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In my March column for Golf Course Industry, I've written about honest-to-goodness, real-life questions and statements asked of superintendents....and invited you to share some of your own.

Post in the comments section here...

IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR…

Looking back on 2011 and before heading into 2012 let’s review some the issues which left many people within our industry perplexed, puzzled and preparing for the worst.

BACTERIAL WILT

For the last two seasons this malady affected many golf courses and their bent grass or Poa greens or at least many superintendents thought this was the issue.  Examined and diagnosed every which way this destructive pathogen was blamed for everything from turf decline to occupying Wall Street.  I have read volumes of literature from university pathologists and others who feel they are in the know and all have one common denominator:  “it was too freakin’ hot and wet!”  In Northern New Jersey we received 50+ inches of rain.  So what to do?  How about forecasting and reviewing your past summer to prepare for next summer and drainage, tree reduction, height-of-cut increases and fans.  Considering what you can do for your turf in early July will impact turf in early September.  Often, doing nothing at all is the best action.

In some circles, the course superintendent is a hero. You've may have seen TV ads thanking supers for doing a thankless job or heard golf broadcasters singling out the grounds crews at Tour courses for their work above and beyond. Perhaps you've received e-mails from golf's national associations and governing bodies giving credit where it has long been due. Or maybe your club's owners and/or members have gone out of their way to acknowledge the great job your super has done this summer in the hot, humid conditions that have affected most of the country.

In my opinion, such accolades are long overdue. No one works harder, or has a harder task, than a superintendent. 

Across the country, heat and humidity are wreaking havoc with golf courses and giving superintendents panic attacks as they try to keep turf alive. I'm sure many supers are sitting in their offices at day's end wondering if there are any jobs open at the local McDonald's.

Here are some suggestions for golfers and supers for surviving one of the hottest summers on record-and having some fun along the way.

 

True, firm, and fast course conditions are to be expected at The Open Championship and nowhere should this be more evident than at The Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, this week.

By definition, links is "sandy, level to undulating land built up along a coastline, usually bordering an ocean or lake." Sounds like St. Andrews to me. Remember the running-on-the-beach scene at the opening of "Chariots of Fire?" That was shot in St. Andrews, on the sands abutting the Old Course. You can get a similar feeling in the U.S. at a few notable courses such as Shinnecock Hills, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, and The National Golf Links, probably our best examples of links-style courses.

Over the last few weeks, the commentators covering the tennis matches at Wimbledon have noted that there had been no substantial rain in Great Britain for six months, a concern echoed by Gordon Moir, Director of Green Keeping for the Links Trust, which oversees the courses at St. Andrews. The forecast for the Open is more what we think of for British golf-cool, wind, and rain. But if things remain atypically dry, what can the players expect? Just like the runners in "Chariots," it will be like playing on a beach-undulations and dry sand. Very different conditions from what they face nearly ever other week of their season.

The U.S. Open is on next week, which means the eyes of the golf world will be looking closely at Pebble Beach and the USGA's new mantra, "Brown is the New Green."

It is certainly true that golf courses can be wiser in their water use. Many people think courses waste water and should be more tightly regulated. In fact, most golf facilities in this country are pretty good stewards of land and water. "Water is the new oil" so those of us who care for courses must be judicious in our water use and actions.

As I explained last week, it's likely that your favorite golf course isn't in very good shape after a winter of unusually severe rain, wind, and snow. But if the club is open and you're willing to put up with shaggy lies, slow greens, and soggy bunkers for a few more weeks, the ragged state of affairs actually can be good for your game.

Here's how to make the most of the early-season mess and make yourself a better player.

Every week, Tim Moraghan - long-time golf industry insider with a 20+ year tenure at the USGA and "inside the ropes" access at over 100 national championships - offers an over, under, and on the ground look at courses, conditions, architecture, and how to play the game.

This is a big week for games played on grass. Besides The Masters teeing off - beginning the golf season for most of the rest of us, too - the baseball season has begun, people are out playing tennis, even Easter egg hunts depend on green lawns and warm weather. However, almost every part of the country is still recovering from an unusually cold, wet winter. As a result, you should be prepared for less than ideal conditions when playing your favorite golf course over the next few weeks.