Getting our MOJO, MARMALADE, and MAGIC back!

How awe inspring this is every time I take a look at the 1937 aeral photograph of Minnesota Valley Country Club!! It's part of our makeup each and every day at this golf course. We know where we are, we know the history of this Raynor designed playing ground, we know how lucky we are to have this glorius golf ground as a workplace!! Take a good look at the original strategic design intent of the holes. Without trees comprimising it, it's easy to see how the bunkering was placed in the line of flight from the tee to fairway. The subtle but significant corners of the greens, squared and turned around the greenside bunkers to create danger. The vast majority of this design intent remains, but it now has another element.....trees to contend with. We now continue to seek a balance of the early design to the modern day game. Lengthening where it makes sense, removing trees where it makes sense, and returning bunker while altering their depth, size and location. The ground remains historic, and each golf season adds new stories to the history.

Late last week I could feel the mojo of our seasoned staff jelling together for another wonderful golf season. Green covers were off, half the course was vacuumed clean, fariways and tees were mowed for the first time,......spirits were high! As I drove the course early last Friday evening, the golf course looked as good as I remember in the springtime. I knew then that with a handful of good work days, the marmalade of turf that we work so hard to get just right would be very good to the anxious golf membership that waited all winter for another taste! That evening drive........Superintendent solitude....... that feeling that tells you the sauce is ready to taste! Last nights snowfall only dampens that spirit for a short while. As soon as we can return to the course, we'll put the finishing touches into it for what's going to be a great 2015 golf season! We targeted Friday as the opener, but it may turn out to be Saturday. Too early to tell though, what this snow will do and what a little more on Wednesday will do. All I know is we're close.......and the MOJO is back!!