Last Monday saw us have the largest group of staff available on the courses for just routine maintenance in twelve years.  There were seventeen of us and next Monday when the new mechanic starts that will make eighteen, which mightn’t sound very exciting, but it certainly is for us and the work output we can achieve.  The West course was closed until 10am last Monday and even some of my more recent newer crew members were amazed at the amount of work we were able to complete unimpeded by play.  Being dry first thing in the morning was a help as we were able to get all West course tees and collars renovated.  At that stage we thought it was going to take some of the pressure off for next week's upcoming West greens renovation and allow us to concentrate on the greens alone.  Unfortunately the weather forecast doesn't look good with rain forecast each day next week so a modified renovation will be required.  We have had to do that over the last couple of years with some rain interfering but it is some time since I have had a full week of rain forecast in renovation week.

I mentioned our new mechanic starting next week and he is a local who has worked his way up to foreman at a local car dealership workshop.  Although he doesn't have golf course experience he has the mechanical aptitude and even in interview and at today's induction showed great eagerness and we have no doubt he will pick up where Craig left off.

Interesting talking about staff numbers.  Royal Melbourne GC just hosted the Asia Pacific Championship and only had two volunteers join their regular crew of forty six.  When Royal hosted the 1988 Bi-Centennial Classic I went over from Victoria GC to volunteer and took the crew for the week up to fifteen.  How things have changed and yet the course was lauded then as being in fabulous condition and the tournament was one of the biggest Australia had ever seen.

RMGC Crew.    What we could do with these numbers and machinery??

Wow that was a heck of a weather cell that just blew through the courses.  Absolute gale force southerly winds and on a quick run around the courses no trees down but debris everywhere.  Just the normal weekend crew in tomorrow so no bunkers will be raked as we will need to clean up the tees and greens as best we can in front of play.  It's not often that planes can't land at Coolangatta and are diverted to Brisbane or even circle around Byron Bay for twenty minutes waiting while the cell went through.

1W fairway after the cell blew through!!