Know when to say when

Superintendent Gene Scarborough is intimately familiar with extreme heat and humidity.

While the bulk of the play at the 36-hole Cooper Resort in Santee, S.C., takes place over 10-12 weeks in the spring from March into May, and then again over six or seven weeks from mid-September into November, the facility remains open during the summer months when temperatures might exceed 100 degrees and the heat index approaches 120.

Scarborough does his best to make things bearable for his team, which consists of 15 full timers during peak season, by adjusting the work schedule during hot weather.

“Normally we come in at 6 a.m. and work to 2:30 p.m.,” he says. “Sometimes in really hot weather we’ll knock off at noon because by 11 in the morning it’s stifling and you don’t want to be here anymore.”

Some workers will return in the late afternoon and work for several hours into the evening if there are issues that need attention, Scarborough says. Because his team’s average age is older than at many other facilities, he says it’s particularly important that everyone keep an eye on each other in extreme weather.

“We all have radios,” he says, “And I put people in pairs. That way, if something were to happen to somebody, somebody is right there with them.

Prior to the extreme weather setting in at the start of the summer, Scarborough has his team review an online video that addresses heat safety concerns and includes an online questionnaire. To further reduce the risk to his workers, he recently purchased new mowers with Cool-It tops. He’ll also mount umbrellas on his mowers from time to time and utilizes covers on his utility carts.

He also encourages his team to take breaks when they need them. “When its super, super hot I tell the guys to work 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break in the air conditioning or the shade,” he says, “just to get out of the sun.”

Lastly, Scarborough reminds his team about the importance of staying properly hydrated. “You always have to be drinking fluids,” he says.

Scarborough himself prefers a blend of Gatorade or Powerade mixed with water, or else water flavored with a small amount of fruit juice.

“You’ve got to be proactive,” he says. “If we come in in the morning and we know it’s going to be wicked hot, we remind the guys to start drinking.”