Performance Matters

Kansas City Superintendent enjoying second turn at Lake Quivira Country Club

Superintendent Jeff White left Lake Quivira in 2000 only to return four years later with a new appreciation for the club and the job.

For Jeff White CGCS, being a superintendent is better the second time around.

Jeff first took the head superintendent job at Lake Quivira Country Club in Kansas City when he was just 26 years old.

“At that age, I really didn’t have the skill set to handle all the different directions you’re pulled as a superintendent,” said Jeff.  “I left and worked in the corporate world for four years, which was not a great experience.   The grass wasn’t necessarily greener on the other side of the fence.”

Jeff returned to Lake Quivira in 2005 with a new appreciation for the club and the job.  “Lake Quivira members have worked really hard for what they’ve achieved and have a real appreciation for the club and what we do.  I only have one boss and he is an awesome guy.  He simply trusts us and lets us do our jobs.”

Unpredictable Kansas weather makes management of Jeff's Penn A4 bentgrass especially challenging. "I'd rather manage bent either North or South of the transition zone because at least you know what you get," he says

And for Jeff White and his full time crew of ten (and up to 20 in season), there’s plenty to do.  Five hundred plus golfing members play 26,000 rounds a year – a higher number compared to other clubs in the Kansas City area.  As typical for a course in the transition zone, each species of White’s grass is only at its peak for about 12 weeks.  Adding to the challenge is a completely unpredictable, ever-changing climate.

“If I had my choice, I’d rather grow bent to the North or South of the transition zone.  At least you know what you’re getting every year,” said White.  “Here, it can be dry as the desert with humidity in the teens one year and completely flooded the next.  You just never know.  If we have a plan for the day that starts at 6 am, it’s completely changed by 6:30 am.”

Designers moved very little earth to create the 18-hole course, which follows the steep and hilly terrain surrounding Lake Quivira, a 200-acre spring-fed lake that provides White with water for irrigation.

Designers of Lake Quivira moved very little earth during construction. The course utilized the naturally steep and hilly terrain surrounding the 200 acre lake below.

“It’s a very scenic course with a misleading scorecard.  People think they’re going to tear it up and end up shooting 90.  It’s a lot tougher than it looks,” said Jeff.  “People also don’t realize how much goes on here because there’s an additional 100 acres of parks and grounds, 6 acres of flower beds, and a forestry management program outside the general course maintenance.”

Jeff’s crew uses a fleet of Jacobsen ECLIPSE walking greens mowers to maintain the Penn A4 bentgrass.

“I grew up on Jake in Iowa.  If you had a truck, it was a Cushman.  If you had a greensmower, it was a Greens King,” Jeff said.  “What’s amazing to me is that in the twenty-some years I’ve been in the industry, Jacobsen has not changed that cutting head.  It’s always been good and always had the best cut, bar none.  And it helps that the guys at Kansas Golf & Turf are always there to help keep our stuff in top shape.”

“We’ve now got the FOC (Frequency-of-Clip) dialed in on these mowers for certain times of the year.  The FOC adjustments allowed us to go from mowing 6-7 days a week with our old Toros to mowing just 3-4 days a week with the Jake mowers – and that’s maintaining green speed at a higher height-of-cut.  Just amazing,” said Jeff.

Jeff White and his crew use the advanced frequency-of-clip (FOC) settings on their Jacobsen ECLIPSE walking greens mowers to mow less and at a higher height-of-cut while maintaining a green speed of 10'.

“You can really tell the difference when you use a prism.  That’s the beauty of the Jake mowers; you can get a smooth, clean cut – even on higher heights-of-cut.  We’ve been at .135″ for months now and consistently roll 10′.  You just can’t beat it.”

Jeff also has an ECLIPSE 322 riding mower that he uses in the fall and winter when labor is scarce.  “I take the heads off the walkers and throw them on the 322 and mow,” Jeff said.  “You get the same quality-of-cut with added productivity.”

Reflecting more on his time away from being a superintendent, he also missed the brotherhood of being in the GCSAA.  “There’s no other industry where you can call up a competitor to help you solve a problem,” says White.

