The Car Carriers Are Here!!

For those of you in other parts of the country the announcement of spring may come in a variety of ways; the new blooms on trees and plants, Punxsutawney Phil not seeing his shadow, or the ability to wear shorts on one day and the need for hats and gloves on the next. But here in Florida, we can tell that spring has sprung when one observes the migration of car carriers in a north bound direction on I-95 or I-75.

For those of us in the golf industry, it means that the opportunity to begin cultural practices and projects has arrived. In my travels I have witnessed the joy on superintendents’ faces as they speak about the dates that they have scheduled for their first course aerifications. They seem giddy with anticipation as though expecting the birth of their first child. There are no details left out as they discuss the preparation of equipment and tine sizes they will utilize. The details of their specific nuances are shared with pride. It is captivating to me as I have the opportunity to hear so many variations to accomplish basically the identical tasks.

With as much enthusiasm as our members have for tearing things up on the golf course to help in the recovery from the winter season, the golfers have an equal amount of malevolence. How many times have the words “The greens are perfect as they are. I don’t understand why you are doing this” been uttered? The key to overcome this diversity of opinions has always been and will continue to be the ability to communicate the benefits to the golfer.

To this end, I wanted to remind our members that GCSAA has a plethora of resources to help communicate with golfers that can be posted in locker rooms or pro shops. On our website, in GCM, and our other communication pieces there are articles on all types of agronomic issues including aerification. Also there is an expansive library available under the TGIF section as well.

I share your enthusiasm for this time of year and when asked what I miss about being a superintendent this is on my list. I wish all of you the best of weather and great results in your endeavors. Remember to utilize the resources available to you through your membership including me if the need arises.