Grand opening of practice green: Tues October 1.



The final piece of the "Short Game Area" will be in place with the opening of the practice green. This green was seeded on July 26th and after a short 10 week grow in it should be mature enough to accept chip shots. It is presently being cut at .180" and with our topdressing, height lowering program we will be at our regular greens height by next spring.



Practice tee recovery.......after 17 days.



Just 17 days of re-growth shows that this hybrid Bermudagrass has great potential.



This picture was 7 days after divots were filled.



Freshly filled divots.

Suggested practice tee divot pattern as recommended by the USGA.

You would think by scattering your divot pattern on the practice facility would allow the divots to heal the quickest. But the above pictures shows that if practice balls are hit in this fashion, less divot turf will be removed. This will hasten the healing of that area. This would also be true at the short game area.

Divot healing timeline on practice tee.



This picture was taken Sept 6th, 7 days after the 1st picture. You can see that significant healing has taken place on this L-36 Bermudagrass surface.



This photo was taken the following morning after use. The divots were filled with straight sand and no seed.



Jerry Stockmal celebrates 25 years at WVCC!



Grounds Department employee

reaches 25 years at WVCC !





Normally I would write about activities on the golf course but instead, I am sharing with the Whitemarsh membership a milestone achieved by one of our employees, Jerry Stockmal. Jerry has just completed 25 years of employment in the Grounds Department at WVCC. This length of service is very uncommon due to the demands that a job on the grounds staff requires.

I hired Jerry as an 18 year old kid just looking for a seasonal job; he has turned that “seasonal job” into a career. In the year following, he elevated himself to full time status but that was not enough for Jerry. He inquired about how to obtain a higher level position in the golf course maintenance field. Jerry decided to attend Rutgers University to enroll in their Golf Course Management program. After completing that program, he was promoted to 2nd Assistant Superintendent. His responsibilities and duties at WVCC have been growing from general maintenance and mowing to crew management, applying fertilizers, plant protectants and irrigation operations.

Eight years ago he was promoted to Senior Assistant Superintendent, making him second in charge in the grounds

maintenance department. His experience in this position has Jerry supervising installation of all new irrigation on the golf course that is done “in house” and even supervising contracted companies doing work at the club. Over the last three years with projects going

on in the fall, winter and spring he is there to make sure the grading, drainage and sod work is finished to WVCC specifications.

You will also see him involved in one of our many tree removals during the year that our own staff completes. So when you see Jerry out on the golf course working hard as usual, please congratulate him on the milestone he has attained.