Rain, Rain, Stay Away

Memorial Day has passed and schools are letting out soon and we are gearing up for our busy season.  Greens have all been aerified and topdressed, the grass is growing and the weather is getting better so now all we need are the golfers.  When the forecast is for warm and sunny we are very busy but if the weather man mentions the “r” word it seems to scare everyone off even though we have had some beautiful days that were supposed to be wet. It’s been a great spring. So don’t believe the weatherman, they don’t always get it right.

The golf courses are in top shape with just a few maintenance projects underway.  We are finishing up our Tee aerification on the Olympic Course this week and giving some of our bunker faces a little trim so the Fescue grass doesn’t get too long and penalizing.

May 28 2014 Post

Entry Road Re-Paving is Underway!

Our entry road is being paved as I write this and it looks beautiful. This will be a huge improvement to what we had and will give a great first impression to our new guests.

Our bathroom replacement project is still on hold as we look for a contractor that will build what we want for the price we want.  Hopefully we will be starting soon.

I have recently been informed that one of my team is retiring at the end on June.  Dave Larson has worked for me here for 28 years and has been my Assistant Superintendent on the Olympic Course since its opening in 1996.  Dave has been a big part of the success of the Olympic Course due to his work ethic and attention to detail.  His will be some big shoes to fill.

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Golf, Greens and Goodbyes

Spring is in full swing here and the golfing has sure been sweet this week. As you plan your next tee time, I’ve outlined several updates for you on the going-ons here at Gold Mountain.

First, the greens aerification on the Olympic Course were accomplished on April 29th on the back 9 and front 9 will be done on one day next week.  We will be using ¼ inch tines for minimal disruption to playability.

The restroom replacement project on Cascade #4 is still pending bid approval but we hope to start on this soon as we know it’s a priority for our golfers.

The entry drive from the old highway to our parking lot is going to be repaved by the same contractor that is paving the old highway. We expect our project will begin  following the completion of the highway paving. Thanks to Jeff Elevado with the Parks Department for his help in getting this project approved on short notice.

On a personal note, GoldMountain lost a true friend earlier this month with the passing of Pat Westhoff. Pat was the Golf Operations Director for the City of Bremerton for many years and was instrumental in the construction of the Olympic Course. When the City of Bremerton awarded the contract to build our new clubhouse they were without a Project Manager so Pat stepped up and assumed that role for them. After Pat retired from the City he actually came to work for me for one season mowing rough on the Olympic Course.  He loved riding our big tractor but I think starting work at 5:00 a.m. disagreed with him. In his honor,  I have ordered a sign to be placed on the little creek that runs from the pond on Olympic #18 to the retention pond on #17 which was named after Pat. That sign will be a daily reminder to all who pass of Pat’s significant contributions to Gold Mountain.

For all who knew him, Pat was truly one of a kind.  I will miss him.

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