Winter Turf Inspection

I have been watching the turf carefully this winter.  The mild temperatures have kept total dormancy at bay.  We like to have the turf go entirely dormant.  Dormant turf has a greater cold tolerance, concentrates more sugars in the crown, and makes me feel safe and warm.  Green turf during the winter months, on the contrary, make me not so warm and fuzzy.  I like my turf to have gone through the winter brown and asleep.
So what does a turf nerd do in the winter to check on the turf?


We set up a small scope on a desk and check things out.
We see that we have some turf emerging......



This turf is Poa Annua, or annual bluegrass.  Poa likes to stay active.  This hyperactive little bugger just doesn't want to sleep like it's better behaved cousin, creeping bentgrass.  The photo below shows the right side of seven red green that stays in the shade is actually more active than the left side.  The left side is more exposed to wind and extreme temperatures, which has promoted dormancy.



The concern, for this turf nerd, is that like all of us, turf needs some rest before a big performance.  There is not much time.........go to sleep little poa plant,
Turf

Top Golf

What do you get when you take a bus, golf, and some good guys?
Top Golf!
Top golf is golf in a video game. Points are awarded the closer you can hit to your target and point values change depending on which target you a mat. We had an absolute blast.
We have to beg Dane to organize another trip and we should fill this bus. Top Golf was such a gas. Thank you Dane and Cory for putting this together.
Thanks to the guys who went, you are the best, I had a great time.
I have seen a lot of golf at briar Ridge and I can't remember the last time I've seen guys hit a shot and drop their club. Believe it or not, this happened within 15 minutes of being at top golf. Dropping a club is not an issue unless you're on the second floor and it goes forward and through a net and down 20 feet into who knows where land.
We can't name names, what happens at top golf stays at top golf,
Turf

Winter shop work

I can always tell when we have serviced all the cutting units for the golf course. Mr. Muniz will move on to other projects that are slightly more involved. I walked into the shop to find the rear axle off the club car pioneer. This car has seen 12 seasons and many miles. Completing this type of work in-house saves money, but more importantly, if we can extend the life of the equipment, the savings is tremendously significant.
Golf course mechanics are about as easy to find as a good tuck pointer. For those readers who may ask what a tuck pointer is, well, my answer is "exactly."
I am grateful to have a good staff that works hard, is cost conscious, and is just fun to be around. I don't thank them enough.
Speaking of cars, if you have a private electric golf cart, make sure it is NOT continually on the charger. Charge your cart once a month and before you do, make sure the water in the batteries is full.
I always get the call in the spring, my cart is dead, don't let it be you.
It will be here soon,
Turf

Get out!!

Let's get outside!
Your club is a vast winter playground. Snowshoeing and cross country skiing await you. This time of year the golf course is beautiful and the wildlife is more visible than ever. Natural sunlight helps the body produce vitamin A and ward off the flu. Exercise releases endorphins which are structurally similar to morphine and make you feel good.
Don't want to venture into the cold? The club is still offering yoga twice a week and we can do more if we get the interest. We would like to do a golf specific stretching and strength training, interested?
Beat old man winter, let's get out!
Turf

Why you need to join a country club part 2, Golf

If you missed the introduction to this series of blogs yesterday, please check it out. I have never heard anyone discuss how much their car costs them per mile to drive. I imagine if we made this valuation to cars, there would be a lot fewer choices and the cars would certainly have less luxury features. Yet we seem to hear this type of valuation when it comes to golf. The fact is, that you just can't make that type of valuation to a private club, the golf product that we provide is very different. Not better or worse, just different. How are private clubs different?

#1. The golf course is always reserved for you. Play eighteen, play nine, play three, whatever you can fit it. Didn't make a tee time? No problem, show up and we are here, excited and glad you came.

#2. Respect of the game. Golf is a game of honor and respect, you will find no larger collection of purists. True golf is played by the rules and players call penalties on themselves, the club is a special place with some pretty special people.