“You can really tell the difference when you use a prism.  That’s the beauty of the Jake mowers; you can get a smooth, clean cut – even on higher heights-of-cut.  We’ve been at .135″ for months now and consistently roll 10′.  You just can’t beat it.” – Jeff White, CGCS at Lake Quivira Country Club, Kansas City, Kansas

Superintendent Robert Main of Colonial Country Club in Memphis maintains some very historic turf

President Tim Weatherford and Superintendent Robert Main are caretakers of Colonial Country Club, one of the most storied golf courses in the United States.

Longtime members of Colonial Country Club tell a story that adds to the aura of a course that is steeped in rich golf history.

Before the start of his final Memphis Classic (which eventually became the St. Jude Classic) at Colonial in 1977, actor Danny Thomas pointed skyward and told Colonial management that “St. Jude will never forget Colonial Country Club.”

Just days after Thomas uttered the prophetic words, President Gerald Ford recorded a hole-in-one during the tourney’s pro-am.  Known as “the shot heard round the world,” Colonial Country Club became a household name thanks to one very lucky shot (Ford could have used Sean Foley on his cabinet.)

With the nation’s gaze still focused on Colonial, PGA pro Al Geiberger shot a record-low 59 just two days later.  Considering the length of the course (7,249 yards) and the notably low-tech equipment of the time (no graphite shafts or oversize heads,) the 13-under-par round is still considered one of golf’s greatest achievements (Chip Beck and David Duval have since tied the mark.)

A large monument commemorates Al Geiberger's record 59 shot during the Memphis Classic in June of 1977. Two days earlier, President Gerald Ford recorded a hole-in-one known as "the shot heard round the world."

Two monuments commemorate the 1977 events and later this year, Colonial Country Club will celebrate its 100 year anniversary.

Flash forward to 2013 where CGCS Robert Main manages the gorgeous 36 holes of Colonial Country Club.

“Probably the biggest challenge we have is expectations of the past,” said Main. “We’re experiencing the same challenges as other golf courses in the U.S.  Our budgets and staff have been reduced and we’re challenged to provide superior conditions for our members.”

“For example, our players really like the step cut because it’s much easier to hit out of,” said Main, who uses a Jacobsen SLF-1880 fairway mower to maintain the intermediate cut.  “When I first demoed this from the guys at Ladd’s (local Jacobsen dealer), I said ‘I have to have this machine.’  We use it for the step cut and around the greens, where the members like it short to get the roll up.”

Colonial Country Club Superintendent Robert Main uses a Jacobsen SLF-1880 on his intermediate cut and around greens. "When I first demoed this from the guys at Ladd's (local Jacobsen dealer), I said, 'I have to have this machine.'"

In addition to creative cultural practices, the club has also found ways to keep members happy and grow membership.  They recently added spin classes and are looking at adding a daycare facility.  “We’re approaching golf and the club as more of a family experience,” said Colonial President Tim Weatherford.  “We’re growing membership through an innovative plus-one program that allows members to reduce their monthly expenses by recruiting friends to join.  It’s a great retention program.”

Growing membership helps the club reinvest resources into new equipment to maintain the pristine conditions.

“Ladd’s, our local Jacobsen dealer, is delivering a new Jacobsen ECLIPSE 322 riding greens mower.  That machine is so good, we won’t even roll anymore,” said Main.  “With the ECLIPSE, I guarantee we’ll be Stimping 10.5 ft. every day.  We currently mow with an old Toro rider and then we’ll run a walker behind it and it still picks up grass.  With the ECLIPSE 322, our quality-of-cut will increase by 200%.”

Other challenges outside of player expectations include a common pest and an uncommon weather phenomenon.  “We’re getting army worms.  They lay on the leaf blade and eat the chlorophyll out.  They’re pretty common, we’ve had them three years in a row.  But since it costs $6,000 to $7,000 to spray them out and they won’t attack the tight Bermuda greens, we just deal with them.”

Superintendent Robert Main pulls back the canopy to reveal an army worm - a common pest he's been dealing with at Colonial Country Club for three years.

Several years ago, a freak tornado touched down on the course not long after Robert had left for the day.  “I got home and turned on the TV to see the tornado ripping through the course.”  The tornado took out more than 500 trees and completely changed the look and layout of several holes.

