Friday, February 20, 2015

2-20-15 weather update

We have now received about 100" of snow this year, it is not official yet, but I read that we will soon eclipse "the gold standard" year of 1934 as the coldest winter on record.

We have been busy to say the least, but a lot of our normally scheduled work is not getting done.
All of our time is being consumed by snow related jobs!
Grounds Team pausing for a moment for a photo op!

Assistant Blaine, the putting green is behind him buried under a 4 foot snowpack

With roof collapses dominating the news, we are doing what we can to be proactive.

Winter Weather

2/10/15 Weather Update



Date of Storm
Total snowfall
Man-Hours
November 26
5”
20 hours
January 3rd
3”
23 hours
January 9th
2”
15 hours
January 24th
5”
23 hours
January 27th
33”
56 hours
February 2nd
14”
46 hours
February 5th
4”
23 hours
February 7-9th
16”
46 hours
Total
82”
252 hours
  • Our records indicate the total snowfall for last winter (2013-2014) was approx. 86 inches
  • This year we are on pace for much more, as of Feb. 10, 2015 we have received over 6 feet in the past 2.5 weeks alone, with many forecasts predicting more snow. 
  • The above chart, produced by local news before the storm had even ended, indicates the record snowfall in a very short window, noting both records broken for the 20 day and 30 day.  Furthermore, we are on pace to beat the 40 day record.
  • The high winds have also been a factor with large snow drifts which results in more time spent plowing.








ANOTHER HISTORIC & EXTREME WINTER IN THE MAKING
@ Vesper-Country Club

Below is more info on the weather-related issues we are currently experiencing at Vesper:

Ice: Small pockets of minor ice formed on the course January 4th, but this was not a significant concern. However, major ice formation occurred following 0.8 inches of rain and a brief warm-up on January 18th.


·         (More about) Snow: We were optimistic that we would get some more melting of the ice pictured above, after all it had been a relatively snow-less winter. That hope was lost on January 27th. The historic Blizzard, Juno, dumped close to 3 feet on Vesper and the snow has not stopped since. This winter to date, we have received about 82 inches of snow! (Average for the entire winter is 52 inches) The City of Boston and the National Weather Service just announced that it has been the snowiest 30 day period in the history of the City, beating the previous record set in 1978!








·         Temperature: The months of January and February have also set record lows, on Jan. 8th it was -60F, on Feb. 4th it was    -20F, and Feb. 6th was -50F. Wind-chill values as low as -20 below have been felt at Vesper. Recent forecast suggests that the temperatures over the next 10 days may be the coldest observed in many years.




·         What are our current concerns with turfgrass health?
First to refresh our memories of last winter. We had significant damage to our weak grasses, (Poa annua and perennial ryegrass), but no noticeable damage to our bentgrass putting green surfaces. We know last winter was also extreme in nature, but the type and timing of the weather events are distinctly different from last year to this year.
-Winter 2013-14: Ice encasement duration was 11.5 weeks (Dec. 23rd-March 15th)
-Winter 2014-15 Ice encasement duration is 4 weeks and counting…
We are confident that ice encasement caused damage last year, but most agronomists and peer superintendents also agree that the majority of the turfgrass in our region was compromised when temperatures rose to nearly 60 degrees, followed by sudden flash freezes. This scenario occurred several times last winter. Thankfully this has not been the case this winter.

·         Are we going to remove snow from the putting greens this winter?
As most are aware, we removed snow and applied black sand to help melt the ice on many of the putting greens last winter. We performed this procedure several times. We were able to do this because we had the opportunity (meaning an extended period of warmer temps, conducive to melting.) Also, the moderate snow depth allowed us to access the greens with our equipment. We needed to do this because we were approaching 90 days under ice. Research has suggested that modern bentgrass can survive 90-120 days under ice encasement. Our weaker grasses, Poa annua and Perennial Ryegrass can only survive for about 45 days.


At this point, if we follow the 90 day theory, we would need to consider taking action as we approach the last week of March. If snow depths remain this extreme all the way to the end of March, we would need to consider acquiring large industrial snow removal equipment to assist in the process. Our equipment is no match for the current snow-pack.

Grounds Staff

Grounds Staff

I am proud to have a great staff that is committed to improving each day! Combined the grounds staff has well over 100 years of experience in the care and maintenance of golf courses.
Stephen Hicks-overlooking historic Oakmont Country Club in 2012


Superintendent- Stephen Hicks

I am entering into my third season as Grounds Superintendent of Vesper-Country Club!

