Behind the Scenes at Brickshire Golf Club: Balancing Expectations and Resources

  

Have you ever thought about what goes into setting up and maintaining a golf course before your round? Most of the work to prepare the playing surfaces you enjoy gets done early in the morning, often before the first golfer arrives. Maintaining an average 18-hole golf course – which is larger than 70 football fields – requires a tremendous amount of effort, and Brickshire Golf Club is no exception.

Here at Brickshire, our maintenance team is a dedicated group of five full-time employees (including myself as the golf course superintendent and our equipment manager) and three part-time team members. Together, we manage over 100 acres of maintained turf and 83 bunkers across the property. This is no small task, especially when you consider the wide variety of work required to maintain the course to the high standards our members and guests expect.

A Day in the Life of Our Maintenance Team

Our team starts each day at the crack of dawn to maximize productivity during the critical early hours before play begins. This early start allows us to operate efficiently, minimizing disruption to golfers and ensuring we provide the best possible playing conditions.

On a typical morning, our team tackles an array of tasks:

      • Mowing:   We mow enough turf each day to cover more than 25 football fields, ensuring greens, tees, fairways, and rough are properly maintained.

      • Bunker Maintenance:   Our staff rakes and smooths the 83 bunkers on the course, maintaining consistency and playability.

      • Setup:   We change hole locations, move tee markers, and scout for pests or disease.

      • Irrigation and Cleanup:   Spot watering, clearing debris, and managing moisture levels are critical to ensuring healthy turf.

And that’s just the first round of tasks. Once the morning setup is complete, the team transitions to mowing rough, trimming around bunkers and trees, edging cart paths, and addressing other ongoing maintenance needs.

Despite our early start, it’s impossible to finish every task before golfers begin their rounds. Weather, staff size, equipment availability, and the golf schedule all influence how much can be accomplished. This is why you might occasionally see a maintenance team member working during play. When this happens, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we do our best to deliver great conditions while staying mindful of your experience.

Challenges and Trade-offs

Balancing golfer expectations, staffing needs, and budget resources isn’t easy. With a team as small as ours, prioritization is essential. Every course is unique, and factors like acreage, bunkers, grass types, and infrastructure play a significant role in determining what’s feasible.

At Brickshire, our goal is to meet or exceed expectations while working within the resources available. This means carefully planning maintenance schedules, prioritizing tasks, and communicating clearly with golfers about what’s achievable.

Your Role as a Golfer

You can play an important role in helping us maintain great course conditions. Giving maintenance staff the time and space to complete their work safely and efficiently is key. If you see a team member working ahead of you, please allow them a moment to finish their task before proceeding. A quick wave or a kind word of thanks also goes a long way in showing appreciation for their hard work.

Behind the Greens

Maintaining Brickshire Golf Club is a complex and dynamic process. Our team takes great pride in providing the best possible playing conditions for our members and guests. Next time you’re out on the course, take a moment to consider the effort that goes into preparing it for your enjoyment. And remember, golf course maintenance is far more than mowing grass – it’s a labor of love for the game and its players.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we work to keep Brickshire Golf Club in top shape.

Frost Delay — It’s Worth The Wait

With the return of chilly mornings, frost delays are making a comeback on the golf course. Yes, they’re frustrating for golfers and superintendents alike, but this temporary inconvenience plays a big role in protecting long-term playing quality. A little patience goes a long way on frosty mornings—you’ll be out on the course soon enough! Here are five key things every golfer should know about frost delays:

Crunchy Grass is Vulnerable to Damage

Grass on a golf course is usually resilient, but frost changes everything. When temperatures dip, ice crystals form inside the grass blades, making them brittle. Walking or driving over frost-covered turf can rupture plant cells, leading to dead patches or weakened plants that may take over a month to fully recover. Avoiding play during a frost delay helps preserve the turf for the long haul.

Location is Everything

Have you ever seen clear grass at home only to encounter frost at the course? Frost can linger in colder microclimates, especially in low-lying areas, north-facing slopes, and spots sheltered from wind. Our golf course has plenty of these spots. If you suspect frost may be an issue, give the golf shop a call at (804) 966-7888 to check conditions before heading out.

Closely Mown Turf is High Risk

While frost can damage any area of the course, the risk is highest on closely mown turf like putting greens. These areas see the most foot traffic—a typical foursome takes 300 steps or more on each green—so frost damage here can be severe. Delaying play until the frost clears is crucial to protect these vulnerable surfaces.

A Little Frost Can Cause Big Delays

If there’s no frost on the first tee, it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Frost lingering in key areas early in the round can still lead to course closures. And once the frost is gone, the maintenance team needs time to prepare the course. Patience is key to ensuring the best playing conditions.

 More Sunlight, Less Frost Delay

Shade can extend frost delays by preventing sunlight from reaching frosted grass. Pruning or removing trees that shade primary playing areas can help reduce the duration of frost delays, especially for holes played early in the round. Sunlight on greens and fairways helps speed up frost melting and gets you back on the course faster.

Why Does the Golf Course Have Frost When My Yard Doesn’t?