Witnesses say the funnel cloud was headed straight for the clubhouse and suddenly made an abrupt turn, sparing the historic structure.  “Some will have you believe it was St. Jude,” says Robert with a smile.

Although you may or may not believe a higher power is watching over Colonial Country Club, anyone who visits will certainly agree that there is something magical about this Memphis jewel.

“With the ECLIPSE 322, I guarantee we’ll be Stimping 10.5 ft. every day.  We currently mow with an old Toro rider and then we’ll run a walker behind it and it still picks up grass.  With the ECLIPSE 322, our quality-of-cut will increase by 200%.” – Robert Main, CGCS at Colonial Country Club, Memphis, Tennessee

Passenger safety a top priority of turf maintenance crew at Kansas City International Airport

Doug Cartwright, Maintenance Supervisor for Kansas City International Airport, and his crew maintain over 1,400 acres of grass around the airport's three runways.

To some, the term “airport turf maintenance” may sound like an oxymoron.  With vast stretches of iron-flat pavement lined with thousands of white strobe lights, grass can easily get lost in an airport’s visual landscape.  The reality is that proper maintenance of the grass surrounding runways plays a key role in passenger safety.

Kansas City International Airport Maintenance Supervisor Doug Cartwright explains.  “If the grass gets too long, you get rodents.  When you get rodents, you get hawks.  And when you get hawks, you get air strikes.”

In 2009, it was multiple bird strikes that forced US Airways Flight 1549 to famously ditch into New York City’s Hudson River with Captain Chelsey B. “Sully” Sullenberger at the controls.

Cartwright is part of a team that manages over 1,400 acres of grass around the three two-mile runways of the Kansas City International Airport (MCI), located in Platte County, Missouri.  It consistently ranks in the top-five airports in North America when it comes to passenger satisfaction.  Just over ten million people passed through MCI in 2011.

The Kansas City International Airport uses a fleet of eight Jacobsen HR-9016T wide-area mowers to maintain its turf. The airport will shut down 1/2 a runway at a time for mowing and other maintenance.

The turf height is so critical that Cartwright’s work is frequently double-checked by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  “The FAA will come out here and measure the grass at least once a year, making sure it’s below the 6″ limit mandated by their regulations,” said Cartwright.  “But I go much lower than that to really keep things safe.  By mowing at 3.5″, we’ve reduced the rodent and wildlife population by about 98%.”

Cartwright and his crew’s weapon of choice for mowing around the runways is the Jacobsen HR-9016T wide-area rotary.  He owns a fleet of eight that mow on a ten-day rotation.  The airport will shut down half of a two-mile runway so Cartwright’s team can mow and perform electric and pavement maintenance at the same time.  “With all eight machines running, we can mow half of a runway in eight hours.”

Doug Cartwright especially likes the maneuverability of the Jacobsen HR-9016T, seen here mowing around a stack of pallets.

“The Jacobsen HR-9016T is our primary mower because it’s much more productive than zero-turns and more maneuverable than tractors with pull-behinds,” said Cartwright.  “The Jacobsen units are much more reliable and durable than the Toro units we had.  We had eight Toros that could barely keep up with 250 acres because only half were operable at any given time.  After getting the Jacobsen units, our acreage increased from 250 to 1,400, but we didn’t need to hire more people because we could count on all eight Jacobsen units to be up and running all the time.  When I do need a part, the guys at Kansas Golf & Turf [local Jacobsen dealer] take care of me right away.”

Cartwright also likes the performance of the HR-9016T.  “I think the individual hydraulic blade motors on the Jacobsen unit create a finer cut because of higher tip speed,” said Cartwright.  “We can mow areas that are 8-12″ in just one pass.  With the Toro units, we were always forced to make a second pass to get the uncut strips that remained.”

During winter weather events, airport staff applies warm sand that impregnates into the snow and ice. Tons of sand are warmed in this giant warehouse just off a runway.

Outside the fences, the airport is responsible for maintaining another 25,000 acres of grass that falls within its property.  The airport uses one of the oldest turf maintenance machines known to man for that acreage.  “We lease that land to a farmer who lets about 10,000 head of cattle graze.  It works out well for everyone because there’s no way we could maintain a space that large,” said Cartwright.

