| Surely if you have any time vested in this business you’ve had a member or guest come up to you and ask, “Do you think I can build a putting green in my backyard?” My knee-jerk thought-response is usually something like, “Sure if you’re independently wealthy, have tons of free time to devote to it, maybe have a family of five or six kids that can help out on a daily basis, and aren’t afraid to watch all your hard work and money go down the drain in extreme conditions. Have a go at it. I’ll even give you a handful of seed to help you get started.” Instead, next time I’ll just direct them to THIS SITE. Developed by a 23-year veteran of the industry, with 7 years as Superintendent, I was very impressed with the start-to-finish details of what it would take for a backyard putting green - all the way down to the great explanation of the correct mowing equipment. I did notice a fungicide program was missing, but then again, Mark, the author of the site, is in Alberta, Canada, where there may not be that much disease pressure. Over on About.com, Brent Kelley did a nice job with a piece about Golf Course Maintenance that I recommend to all members and players. He covers everything from ball mark repair and divot replacement, to aerification and overseeding. It’s a tight synopsis with some good suggested links at the end. Somehow I got hooked into the link about a Mr. Potato Head golfer spotted in Rhode Island. The article is HERE. So ... in case you were wondering how to make cup-changing more difficult, along comes this fine piece of equipment. Can you imagine sending a slightly-more-than-minimum-wage crew member out on the greens with a GASOLINE-powered generator and air-compression pneumatic cup-cutter? I hope for your sake your greens don’t need this piece of equipment. See it in action HERE. I would rate THIS electric one as slightly better, but mainly because the guy mowing the greens would also be the one changing the cups - talk about efficient! I can hardly get my greens-mowing guy off the mower to fix a ball mark! Ready For Winter? I hear this year is supposed to be brutal. HERE is a great idea to combat ice buildup on your greens. I suggest getting in contact with one of your more senior members, though, to see if you can borrow a pair of metal spiked golf shoes. In case you’re in need of a little international flair, I found this German Greenkeeper video that you can enjoy without even knowing how to speak the language. Apparently it’s an interview with an actual Greenkeeper, and the interviewer is learning about the craft. It was cool to see the Toro and John Deere equipment, and the ‘trainee’ fits right in with any seasonal help you’ve seen in any given summer. I would like to see more marketing for the ballwasher that was featured. The fun starts HERE. |