Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Tuesday

It's that time of year where we are focusing on some other projects giving play is slowing down and grass growth is really slowing as well.  Mowing fairways, for example, has become a 2x a week task rather than 3-4x a week.

Edging cart paths is one such example.  Fortunately, this is something we only have to do once a year.  Bermudagrass requires multiple edgings because it is so much more aggressive.  Gary Dalton does a nice job with this because if not careful, one can really damage the edge of asphalt cart paths.

 
The Steiner mower has an attachment blade that is a disc angled in such a way that it pushes the overgrown piece of sod a few inched onto the cart path where it can be scooped up with a shovel.  It does take a few days to clean this up.  Please remember that it is impossible for me to defer all maintenance to winter when we are closed!  We have to work on projects like this when the ground is thawed and we have adequate staff.  I hear, "let's wait till spring to do that" or "cant you wait a few more weeks?"  The answer is simply, No.  With our aggressive list of projects, there isn't down time.  Come spring, we will have a whole new set of tasks and challenges in front of us and not much time to think back to what we could have done in fall and winter.  Your patience is always appreciated.
 


The Bob Jones Rock has officially found a new home!  After 6-7 years since it first arrived on campus, it's getting a special new spot, face down across #10 creek where golfers will be able to walk over his back.  For a little luck on the golf course, when crossing the bridge, pause and kneel down and rub his belly.  According to local folklore, for every second you rub his belly, you will shave 1/4 of a stroke off your second nine score (4 seconds= 1 stroke or 8 seconds= 2 strokes and so on).  This has never been advertised because naturally, our teaching professionals worried about their students dropping.  While the great Bob Jones was always a fit individual throughout his playing career, the granite rock portrayed him with what appears to be a 52" waste and an Eskimo facial features.  I will admit, I am excited out Bob's new opportunity on the 10th hole but I am sad to see him go.  Through thick and thin, he's been my friend in the back parking lot, solid as a "rock!".  He stood tall, with unwavering support through many "Rocky" seasons.  Spritually, he was my "rock."  He never wanted to "rock" the boat nor did he ever hit "rock" bottom.  But the time has come and it's time to "rock" and roll.  I'm between a "rock" and a hard place on the project.  I suppose it's time to ROCK ON!  Well, that's all I have in me today on the idioms and word play.  Like the great songwriter, Paul Simon once said, He loves me like a "rock."  

If you never heard the story of the statue and how it ended up here, please ask me one day.  It is a true classic and a story that should always be embraced by the Club!  Some might say, that if you don't know the story, you've been living under a Rock!  While I don't feel my blog is the proper venue to share the full story, I will say this:  This stone cold Bob Jones showed up on a chilly January day, mid week, and within 22 minutes of standing tall in front of the administration building, we received multiple calls from members in Atlanta!  That's right, word travels fast.   The calls were more along the lines of, "A cousin of a friend of a friend just called from Highlands and said a huge rock is planted in front of the office! What in the world is going on up there?"  Maybe the shadow of Bobby stretched as far as Buckhead?!  I don't know...but it's a day I won't ever forget!

The infamous statue is awaiting to be moved.  A jackhammer sits in front waiting to remove the concrete from the base.

 
There he is!  The proud golfer!
 
 
I had the help of Doc Wilson and Edwin Wilson to move Bob.  Straps were placed around him and the crane took the weight off of him while I jackhammered a yard of concrete from his feet.  This was the concrete poured in 2009 to support the statue.
 
 
 
Getting the concrete off was no easy task, taking over 2 hours to complete.  Tune in shortly for the rest of the process!