Construction Update and Weekend Golf!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Friday, March 7th and the golf course is currently closed due to unplayable conditions.  Over two inches of rain has fallen in Charlotte since late yesterday, with more expected, and the golf course is saturated with widespread areas of standing water.  More on these conditions and their impact later.  First I want to bring everyone up to speed on our golf course renovation projects, then we'll discuss course conditions and what to expect this weekend.

In my post from January 17th, Bunkers, Tees, Twitter, and More! I mentioned our contractor, Golf Course Services, Inc.(GCS) had wrapped up the bunker renovations and we were getting started on a few tee projects. First, a new back tee for number 13 was built.  Architect Kris Spence was on hand to locate and design the tee.

Architect Kris Spence and JD of GCS

Next, we moved to the new range tee located at the far end of the driving range.  Again, Kris designed the tee and GCS performed the construction work.  This project took a little longer than hoped due to the two snow storms experienced in late January and mid-February, but I am happy to report this project is also complete.  I posted several photos of this project on January 29th, Winter Weather, Project Updates, and The GIS! and here are a couple of the finished product.  The tee's large size does not allow for photos to accurately capture the features. This project turned out better than anticipated, and you will just have to wait and see it in person to truly value and appreciate what has been created for your enjoyment.

View of Range From New Tee

View of Short Game Area From New Tee

We then moved on to the most notable change to the golf course, the teeing areas for numbers 14 and 18.  You may recall in that same post from January 17th I referenced a new option emerging with respect to the teeing areas of those two holes.  The original idea was to join the back tees of the two holes in a fashion similar to what currently exists on holes 6 and 8.  However, when examined in the field that day Kris developed a stronger plan that required additional discussion at the committee level and board approval.  To their credit, the Greens Committee and Kris met on a very cold day in late January to hear Kris's idea and review its merits.

@kspdesign meeting with Greens Comm right now about new option for hole 18. pic.twitter.com/ziOXX42vTm
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) January 24, 2014

To make a long story short, the new plan was approved and the design change implemented. Essentially what we have created is a new tee for number 18 significantly lengthening the golf hole. Kris explained to the committee when Ross designed the hole the pond fronting the green did not come into play off the tee, but rather was a hazard to be navigated on the approach shot into the green.  Unfortunately, with modern technology and agronomics the pond had become a reachable hazard from the tee while simultaneously being blind to the player. Lengthening this hole allowed us to restore the hole to be played as Ross originally intended.

How did we do this?  This was accomplished by constructing a new tee in the area where the back tee for number 14 used to be located.  In order to do that, we had to relocate the back tee for number 14 to the right side of the golf car path. In the process, a few trees were removed, another relocated, and another trimmed significantly.  Also, the old golf car path was removed and a newly routed path installed providing better flow and accessibility.  

Clearing For New Tee #14

Kris Spence Aligning New Tee #14

Small White Oak Being Transplanted

Sand Cap Installed and Compacted New Tee #14

Newly Routed Cart Path Installed

New Back Tee #18

New Path Between Back Tees #'s 18 & 14 

Although the new tees for numbers 14 and 18 are complete, they along with the newly constructed tee for number 13 will remain out of play for the near future.  The sod needs time to take root and provide stability to the newly constructed areas before they will be ready to accommodate traffic.  I know there are many of you anxious to try out the golf holes from the new tees, but please exercise patience as we allow nature to take its course.

This renovation project is nearly complete as GCS has just a few loose ends to tie up.  It has been a long, cold, and wet four months (GCS started on the bunkers November 4th), but the benefits to the golf course and your member experience will be evident soon.  It has been fun working with Kris and JD on this project.  Many days reminded me of the fond times we have shared during the other projects we have all worked on together helping make Carolina what you enjoy today.  This job also reunited JD and I with Paul Yandle of The Maplewood Company.  Paul helped us relocate the small oak tree.  His company did quite a bit of tree transplanting for us during both the course restoration in 2008 and the driving range construction project in 2006.  We also brought back Charlie Trapasso of Union Paving Contractors out of Monroe.  Charlie and his company paved all the cart paths during the course restoration project in 2008.  It was almost as if we "got the band back together".

