Welcome to the Turf Blog!

 

A quick review of what we will attempt to accomplish with this blog:

1. Improve Communication — There are constantly changing golf course conditions, maintenance practices, projects, as well as interesting aspects of property management and challenges that you might not realize happens. Hopefully you’ll find interest and connection to the information.

2. Golf Course Updates — This will be the biggest goal with the blog, to keep you updated on what’s currently happening at Midland. Rainfall amounts, frost delays, ski trail grooming, performed course maintenance that will affect your round of golf, etc., will give you on the minute update on what’s currently happening. It might help you plan if the golf course is ready for you to bring out 3 guests, save you a phone call to the Golf Shop wondering if there is a rain/frost delay, if it’s too wet for carts, if the Greens are completely healed from an aerification event, etc.

3. Create a Platform for Conversation/Observation — I know there are questions as to why and how things are done. Some of the Blog posts will hopefully answer those questions. Some posts will create more questions and each Blog post will have a section where you can leave me a question or comment. Some of you I see daily, some of you I don’t see enough! The property is 160 acres so for me to wait on the first Tee and answer questions is not realistic. This Blog is a great platform for me to send you information and answer any questions from anywhere on the golf course. This way you can be assured that you are getting the whys/hows from me directly and not a from a hypothesized guess!

 

Our Second Assistant Superintendent, Mitch Granholm, has created this website Blog to be simple and easy to navigate. We want to make sure that you can get the information from the website easily without searching through a lot of clutter.

 

You will notice there will be 4 main categories which the posts will be filed under:

1. Course Conditions

2. Course Maintenance

3. Projects

4. Around the Club

If you chose to receive an email when I send out any communication, go to the Contact tab, scroll down to the subscription box and enter your email address. Within minutes of when I post something, you’ll get an email with a link to see the most up to date post. During busy times of the year will dictate how many posts are made but this will be a great tool for you to use in regards to weather and cart usage updates. For example, in season we start much earlier in the morning than when the Golf Shop opens. If you’re wondering what current conditions are that will affect play, you’ll be able to get that information and plan accordingly with no surprises!

This Blog is intended to give more insight and information to those who want it, create a quicker way for me to communicate to you and hopefully improve your enjoyment of being a member at Midland Hills. Enjoy!

 

 

6 Replies to “Welcome to the Turf Blog!”

  1. Joel Karsten says:

    Mike,

    This is such a great idea! Nice work on getting it all set up.

    The ski trails are great, I’ve been out a couple of times already, but now just waiting for it to warm up a little bit.

    Did that warm period in mid-December form any ice on the greens? I think it was warm enough to evaporate some and sublimate other moisture, so doubting there could have been much ice, but just wondering what you’ve seen? This snow cover is nice.

    Hope to bump into you at the Green Expo next week.

    Joel

    1. Mike Manthey says:

      Joel-
      Thanks. It has been brutally cold but at least we have snow cover now which is great for you to get out on your skis and great protection for the turf from the low temps. We did have ice right before the holiday but it was warm enough to melt through the soil profile. Our soil moisture sensors in Greens have been a great tool to know exactly when and where the moisture has gone. There will no doubt be a future post about it!
      Hope to see you next week.
      Thanks,
      M.

  2. Jeff Shelman says:

    Mike,

    This is awesome. This will be a great resource for the membership and a great tool for you to be able to explain the how and why of what you and your team is doing.

    1. Mike Manthey says:

      Jeff,

      Thanks. Like other Turf Blogs, hopefully this will shed more light on what a great team and golf course we have!

      M.

  3. Paul Kirkegaard says:

    Thanks for setting this blog up and making it such a great one. I think this has potential to differentiate Midland Hills from other clubs and give prospective members another reason to consider this club.

    1. Mike Manthey says:

      Paul,

      Thanks! We’re excited to improve our communication to the membership and give you some great insight on what goes on behind the scenes.
      Enjoy!
      M.

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