Zone or Area Management Video....

My latest "ON COURSE" video is available for viewing. In this video I discuss "zone or area management". My philosophy is that turf managers should take a closer look at an area within an area, instead of thinking as an entire area. For example, should a singular fairway be treated as a whole? Maybe. Maybe not? Many time the same fairway could have 3-4 different zones that need to be managed differently. I will be posting more in the future about this "zone or area management", so stay tuned! Apologies for some audio issues! Thanks for watching.

Click this link to view:  https://turfnet.wistia.com/medias/mj05rtudd9

Great Podcast by Dr. Frank Rossi and Dan Dinelli...

Calling all agronomists, if you haven't listen to the following podcast, YOU MUST! This is some great stuff! You may need to listen to it multiply times, because it is that good. Had a chance to talk with Dan at the recent GIS. May have to go visit him this summer when the renovation action takes place! Happy listening, click the link below:

http://www.turfnet.com/blog/4/entry-1334-frankly-speaking-dan-dinelli-cgcs-of-north-shore-country-club/

Ryder Cup - Turfgrass Team Video

A wonderful video has been produced about the 2016 Ryder Cup. This video features the preparations of the golf course by the Hazeltine National Golf Club - Turfgrass Team and its volunteers. It's a fantastic behind the scenes look of what it takes to prepare for the biggest event in golf. Enjoy the video.   

To view, click this link: https://vimeo.com/205063389 

Golf Industry Show

The blog has been a little slow this past week because I've been attending the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Florida. GIS, as its known, is the premier annual show for golf course turfgrass professionals from around the globe. It's a week long event that focuses primarily on education and a trade show, which showcases all the latest and greatest. Take a look...

It takes a good effort to cover the entire floor in two days.

Education is a very important part of GIS.

Technology continues to advance golf course equipment.

Bunker construction techniques is always a hot topic on the trade show floor.

HDPE fittings and couplings continue to evolve.

Always nice to see something new to fit your needs.

Seeing old friends is always the highlight of the week for me.

Enhancing new friendships is a highlight as well.

There are many great offerings on the floor to take advantage of.

Big Sports Night...

Most of you know, although I live in Colorado, my roots are in New England. So when it comes to sports, I'm all New England! It was a crazy night. Greatest comeback ever. Family and friends back in New England were celebrating late into the night. It was a great night for my two kids as well, they have grown up to be big Patriot fans. They now have witnessed two crazy Super Bowl wins in the last three years. For all my Denver Bronco friends, looks like I'll be able to talk a little smack again this year! What a game....

Even the Denver "Bronco" Post giving the Patriots some love!

The Changing of the Blog....

My duties as golf course superintendent of the Country Club of the Rockies officially came to a close on January 2, 2017. Presently, I'm still working as a consultant for CCRockies to Carey Hofner, my former assistant who has taken my position. I will occasionally post about work at CCRockies, but the focus of this blog will be more personal and about my new Agronomic Services company ONCOURSETurf, LLC.  I will be blogging about the world of golf and golf course management, I'm sure you will find it of interest. I will be traveling extensively in 2017, visiting many golf courses throughout the US. This blog will highlight my many travels, including the US Open in June and the Solheim Cup in August. For the members of CCRockies, please continue to follow this blog. Thank you for following my old blog and moving to this one. It has been a pleasure to have you along for the ride, but the ride continues...so follow along!

Always one of my favorite spots at CCR, #10 green, dew covered with the sun rising. 

One More THANK YOU.....

You can say....... I have saved the best for last. There is one more big thank you to give out and this goes to Tom Apple, or better known as TA! I can't say enough about the relationship I have had with Tom. In all my years in the golf industry, he is the best Golf Professional I have ever work along side! My success at CCRockies was due in part to Tom Apple. He took me under his wing the first few years to guide me on what the expectations were for the club. Those first few years were invaluable and ultimately made my career at CCRockies a success. Tom's office door was always open for me and I will never forget that! He always treated me with tremendous respect. We learned from each other and I feel that made us the "Ultimate Team". Tom Apple.........thank you for being my friend and co-worker for the last 22 years!