Real quick before I wrap up.  The golf course is extremely wet and the next two days are forecasted to be nice days...with very busy tee sheets.  We will be carts on paths everywhere both days.  Also, those of you who use push carts, or trolleys as they say in the U.K., need to exercise caution proceeding.  Push carts have very narrow wheel bases and actually can apply more pressure to the turf per square inch than an actual golf cart (especially the motorized varieties equipped with heavy batteries).  Under extremely soggy conditions they can be damaging to the turf, so I ask you operate them with this in mind.  Keep to the high ground when possible and avoid low lying areas.  If everyone, walkers and riders, will be mindful and respectful of the course the next two days it will pay big dividends to course conditions later this spring and summer!  Thanks in advance!

Next week I will have another update with regards to course conditions, recent and upcoming agronomic practices, and what to expect from Mother Nature this spring.  Until then...

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

President's Day Golf!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Sunday, February 16th and the big thaw continues in Charlotte, NC!  I just wrapped up my second tour of the golf course today as I inspected the course a little past noon to get an early assessment, then waited until 3:00 pm to take a second look.  Things melted significantly in those last two hours and I am happy to report the course will be open for golf tomorrow, President's Day!  

During my first tour of the course we still had seven putting surfaces with 100% snow cover, including numbers 1 and 11.  However, the pictures below indicate things changed in the favor of those members afflicted with cabin fever this afternoon.

Number 1

Number 11

Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing tonight and thus a frost delay is imminent in the morning.  My staff and I still need to help Mother Nature finish clearing away some lingering snow from just a few greens, and we will have to wait on the frost in order to do so.

The golf course will open at 10:00 am for those wishing to reserve a tee time.  It is important to note the golf course is still extremely wet from all the precipitation, and all golf cars will need to remain on the paths tomorrow!  Thank you for your patience and understanding, and I will...

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

Snowmagedon 2014!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Friday, February 14th (Happy Valentine's Day) and the golf course is covered in snow...again!  This time the city of Charlotte set a record with 3 consecutive days of at least one inch of measurable snowfall and the "official" total recorded at the airport was 7.6 inches.  The metro area experienced all forms of wintry precipitation the past three days (snow, sleet, freezing rain) either alone or in some combination.  At my home we had a base layer of heavy, wet snow approximately 5 to 6 inches thick, followed by an ice layer approximately 0.25 to 0.5 inch thick, and then capped yesterday with an additional 2 inches of fluffy snow.  Here at the golf course the storm started as ice.  We have a layer nearly one inch thick topped with 4 inches of beautiful, fluffy snow.

I managed to extricate myself yesterday and visited the course in the afternoon with my professional photographer.  Some members of my staff are here today working diligently to clear the walks and parking areas in and around the clubhouse.  The conditions this morning still prohibited a few individuals from being able to come to work safely.  The forecast is for increasing temperatures the next seven days, so I don't expect this to persist too long, but the course will remain closed until the snow cover melts.  Please check with the Golf Shop for the latest details.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and if that is the case, then today's blog contains several thousand!  Below are some of the best from the nearly 100 photos my wife took yesterday as we trekked around the golf course.  I hope you enjoy!

A Grey Sky Greets Us!

Our Adventure Begins!

Snow Blankets A Deep Bunker #6!

View From Behind #13!

Snow Accents the Bunkers #5!

View From Behind #5 Green!

No.'s 7 & 5

Small Mounds and Deep Bunkers!

Notice the Bright Skies Now!

Well, that's all for now.  Hopefully you enjoyed these photos.  Personally, I find something peaceful and serene about a golf course blanketed in snow.  I love the way the topographical features of the course are accentuated and clearly distinguishable.  Growing up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the southwestern corner of Virginia, I experienced a lot of snow and find myself missing it sometimes (to my wife's chagrin).  This is the largest single snow event in the Charlotte area since my wife and I arrived here in 2005, and it reminded me of those snowfalls I fondly recall from my youth. It actually made for the perfect sledding conditions...

