go home…
   Keith
   Zama Japan

   
   
   
   
9. Robert Crockett

   

   4 posts
   
   6/19/2012 9:06 AM

   Keith Pegg said:

   Kerry Satterwhite, CGCS said: As I travel across the country I visit with Superintendents at all level of courses and in a variety of climates. Despite the differences, everyone seems to have similar challenges. One that I've frequently encountered is a member or a golfer telling the Superintendent that they do things differently at the club up north, or down south, or at a friends course, or the course across the street. I used to have golfers and staff members bring in articles they found, the internet has made everyone an expert, and ask me why don't do things that is recommended in the article. I'm wondering how common this is among the masses.

   
   Kerry,
   I have been very lucky to have lived and worked under many conditions from very far north to the tropics,
   Grass is grass and weeds are weeds and the location makes the call. Golfers like fast greens worldwide because of TV / PGA / USGA and others. But more important is the green has to put true and smooth if they are that they forget that 8 foot stimp reading. Or 95% forget anyway. Golfers like green better than brown, They never want to see staff on the hole they are playing but love to see them two holes away. They do not care about budgets and greens fees at home have to be low and on the road they like to pay a premium. Then compare the best to home again and wonder why we can't give the same.
   They love to pay an expert 10X your wage to tell them everything is wrong and right. They then will almost believe the home Superintendent for a short time. An expert is better the more he has to travel to see a course he knows not a thing about and in many cases even the climate is unknown to him.
   And you are right the inter-web makes every on an instant consultant. We will never beat the key-stroke and I for I will never try.
   Have to go; back to back Typhoons this week one tonight and in two days one more. Wind could be 70+ and rain from 12" plus each one. I am inland 20 miles so maybe give me a break. But I have a good book and bottle of rum so should be okay. Raining hard now, time to go home…
   Keith
   Zama Japan

   
   Wow Keith....that has got to be one Incredible experience.....like a Mega Giant Tornado?
   I have a choice between Verti-cutting and frequent top dressing....quality of local sand is an issue and we're a small crew. I set my verti-cutters to barely grab a piece of paper and roll it under and that gives me just enough depth to not open them up too much, yet thin them enough to keep them firm......I was 102 here yesterday...Penncross on the front and Seaside on the back. We pretty well do it once per wk along with grooming 2x per wk....I could set the groomers like the verti-cutters, but it will wear them out too quick. I barely skim the tops of the blades with the groomers and it works well. Todays forcast is 96 w/30 to 45mph winds.....wind is my worst enemy.