Branches branches everywhere

Growing good turf is easier on soil than wood. It is important that before we subject the course to cart traffic, we get branches picked up. This time of year we are busy with plenty of preparations for the entire facility. We are working to open the red course for the weekend. Bunkers are still being repaired and now the turf is beginning to grow and we will be doing our second mowing on fairways and tees. There is a great deal of work still to get the course into mid-season form. When we remove cart path restrictions, please be mindful and avoid areas with branches.
Excited to see the sun again,
Turf

If you love a child, introduce them to golf

Talk to anyone with a child in youth sports and I guarantee you will hear a story of a coach screaming and 10-12 year old kids. The organized sport boom, resulted in well meaning, training lacking, adults in roles of coaching and influencing kids. Travel teams and the money involved in such endeavors or private lessons have left parents looking for an R.O.I. When the return is to be perfection and championships out of pre-pubescent humans, disappointment is likely. The pressure for youths to perform like professionals can be felt on any sidelines. We are accepting the treatment of youths in these sports that we would not tolerate elsewhere. We would never think to speak to an employee the way that coaches are speaking to our children. There is still one sport that has a professional coach at the helm....golf.
Here at the club, a sport is taught with such concepts as
1. Positive mental imagery
2. Humility
3. Visualization of success
4. Reacting indifferently to bad shots or failure.
5. Positive self esteem
6. Awareness of negativity and doubt
7. Feeding the positive voice
These are just a few of the concepts that are needed to play golf and to perform. These values are shared with nearly every golf professional I have ever met. If you wish for a positive sporting experience for your child, look no further than golf.
Negativity has no place on the course or practice facility. Golf just won't have it. So when you tire of the screaming and craziness of our typical youth sports, golf will be here, waiting, with open arms.
Looks like a great weekend,
Turf

Silly Country Club Rules

I have been fortunate to be a guest at some of the finest Country Clubs in the United States.  Prior to arrival, I am usually briefed upon the "rules," that if broken would cause embarrassment to myself or my host.  Occasionally, I don't receive any such briefing.  Left to my own devices, I default into basic gentlemanly behavior.  This "default" mode proves to be effective, most of the time.  The last few blog posts have been about the great game of golf and what a Country Club contributes to ones life and experience.  With the crazy that surrounds us in society today, just look at the presidential nomination situation, our club stands as a pillar of what is right with society.
My daughter is getting older, soon she will be off to college.  I hope that she will spend the next few years "hanging" at the club.  The club is a college in itself, teaching respect, manners, and social skills.  The one thing that I love about our club is that we don't have many rules.  I was recently asked what the club rule regarding hats was.  I knew immediately where this was going, the member wanted to know what to do with their hat in the clubhouse.   My answer was simple, we don't have a rule, but if you would like to discuss what gentleman do with their hats, well we can discuss that.  The member agreed and told me how he wanted to do the right thing and thought Briar Ridge should have a rule about hats.  We had a great discussion and in the end, we agreed that not having a written rule made Briar Ridge a special place, it was up to the individual to determine his or her standard.  Now, here is the really cool part.  95% of the membership take their hats off in the clubhouse.  At lunchtime, hats will be on a seat or the floor, not on the table.  We don't have a rule, we have a group of excellent gentleman members who understand and appreciate etiquette.  This is the type of club that I want to be in.

Not sure what to do with a headdress indoors.

As the golf season is coming soon, I thought I would include a piece on hat etiquette.

Men

Hats can be left on…

•       Outdoors

•       At athletic events (indoors or out)

•       On public transportation

•       In public buildings such as post offices, airports,  and hotel or office lobbies

•       On elevators

Take hats off, including baseball caps …

• In the presence of women

•       In someone’s home

•       At mealtimes, at the table

•       While being introduced, indoors or out (unless it’s frigid!)

•       In a house of worship, unless a hat or head covering is required

•       Indoors at work, especially in an office (unless required for the job)

•       In public buildings such as a school, library, courthouse, or town hall

•       In restaurants and coffee shops

•       At a movie or any indoor performance

•       When the national anthem is played

•       When the flag of the United States passes by, as in a parade

Donning my hat,

Turf