Great afternoon to sled at @CGC1929 pic.twitter.com/PSVCOLiob0
— MichaelA.Catanese,Jr (@MichaelCatanese) February 13, 2014

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

Winter Weather, Project Updates, and The GIS!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"! Today is Wednesday, January 29th and the golf course is covered in snow!  I don't know about you but I love the look of a snow covered golf course...something peaceful and serene about the fluffy, white blanket on the ground.  Yesterday's winter storm left us with just over 1 inch of the white stuff on the ground and this arctic blast may keep it around a couple of days.

First Snow of Season!

While we are on the subject of the weather, this has been the coldest winter the U.S. has seen since the late 1970's.  The chart below depicts the average temperature for meteorological winter (December 1st - February 28th) over the past 119 years.

A close look will reveal as recently as 2010 the country endured its coldest winter since the winters of 1984 and 1985, and this winter has already surpassed all three of those just mentioned.  This current blast of arctic air will most likely send this winter past that of 1978, and depending on how February plays out, quite possibly the winters of 1905 and 1929 too.  All that means this could potentially become at least the 5th coldest winter the U.S. has endured in the last 119 years.  Thank goodness for global warming or who knows how cold it would have been this year!

Now, let me clarify this data reflects the entire U.S., not just the southeast or North Carolina, so please keep that in perspective.  Also, I do not bring this information to your attention simply to satisfy my inner weather geek, nor do I have stock in heating oil, natural gas, or propane.  I bring this to your attention because we have over 90 acres of bermudagrass growing on the golf course, and bermudagrass is a WARM-SEASON grass.  In other words, it doesn't like cold.  The terms winter injury and winter kill get mentioned quite often in turfgrass circles during cold winters, and above I referenced 2010 was the last cold winter seen in these parts.  In the spring of that year we experienced some winter related injury and death to parts of the golf course.  Most notably to portions of the collars where the topography tilted North, North-facing bunker slopes, shade affected tees on the 6th and 9th holes, and a shady area on the right side of the 1st fairway.

I am not saying we are going to experience widespread death of bermudagrass, but I do want everyone to realize and understand the extremes Mother Nature has brought upon us this year certainly point to the potential for some winter injury and possible winter kill of turf located in the more extreme micro-climates on the golf course.  On the bright side, I was expecting a colder than normal winter this year thanks to a new weather information resource.  I believe it was late October/early November when I first began to receive forecasts predicting the patterns that have brought us wave after wave of cold Canadian and arctic air this year.  My staff and I took these warnings seriously and placed covers on certain sensitive areas that previously experienced winter related problems to minimize any potential damage the course may encounter this year.  We have also taken precautions throughout the winter to try and protect our turf whenever possible, such as using turning boards to protect the collars from compaction associated with turning mowers and rollers changing directions.  Also, this past Monday we irrigated the golf course to combat potential desiccation associated with these extreme arctic blasts, because extreme cold equals dry and it's the dry that can be the real problem in these conditions.  We are in the middle of what is historically the coldest week of the year, so hopefully the worst is nearly behind us and here's hoping it's cloudy on Groundhog Day...we don't need any groundhogs seeing shadows!

In other news, the construction project at the back of the driving range is coming along quite nicely. The shaping and rough grading is complete.  Next up is internal drainage and irrigation installation. Once that work is finished the tee will be capped with a 4-inch layer of sand to create the finish grade and then be ready for sod.  Here are a few photos of the work thus far, and you can follow me (@CGCGreenkeeper) or Golf Course Services (@GCSofNC) on Twitter to see and read these updates as they happen in real time.

Shaping of new Family Tee back of DR Carolina GC! Will be a nice place for the kiddos come July! # pic.twitter.com/D4gRA0jj0I
— Golf Course Services (@GCSofNC) January 25, 2014

Smoothing Surface

Shooting Grades

Coming Into Form

@GCSofNC Despite the cold drainage install is underway! #drainage pic.twitter.com/iyFfUpsoYO
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) January 28, 2014

Finally, next week I will represent Carolina Golf Club at the 2014 Golf Industry Show in Orlando.  I am scheduled to be in two seminars early next week and then I will be attending the industry's largest trade show on Wednesday and Thursday.  I will be tweeting about my experience for those of you following along, so look for #GIS14.

