One of my favorite things in the world is sipping my first coffee of the day while doing greens, I've been lucky enough to do this a few times this summer. Besides the scenery I was spoiled because all I heard was a light electric hummm, not the heavy firing of gas or diesel engines, after all it's early. Of course I'm also partial to the technology because of how cost effective and efficient it is. Are their weight issues still? Yes. But do we need to cut operating costs and reduce environmental footprint? Yes. So it's a trade for the odd time you'll have to send out the walkers while it's really wet and squishy.
Last fall one of our fine members here at Northland started working out a new gym; not just any gym but a kettlebell gym. [Shameless promotion can be found at the bottom of this post] After a couple weeks the member begin making a sales pitch for me to start working out with him. I was reluctant-its not that I don't like working out because I really do, I typically work out during the winter but always quit when things ramp up in the spring. For me, the problem was I wasn't willing to spend the time and money on something that would take away from my family if doing so wasn't really going to benefit them. So, I told this persistent member next year would be my year.
It's cold! So we've decided to discuss the issue of freeze damage as it relates to golf course spray equipment. 
Doug Carrick founded Carrick Design in 85, and over the past thirty-six years he has been involved in the planning and design of over fifty golf course projects. Early in his career, Doug worked with Robbie Robinson, a very well respected Canadian golf course architect who had learned from the great Stanley Thompson. For those of you unfamiliar with Doug's work, here is a Top Ten list from my buddy Robert Thompson.
Prior to this he worked as Manager of Outreach and Education assisting Audubon International Signature Program members achieve certification. He worked at Audubon International for eleven years as Director of Management Information Systems (MIS) and was responsible for the design, development and maintenance of the Audubon International website, their corporate network, and oversaw every aspect of their computer technology needs. Eric currently sits on the board of directors for the Florida Green Building Coalition, and the International Sustainability Council (ISC). Eric resides in Tampa, Florida and is a Florida Gulf Coast Member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
I've been following golf superintendent blogs for a few years now, every once in awhile I ask a superintendent if I can "re-post" something they've wrote on their blog on to Turfhugger. After approaching Chris Tritabaugh of Northland Country Club quite a few times I said "do you want to just write for Turfhugger on an ongoing bases?", "I'd be honored" he said.
How is this build different?
The 100 ha property is only 1.5 km from the Pilon Lajas Biosphere Reserve and Indigenous Territory, separated only by steep, pristine forested municipal watershed reserve. The property consists of heavily-logged tall forest along with patches of secondary forest that were under slash and burn agriculture, when we bought the land. We have left wide strips of natural regenerating forest between fairways. Many species appreciate the increased surface area of the edge between forest and the open spaces provided by the fairways. We have also left corridors of forest between the steep, pristine land at the back, and the stream that forms one of the property boundaries. This acts as a buffer and controlled entrance to the protected areas benefiting huge region where wildlife is protected.
This is a common reaction to the news of an 18 hole golf course near Rurrenabaque, the gateway to the Bolivian Amazon. Over the last 15 years Bolivia has set aside almost 20% of its surface in some form of protected area. Rurrenabaque is the principal access to 4.8 million ha of 5 contiguous protected areas, 3 in Bolivia and 2 in Peru. To date virtually all of the direct costs of these areas have been covered by foreign governments, but there is an indirect social effect: what are local people to do if they are no longer able to fish, farm, hunt or cut wood in these vast areas? What is to be done with those areas outside?