Where have the last 2-3 weeks gone? Since the 4th of July holiday long weekend, it has been a blur. The summer heat and humidity have come full blast to the Mid-Atlantic.  Pennsylvania has been blanketed by the extreme heat and heavy humidity. In addition, courses are seeing an abundance of rain. Seems to echo throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

I have been fortunate to visit several courses for site visits in Eastern Pennsylvania and a couple in my hometown of Johnstown, Pa., while I traveled west for the long holiday weekend. I stopped at Great Bear Country Club, Green Pond Country Club, Sunnehanna Country Club, Rivercrest Country Club and Windber Country Club. My favorite moment occurred at Sunnehanna. I was able to provide a membership to their new assistant superintendent Chris Arena. Chris is a longtime family friend who is making the career change into golf course management. His enthusiasm and energy is contagious. I am excited to see someone want to grow and connect.

On July 12 I attended the Philadelphia Association of Golf Course Superintendents Member Guest Tournament at Cedarbrook Country Club. I was excited to connect with the PAGCS for the first time. PAGCS is in my backyard, and their chapter executive Kristen Liebsch has been a great help as I transition into the new position. Cedarbrook's strength was on full display. It was great to see a course that has gone under a transition the last several years that has removed several trees and updated their creek and waterbeds. The event was welcomed with hot and humidity temperatures. Unfortunately, the tournament was cut short due to a strong summer storm that brought torrential rain.

I finished up my travel this week with an invitation to the annual Board Meeting in Westfield Center, Ohio. President Mark Jordan, CGCS, hosted the board at his course Westfield Country Club. On Monday, the board had local superintendents and chapter executives out to the newly renovated courses. I had the honor of introducing myself to the board and the members in attendance. The day was fun with lots of camaraderie. In addition, the board and Rhett Evans spoke to the membership on some of the highlights and programs the GCSAA is working on including the Grassroot Ambassadors program and branding. In addition, the board spoke about facility adoption of the BMPs. The presentation was followed by a scramble on the fantastically renovated North Course. My pictures do not do the facility justice. The two courses are drastically different. The South Course is a parkland style with tight fairways and tall trees. Our group was treated to the North Course and the link style course. The designers, Hurdzan Golf Design, spoke to us before tee off about the work they completed.  The attention to detail is second to none. Even the cart paths were considered in the design. I had an excellent foursome with Northwestern Pennsylvania Chapter Executive Julie Powell, Firestone cOuntry Club Director of Golf Operations Larry Napora, and St. Clair Country Club Superintendent Eric Materkowski.