Hermitage CC Golf Course Management

  Both golf courses really showed off this past weekend for the 82nd Valentine Invitational. It was great to watch some top quality golfers enjoy some excellent conditions as we got very lucky with the cooler weather.  As the "crowds" left Sunday we knew what was on deck for this week. The reason both courses are able to achieve a high level of conditioning in August is because of a variety of things but mostly because of a commitment to proper cultural practices. Staying ahead of these chores, aerating when the greens are in great shape, verticutting when the bermuda is stout, churns out healthy and consistent surfaces year round. The small 1/4" cores were blown off quickly, 9 holes each day Monday and Tuesday, beating the heat that came on after lunch. Dry sand was spread a single time over as soon as the green was cleaned and fertilized with calcium and potassium. With the heat working, the brush went through quickly and knocked some sand down. A random thunderstorm h...

  The 55 degree temperatures came at a price this week as the thunderstorm on Monday night dropped a serious bolt of lightning behind 18 Manakin green. The jolt blew the timeclock off the wall, fried our phones and printers and took out some key components for the central control for our irrigation system. Our Rainbird rep has been rushing replacement radios and computers back in and we are for the most part back up and running.  The good part is the weather has been absolutely perfect this week. The six tenths of rain we got with the storm Monday evening is hanging around along with some cool temperatures. We may or may not have to start putting some water back out tomorrow and lightly into the weekend as temps come back up. Both golf courses are in primetime condition and the crew is excited to once again have some overly talented golfers enjoying the fruits of their labor this weekend. We really can not ask for anything more from the Pure Eclipse greens on the Sabot. Being ...

Even though the grass doesn't care what day it is we all tried to have a little fun for Employee Appreciation day this past Monday. After a classic GCM taco cookout for lunch we went out to 18 Manakin for a quick putting contest. For many of the staff this was the first time they had ever held a putter so this was not short on entertainment. Some people enjoyed a round of golf on the Manakin afterwards or went and tried out Pickleball. Overall it was an enjoyable day on campus! We have finally had a handful of days without rain. The sun has been out, the nighttime temperatures have dropped and the golf course is finding its way out of summer nicely. We have continued lightly topdressing the greens on Monday's which has helped keep speeds up and ballmarks down. The Pure Eclipse greens continue to impress as we head in to some more big time tournaments like the USGA Mid-Am qualifier on Monday and the Valentine Invitational next weekend. After the Valentine we will be pulling 1/4...

  We only host one sport out here on the golf course but the past 7 days have been filled with an amazing rack of events. Jordan Utley's morning practice putting sessions lead him to be crowned Club Champion on Sunday. We clicked off 80 more rounds of golf on Monday after 3pm and went right into the Ladies Club Championship Qualifier on Tuesday. Wednesday saw the first round of the Ladies Club Champ, the HSMGA regular play day, the MAPGA Assistant Professionals event, a Morgan Mussatt send off to the Women's US Amateur and some regular tee times in there for good measure for 250 rounds. Today Cindy Hollingshead dunked one on 7 Sabot during the second round of the Ladies Club Championship and the nine hole ladies hustled through the Manakin front nine with regular play going off the back. Friday we'll crown a Ladies Club Champion on the Sabot and host a one day Men's Member Guest then enjoy regular play all weekend (!) and get ready for the 3 day MAPGA Section Championsh...