Digital Coffee Shop: Green from top to bottom

You know the famous picture of Ben Hogan’s perfect follow-through with a 1-iron off the 18th fairway during the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion GC? Fantastic image, huh?

Go visit the course today, stand on that famed spot on 18 and look left. You’ll see something equally fantastic: the first “green roof” at a golf course maintenance facility in the nation.

Leave it to our old friend, Matt Shaffer, to blaze a new trail for the industry. After nine years at one of the world’s greatest courses, he needed a new maintenance facility – not only to prep for the 2013 Open but to replace the aging structures he had before – and he wanted it to be both special and Matt Shaffer, left, and Joe Liebschenvironmentally friendly. Thus, a major portion of the $4 million compound features a flat roof made from poured 3” concrete that is being covered with soil and planted with fescue. And yes, it will have its own highly efficient irrigation system.

When I visited a few weeks ago, workers were putting the final touches on the concrete in preparation for “planting” the roof. It’ll be seeded soon and maturing nicely by the time Matt’s team moves in this September.

Even though I’m making the bold statement that this is the only maintenance facility with a green roof, I know at least one course has a green roof installed on a hospitality area (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/07/roof-in-the-rough/) but I’m curious to hear if others are out there. Shoot us an e-mail if you have one or know of one in your area.

One other quick note from my visit to Merion: do not mix a speeding utility vehicle, a drag hose and your calf or you might end up looking like superintendent-turned DryJect guy Joe Liebsch (see left). Can you say “rope Liebsch's scarburn”?