Where Cartwright and his crew really earn their pay is during the winter months, which typically throw them about 15-20 major snow events.  Cartwright is one of the people who decides if and when the airport closes.

“During snow events, I’ll work a 16-hour day with five radios on my belt.  It’s absolutely crazy out here,” said Cartwright.

When the snow flies, the maintenance team fires up over 20 giant plows that are tailed by massive sweepers.

“Even a small amount of snow can create havoc,” said Cartwright.  “When you push even 1/4″ of snow two hundred and fifty feet, it creates a huge pile.  Each runway is as wide as twenty lanes of interstate highway.  That’s why we have to follow with the sweepers to get all the snow up.  We also put down sand that we keep warm in a warehouse.  The warm sand impregnates into the snow to create good traction for the planes.”

When conditions turn icy, airports use potassium acetate instead of road salt, which is much too corrosive to aircraft landing gear.  At eight dollars a gallon, it can cost up to $10,000 each time a runway is sprayed.

Although the grounds maintenance crew at an airport may not be as visible as pilots, baggage handlers or flight attendants, they play a vital role in passenger safety.  The next time you’re sitting on a runway, take a look around – hopefully, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the grounds surrounding the runway and all the hard work that goes into maintaining it.

“The Jacobsen HR-9016T is our primary mower because it’s much more productive than zero-turns and more maneuverable than tractors with pull-behinds.  The Jacobsen units are much more reliable and durable than the Toro units we had.” – Doug Cartwright, Maintenance Supervisor for the Kansas City International Airport

Abby McNeal and her team present championship conditions at Wake Forest University

The Wake Forest Athletics team includes (left to right) Abby McNeal, Director of Turf Management, Steve Adams, Athletic Director, Internal Operations, and Andrew Maguire, Assistant Director of Turfgrass Management

Just a few doors down from Duke, UNC, and North Carolina State on Tobacco Road stands Wake Forest University, a school with a long and rich tradition in both academia and athletics.

Founded in 1834, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons have won a total of eight national championships in four different sports – four of them coming in the past six years.

The standard of athletic success at Wake Forest University has also made its way to the turf management side.  Director of Turf Management Abby McNeal, CSFM and her team are tasked with presenting championship-level turf conditions for four major collegiate sports: football, baseball, soccer and golf.  McNeal came to Wake Forest from Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, where she was Assistant Sports Field Manager.

“At Wake Forest, we have a team of five people that maintain 69 acres of property,” said McNeal.  “It’s a patchwork of different surfaces, grasses and fields that have to be managed in distinctly different ways.”

A twenty-foot bronze statue of the imposing Demon Deacon stands outside of BB&T Field, home of Wake Forest's football team. Founded in 1834, the university has won eight national championships in four different sports.

The crown jewel of WFU’s athletic facilities is the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex.  In addition to the Complex’s namesake, other famous Wake golf alumni include Bill Haas, Curtis Strange, Lanny Watkins and Webb Simpson.  With that kind of roster, it’s no surprise that the school’s golf teams boast 18 ACC championships.

As you would expect, the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex is unlike anything else on a U.S. college campus.  Longtime women’s golf coach Dianne Daly explains, “Most college golf teams practice on one driving range and one small putting green.  We have 18 acres in total with 11 different target greens, 25 bunkers and five greens that simulate designers like Fazio, Ross and Tillinghast.  Students can practice every possible shot from their golf bag here, which really helps with their development and performance.”

Andrew Maguire, Assistant Director of Turf Management at WFU, manages the turfgrass at the golf facility.  A former golf course superintendent, Maguire sees a whole different set of challenges at Wake Forest.  “Although I don’t have to prepare turf for 150-200 golfers every day, I do have students who will make 1,000 putts from one location over two hours,” says Maguire.  “We have great relationships with the players and they understand they have to vary their shot patterns a little to help keep the grass in good shape.”

The 18-acre Arnold Palmer Golf Complex features five putting greens for student athletes to practice on. Four are bentgrass and one is bermudagrass. The complex uses Jacobsen ECLIPSE walking and riding greens mowers to maintain the greens and Jacobsen LF-3800s on the fairway areas.