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

Bunkers, Tees, Twitter, and More!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"! Today is Friday, January 17th and it has been 4 weeks since my last update.  Four weeks is a long time in this business, and a lot has happened, but not much has changed either.  Confused?  Let me explain.  Thanks to Mother Nature the golf course is still dormant, and still WET!  We wrapped up December with 7.48" rain for the month (#soggy)!  The first two weeks of January has brought another 2.58" rain and some bitterly cold temperatures (remember the record low of 6 degrees last week).  Needless to say we have been bundled up and #CartPathOnly for some time now.  However, despite a slow down over the holidays and the weather conditions turning unfavorable, my staff has managed to keep the golf course in exceptional condition and Golf Course Services has completed the bunker renovations.  

During my last post I referenced how @GCSofNC (for you Twitter folks) had been knocking out our bunker renovations at warp speed.  At that time they had surpassed 50 bunkers.  I am happy to report to you bunker renovations finished today!  GCS completed renovations to the large practice bunker, located in the short game area between the practice putting and chipping greens earlier this afternoon.  The renovations to this bunker were slightly more involved than the others, because practice bunkers age exponentially compared to on course bunkers due to their continuous use.  As shot, after shot, after shot is hit from the practice bunker the constant "blasting" of sand displaces a large amount onto the grass bunker face.  Despite continuous efforts to remove the sand build up from the grass face, layers do develop in the soil over time and cause turf problems.  Thus, all the turf was completely removed from the bunker face, the sand layers stripped and removed from the original soil bunker cavity, and new sod installed. 

Sand Build-up Removed

New Sod Being Installed

Better Than Before!

With bunker renovations now behind us our attention is solely focused on the new tee construction projects I referenced last time.  Earlier today I met with our architect, Kris Spence along with JD of GCS to look at the new championship tee construction on hole 13.

With @GCSofNC and @kspdesign looking at new championship tee location hole 13! pic.twitter.com/Q6WEbFBTem
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) January 17, 2014

When finished, the three of us explored several new teeing options for holes 14 and 18.  The Greens Committee asked Kris some time back about the possibility of joining the back tees of the neighboring holes together in a similar fashion like on holes 6 and 8.

Checking It Out

Rough Idea

Another Option Emerging

After that we rode down to the fairway bunker complex separating the 6th and 7th holes to explore the possibility of adding two or three more bunkers and a new mound or two.  Then it was lunch in the bar with some wonderful stories before calling it a day.  I must say it was a very enjoyable morning.  The whole process felt like old times, and brought back a lot of fond memories of the three of us working together during the master plan renovations five years ago!

In other news, I know some of you still don't follow on Twitter so here are a few highlights... and low lights you may have missed:

Another beautiful day in paradise! #shouldhaveplayedtoday pic.twitter.com/djAuvwQGBl
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) December 27, 2013

What a difference a day makes! Course closed until further notice! #standingwatereverywhere pic.twitter.com/PKc8GRKzLM
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) December 29, 2013

Coldest morning I've ever seen at Carolina GC! Although closed today still keeping tabs. #DeepFreeze14 pic.twitter.com/wfOD5fghAC
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) January 7, 2014

Don't let today's sunny skies fool you, the course is still extremely wet! #CartPathOnly #Saturated
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) January 15, 2014

That's all for now, I need to put the finishing touches on the PowerPoint presentation I will be making at the 2014 Annual Meeting next week (Tuesday, January 21st).  As customary I will be recapping last year and giving everyone a glimpse of what to expect in 2014.  Hope everyone can make it!

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

Quick Update, Reflections, and Merry Christmas!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"! Today is Friday, December 20th and I want to quickly bring you up to speed with what's going on out on the golf course, then share something I hope you will enjoy.  Our bunker renovation project is moving along at warp speed.  At this time Golf Course Services has completed bunker renovations on holes 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,14,15,17&18.  This totals over 50 bunkers.  During my last post I referenced the new tee construction scheduled to begin once bunker renovations are complete.  Preparations for this work is underway as my staff has been clearing underbrush from the surrounding area, and sand is being stockpiled on site.  After GCS takes a short break for Christmas, they will return to renovate all the bunkers on holes 12 and 13, then we will turn our attention to the new tee construction. 