Colorado Snowpack....

Presently the State of Colorado is relishing in some tremendous snowpack. This is nothing but great news from an environmental standpoint. Water for the western US is based largely on snowpack, so this could be the year that we finally replenish all those reservoirs. It's still early to celebrate, but you can't help but feel a little giddy about the map below...

The Top Moment of 2016...

My top moment of 2016 was definitely the decision to "Hang up my Stimpmeter". It certainly was a difficult decision to end my career as a golf course superintendent. I had been thinking about it for a couple of years. After 45 years of working on the golf course, it was time.

I'll always remember that moment when it hit me. It was June 9th, we had a lightning ground strike that blew our main VFD drive. Of course, we were also in a stretch of incredibly hot and dry weather. Working to keep the golf course alive during that 3-4 day stretch during repairs was extremely taxing. At that time it just hit me hard....I don't want to do this anymore. Not wanting to make an on the spot decision, I let myself cool down from the VFD aftermath, but nothing changed my mind.

June 9, 2016 - Never a good day when the pump service trucks are at your pump station. 

Its been an incredible run for me. I have always loved the game of golf as well as managing the golf course. I have met people from around the globe through this profession and cherish those relationships. I'm extremely proud of my accomplishments throughout my career. I won't disappear. My future in the business is presently a work in progress with some exciting things in the works. I want to thank all the individuals who have worked for me through the years. I might have been the "head coach" but couldn't have accomplish anything without "great players".....thank you all.

Thanks to all...you are only as good as your team.

 I want to thank the Country Club of the Rockies for entrusting me with this wonderful property for the last 22 years. Thanks also for the nice send off last month, very much appreciated!

A wonderful gift to hang on my home office wall, hole #12, it just doesn't get any better than that!

Great to have my family with me for the festivities. The biggest supporters of my career.

Extremely pleased with the hiring of my long time assistant, Carey Hofner to fill my shoes.

 I have really been floored with the amount of well wishes over the past few months. Thank you all. Many superintendents have "opened up" to me about their situation as well and I'm humbled. I was fortunate to be a guest of a podcast hosted by Dave Wilbur, known in the turf world as the "Turfgrass Zealot". The number of comments I have received from this has been astonishing. I thank you all for the wonderful words. I also want the thank Dave Wilbur for having me as his guest. If you haven't listened, click here:
http://www.turfnet.com/blog/5/entry-1338-the-turfgrass-zealot-project-ep-27-with-guest-kevin-ross-of-cc-of-the-rockies/

The comments that this podcast created have truly been very humbling.

This is just one on many comments about the podcast that really hit me. Thanks Jason!

One last note as I conclude this post.....To my wife Karen, daughter Abby, and my son Nick, I can't thank you enough for all the love and support through the years! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Top Moments of 2016...

One of my top moments of 2016 was attending the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National. I was fortune to be able to do some blogging and video work for TurfNet.com. It was a great experience, watching Superintendent, Chris Tritabaugh, his staff, and the many volunteers prepare the course each day through the lens of my camera. Meeting new friends from across the US and from other countries around the world was also a big treat. Let's just say there was a lot of Turf Talk that went on that week. Thanks to Chris Tritabaugh, TurfNet.com, Toro Company and Club Car for making my trip possible. Take a look at some of the memories...

Thanks to Chris Tritabaugh, TurfNet.com, Toro Company, and Club Car for making this happen!

Walking the fairways of Hazeltine National....what a treat!

Pictured here with one of my former interns, Sam Bauer.

Meeting new friends from around the globe was certainly a highlight.

Alejandro Reyes - Superintendent for the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Had a nice chat with David Duval at the airport.

Just a bunch of Minnesota guys hanging out at the Cup.

Let there be light!

My favorite Ryder Cup photo, Sam Bauer mowing #18 green.

Early morning duties required lights.

Showing the patriotism!

All smiles on Sunday morning after a long week!

Rossi and Woods talking earlier morning turf.