US Open Set Up

Another US Open is in the books and as we watched Rory lap the field, talk of course set up became the focus. I thought it would be interesting for many of you to get a taste of what it takes to set up a golf course for the US Open. The link below is a clip of the superintendent at Congressional Mike Giuffre and Mike Davis of the USGA discussing the set up and preparation of the golf course leading up to the tournament.

http://www.gcsaa.tv/view.php?id=422

Hat's off to the staff and 120 volunteers at Congressional for preparing the golf course to look and play as the major championship venue that it is. The golf course looked and played fantastic leading up to the event and then the rains came and softened the course to the point that the best in the world could go low. What's the point here? All the work, all the blood sweat and tears that go in to making our golf courses great can be diminished on many levels by Mother Nature. Weather a US Open or a Men's Invitational it's something that we, as superintendents deal with daily and the weather dictates many of the practices we employ especially around tournament time.

Next year, the US Open comes to San Francisco and the Olympic Club. Myself and a few of the staff from Claremont will make the trip across the bridge for the entire week to volunteer for the tournament. We will be just a few of the 100 or so other superintendents and assistants volunteering to rake bunkers, handwater fairways and help the staff in any way we can as Olympic Club sets up for their big event and I can't wait! The opportunity to be part of such a tournament is one not to pass up and for me, setting up a golf course for a big event is really what it's all about. As a superintendent and a staff, you are tested on all levels. The US Open or the Invitational at Claremont, either way it's time to step up to the plate! Lastly, for those of you still interested, a link below details the week at a US Open for the volunteer.

http://www.gcsaa.tv/view.php?id=426

Thanks and we'll see you on the the course.

Invitational Update

I know it's been quiet on the blog page for a while so I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took while setting the course for the Men's Invitational. The course looked and played great throughout the week for the men and continues to shine for the ladies this week. Thanks to the staff in the turf department for their hard work and attention to detail over the last few weeks. The staff looked like the professionals they are, all dressed in new uniforms. They stepped up to the plate and hit a home run during those three days of tournament time when all the pressure was on. Enjoy the pictures in the slide show above and we'll see you on the golf course.