Managing the grass can be just as challenging.  “Four of the greens are bentgrass and one is bermuda,” said Maguire.  “That means that the greens are never at the same height.  In the summer, the bent is coming up and the bermuda is going down and it flips in the fall and winter.  There’s only a very small window where they’re actually at the same height.”

“We’ll set up one of our Jacobsen ECLIPSE walk mowers for the Bermuda and two for the bent.  The LF-3800 fairway mowers cut the bulk of the other areas,” said Maguire.  “We’ve been playing with the frequency-of-clip settings on the greens mowers and it’s been working out great.”

While Maguire’s Jacobsen greens mowers need to manage different green types, one of his Jacobsen LF-3800 fairway units also maintains fields for the Wake Forest soccer teams.  The men’s team won a national championship in 2007.  “We worked with the soccer teams to compromise on a height-of-cut that will work for both sports.  We settled on .500, which is ideal for everyone,” said Maguire.

Both the football and baseball fields at Wake Forest University are synthetic, which have their own set of maintenance practices.

“On the baseball field, we learned right away that with any moisture, the clay from the pitcher’s mound would track.  We’d have red footprints all over the field that were very noticeable from the stands,” said McNeal.  “We moved to a different clay called Hilltopper that tracks less and has worked out really well for us.”

Wake Forest's football and baseball fields are synthetic turf. To maintain the depth in traffic areas, McNeal and her team add rubber pellets throughout the year by hand and work in with upside-down leaf rakes.

Unlike natural grass fields, the synthetic surfaces must be washed out after each game.  “If it doesn’t rain after a game, we’ll run the irrigation system to wash out all the sunflower seeds and other debris that builds up during a game,” said McNeal.

To maintain the cushion depth in traffic areas, McNeal and her team will add rubber pellets to the synthetic surfaces throughout the year by hand and work in with leaf rakes.

“With the kind of success our teams have had, expectations for quality are high.  With just five people out here maintaining all these different surfaces, it has to be a coordinated, team effort.” said McNeal.  “A big part of our team has been our local Jacobsen dealer Tri-State Pump (TSP).  They play a key role in helping us provide quality surfaces for our championship teams.”

“A big part of our team has been our local Jacobsen dealer Tri-State Pump (TSP).  They play a key role in helping us provide quality surfaces for our championship teams.” – Abby McNeal, Director of Turf Management at Wake Forest University

Ohio-bred superintendent finds his niche at New Mexico’s top course

The Club at Las Campanas maintenance team (from left): Superintendent Chad Hinderliter, Director of Agronomy Tom Egelhoff, Equipment Manager Robert Crandell, Superintendent Kyle Peterson and Assistant Equipment Manager Mario Porras

Almost hidden within the high desert outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico lies The Club at Las Campanas – a remarkable country club that boasts two championship Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses, seven synthetic clay tennis courts and one of the finest equestrian facilities in the Southwest.

After spending time as an assistant at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, Tom Egelhoff moved west to take the reins at Las Campanas nearly ten years ago.

Surprisingly, Egelhoff’s cultural practices didn’t need to change all that much when he arrived in New Mexico.

“Nicklaus Design seeded Las Campanas exactly the same way as Muirfield Village.  We have the identical varieties of bentgrass in a very comparable climate,” said Egelhoff.  “When I call the guys back in Ohio, the grass goes dormant and comes back at almost exactly the same time.  The bent does really well out here because of the cool nights.”

Although the grass is the same, access to water is a whole different world for Egelhoff and his staff.

The Club at Las Campanas boasts two championship Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses. Each of the award winning courses offers unparalleled mountain vistas.

“Water here is a big issue, both environmentally and politically,” said Egelhoff.  “The City of Santa Fe did not want us using affluent water anymore, which forced us to build a $3.5 million pipeline and booster station to get water from the Rio Grande.  On top of that, we’re spending $1 million a year on water.  Nicklaus Design recently came in and did a great job of converting 35 acres of turf back to native vegetation.  That alone is saving us $100,000 a year.”

