[Bob Lively]

First of all I would like to thank you all for letting me join this large group of people who appreciate the game of golf as much as I do. My name Bob Lively I'm a golf course superintendent in the Chicagoland area. I actually did a feature interview back in 2009-2010 with Ray Hearn ( architect ) about the renovation we did at the Flossmoor Country Club. I'm not all sure what I can contribute to this forum but I love any discussion that revolves around golf present and past and am looking forward to sharing what I know about golf courses from a superintendents perspective.

[David Ober]

Welcome, Bob! I'm just a golfer, not an architect or historian or writer (though I do dabble there). However I do love all things golf with a white-hot passion. :-)


Enjoy your time here!

[Terry Lavin]

I’ve known Bob for a long time. He introduced me to the concept of firm and fast many years ago. Bob is the superintendent at Edgewood Valley, in suburban Chicago, a classic Diddel design with an awesome set of greens on a rollicking piece of real estate.


Welcome!

[Bruce Katona]

Welcome aboard Bob!

[Mark_Fine]

Welcome to the site Bob.  I like to think there is more bark here than bite but all in all it is a passionate group and lots can be shared and learned.  I used to get out your way a lot.  Have you had a chance to see The Preserve at Oak Meadows?  Love to hear your thoughts.  Also, have you ever traveled down to the Champaign-Urbana area?  Check out Champaign CC if you get the chance.  The super there is Ben Rink.  Not only an outstanding super but a great individual as well.  You know having gone through it all the challenges of a major renovation.  So does Ben but perseverance pays off.  Enjoy the discussions and debates. 

[Tom_Doak]

Hi Bob:


I've still never been to Flossmoor -- I should have stopped in to see you a few years ago, instead of wasting my time in an interview at Olympia Fields!


How is the golf course doing, ten years on after your restoration?  Were there things that you considered back then that you've done since?

[Justin VanLanduit]

First of all I would like to thank you all for letting me join this large group of people who appreciate the game of golf as much as I do. My name Bob Lively I'm a golf course superintendent in the Chicagoland area. I actually did a feature interview back in 2009-2010 with Ray Hearn ( architect ) about the renovation we did at the Flossmoor Country Club. I'm not all sure what I can contribute to this forum but I love any discussion that revolves around golf present and past and am looking forward to sharing what I know about golf courses from a superintendents perspective.

BOBO!  I'm confident you will find ways to contribute here.  Bob, is probably if not the best, one of the best Superintendents in the Chicagoland areas.  Proud to call him a colleague and friend. 

[Joe Bausch]

Channeling The Lurker.  Grin.

Welcome to the DG of GOLFCLUBATLAS.com where every day is like a Friday night barroom brawl in Dodge City just after the cowboys got paid.

[Mark Smolens]

I caddied for a buddy at Edgewood last summer in the CDGA Mid-Am (t-10!). Bob had the course playing as hard and fast as any links course I've played across the pond. It was awesome. Only two guys in the field -- comprised of some of the best mid-ams in the State -- finished under par. I just checked, looks like there were only 6 under par rounds total for three rounds (cut after two rounds reduced the field). I recall seeing Bob out there driving around with a big grin on his face as this group of really good players struggled on his course.

[Tim_Cronin]

Bob, welcome to the treehouse from someone in the neighborhood. You helped make Flossmoor a gem. I know we met there way back. Sounds like EV is in the same wonderful shape in season!

[SL_Solow]

Delighted that you have joined.  Another great super who hailed from the South Suburbs of Chicago.  I first learned a little bit from Pete Voykin at Idlewild.  Later I worked with his brother at Briarwood.  Of course there is your brother and the great Dave Ward.  Currently Sam Mackenzie is doing a wonderful job at OFCC.  I won't go back any further into the archives.  Please chime in as the perspectives of those who present the golf courses are always instructive.

[Peter Pallotta]

Yes, welcome Bob and (from the other day) Justin.
As Shel says, please chime in often.
I think one of the fundamental distinctions I make -- or more accurately, fail to make -- is between 'choice' and 'necessity' when it comes to what superintendents do/don't do on the courses they manage.
Insights from the expert practitioners are thus much appreciated.

[PCCraig]

Welcome Bob!


What would be the first things you would do when taking over a golf course to getting running firm and fast? And how long would it take to get it sustainably F&F?

[Mike Nuzzo]

Welcome Bob.
I hope you will add your knowledge with regards to managing a course, this forum needs more grounded perspectives sometimes.
And you can share your perspective of working with Ray, what you wished you did during the renovation (with 10 years of additional perspective), did you ever move the 6th fairway, and your view of renovations and architects in general.
I'm always interested in why an architect was chosen.
Why was Ray selected?
Cheers

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Welcome Bob, I look forward to hearing more from you in the coming weeks, months, and hopefully years.   This place just keeps getting deeper and deeper with knowledge (or some might say just "deeper" with something else).


I played Flossmoor back in May 2011 after your work.  Unfortunately not being from that part of the country I had never seen it before, but I was impressed with the finished product.   Also given that several other courses in the area were borderline flooded I can say that whatever you did drainage wise was a success.   The course was in great shape while other courses in the neighborhood were inundated.


I hope to get back up there again sometime, and I also look forward to seeing posts from you in the future.   


Again, welcome to this nutty bunch!!

[Bob Lively]

Thanks, everyone for being so welcoming. I would like to address the questions that were asked of me.
MARK FINE - I have seen the preserve at Oak Meadows I believe it was along time coming and it turned out great. I have not been to Champaign CC but next I'm in that area I'll check it out
TOM DOAK - 10 years after the renovation the course was pure I left in 2015 for another job, FCC started to struggle with money about that time. Since then they have new owners who are really putting money back into the club in all the right places. They hired a great superintendent Luke Braun who is taking that place to next level quickly. They are doing a tremendous amount of work there included in that work is a lot of things that were on my list to do but funding was tight
MARK SMOLES - Thank you for your kind words about course during the Mid-Am last august it was playing fast and firm that's for sure that's the way the EVCC membership wants their course maintained so we didn't really didn't have to change our maintenance routine at all. The greens were rolling about 12 feet 10 inches  to 13 feet depending on time of day.
PC CRAIG - The first thing I would do is TURN OFF THE WATER
MIKE NUZZO - We chose Ray Hearn for his lay of the land approach to golf design he was a joy to work with and when the work all was said and done we won the Renovation of the year in 2009 from golf magazine Joe Passov came out for media day and he really enjoyed the work that was done there. The 6th hole is the the only hole that was voted down by one person on the committee and therefore did not get renovated but it looks like the new owners are going to do it. I can't wait to see it completed.
DARYL TURBOE - We did a lot of drainage and that really helped decrease the amount of down time due to excess water. As far neighboring clubs conditions I really can only speak to the conditions of FCC.
I hope that I have answered all your questions gentlemen keep them coming.

[Tom_Doak]

The 6th hole is the the only hole that was voted down by one person on the committee and therefore did not get renovated

Am I understanding right that all decisions had to be unanimous?  How many people on the committee? 

And what was the objection on the 6th hole?  [I don't know the course.]


I am curious about the process because in my younger days, a green chairman might decide to leave one of my recommendations out of the plan, and not inform the members what I had recommended.  And then, years later, the same topic would come up again. 


Since then, I have begun to insist that while it's up to the green committee and board to implement whatever parts of the plan they want, the membership should see my recommendations in their entirety.

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