What a beautiful past couple of days at the golf course. The golf course was packed on Friday and Saturday. We rented out our entire fleet of rental carts during one stretch of Saturday. The weather was perfect and the golfers were enjoying the warm weather.
Our Season pass revenues are 70% of what the entire calendar year 2018. We are off to a much better start than the previous two seasons. We still had snow on the ground last year at this time.
The warm weather really kicked in the green grass. The course looks better than I could have expected this early in the season. It normally takes a long time for our variety of bentgrass to come around. There are some areas in the fairways, on tees, and greens that received some ice damage.
This occurred during the fast snowmelt during the rain storms. The grass became exposed during the massive surface drainage creating standing water in the low areas all over the course. The cold spells caused ice formation and stunted the grass in these areas. I am optimistic with several spots on greens, but the fairways and tees will be seeded sometime in the next week.
Saturday evening we hosted a surprise 50th wedding anniversary party. The event was for Ted and Jeri Wurth and the surprise was the pleasure of their children. This was a great event where the best part was the actual surprise.
Most of the early week was poor weather but we still had a lot of revenue due to league meetings held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. I was able to speak to the leagues to address a few issues we have had in the past and answer questions. I also directed everyone to enter their email address on our website to receive the same update I share each Sunday morning.
Our parking lot has been a mess the entire Spring. The warm weather on Friday and Saturday definitely helped to an extent. I also had a couple of friends, Bo Woodall and Kris Lindsey, come out with a drag and skid loader to help smooth the parking lot as much as possible. By mid afternoon the difference was huge. We still have a long way to go but there is progress.
I spent a lot of time working on the irrigation system late in the week. I ran electrical tests and started the set up in the pumphouse for the season. I will start filling the main irrigation lines on Monday and then run through station by station to address any issues.
Equipment repair was also a priority. I had quite a few electrical issues that needed attention. One John Deere green mower had a reel motor replaced and some electrical connections addressed. One Toro tee mower had electrical issues with the raise/lower switches that were addressed.
It was much easier to work on the electrical end of equipment after getting some education from the Street Division mechanics. Tom and Justin spent some time with me to run through schematic diagrams and they ordered some additional materials to make the process easier. It was definitely invaluable and much appreciated.
It was a late night in the clubhouse last night and an early morning today. I wish each of you a very Happy Easter and hope your day is filled with joy and laughter. Stop on out to the golf course for some sunshine or a drink if you’re looking for something to do. Keep on smilin’!
Spencer Municipal Golf Course 