Welcome

Tee Off With Joe

Welcome! My name is Joseph Villegas and I recently took over as Superintendent at Bretton Woods Recreation Center. This is my first of many blog posts. For those of you who do not know me, I grew up in Washington State and attended Washington State University. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Soil Science with an emphasis in Turfgrass Management. Right out of school, I worked for three years at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, OR. From there, I moved to Columbus, OH where I worked for two years at The Ohio State University Golf Club. Most recently, I worked at Burning Tree Club in Bethesda, MD for three and a half years.  I have been married for three years and my wife is a high school chemistry teacher at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, MD. I have been at the center for a month now and things have been great. I look forward to spending many years at the facility.

As for the course, the weather is dictating everything right now. The cold temperatures have been the norm for almost four months. The two most important concerns about the cold are how it will affect the greens and how it will affect the bermudagrass. Luckily for each, most often the coldest temperatures have followed significant snowfall. The snow acts as a blanket for the turf, protecting it from the harshest conditions. Each time the snow has melted and temperatures climb the greens have looked strong. As for the bermudagrass, dormancy is broken by warmer air and soil temperatures, meaning it will still be a few weeks before the fairways liven up. However, to simulate how the bermudagrass will respond when warmer temperatures arrive, we have three plugs in the office and each has greened up extremely well. This is a good sign.

The weather has also delayed spring cultural practices. Greens aeration should be occurring as I post this blog. We have altered our original plan so as to get done as fast as possible and make up the lost time.

The cold has not kept us from doing some work on the course though. I know you have seen the stump holes from all the trees that have been lost over the last couple of years. We have started the process of sodding the holes that are in play. We are throwing aerification cores into the holes that are more out of the way. We have also been through every bunker in detail, readjusting sand depths evenly throughout and pushing sand back up onto faces where it has washed down through the winter.

I have many ideas for improvements and changes that I think would benefit the membership of Bretton Woods. I also know that golfers have ideas for their course and I welcome the opportunity to discuss these improvements as well. Please feel free to contact me and we can discuss the changes that may make Bretton Woods better for everyone.

I can’t wait for the season to get going and I am sure you all are anxious as well. I inherited a golf course with a great amount of potential and I hope to make this season the best yet.