Its January 20th and the weather is very nice for this time of year especially considering where we live. In checking the weather records, this month is almost a carbon copy of 2014. Fortunately our snowpack is considerably deeper so the potential for ice formation on greens has been lessened. For now. The short days, our location in the river valley and less wind than last January are also helping out. I love the weather but if it would cool off so the daytime highs are just below zero that would be ideal. We continue to blow fresh air under the 4 covered greens every 10 to 14 days. This is the second stage of testing with the Green Jacket ice shield/bubble wrap system. The first 2 years it was one specific green. This winter it is three other unique green sites and how they turn out that will dictate our plans for covering all the greens. I know I sound like a broken record but we cannot depend on the typical winters that were the norm a decade ago.
In the meantime our Equipment Manager, Ian Scott, continues to service and refurbish our large fleet of machinery so that it will be ready for spring. The rest of the Turf Care department is busy with other small projects, parking lot maintenance, grooming the ski trails and keeping the skating rink in good shape. Our continuing education is ongoing during February with major turf conferences in Calgary and San Antonio. Val, our horticulturist, is busy in the greenhouse preparing for her first full season and she is excited for changes that will be coming. I'm dragging myself away from some old school way of doing things as we are planning to implement a digital job board/task tracking system that will greatly increase the efficiency of our department. It should also appeal to the younger generation of turf care staff that are being hired.
The picture below is the new groomer we purchased through funds donated by The Royal Mayfair Ski Club. Notice that it sets 2 tracks for a more "social experience" but from what I've heard it's great for passing slower skiers. For those that are wondering the long track is 5K and the short track is ~2K in length. During this trend of warm days and cool nights we will not be grooming unless absolutely necessary. From our conversation with skiers, yes they are icy and quick in the morning but they are softer and slower in the afternoon.
I'm not a skier but the trails look good to me. We will venture out and check the loop for wear and tear in the next few days.
If skiing or skating isn't your cup of tea remember that the simulator is set up in the Golf Shop for lessons and play throughout the winter months. Mike Belbin is seen here keeping his game sharp. Book a tee time and order some food from the Clubhouse.