Although water access is an ongoing challenge for Las Campanas, there are certain times when they get too much.  “We’ve had about seven inches of rain this year, two of that came in 45 minutes,” said Egelhoff.  “The dry river beds fill up and become rivers, which end up spilling over onto the course, making a huge mess and washing out all the bunkers.”

Course designers were very careful to blend the course into its natural surroundings, even preserving an original sheepherder dwelling from the 1900s.

When it’s not raining, Egelhoff and his team of 40 present absolutely pristine conditions – the reason it’s consistently ranked in the top five courses in New Mexico.  Each hole fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape – meandering over rolling desert hills and snaking through beautiful native areas that teem with wildlife that includes over 160 species of birds.  Course designers even left an original sheepherder home from the early 1900s, which stands just as it was left.  Following traditional pueblo architecture, Las Campanas’ clubhouse is built entirely of adobe bricks and at one time was the largest adobe structure in the United States.

About a year ago, Las Campanas switched out their entire fleet of maintenance equipment from John Deere to Jacobsen.

“I’d say the biggest impact for us was the SLF-1880 fairway mowers,” said Egelhoff.  “We were a little worried at first about the narrower width reels, but when we got the entire course mowed for the member-guest by noon, we knew we had something.  They mow in straight lines almost by themselves and with the small and lightweight footprint of these machines, they do not leave any marks on our turf.”

Two Jacobsen SLF-1880s stripe up a fairway at Las Campanas. The mowers have made a huge impact at the course since their introduction a year ago.

“We’re using the ECLIPSE 118F walk mowers on the tees and we love them too,” said Egelhoff.  “In fact, we’re getting 10 more for our greens as well.  With the odd shape of our tees and some steep banks along the edges, walk mowers do a better job.”

Egelhoff also has an oddity on his roster not often seen on a golf course, a flail deck that’s driven by a Jacobsen TurfCat out-front rotary.  “The flail on the TurfCat does a great job on the side hills.  It’s a dusty job but that flail deck works great for us.”

Egelhoff is also happy with the performance of his local Jacobsen dealer, C&M Golf and Grounds Equipment.  “Service is key to us out here and C&M takes very good care of us,” said Egelhoff.  “If we need anything at all, those guys are here right away.”

“As far as Jacobsen goes, it just seemed like a natural fit for us,” said Egelhoff.  “I had used Jacobsen for years at Muirfield Village and our Equipment Manager, Robert Crandell, also cut his teeth on Jacobsen.  The machines have really helped us get where we need to be.  Ultimately, we’re here to please the member and they’re telling us that the course is in the best shape it’s ever been.”

“The machines have really helped us get where we need to be.  Ultimately, we’re here to please the member and they’re telling us that the course is in the best shape it’s ever been.” – Tom Egelhoff, Director of Agronomy at The Club at Las Campanas

Scott Newman and the Spring Creek Ranch crew maintain one of the best kept secrets in golf.

Superintendent Scott Newman and his crew of 30 manage Spring Creek ranch outside of Memphis, Tennessee. The unique property presents many challenges to Scott and his team.

Tucked away within the pastoral countryside of Western Tennessee is a private 18-hole golf course that ranks among the country’s little known masterpieces.

The relative anonymity of Spring Creek Ranch is intentional.  A modest gate and wooded entrance provide only subtle hints of what lies ahead.

Only after the massive sculpted wood and chrome doors of the Golf House open do visitors truly realize the extraordinary beauty that is Spring Creek Ranch.

Perfectly blending in with its rustic and serene surroundings, the course looks and feels like it’s been there for hundreds of years.  Remnants and nostalgia of the property’s first life as a bull ranch are subtly sprinkled throughout the property.

Course design aficionados may guess Spring Creek Ranch has golf royalty somewhere in its DNA – and they’re right.

After owner Dr. David Meyer met Jack Nicklaus on a hunting trip, the golf legend eventually convinced Dr. Meyer to transition 320 acres of his bull ranch into a Jack Nicklaus Signature course.  After completion, Jack said that Spring Creek Ranch is the best course he ever designed without an ocean view.

Flash forward to 2012, where the golf course is in the very capable hands of Superintendent Scott Newman and a crew of 30.  For Newman, who has been at Spring Creek Ranch for more than eight years, the challenges are many.

