TRAVELS WITH TERRY

Globetrotting consulting agronomist Terry Buchen visits many golf courses annually with his digital camera in hand. He shares helpful ideas relating to maintenance equipment from the golf course superintendents he visits — as well as a few ideas of his own — with timely photos and captions that explore the changing world of golf course management.

Club Name & Logo Extraordinaire

The Aspen (Colorado) Golf Club name and logo is prominently displayed behind the 16th green and to the left of the fourth green during special events throughout the season. Equipment operator Gary LaCouter came up with this great idea to use a Toro Sidewinder triplex rough mower, with the cutting units lowered with the reels shut off, to compress the turf with the front and rear rollers to form the letters and the club’s aspen-leaf logo. LaCouter forms other wording in this location, such as Skiers, Howdy, Elks (for the Elks Club) and logos, all for special events as directed by superintendent Dominic Lanese III and PGA general manager Jim Pratt. The wording is refreshed with the mower one to two times per week. It takes less than one hour to complete each refresh. Jim Sivess, former superintendent at the Snowmass Club, is the president of the Aspen Golf Club Advisory Board; Frank Hummel designed the course and Dick Phelps and Rick Phelps have remodeled the course over the years.




Boulder Benches

Two separate boulders were turned into decorative and functional tee benches three years ago on the par-3 eighth hole at the Aspen Golf Club as well. The City of Aspen’s Parks & Open Space staff cut the benches out of the onsite boulders with concrete saw-type equipment at no cost to the club. The boulders are cool to the touch on warm summer days, and they offer commanding views of the four ski areas in Aspen and Snowmass and the well-conditioned golf course. Superintendent Dominic Lanese III and PGA general manager Jim Pratt work together quite well with lots of unique ideas. Jim Sivess, former superintendent at the Snowmass Club, is the president of the Aspen Golf Club Advisory Board. Frank Hummel was the original architect and Dick Phelps and Rick Phelps have been the remodeling architects over the years.

Terry Buchen, CGCS Retired, MG, is president of Golf Agronomy International. He’s a 56-year, life member of the GCSAA. He can be reached at 757-561-7777 or terrybuchen@earthlink.net.

Read Next

Leaders lead

August 2024
Explore the August 2024 Issue

Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.