Just about every course that’s had frost delays has heard the classic question: “There’s no frost at my house!” While nearby, a golf course can be more susceptible to frost than your front yard for several reasons.

Golf courses are often shaded by trees lining fairways or surrounding greens, which delays morning sunlight and prolongs frost on the turf. Meanwhile, open home lawns with fewer trees receive sunlight earlier, “burning off” the frost faster than at the course.

Topography and orientation matter too. Golf holes wind through landscapes in various directions, with dips, hills, and valleys. North-facing slopes, low-lying areas, and sheltered spots on a golf course are prone to frost. In contrast, your front yard may face the morning sun and have better air movement, allowing frost to melt faster.

While most homeowners wouldn’t cut down trees to reduce frost, strategic pruning and tree spacing on a golf course can make a difference. Thinning trees near fairways or greens allows more light to reach the grass, helping frost melt sooner.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to frost delays, avoid assumptions based on what you see at home. Different microclimates, shading, and topography mean the course may be dealing with frost even if you aren’t. When in doubt, call the golf shop at (804) 966-7888 or check our course conditions section on our website at BrickshireGolfClub.com for updates before you head out. Frost delays may be inconvenient, but they’re essential for maintaining healthy turf and quality playing conditions throughout the season.

A Tribute to Our Equipment Manager: The Heart Behind the Machines at Brickshire

 

At Brickshire Golf Club, we’re fortunate to have a dedicated team working tirelessly to keep our course in top condition. One role that’s often underappreciated but absolutely critical to our operation is our Equipment Manager, Ron Lumpkin. With a career that spans multiple industries and decades of experience, Ron’s expertise makes him an invaluable member of our team.

Ron’s journey to Brickshire is a unique one. He began in the automotive and machine shop sectors, working at Napa (1985-87), AMF (1987-90), and Ford Automotive Rebuilders (1990-91), then moved to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (1991-99) as an IT professional. In 1999, he took a new direction into the turf industry, managing a branch in Richmond for GL Cornell (1999-08), and later focusing on equipment management at Hanover Country Club (2008-16), Mattaponi Springs (2014-20), and The Crossings (2020-24), before joining us here at Brickshire.

Since joining the turf industry, Ron has taken on roles as both Equipment Manager and Assistant Superintendent, honing skills in equipment maintenance, crew management, and turf health. He holds certifications as a Master Service Technician from Jacobsen and Briggs & Stratton, as well as a Master Trainer designation from Bernhard Grinders. His journey also includes experience with companies like The Walkerton Brake Shoe Factory, Pohlig’s Power Equipment, Davis Landscaping, Lawndoctor, and Howell’s Heating and Air, each adding to the depth of expertise he brings to Brickshire.

Ron embodies the modern Equipment Manager role, which goes far beyond the traditional “golf course mechanic.” Today, an equipment manager like Ron ensures that every machine, from mowers to utility vehicles, performs to perfection. With over a million dollars of equipment in his care, Ron’s expertise in engines, hydraulics, electrical systems, and preventative maintenance is central to Brickshire’s operations. Every day, he handles Total Shop Management, overseeing everything from shop layout and inventory to training new operators on proper machinery use. Each of these details impacts the quality of Brickshire’s course and, in turn, our members’ experience.

Brickshire’s daily presentation—the pristine greens, fairways, and overall playability—is shaped by Ron’s dedication. While no single person can claim sole credit for Brickshire’s condition, a successful team thrives when every member takes pride in their role. And that’s precisely what makes Ron such an invaluable asset: he doesn’t just do his job; he cares deeply about it, always striving for excellence in everything he touches.

In golf course maintenance, it’s often said that you’re only as good as your equipment. Thanks to Ron, Brickshire’s fleet is always in top form, saving us from costly repairs and downtime and ensuring that our course remains a destination our members are proud to call their own. Though skilled equipment managers are increasingly hard to find, we feel especially fortunate to have Ron with us.

To Ron: thank you for being the backbone of Brickshire, and for everything you do to make our course extraordinary.

The Environmental Benefits of Our Golf Course

 

We are proud to share that our golf course serves not only as a place for recreation but also as an essential green space that contributes to our local environment in numerous ways. Properly managed golf courses like ours offer significant ecological benefits that enhance our community and help support a balanced ecosystem. Our course provides valuable habitats for various wildlife species, including birds, mammals, and essential pollinators such as bees. By preserving natural areas and fostering native plant growth, we create a sanctuary that encourages biodiversity and supports local wildlife populations. Pollinators are crucial for our ecosystem, as bees contribute significantly to food production—pollinating approximately one-third of the crops we consume. Their role in supporting healthy food systems underscores their importance not only to agriculture but also to our daily lives. Golf courses also offer a natural cooling effect that helps reduce urban heat. Our expansive greens, trees, and open spaces absorb sunlight, lowering surrounding temperatures and improving air quality. This cooling effect is precious in urban settings, where green spaces can mitigate the heat island effect, providing a more comfortable environment for all. Additionally, our turfgrass and soil play a vital role in managing stormwater. They absorb and filter rainwater, reducing surface runoff and helping recharge groundwater supplies. This process also protects water quality in nearby areas by minimizing erosion and filtering out pollutants. By enjoying our golf course, you also support its positive environmental impact. Thank you for being a part of our community and helping us preserve this beautiful green space for future generations.

