Turf
16 JUN 2023
The days and weeks go by very quickly for me and my maintenance teams. In the blink of an eye, we see our season flash by without really realizing it. You could say that not seeing the clock ticking is a good sign. Being an enthusiast like me makes it a pleasure every morning to be on the course. There are, however, events that are less interesting in a season, but that's part of the job. Focusing on the positive things we do and finding solutions to our challenges is the only option in my opinion.
Once again, the weather made things difficult for us. We were due to do our aerating at Le Maître on Tuesday June 13, but once again the weather threw its weight around to throw a curve ball into our plans. We need good weather to be able to remove the cores from the greens, pick them up, apply the sand and get it into the holes. We still managed to do this, albeit a day late and in much less dry weather than we'd hoped. I'm proud of our two teams who work hard to give you the best possible course conditions. The word pride is often uttered among our workers. A sense of belonging, the desire of every one of us to push in the same direction and follow the established game plan makes me very happy. I can only take a positive view of all this. As an eternal optimist, I'm looking forward to a 2023 season full of small successes.
Just a little thought
When life seems out of control, when 24 hours in a day just isn't enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the beer. A professor was standing in front of his philosophy class with a few articles on the desk in front of him. When class began, without saying a word, he took a large empty mayonnaise jar and began filling it with golf balls. Then he asked the students if the jar was full.
The students said, "Yes."
Then the teacher took a box of pebbles and put some in the jar. He shook the mayonnaise jar. The pebbles rolled all around the golf balls. He asked the students again if the jar was full.
The students said, "Yes."
The teacher then took a bag of sand and poured some into the jar. The sand went everywhere between the golf balls and the pebbles. He asked again if the pot was full.
The students unanimously replied, "Yes."
The teacher then took 1 bottle of beer from under the table and poured it into the mayonnaise jar, effectively filling all the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the teacher, "I'd like to show you how this mayonnaise jar represents your life. The golf balls are the most important things in your life - your family, your children, your health, your friends, your passions, -- things that even if you were to lose everything else, if you only had those left, your life would be full.
"The pebbles represent the other things that are important to you, like your job, your house, your car. "And the sand is everything else - little things that don't really matter. "If you put the sand in the pot first," he says, "there won't be room for the balls and pebbles.
"It's the same in your life. If you spend all your energy on secondary matters, there will never be room for those that are important to you. Pay special attention to the things that are necessary for your happiness. Playing with your children. Take time for regular medical check-ups. Dining out with your spouse. Meeting friends regularly. Play another 18 holes. There will always be time to clean the house or take out the garbage." "Take care of the golf balls first, the really important things. Have priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised his hand and asked the professor, "What about the beer?"
The professor began to smile.
"I'm glad you asked," he said. "It's just to show you that even if your life is filled to capacity, there's always room for a good beer...
Upcoming work
- Edging the contours of sand traps
- Fertilization and growth regulator application on greens
- Cutting branches
Marc-André Doré
Course Superintendent