In other course related news, last week I met with the members of the Greens Committee.  The discussion went something like this...

On my way to Greens Committee meeting at noon... Perhaps I'll just show them this... #bestputtinggreenintown pic.twitter.com/VTb50MDvDh
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) December 12, 2013

The following day was what I will describe as a prototypical late fall day in North Carolina (remember the first day of winter is tomorrow) with bright sunshine and not a cloud in sight!

Beautiful day shaping up at Carolina! #blueskies pic.twitter.com/ksC0Gj0zAb
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) December 13, 2013

Thanks to all of you following along.  I hope you find these nuggets informative and helpful, as well as entertaining.

This past Tuesday I was attending the Past President's Dinner of Carolina Golf Club.  I have been very fortunate to receive an invitation to this annual event each year since becoming superintendent, and I always enjoy the stories about the club's history.  Anyway, this year a microphone was passed around the room giving each person a chance to say a little something, or not.  As the microphone made its way around the large table there were many great things said about Carolina Golf Club, its leadership (past and present), its membership, the golf course, and the staff.  When my turn came I simply passed the microphone, and an opportunity to say something meaningful and profound was momentarily lost.  However, knowing I have the luxury of this forum and having had a few more days to reflect...

Ahem (clears throat).

I was first introduced to the game of golf by my grandfather, John M. Hankins, Jr.  Pap Pa (pronounced Pap Paw) as he is affectionately known is a veteran of World War II and a retired railroad man.  He was a devoted husband for over 50 years to his late wife Margaret, and he still loves golf and fishing.  He will celebrate his 91st birthday this coming Monday (December 23rd). 


He made my very first golf club by cutting down an old Powerbilt 4-wood of his when I was about four years old.  I still have it on display in my home, and it is one of my most cherished possessions!

Old Faithful!

Remember These!

Hillerich and Bradsby (since 1916)

A few years later my first-cousin and I each received junior sets of clubs for Christmas.  That spring we took Pap Pa's riding mower and removed the pin used to control the mowing height on the floating deck.  We scalped a large circle out in front of the house then used a garden trowel to dig a small hole.  We placed an empty tin can in the hole for a cup, and took turns deciding where the tee was located and the route you had to take to get to the green (you were not allowed to go over the house or Granny would kill you!).  When I look back on these times, I believe I was destined to be a golf course superintendent.

Fast forward several years to 1988.  I am about a month shy of my 20th birthday and I get an offer to work at Lake Bonaventure Country Club in Castlewood, VA.  LBCC is a modest 9-hole private club formed in the late 1950's.  Although I had played there on a few occasions while growing up, this opportunity truly set me on a long, winding path that led to my current destination.  LBCC was designed by Alexander McKay (more on him later) and truth is during my tenure at Bonaventure nobody knew that (at least nobody I knew ever discussed it).  In fact, I never knew it until after I became superintendent of Carolina Golf Club in 2005.

Prior to coming to Carolina I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Virginia Tech and then worked at two other golf courses, Augustine Golf Club in Stafford, VA and Swan Point Yacht & Country Club in Issue, MD.  Augustine was designed in the early 1990's by Rick Jacobson, a former design associate of Jack Nicklaus.  Augustine was Jacobson's first solo design in the U.S. and it is widely considered to be the grandfather of upscale, daily fee golf in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  Swan Point was designed by Bob Cupp in the late 1980's and both courses really are good golf courses, and I enjoyed playing them, but something was missing.  During those years, my wife Darless and I would travel when time allowed and play other courses in the region.  We found most other public access courses were also modern era designs, and although most were very well maintained, they too were not the most pleasing to our palettes.

