Ground is saturated, more snow on the way

 

Our less than ideal winter weather continues although this is really how winter used to be. Cold, wet and gross up here is why golf in Florida and California was invented! The guys have made the most of a few sunny and thawed out days this week and crushed the irrigation wire plowing on #1. The tees on #2 are also complete and the whole left side of 2 is close to being finished as well. The digging and back filling is tough but the light at the end of the tunnel is around the corner up at 4 green.

With the bunkers thawed out we were finally able to get a decent rake on them this week.

And with the greens fully thawed they were rolled and sprayed with some fertilizer to perk them back up from last months nasty temperatures. 

Our Thorguard horn got smashed by a pine branch in the ice and snow a few weeks ago. Sloan got the parts in and replaced the broken horn housing.

Scobar, our stump contractor was out on Monday to finish grinding some stumps, mainly on the Manakin. Most of our winter tree work is completed besides periodic work to continue thinning trees behind the range between 1 and 10.

Speaking of winter golf in California, the GCSAA conference was back in San Diego this year. A big part of the conference is the national championship which includes a fourball event and a flighted championship for close to 500 superintendents. The final day was an epic one, where we were hitting straight into the fog at Torrey pines and having to guess and hope we found our ball in the thick rough that was awaiting the PGA tour next weekend.

The day before did offer some spectacular views though. We were able to play both courses at Torrey, both courses at La Costa, an amazing par 65 course called Goat Hill and then take a ride up to LA Country club as well. Being able to play with supers from across the country and then see similar high end facilities with bent greens and warm season turf is an invaluable experience and one that I value each year.

Went ahead and won the net division of our flight! (Randy won gross by a couple points even though he tried to choke the whole thing away on the second day)

Back to the real world now! Come on Spring!