Farmstead Golf Links December 2015

Farmstead_18_Green_with_Clubhouse_700pxFarmstead Golf Links December 2015 update talks of the course offering pristine greens year-round.  On this edition of Tee It UP Grand Strand, host Shan Coughlin is on location at Farmstead Golf Links with general manager Jason Monahan and superintendent Matt Smith. Offering excellent December golf conditions, great packages and pristine greens, Farmstead Golf Links provides something for everyone.  With December temperatures in the 70s, Monahan encourages northern golfers to travel south for optimum golfing conditions along the Grand Strand.

“This is exactly why we want people coming down at this time frame of the year,” Monahan said. “They can shovel their driveway before they depart, come down here and wear their shorts and their polo shirt, and enjoy a round of golf!” he said.  Standing on the putting green, Coughlin turns the conversation to what the course is notorious for – fantastic greens. Smith has been with Farmstead Golf Links for more than 15 years and even in the wake of rainy, bad weather, he and his crew manage to keep the greens rolling smooth.  Smith said caring for the greens takes a combination of things, but they base it all off the stimpmeter readings.  “We try to shoot for 9 ½ to a 10 ½,” he explained. He said if they come up on the lower end of the spectrum, they will roll the grass an extra day and throw some topdressing sand out to firm and speed them up some, along with cutting down on the fertilizer rates and growth regulators.  

“As you’ve said,” Monahan directed to Coughlin, “we have earned a reputation for the quality of our putting surfaces. Customers know when they come to Farmstead Golf Links, they are going to get the most optimal putting surface they’re going to see – year round!”  For those listening in on one of the many radio apps, Coughlin said they certainly appreciate it, but be sure to visit TheGolfDirector.com and click on the streaming media or TV tab to watch this interview for the Farmstead Golf Links December update and see just what is being discussed.

Coughlin turned the conversation back to the greens and asked Smith to explain the topdressing and fertilizer processes.  “Basically, what we do with the topdressing is we throw a certain amount of sand out and brush it in and get it up underneath the canopy of the grass. So, that just creates a smoother, faster, firmer surface.” He said this essentially makes the grass seem shorter, without actually taking away any height. As far as fertilizer is concerned, Smith said they do not overfeed the grass, but give it just enough to survive week-to-week, and that tends to keep them firmer and faster as well as healthier.  Our Farmstead Golf Links December 2015 visit proves this to be the case.

FarmsteadCoughlin asked Monahan if he has a favorite green at Farmstead Golf Links, and he replied, “Every green, with the condition of these, is my favorite green.”  Monahan continued, “They’ve got it as much as you can have it down, we are coming into a season of some very adverse weather. We’re going to have days where it’s 75 [degrees], we could have days where it’s in the low 60s, at night times it’s dipping near the freezing line. So for them to keep the greens and the grass healthy and consistent throughout this time period, really enough can’t be said about what they do out there. And as long as [the greens are] green and they’re rolling well, we’re happy in the golf shop.”

Smith told Coughlin he is always looking at playability at Farmstead and he knows what a golfer wants and how they want the course to play – as firm and as fast as it can. He said that’s what they try to do at Farmstead Golf Links.  Monahan said with the course being a link-style course, they don’t experience a lot of undulation, or wave-like movement on the grass, so they are able to keep the speed on the higher end – around a 10. Keeping at this number also ensures that the speed isn’t too fast for the average golfer. He said this also keeps course play time between four to four and a half hours, which is an an enjoyable pace and gives golfers the best experience possible.

For more information about annual membership opportunities, the snowbird program, course conditions, and playing at Farmstead Golf Links, log onto www.FarmsteadGolfLinks.com, or visit TheGolfDirector.com for links and more info.