Battling the Elements at Hermitage
It's not always fun and games working at Hermitage! Our very own Brent Graham found that out the hard way after getting stung by more than a few yellow jackets while exploring the native area on 18 Sabot. The good news? He'll live to see another day, no worries there! The bad news? His left eye is swollen about halfway shut this evening. Grant will be taking the helm of this week's blog.
This week got off to a productive start with a light dusting of our kiln-dried topdressing sand, followed closely by a application of systemic fungicides, wetting agents, and a fertility package. After a few minutes of irrigation on each green to water everything in, it was on to the next one. By 11AM, all 39 greens had been completed, and just in time for our Employee Appreciation Day festivities to kick off. It was a great way to wrap up a busy and productive morning while taking a moment to recognize the hard work of our outstanding team.
Both the Manakin and Sabot maintenance teams have been focused on detail work this week following a busy aeration week. Fly mowing every bunker on both properties, helping keep course presentation sharp from tee to green. You may have also noticed what seems like a rough mower on nearly every hole this week, and for good reason. After receiving more than five inches of rain last week, we've been playing catch-up in mowing across both courses. The rapid growth has kept our crews and equipment running nonstop, and we've nearly doubled our diesel fuel usage this July compared to July 2025 just to stay ahead of the growing conditions. While Mother Nature has certainly kept us on our toes, our crews continue working hard to get both courses back into top shape.
Scobar also paid us a visit this week to grind down the stumps from several dead trees that were removed in recent weeks. Hiring Scobar to handle this work continues to be the most efficient and cost-effective approach for the club. Rather than investing in an expensive stump grinder that would spend most of the year collecting dust at the shop, bringing in a specialized contractor allows us to complete the job quickly, safely, and at a fraction of the cost.
Earlier this season, you saw several of our drain basins being re-leveled, and this week we tackled another one on 11 Manakin. Over time, this drain basin had settled, creating a low spot that wasn't doing our fairway units any favors. We've addressed most of these "craters" throughout the property, but there are still several more that need attention. With the upcoming Valentine tournament just around the corner, we'll likely pause this project until afterward so our focus can remain on tournament preparation and course conditioning.
The heavy rainfall didn't just put us behind on roughs and fairways, it also delayed many of the smaller detail projects that make a big difference in course presentation. Edging around tee plaques, irrigation heads, and pavers all had to take a back seat while we focused on keeping up with th turf. Now that we're catching up, our crews are making quick work of these finishing touches. It's the attention to these details that helps bring both courses back up to shape heading into the weekend.
Another successful week is in the books at Hermitage! Brent, we're all wishing you a speedy recovery. Next time you hit one into the native area, just take the free drop, we promise it's worth it. And don't worry... your "lunch buddy" is waiting patiently for you in the cart.
Have a great weekend!