Turf Talk By: Geoff Sheffield

Morning Maintenance Challenges at Highland Pacific Golf Course: A Superintendent’s Perspective

Maintaining a golf course is never without its challenges, but at Highland Pacific Golf Course, we face a unique set of obstacles each morning as we prepare the course for play. Here’s an inside look at the hurdles our team faces and how we strive to keep your golfing experience enjoyable.

Split Starts: A Unique Challenge

Unlike many golf courses, we start from both the 1st and 10th tees each day. This means our crew is split, servicing both sides of the course simultaneously—mowing greens, fairways, and, on rotation, tees and collars. Most 18-hole courses can start from the 1st tee and stay well ahead of golfers throughout the day, but due to our split start, it’s harder for us to stay ahead. Our team begins at 5:30 a.m., but the speed at which golfers play can present a challenge.

Early Morning Golfers

Highland Pacific is popular, and many golfers want to get their round in before work or other daily activities. These early morning players often include singles, twosomes, and even groups of four, moving quickly through the course. By the 4th or 5th hole, they can catch up with our maintenance team, which adds pressure as we try to complete our work.

On the other hand, we also have golfers who enjoy a more relaxed pace, taking extra shots and savoring their morning on the course. Our team appreciates those players who understand the rhythm of the day—waving us on, smiling, and adapting to our presence as we work to maintain the course.

How We Manage Course Maintenance

We’ve established some course management guidelines for our crew to minimize disruptions:

• For quieter equipment, like greens, fairway, and tee mowers, we maintain a 50-yard distance from golfers.
• For louder machines, such as rough mowers or blowers, we keep a 100-yard distance.
• Our staff is trained to wave golfers on, acknowledge them, and resume work as soon as it’s safe—often right after golfers have hit or finished putting, but before they leave the green, depending on the group. Many of our regulars are familiar with this routine and encourage us to keep working.

Approximate Timelines for Key Tasks:

• Greens cutting and hole changing: 2 cutters, 3.5 hours
• Fairway mowing: 2 cutters, 5 hours
• Collars and approaches: 2 cutters, 3 hours

On days when we only have one cutter, these times double.

Unforeseen Challenges

Just when everything seems to be running smoothly, something unexpected often arises. Staffing levels are carefully managed to keep costs reasonable for golfers, and while we’re better staffed than many courses, our split-start system means that myself (the Superintendent), my assistant, or our mechanic are often the only ones available to handle emergencies.

For example, in one week alone, we dealt with three irrigation breaks—two on Pacific 1 and one on Pacific 7—as well as a city water line leak. Addressing these issues pulled us away from other essential tasks.

Training new staff also takes time. Operating our equipment requires skill and precision, especially on a challenging course like ours. New team members not only need to master the machinery but also learn how to safely interact with golfers—a process that requires patience from everyone involved.

Common Concerns from Golfers

From a golfer’s perspective, course maintenance can sometimes be frustrating. Here are some common questions we hear, along with explanations:

• “Why don’t they acknowledge us?”
  Our crew is trained to wave you on when it’s safe. We aim to balance safety with efficiency.
• “Why do they keep cutting while we’re on the hole?”
  In many cases, they are just a pass or two away from finishing that section and are trying to get out of your way as quickly as possible.
• “Why are there multiple carts near the fairway or green?”
  This usually indicates a problem we are trying to fix. If we need to work in an active area, we’ll set up protective nets for safety.
• “Why aren’t they wearing helmets?”
  Our crew is required to wear helmets when in play zones. Myself and my assistant often use covered carts, but if we are in a danger zone, we will wear helmets. We understand it might look odd, but please know we are adhering to safety protocols.
• “Why are the sprinklers on?”
  Watering the course is essential to maintaining the best possible playing conditions. Highland Pacific can dry out quickly, so irrigation is carefully timed to ensure the course stays in top shape.

We’re Here to Provide the Best Experience

Our goal is to provide you with the best possible golfing experience. If you ever encounter an issue with our maintenance practices, or feel that our crew isn’t following the guidelines, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or our General Manager, Jeff Palmer.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Enjoy your round!