The Golf House at Spring Creek Ranch was designed by famed architect James Cutler, who also designed the seaside home of Bill Gates.

“The entire course was built with a six-inch sand cap under the turf, which is awesome for our players.  They’re only on the cart path maybe 15 times a year, which is unheard of,” said Newman.  “But when the sand gets hot, the grass above browns up pretty good.  Those spots need to be heavily watered, sometimes by hand, especially in the summer months.”

Newman and the crew at Spring Creek Ranch also deal with the excessive thatch that’s a natural product of Meyer zoysia.  “Meyer is a very thatchy grass and we’ve tried all kinds of different mowers to deal with it.  Jacobsen’s LF mowers with the heavy seven inch reels were the only ones that could get down into the thick grass and give us the quality-of-cut this course needs.  Spring Creek Ranch mechanic, Carl Scott, loves the setup on the Jake mowers.  We were actually a test course for the TrueSet™ cutting unit.  Carl said they are super fast and easy to adjust.”

Another major challenge of Newman’s is managing such a large and ecologically diverse piece of property.  “We have 90 acres of rough, 45 acres of fairways – it’s just a very big place and it’s tough for us to stay ahead of play.”

But Spring Creek’s size and idyllic location are part of what makes the golf experience so extraordinary.  You will not see a home, power line or even hear the rumble of a train.  In fact, most players will not see another soul for 18 holes.

Another added ecological wrinkle stems from Dr. Meyer’s passion for trees.

Spring Creek Ranch blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings. There are no power lines or homes anywhere on the course, which provides picture-perfect views in every direction. Most players will play a whole round without seeing another person.

“Dr. Meyer named each hole at Spring Creek Ranch after a different species of tree,” said Newman.  “Somewhere on that hole, you will see a grouping of the namesake tree placed in the backdrop of the golfer’s eye.  That means we have to manage 18 different species of trees out here, some that are not native to this area.”

As with any great golf course, the greens at Spring Creek take center stage.  Masterfully designed and meticulously maintained, Spring Creek Ranch’s greens actually test the mettle of PGA TOUR members during the off season.  After tinkering with different brands and products, Scott settled on the Jacobsen ECLIPSE series walking and riding greens mowers.

“Of course, the Jacobsen quality-of-cut is what sold us on these mowers, but what we really came to love about them is the frequency-of-clip settings (FOC),” said Newman.  “FOC has become part of our morning discussions over coffee.  Since it takes literally five seconds to change, we adjust it all the time.  For example, if we have a member-guest coming up and it’s been 60 degrees and I can’t roll, we’ll just change the FOC to get that ball roll up.”

A Jacobsen ECLIPSE 322 mower trims up a tee box at Spring Creek Ranch while an LF fairway mower tackles some Meyer zoysia in the background. Scott Newman and technician Carl Scott like experimenting with the frequency-of-clip settings on the ECLIPSE mowers.

Scott Newman also has a special relationship with his local Jacobsen dealer, Ladd’s.  “I probably talk with the owner Jim Caldwell once a month.  It’s nice to know I have a direct line to the very top at Ladd’s.  I just don’t have that kind of relationship with the other suppliers.  It’s pretty neat to know that the owner of our dealer has my back.”

Much like Bethpage Black was prior to 2002, Spring Creek Ranch flies under the national radar – for now.  There’s no question that Spring Creek Ranch belongs on Golf Digest’s Top 100 courses and undoubtedly could hold a tour event.

“Although we’ve already been named the number two course in Tennessee by Golf Digest, we really want to crack that Top 100 Course list.” – Scott Newman, Spring Creek Ranch Superintendent

“Although we’ve already been named the number two course in Tennessee by Golf Digest, we really want to crack that Top 100 Course list,” said Newman.  “I also think we would be an ideal place for a Web.com Tour (formerly Nationwide) event.  The course looks easy, but it will penalize the hell out of you if you don’t play smart.”

Will the whole world ever get to see the full beauty of Spring Creek Ranch at a major PGA TOUR event?  “I think it’s not a matter of if, but more a question of when,” said Newman.

Until then, Spring Creek Ranch will remain one of the few remaining unheralded masterpieces in golf.  And maybe that’s a good thing.