#3. Members have a special love for their course. The playing field is cared for and you will find the course in a condition that reflects that passion. This love affair is evident in the mannerism of players as well.

#4. Pace of play. Five hour round? You must have played all 27 at Briar Ridge

#5. Friends. You just found 3 hours to relax, go to the club, someone will be there. You can ask the shop and join up with someone on the course. Pop in the grill and see who is around. There is always a game and always someone to play with. Want to play solo? No big deal, you don't get "paired up" unless you want to. See reason #1.

#6. Competition. Thrive on competition? This essential human need is constantly fulfilled with our professional run events and competitions. Worried it won't be fair? We have a committee to ensure it.

#7. Social events. Not the best golfer, or new to the game? Our social events combine golf and fun. You may only chip and putt, it's a night out in a beautiful setting with good friends and, oh yeah, cocktails!

I am sure I missed a few and I could add so much to the reasons above. The bottom line is that the price per round of golf just doesn't work for a country club. The product is much more than around of golf, it's an experience, a lifestyle. A lifestyle of people and friends I can't imagine my life without, no joke.
They are my family,
Turf

Why your friends should join a country club...

#20 The cross country event. In case you missed it, over 30 players carved shots traversing areas no player has experienced before. We had a great day of camaraderie and laughs. This year we played ten holes and even ventured onto the white nine.
We are embarking on a membership campaign here at Briar Ridge. The "Discover Briar Ridge Initiative," was developed by Creative Golf Marketing, a leader in country club membership efforts. The initiative has sparked some interesting internal conversation I have been participating in, and I hope to share this insight with you over my next couple of blog posts.
Country clubs have a great deal of activities and recreation for individuals. Friendships, networking, and competition can be found in abundance at the club. Briar Ridge, like many clubs, stopped telling its own story. Not wanting to be boastful, clubs just quietly existed, weaving a beautiful tapestry through the lives of its members. Fond memories and friendships, laughter and love, family time and parties, the club was always there, it was home.
Fast forward a few years and the technology age moves life along at a pace that will make you wonder where November went. We begin to speak about value. We make value judgements, we speak in terms of cost per visit, per round, per event, per new friendship. We are fascinated by our ability to measure and to justify. We often hear that if a member plays X number of rounds, the cost of membership is Y$ per round.
As we embark upon our membership campaign, I want to share my thoughts of the value of the club. The value of the course, the pool, events, and dining.
Why should your friends join a country club?
Friendship, experience, and recreation.
Tomorrow we will discuss golf. Specifically what is the value of golf at a private club and how do we measure it. We will demonstrate that the price per round is a poor valuation method, and how this thinking is not taking in consideration all the unique reasons why private and public courses cannot be compared with the same measuring device. They are two different products.
Why should your friends join a country club? Well, for today, I can give you fifteen reasons in above the photo.
I love those guys,
Turf

"This must be a slow time of year for golf"

We get a different type of busy this time of year. The irrigation blow out went well.....sort of. When irrigation systems fail, they don't break all at once. We are now experiencing a game called "a little further down the line." The next weakness is exposed with each repair. If you recall from the "crime scene" blog, we have some corrosion in metal fittings. Repairs wet made to a section of pipe so that we could winterize. When we hooked the compressor up, guess what we found? If your answer is "the next metal fitting," you win. I believe we will find a 45 degree fitting about ten feet down the line from the last repair. There were air bubbles shooting up all over the place, it would have been pretty cool if I was visiting another course. Being that I was witnessing it at Briar, not so cool.
We were able to winterize, all is good.
Then the rain came.
Our cart paths are not very wide. Moving a house on wheels is not the easiest thing to do in reverse. Pull forward to straighten out, and you are stuck. Two tractors and a hundred foot of chain later.....lift the hitch of the compressor and pull on the back.....unstuck.
We will close the greens this weekend, but we are watching the forecast for thanksgiving, in case we can allow play on them. The course will be closed on the day of the cross country. Please contact the golf shop if you would like to play. The cross county is a great event that you won't want to miss!
Have a great day,
Turf