After an incredible 24 years at Colbert Hills, I'm thrilled to tee off a new chapter as the Golf Course Superintendent at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, ID! โณ๏ธ Grateful for the memories and excited for what lies ahead.
#NewBeginnings
#TurfLife
Trying to shut off an irrigation leak in the native on hole 3. I fell in and lost the valve key. I was able to turn the line off with my feet. Still not sure where the valve key is...๐คทโโ๏ธ...we will find it when we pump the water out.
One of my favorite memories growing up was going to work at the golf course with my dad. I am fortunate to share this experience with my son, even if he probably won't remember yet.
After 8 years working
@colberthills
,
@Derek16Derek
's last day is today. Derek starts his new position as Golf Course Superintendent at McPherson Country Club tomorrow. I am proud of you!
#congratulations
Shop renovation! After 20 years, we have renovated our break room, new floors, tables, chairs (coming), kitchen, appliances, etc. Fantastic job by the turf team!
Just a panicked look on my face with my first born, Payne Boomer Gourlay, born at 5:47am. Little guy might become the 4th generation golf course superintendent in the Gourlay Family.
@GCSAA
#Scared
#PanickedLook
I have achieved the Accredited Golf Superintendent (AGS) designation with
@GolfSupers
, one step closer to achieving the Master Superintendent (MS) designation like my father had.
Can't believe it took me 7 months to get this guy on a green. We are out watering a few dry areas around the course. Perfect time to stop for some memorable pictures.
As a Golf Course Superintendent I have never been 100% satisfied with course conditions. However, I am 100% satisfied with our turf team members drive, passion and dedication. Thank you for helping create the course conditions for the
@centlinksgolf
Konza Prairie Am.
#ThankYou
We started mowing greens without buckets this year. Most days we mow greens is without buckets. Returning clippings back to the green can reduce fertilizer inputs by 25%.
Little man refused to go to grandparents house, so he came to work this morning. 11:00 AM shotgun tournament. Fortunate to have a great turf team to pick up a little slack for me today.
#ThankYou
Mowed fairways today and collected moisture data at the same time. We measure the moisture of each fairway at a 4" depth with
@TerraRadTech
sensors attached to the fairway mowers, allowing us to fine-tune our irrigation practices on fairways.
#Data
Our second attempt, in 2 months, to visit my parents in South Florida didn't happen, first hurricane Dorian prevented us from going, today we rolled our SUV on the way to the airport. Thankfully everyone is safe, no injuries at all! One heck of a birthday present to my wife Jenna
Our non-selective herbicide treatment in November has done wonders keeping our warm season grasses clean of unwanted grasses and weeds without the need for a winter pre-emerge herbicide, reducing costs while helping playability and aesthetics.
Last week I was fortunate to go to a celebration of life for my grandfather. It was hosted at the Thornhill Club where he worked as the superintendent for 29 years. Their driving range is named in his honor. My favorite memory as a child is the outdoor elevator.
Stuck on irrigation head on hole 3 green of the K-State course. I believe this green has reached field capacity for water, roughly 17,280 gallons applied ๐คฆโโ๏ธ
In the winter, I get to wake up and hang out with this little guy before going to work. We say goodbye at this window every morning. High fives through the window. He is a huge Cars fan, showing off Lightning McQueen.
Our Equipment Manager brought his personal chainsaw mill to work. Milling a few boards from trees we removed. I'm not sure what he will make with the wood.
Congratulations to
@GloverChris10
who was promoted to Assistant Golf Course Superintendent today. Chris has been working with our team
@colberthills
for 5.5 years. We are very proud to have Chris continue to work with us and further his career
@colberthills
.
#Congratulations
Some may say we missed treating this area, but I'm going to call it a check plot. Helping us determine the products effectiveness. I'd say it's working.
Someone from
@KStateMGolf
or
@KStateWGolf
put in some work on the range recently. Look at these lines! Perfection! Thank you! My son wanted to measure the length...about 1 Payne long.
Our skid steer backhoe attachment broke this week. Our Equipment Manager told me he fixed it.....it was an awesome prank when I went to go look at the fix. It kinda works.๐
Excited to be in DC with
@golfcoalition
coalition on
#NationalGolfDay
! Discussing the multi-faceted benefits of golf with members of Congress: economic growth, charity support, environmental stewardship, and promoting health & wellness. Let's tee up positive change together! โณ
Picked up the Environmental Leaders in Golf - Innovative Conservation Award today while attending
@GIS_2019
. Thank you for all the team members
@colbert_hills
who helped us be environmental stewards.
My first project working on a golf course was 32 years ago in 1985. I was rebuilding a few greens for my dad, David Gourlay, CGCS, CCM, CCE, CAM at the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto.
@LGCToronto
@GolfSupers
Working on a labor budget for next year and realized we have 13 turf team members who are pursuing a career in Golf Course Management. Lucky to have these individuals help maintain
@colbert_hills
It's an honor to be named the chapter award winner for the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award. Thank you
@theEIFG
@SyngentaTurf
@GolfDigest
@GCSAA
for recognizing golf course superintendents & golf courses around the world for their commitment to environmental stewardship.
