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.
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