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[Anthony_Nysse]

I noticed that the photo and caption on the home page has changed. Now, the picture looks great, but I do have a problem with the caption.
 "Presenting a golf course under optimum playing conditions isn't as hard as many people and clubs have made it. Clubs in England like Sunningdale have been doing it with aplomb for over a century and there is much to be learned from studying such clubs and their courses."

Does anyone, particularly Superintendents, take any bit offense to this? I don't think that statement can accurately be made until one sits in the chair/shoes of a Superintendent. It’s like judging a book by it’s cover…..

[George Pazin]

I understand your concerns, but knowing Ran and the high regard he has for those in your profession, I believe he is referring more to the culture of a club like Sunningdale, rather than the actual nuts and bolts of how you achieve it.

[Kyle Harris]

I noticed that the photo and caption on the home page has changed. Now, the picture looks great, but I do have a problem with the caption.
 "Presenting a golf course under optimum playing conditions isn't as hard as many people and clubs have made it. Clubs in England like Sunningdale have been doing it with aplomb for over a century and there is much to be learned from studying such clubs and their courses."

Does anyone, particularly Superintendents, take any bit offense to this? I don't think that statement can accurately be made until one sits in the chair/shoes of a Superintendent. It’s like judging a book by it’s cover…..

It is a bit of a broad based statement.

I think it needs to look further in-depth at the climactic conditions at Sunningdale.

[JESII]

Anthony,

Do you think most golf courses are presented optimally?

I don't want to be too blunt, but the majority of golf courses I play (only a fraction of the number many on here play) are not presented very well in my opinion.

I don't think Ran was trying to discuss the negative (as you and I can) so much as he was hoping to highlight a positive examples.

You took some offense, I presume, so let's explore it.

[Todd Bell]

Anthony,

I've sat in that chair and I concur with the caption.  Do you disagree or just offended? 

[John Chilver-Stainer]

Why is a green keeper offended even if he hasn't been criticised?

Ran is obviously referring to the practise of fast and firm fescue fairways on an inland course.
Although Old Sunningdale has a big advantage in that it's on sandy heathland.

I would take more offence at what I perceive to be some photoshop tinkering.
Do the greens and parts of the fairway have a distinct touch of "martian green" where they would more likely be a straw-coloured faded fescue

[Anthony_Nysse]

I firmly believe that having a golf course presented in "optimun playing conditions" is:
  1. Defined differently by each golf course owner/membership, not GCA.
  2. Much more difficult that what most think. It takes alot of time, effort, energy ( an in many cases, MONEY) to have a plant that is  healthy, lean, tolerant, fast and firm. It takes a lot of training and is a process that does not happen over night. More than any place I have worked at in the past, I have realized how important soils and their proper nutrients play a role in having that turf. Of course, as course built on sand (Seminole) is going to dry out faster and play firmer than a course built on old farm land. (Pine Tree)
  When I first arrived here, we experienced TERRIBLE soil conditions with pH levels below 4.5. Regardless of who you are and where you've work, you're not going to be able to grow turfgrass when soil pH levels are that poor. Soil ammending has been the #1 thing that we've delt with since my arrival. We core aerified 3 times this summer, and vertidrained another 3 times. Along with 5 LIME applications in a year, we have finally seen our pH levels get a range that the grass is actually thriving.
  A course like Sunningdale, with its sandier soils, is always going to play "optimum" as opposed to a course built in loamy soils of Minnesota or the corn fields of Iowa, to name a few.
  It takes A LOT more man power, hoses and quick couplers to have firm, fast and dry surfaces when the soil isn't right and you are trying to dry things down, make roots drive down and creating a healthier plant.

I am not offended and most on this website, particularly Ran, understand much of what it takes to have nice playing conditions.

[Adam Clayman]

Anthony, My take is that Ran has taken this opportunity to emphasize what the USGA is supposedly preaching. Even Golf Digest has gone so far as to tell their panel that a soft lush green course, day in day out, may not be the ideal.

[Jason Topp]

I am interested in why firm and fast might be more expensive to maintain.

My assumption is that on an existing course with a lot of Poa, the grass will all die absent a ton of expense.  Is there more to the story?