Changing pin locations with my son tonight in preparation for tomorrow's tournament, almost guaranteed to have frost tomorrow morning with a low of 25F.
Our phosphorus levels in our greens are always on the cusp of becoming deficient. It is an easy fix, apply a little P & the purplish leaf blades turn green. We utilize Minimum Level of Sustainable Nutrition (
#MLSN
) to achieve exceptional conditions in a budget conscious manner.
I love the golf industry. I was talking with a Golf Course Superintendent yesterday on Long Island, sharing ideas on managing golf courses. Today I tour a 9 hole course in Kansas and share ideas also. We are enhancing the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf.
@GCSAA
3.54" of rain from the last two days. Equivalent to 29,414,569 gallons of water fell on
@colberthills
property which would have cost $129,424 if we purchased it. Our irrigation pond is 30" shy of full.
We don't always use 100% of our inventory every year, so we label new products as they show show up. This helps us with inventory management using FIFO, first-in first-out method.
This is what gelled diesel fuel looks like. Our winter additive doesn't work with -19F (-28C) temperatures. We added a little more winter additive, hopefully it will thaw this afternoon when it's 12F.
Last few days of 2020 & thrilled what our turf team were able to accomplish! Less than $7,500 spent on fertilizer for 27 holes, 5 acres of greens & 145 acres of turf. Following
#MLSN
guidelines has helped us decrease fertilizer costs
@colbert_hills
& still have superb conditions.
Our maintenance standards changed on our K-State course in 2018, and so did our maintenance practices to match. Significant changes to the top two inches over this time.
#FirmFast
After 2.5 years
@colbert_hills
, today might be
@GLJohnson28
last day. He is pursuing a dual internship at Sand Hills Golf Club &
@Ballyneal
this summer. Be on the lookout for a great turf professional this fall when Graham finishes his internship. Thank you Graham!
#TurfStar
Our Equipment Manager, Shane Pokorney, is building a brush guard for the front of the tractor. This will allow us to mow over brush/trees without damaging the front of the tractor.
Thank you
@danimcfadden34
for the past 4 years working with us on the turf team
@colbert_hills
. Dani passed her M.S. defense yesterday and will be moving to KC this month to pursue her PhD in Turfgrass Science! Proud of you!
#Congratulations
February is the ideal time to trim trees! With dormant growth, it minimizes stress on trees, encourages healthy regrowth come spring, and ensures they're in top shape for the rest of the year. ๐ณโ๏ธ
#TreeCare
#FebruaryTrimming
I'm in Washington DC for National Golf Day on Wednesday. I always enjoy playing a game of where is
@PatJonesTweets
going to take a photo. The selfie king himself does what ever he needs to get the shot. My favorite is the over shoulder, of
@GCSAACEO
, shot of the crowd.
Opened up the left side on hole 2. You can now see the greenside bunkers from the fairway. We will be fixing some drainage issues in the native in a few days.
Slowly expanding Zoysiagrass fairways into our Tall Fescue roughs. Adding ten inches on this area. Zoysiagrass is $4,500 an Acre cheaper for us to maintain. Wider fairways also gives me a better chance of hitting them.๐
We have a 12" mainline irrigation leak on hole 18 which will take us all day to dig and expose the pipe. Hopefully, we can get it fixed tomorrow morning. Here is what a 12" irrigation pipe looks like.
#Huge
Congratulations
@Derek16Derek
, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, on your 7 year work anniversary. Derek started working with us while attending
@KSUTURF
and has become an instrumental part of our success. Thank you for continuing to elevate the standards
@colbert_hills
!
Beautiful course conditions heading into Memorial Day weekend. We were able to get all the tees, fairways, and roughs mowed after 3.54" of rain this week. Greens are rolling perfectly!
I had a nightmare about our 7th green last night, it entailed half the green almost dead due to moisture. Someone also dug up the cup with a shovel. I was fixing the cup while golfers were hitting into me. I've been up since 3:30AM.
#GolfCourseNightmare
Our infiltration rate has been decreasing the past few years. So we have decided to solid tine aerify our greens this year, once a month, during the growing season to help increase the infiltration rate. The finished product is hardly noticeable, and doesn't affect ball roll.
Honored to be recognized as an Environmental Leader in Golf Awards recipient. This accolade is a team effort and I want to thank all of the turf team members
@colbert_hills
who make this a special place.
@shanerengstorf
@Derek16Derek
Twelve golf course superintendents have been named winners in the 2018 Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA), which are presented annually by GCSAA and
@GolfDigest
in partnership with
@SyngentaTurf
.
We can't be on the course when the
@KornFerryTour
Pro's are playing, so I'll spend my time on this beach adjacent to
@BahamasKFTour
@SandalsResorts
golf course until the afternoon shift starts at 3:00PM.
My mom came across this relic from when my dad ran for
@GCSAA
Board of Directors in 1995 in San Francisco. He resigned his submission in order to unify all Canadians in the GCSAA election moments before voting was to begin!
Last trees removed on Hole 2
@colbert_hills
. You can now see the left side of the fairway from the tees & it moves your visual alignment away from the houses.