Reel to Reel

Although our winter has been very productive, there are still many tasks left to complete this off-season: Finish equipment maintenance Finish refurbishing tee markers Ball washer repairs Tree pruning Irrigation programming Reorganization of maintenance facility Continued planning and logistical changes

We finally received our first significant snowfall of the year on Sunday and accumulated 3 inches. It didn't last long, however, as temperatures reached 54 degrees yesterday melting all of the snow. I walked the golf course this morning, and I am pleased to report that turf conditions look great. The fungicides that we applied in November, to protect the plants from snowmold, are holding on great. Ground conditions are soft as soil temperatures are on the rise. Moderate temperatures are expected over the next few days. I would expect ground conditions to become softer as temperatures rise and more frost leaves the soil.

My staff has spent much of the off-season maintaining our fleet of equipment. The golf season is long and tough on equipment. The winter months provide us some time to do routine and preventative maintenance. The scope of our work includes: Sharpening and adjusting cutting units. Replacing filters and adjusting fluid levels Inspection of hoses, electrical wires, switches and connections Engine repair and maintenance Repair and replacement of tires A substantial amount of time is dedicated to the repair and maintenance of our fleet. The guys do an amazing job during the winter of making sure every piece of equipment is functioning at its very best. Our productivity during the season counts on it.

Mother Nature has provided a little of everything so far this month: - 1 day with temperatures below 20 degrees - 6 days with temperatures in the 20s - 6 days with temperatures in the 30s - 8 days with temperatures in the 40s - 2 days with temperatures in the 50s - 3" of snow - 1.5" of rain Today we are pumping off excess water from the fairways that accumulated from the .5" of rain last night and snowmelt. The extended forecast is calling for temperatures above freezing for the next few days, this should provide enough time for all the surface water to drain off.

I walked the golf course this afternoon to inspect everything after the .75 inches of rain we received this morning. Ground conditions remain soft as the numerous puddles are just now starting to soak in. Greens, tees and fairways all look great. I will continue to monitor course conditions and keep you informed as we move through the winter months.