In the spring of 2005 an opportunity to become the golf course superintendent of Carolina Golf Club became available.  Darless and I traveled from Virginia to see the course and explore the possibility of relocating to Charlotte.  During that first round at Carolina something clicked.  I saw features that reminded me of Bonaventure, and the game I remembered so fondly from my early greenkeeping days came rushing back.  It was this experience that prompted me to track down the original architect of Lake Bonaventure and ultimately discover Alex McKay and his history. 

Alexander G. McKay was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1893.  He learned golf at Cruden Bay Golf Club in Aberdeen and moved to the U.S. shortly after World War I.  After bouncing around with several odd jobs he became the superintendent and golf professional for the city of Louisville, KY in 1926, caring for their city parks and golf courses.  He remained in Louisville for ten years before moving to Charleston, WV and designing Meadowbrook CC.  He served as that club's first professional and superintendent, and remained there until after World War II.  Following World War II, Mr. McKay became the golf professional and superintendent of Holston Hills CC in Knoxville, TN and became famous for successfully converting their bermudagrass greens to bentgrass.  He remained at Holston Hills for a decade before becoming a full time course architect and turf consultant.

Why is all that significant you ask.  Anyone with any knowledge of Donald Ross knows Holston Hills is widely regarded in many circles as one of the top 10 golf courses ever designed by Donald Ross.  Thus, it is only natural someone entrusted with the care of a top 10 Donald Ross design would incorporate Ross like features in design work of his own down the road.  Thus, my love affair with Donald Ross originated via a surrogate!  (Sidebar: Alex McKay is credited for having designed Statesville CC just up the road in 1962.  He died in Nashville, TN in 1964 at the age of 71.)

Since arriving at Carolina I have had the pleasure of seeing first hand this well crafted layout transformed to a golf course which can hold its own with the finest of Ross designs.  Over the years I have managed to enhance my Ross education by traveling and experiencing several other courses of his in the Carolinas: Grove Park Inn (Asheville), Mimosa Hills CC (Morganton), Roaring Gap Club (Sparta), Catawba CC (Newton), Charlotte CC, Myers Park CC, CC of Salisbury, Camden CC, Forsyth CC (Winston-Salem), Sedgefield CC (Greensboro), Pine Needles, Mid-Pines, Southern Pines CC, and of course Pinehurst No. 2.  What I have discovered is how brilliant the man was and how he mastered the simple.  There are no gimmicks on a Donald Ross golf course, the challenge is right there in front of you.  His courses truly challenge the best players of the game, but are very playable and fun for the highest handicappers.  I am constantly amazed how courses like Carolina, Southern Pines, Mid-Pines, Catawba, Mimosa Hills or Camden still have a high resistance to scoring when played from between 6200 to 6600 yards!  Ross courses are brilliantly routed with holes cleverly crafted along some of the most beautiful, natural topography I have ever seen. 


Copy of Original Ross Routing

Being entrusted to care for Carolina Golf Club is an honor and a privilege, and I cannot think of anyplace else I would rather be... or play!  (Voice of the late Paul Harvey, " ...and now you know the rest of the story".)  Hey, I said it was long and winding!

Darless and I will be traveling tomorrow to Virginia to celebrate Christmas with both our families.  Although we both are looking forward to getting there and spending time with our loved-ones, we are already looking forward to getting back to Charlotte and to Carolina Golf Club, our home!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all the members of Carolina Golf Club!

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

Information about Alexander G. McKay courtesy of "The Golf Course" by Geoffrey S. Cornish and Ronald E. Whitten, May 1985

A Big Surprise, Catching Up, Other News and Many Thanks!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"! Today is Wednesday, November 27th and I want to share some important things with you before I wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving!  Last time I mentioned you can find me on twitter @CGCGreenkeeper.  In the short time I have been a twitter newbie I have picked up several followers, and I sincerely hope you feel the information you have been receiving is worthwhile.  I will admit I have more industry followers than members currently, but that is okay... I find it useful to see what my peers are doing on their respective courses too.