Steps For Preparing Bermuda Playing Surfaces For Winter

October 29,2024

I hope this message finds you well and that you’ve been enjoying the excellent condition of our Bermudagrass playing surfaces this season. As we move into late fall, we want to ensure our Bermudagrass tees and fairways remain healthy and ready for the winter months. By taking the proper steps now, we can reduce the risk of winter injury and set the stage for exceptional playing conditions next season. Although the warm weather has kept the grass growing longer than usual, we must shift focus from maintaining peak playability to preparing the turf for winter dormancy. As days shorten and temperatures cool, Bermudagrass growth will slow, making late summer and early fall the most critical time to ensure robust and resilient turf. Here are the key practices we are implementing: Raising the Height of Cut We have begun raising the height of cut (HOC) on our fairways and tees to a minimum of 0.75 inches. This extra leaf surface will help the grass store more energy for winter survival. Discontinuing Growth Regulators and Nitrogen Fertilizers Growth regulator applications have stopped, and we have reduced nitrogen applications unless overseeding occurs. We limit nitrogen to no more than 0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet for overseeded areas to avoid stressing the turf. Potassium Applications We are applying potassium fertilizers, such as muriate of potash (0-0-60) or potassium sulfate (0-0-50), to strengthen the turf against potential winter injury. Poa Annua Prevention Preemergence herbicides are being applied to control Poa Annua, a common winter weed that can disrupt the turf’s health. Traffic Control To help the turf regain strength before winter, we are employing traffic control strategies to minimize wear on weak areas. Preventing Spring Dead Spot To mitigate the risk of spring dead spots, we are applying preventive fungicides based on soil temperatures of 65-70°F, targeting optimal application timing. By following these best practices, we aim to protect the Bermudagrass through the winter and ensure a strong recovery next season. While we cannot eliminate all risks of winter injury, taking these proactive steps will significantly reduce the chances of damage. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to providing excellent playing surfaces next spring!

Fall Happenings

 October 22, 2024

We’re pleased to provide you with an update on the course and share the progress we’ve been making in restoring and improving the playing conditions of the bentgrass greens and other high-focus areas! Bentgrass Summer Decline This summer presented significant challenges for our bentgrass greens. Limited air movement, shade, drainage issues, and high temperatures took a toll, exacerbated by nematode pressure. These factors have slowed the recovery process, but we remain focused on returning the greens to excellent condition. Effluent Water and Salt Accumulation As you know, our irrigation system uses 100% effluent water provided by New Kent County. While this is an environmentally responsible choice, it has contributed to salt buildup in the top 1-2 inches of soil. As confirmed by soil tests and moisture meter readings, salt accumulation has hindered water and nutrient absorption, particularly in the newly seeded areas. S1 Bentgrass for Quicker Recovery To support faster recovery, we’ve introduced S1 Bentgrass, an improved variety that germinates quickly and fills in bare areas more efficiently. This variety is aiding in the regrowth of our greens. Bentgrass Nursery for Future Security In addition, we are converting the far driving range tee near the maintenance shop into a Bentgrass nursery. This area already has irrigation and a sand sub-base, providing a valuable resource for growing bentgrass for future use and ensuring long-term turf health. Slow Recovery Areas Currently, the areas of slow recovery are predominantly on the back nine, specifically holes #11, 13, 14, 15, and 16. These holes have more shade and drainage issues that have affected the recovery of the bentgrass. We are addressing these concerns with drainage improvements and ongoing soil amendments to promote better growth. Drainage Improvements We are actively working to identify and clear all drainage outfalls around the greens. Adequate drainage is crucial for proper water movement and gas exchange. We will make the necessary repairs this winter to ensure the greens are in optimal condition before the heat of next summer. Overseeding for Aesthetic Value To improve the visual appeal of our practice areas, we have overseeded the driving range tees and other high-focus areas around the clubhouse with perennial ryegrass. This will provide a green and healthy appearance throughout the winter and into the spring. Spring Dead Spot Protection Plant protectant applications for spring dead spots on our Bermuda tees and fairways have begun. The second application is scheduled 28 days after the first, providing continued protection to these areas. Native and Wildflower Areas We will also begin mowing native areas and expanding our wildflower plots on the course, like last fall’s successful project on Hole #17. These areas will enhance the beauty of the course and promote biodiversity. Putting Surface Quality In addition to addressing recovery issues, we have been lowering the height of the cut and rolling the greens to provide a smooth putting surface that mirrors the quality of fall playing conditions during my last two years at Brickshire. These adjustments will ensure a more consistent and enjoyable playing experience for our members and guests. We appreciate your continued support and patience as we work through these challenges. We remain committed to providing high-quality playing conditions year-round and look forward to improving the course continuously.