Prior to joining Vesper, I was employed at Oakmont Country Club from 2005-2012, where I worked my way up from Summer Intern to eventually become the First Assistant Superintendent. I am very fortunate to have worked under one of the very best in the business and experience two major championships (2007 US Open, 2010 US Women's Open).

I received an associates degree and bachelors degree from the  Stockbridge School and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. My first college internship was at another historic New England course, The Country Club, in Brookline, Ma. I was born and raised in the small town of Whitefield, located in the North Country of New Hampshire.

Assistant Superintendent- Blaine Doherty
I grew up in Wayland, a small town just west of Boston. My father would always instill the importance of a strong work ethic, attention to detail and to never complain. I got my start in the industry working at Wayland Country Club on the grounds crew in the summer of 2002. I worked seasonally on staff throughout my high school years and shortly after that until 2007, when I enrolled in the turf associates degree program at the Stockbridge School in Amherst, MA.
Throughout my time in Stockbridge and later the University Of Massachusetts to get my Bachelors, I completed internships at Charles River CC in Newton MA, Eastward Ho! CC in Chatham MA, and Merion Golf Club in Ardmore PA. The internship experience exposed me to a wide variety of management styles and how different greens departments completed tasks, while perfecting my skills. Upon graduation, I made my way down to Century Country Club in Purchase, NY as an Assistant-In-Training. I stayed at Century from 2011-2013, with the 2012 and 2013 seasons as the Second Assistant.
My time in Westchester County, NY was invaluable. My role was transitioned into a managerial one and a great working environment and learning experience. Century renovated all 18 tee complexes and surfaces as well as a new maintenance facility during my employment. I was hired as a First Assistant here at Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro, MA in December of 2013 and we’ve been striving for the best conditions ever since!

Assistant Superintendent- Alex Brooks


Alex began his career working the summers at his father’s local Country Club.  He quickly grew eager to learn more about the industry and decided to go to the Stockbridge School of Agriculture for Turf Management.  Alex thrived in college and enrolled in the four year program at the University of Massachusetts and finished his Bachelor’s degree in Plant, Soil and Insect Science, in three years while being the President of the Turf Club and graduating Cum Laude.  After his internships at The Vineyard Golf Club and The Patterson Club, Alex was offered an assistant in training job at the prestigious Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY.  Alex spent his first year learning the skills that it takes to become an assistant and was quickly promoted to Assistant.  The next three years, he managed a diverse crew of 60 employees to maintain over 400 acres of golf and grounds property.  In the spring of 2014, Alex wanted to get back to his New England roots and decided to take his talents to Vesper Country Club.  Alex has been learning the necessary steps it takes to become a Superintendent and plans on entering the job market in the fall of 2015.  Alex enjoys fly fishing, golfing, and spending time with his family and friends.  

2nd Assistant- Willem Geldenhuys

Head Equipment Manager- Matt Verdon

More coming soon.....!

Members of Grounds Staff during aerification at Vesper CC--TeamWork!

History

HISTORY

Vesper-Country Club sits on Tyngs Island in the midst of the Merrimack River and was established in 1875 as Vesper Boat Club. In 1899 it merged with Lowell Country Club (founded in 1892) to create Vesper-Country Club.

Vesper has hosted numerous major golf events, including four Massachusetts Open championships, several Massachusetts Amateur Championships, and the New England PGA (held in 1977 and won by the Vesper host pro at the time, Tom McGuirk). The professional course record of 65 was set by Jeff Lewis during the 1990 Massachusetts Open.

Today, Vesper’s golf course is considered one of the finest in New England. In 2008, the membership voted to completely rebuild all 18 greens to USGA specifications and to restore the bunkers on the course. This rebuilding project was completed at the end of 2009 and overseen by architect Brian Silva, who attempted to be faithful to the original design and plans of Donald Ross. Vesper has most recently been featured as one of Golf Week Magazine's Top 100 Classic Courses in America in 2011 and again in 2012

With beautiful views of the Merrimack River, Vesper-Country Club has continued to be the preeminent social venue for the Greater Lowell area since 1875. 
Recently, Vesper was featured on NESN as part of Golf Destination TV!