Early last week I was in Myrtle Beach attending the annual conference and trade show of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent's Association (CGCSA).  In attendance with me representing Carolina Golf Club was Senior Assistant, Brett Stowers and Equipment Manager, Kenneth Bailey, Jr.  Brett and I attended several accredited classes and seminars for continuing education and pesticide license renewal requirements.  JR is a member of TETAC (Turf Equipment Technician's Association of the Carolinas) and he attended several classes at their education conference held in conjunction with ours.  Prior to the beginning of the education conference I competed in the annual golf championship, something I have done each year since 2007.  In 2008, I managed to finish T3 (two shots back) but really hadn't managed to make any noise since then until a strange set of events this year.  To find out what happened Click Here for the rest of the story.

In the short time I was away last week, our good friend Mother Nature visited to put the rest of the golf course to sleep.  The frost we experienced back in late October took the color out of the rough but this time, with morning low temperatures in the low 20's, she managed to make things look a little different.

Good to be back at Carolina. Was green when I left! #mothernature pic.twitter.com/ERbnBxoKKA
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) November 21, 2013

Anyway, despite the dormant appearance of the golf course there was still much work to be done.  I got busy and took advantage of a warmer day to make a scheduled fertilizer application.

A little fertilizer for my greens and a little exercise for me...#walkingoffafewnewpounds pic.twitter.com/jPMSPDTjsw
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) November 22, 2013

Monday, both my staff and the guys from Golf Course Services were trying to accomplish as much as possible knowing yesterday was going to be a rain out (2.8 inches rain recorded by the way).  We painted the target greens and took steps to protect some bermudagrass turf with a history of vulnerability.



Covers on the North-facing Faces!

Picaso?

 

We also covered a handful of tee boxes on the 6th and 9th holes, so be sure and look for the markers in alternative locations while these areas are protected.

Golf Course Services moving right along nicely with bunker renovations... Today on hole 15. pic.twitter.com/NdFCNAS72N
— Matthew Wharton (@CGCGreenkeeper) November 25, 2013

At this time GCS has renovated the bunkers on the following holes: 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15 & 17 (save for the large, greenside bunker on the right side of 17).  This totals 36 bunkers in all, meaning we are practically at the half-way point of this project.  We were blessed with some great weather the first three weeks and GCS made incredible progress.  With some wetter weather and holidays, expect things to slow a little but remain ahead of schedule. 

In other news, I am happy to report at last week's meeting the Board of Governors approved funding for the construction of a new back tee on number 13, reconfiguration of the back tees on numbers 14 & 18, and construction of a new 17,000 square feet alternative tee located at the back of the driving range.  All three of these projects will be conducted under the design and supervision of our architect, Kris Spence and Golf Course Services.  These projects will commence once the bunker renovations are completed so more info on these in future updates.

Okay, so tomorrow is Thanksgiving and one cool thing Carolina Golf Club does on Thanksgiving is close the club for the holiday.  This permits all staff members to have the opportunity to spend the holiday with those near and dear to them.  The golf course is accessible for those members wishing to get out of the kitchen and walk a few holes.  As is customary, I will be making a stop by the course to "check on things".  I ride through each year on Thanksgiving morning to make sure nothing is out of place or out of the ordinary.  The past few years the weather has not been an issue and frost has not been a threat, but this year is a little different.  With morning low temperatures tomorrow expected to be near 23 degrees frost is certainly a concern, and I will be hanging around a little longer to make sure nobody inadvertently helps themselves to the course before they should.  I only ask those of you planning a good walk spoiled tomorrow to please use good judgment with regards to how early you arrive!

For years now I have compiled a list of things I am thankful for at Thanksgiving.  The past two years I mentioned how thankful I was for my wife and how she tolerates me at the end of the list...well this year I am listing her number one!  I am thankful for many things in 2013 and they include...

1. My wife...and more importantly, her love and support through it all!
2. Our family...a granddaughter's love is the best love!
3. My faith...many more blessings than deserved!
4. My grandfather...90 years old, my hero!
5. Golf...truly is the greatest of all games!
6. My staff...simply the best in Charlotte!
7. Carolina Golf Club...your support inspires me!
8. Friends...both on and off the course!
9. New golf clubs...getting fitted truly makes a difference!
10. Being your superintendent...no place I'd rather be!

To all the members of Carolina Golf Club I want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

See you on the course,

 

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent