A new year brings excitement for the future, but it's also a good time to reflect on the past. A “year in review: in photographs” is somthing I started in 2022. I find that self-reflection provides the opportunity to appreciate the things you experienced and discovered, as well as determine the things that made you happy. I enjoy photography so one way I reflect on the previous year is to sort through photos I took over the last 12 months. These are a few of my favorite, or most meanigful photos.
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| 1 Green, February 23. Olde Florida Golf Club |
In 2024, I was once again blessed to have a great team in place. Due to adverse weather, without a doubt 2024 was the most challanging year I’ve faced as a turfgrass manager. A solid agronomic plan, combined with a dedicated team enabled us to “weather the storm.”
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| Hole 1, March 8. Olde Florida Golf Club |
Often when posting a sunrise picture on social media I use the hashtag #FavoriteTimeofDay. Sunrise truly is my favorite time of day, as well as one of my favorite moments to photograph or video. The sunrise is one of Nature’s finest moments, and each sunrise provides us with a new beginning and a new ending.
Annually I pick my favorite photo of the year and it becomes my Christmas card. This sunrise picture on #1 was the one I chose for 2024.
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| Hole 16, March 10. Olde Florida Golf Club |
A close second to my favorite time of day are the hours just after the sun rises when my staff and I are busy preparing the golf course for the day. For a golf course superintendent, there is something magical about an essentially weed free, divot free course, with “laser lines” from our mowers and perfectly manacured bunkers.
As often as possible in the winter I walk the golf course in advance of play and soak in the surroundings.
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| "Ginger", March 30. Olde Florida Golf Club |
In 2013, Olde Florida Golf Club began a program to enhance nesting opportunities for Purple Martins, Screech Owls and Eastern Bluebirds. Working with an ornithologist, we have installed and monitor seven Screech Owl Boxes, three Purple Martin nesting structures and two Eastern Bluebird boxes. Each year we fledge hundreds of Purple Martins, but the Screech Owl mothers and hatchlings are a favorite of mine. This is “Ginger.” Ginger has utilzed “her” Screech Owl box behind 5 green for many years.
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| Hole 12, April 27. Olde Florida Golf Club |
All turfgrass needs sunlight, water, nutrients and oxygen to thrive, and when our TifTuf bermudagrass receives each, in the proper amount it’s hard to beat! When the strong El Niño pattern of 2024 finally subsided, we finsished the golf season strong!
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| 6 Fairway, May 28. Olde Florida Golf Club |
For the past few years, fairway topdressing has become an annual, summer agronomic practice. The process enables us to provide smoother, firmer and healthier fairways. In my opinion, it’s a “game changer.”
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| Hole 16, June 14. Olde Florida Golf Club |
This summer was the wettest on record at Olde Florida Golf Club. We received 73.65” of rain from June through September and over 101” for the year.
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| 3 Tee Complex, June 24. Olde Florida Golf Club |
Even with the excessive rainfall, the agronomy team was able to complete all necessary agronomic practices, including deep-tine and regular aeration, vertical mowing and topdressing.
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| 6 Green, June 25. Olde Florida Golf Club |
Even with the excessive rainfall, the agronomy team was able to complete all necessary agronomic practices, including deep-tine and regular aeration, vertical mowing and topdressing.
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| Clubhouse, October 8. Olde Florida Golf Club |
Olde Florida Golf Club was impacted by three hurricanes this year. The path and strength of the last one, Hurricane Milton provided enough concern that the staff boarded up the clubhouse.
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| Hole 1/Clubhouse, October 18. Olde Florida Golf Club |
The supermoon on October 17 was the year’s largest and brightest full moon of 2024. The moon, which appeared 8% larger and 15% brighter than normal was also known as the Hunter’s Moon.
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| 6 Green, October 22. Olde Florida Golf Club |
6 green receiving a light syringe to move a plant protectant into the root zone.
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| 9 Green, November 22. Olde Florida Golf Club |
9 Green receiving a light syringe at sunrise.
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| 1 Tee/Practice Green/Clubhouse, December 30. Olde Florida Golf Club |
The team at Olde Florida Golf Club are looking forward to a terrific 2025 winter golf season!
