Keeping An Eye On The Future

In Keith Cutten's wonderful new book, The Evolution of Golf Course Design, he references a quote from the great golf course architect, Alister MacKenzie:

"Golf is a game, and talk and discussion is all to the interests of the game. Anything that keeps the game alive and prevents us being bored with it is an advantage. Anything that makes us think about it, talk about it, and dream about it is all to the good and prevents the game becoming dead."

Mountain Course first tee project. Notice die-back in trees.

This quote reflects our work conducted on both courses this winter. We believe that it is important to continually make noticeable enhancements to the courses. The projects initiated this winter were focused on developing a fresh new look and feel to selected areas of each golf course. At The Mountain Course we have begun a project on the first tee. This tee box has two tree islands that border it. The trees in both of these areas are showing signs of stress due to the exposed nature of the site. The trees on the golfers left have been particularly impacted and in various stages of decline. During the winter months we cleared all of the trees in this left side island. The next phase of the project is to haul in fill material and create a substantial mounded feature. This mound area will be planted with wonderful fine fescue grass. The clearing work has opened up a great view of Spruce Peak to the north. Now, with views of Mount Mansfield to the west, Spruce Peak to the north and the Worcester range to the south, the setting for the opening tee at the Mountain Course will be even more visually stunning.

A second enhancement project at The Mountain Course that we conducted this winter focused on tree thinning the area left of nine fairway. This project is being done to open up small visual windows of the green complex from the tee. The thinning will give the ninth tee shot a different feel and provide the golfer a sneak peek to their final destination on this short dogleg left.

Stowe Country Club white pine grove before.

At Stowe Country Club, our focus continues to be on projects that enhance the views and highlight the iconic rolling Vermont topography. These two characteristics of the golf course give it an authentic identity. We feel strongly that the future of Stowe Country Club is not in the pine and spruce trees that proliferate on the property but rather the mountain views and rolling topography.

Stowe Country Club white pine grove after.

This winter a major tree clearing project was conducted in the vicinity between one fairway and eight green. This grove of trees consisted of strictly white pine that were planted forty years ago. Historic overhead photographs substantiate this. These white pines were dying from inside the grove outward. Many trees were in all stages of die-back. This decline was very evident after wind storms in late 2017 and early 2018 hit the golf course. A significant amount of damage occurred in this grove due complete blow downs and trees snapped in half. With this decline occurring, the large amount of manpower continually being allocated to clean up around it, and the obstructed mountain views the decision was made to look toward the future and remove it. The area is now in the process of being graded and will eventually be seeded to fine fescue.

As we progress toward opening day at both courses you may encounter work being done to the first tee at The Mountain Course and the clearing work at Stowe Country Club. Thank you for your patience with any disturbance  as we strive to enhance both properties by keeping an eye on the future.

The Pursuit of Perfection

May 4, 2018 The Uh-Oh Moment

The beauty and elegance of golf is that it is played outside in nature. Along with the beauty of enjoying the great game of golf outside comes the challenge of dealing with the rough weather. As the debate of climate change roils on, it is clear that weather patterns in the last couple decades have been extreme. Extreme in force and extreme in variation. Working on a golf course places a person on the front line of these extreme weather events, some call it the new normal.

The 2018 golf season started on October 30, 2017. A massive wind storm roared through Stowe on this day and forever changed the landscape of our town. While The Mountain Course did not suffer any significant damage, Stowe Country Club took a direct hit from the fierce winds. The damage centered around trees and more specifically white pine trees. The white pines at SCC are considered "burly" or "pasture" pines. This designation refers to the structure of a white pine when it grows in an open environment. The tree tends to have many large branches and multiple main stems or leaders. These large trees are ever-present at SCC and whenever the wind blows they shed branches, both large and small. The tree litter and complete blow downs after this historic storm was substantial.

One of many white pine branches on October 30, 2017

Our team arrived back to work in late April 2018. For two weeks we cleaned up the mess from this epic storm. While there are many other chores to do in the spring on a golf course, we endlessly picked up white pine tree debris. After that massive clean-up effort we rallied to open SCC. With all systems go, the unthinkable happened the night before we opened. Another wind storm slammed down on northern Vermont. We were shocked to put it lightly. This storm pummeled us. White pines were once again our enemy number one. The golf course looked like a war zone. Branches everywhere, whole trees down, tops of trees blown off, and huge main branches broken off lying on the ground. The reaction of the team after dealing with now two major wind storms before we even opened for the 2018 golf season was silence. We were stunned and at a loss for words!

We opened up on schedule that first Saturday in May. It was surreal to say the least. For golf course superintendents, our daily mode of operation is the pursuit of perfection. What defines perfection depends on many different factors. On this opening day in 2018 at Stowe Country Club, with the course in complete disarray, it was perfect because the sun was shining and we were golfing once again after a long winter. Cheers to opening day in 2019. We anxiously await what it brings.