Preakness Valley Golf Course

Just moved back to the area, tried out an old course (Passaic County) that I played back in High School. Much to my suprise there has been many improvements...Great job!!! I will definitely be going back!

Golf courses get their heaviest play on weekends and we have a Greenkeeper who doesnt work on any of them. Why not? It could be because the County let him join a union and now they have to pay him overtime even though he is part of the management or it could be because they dont have the willpower to stagger his work schedule occasionally so he is at the Golf Course once in awhile on a weekend. The County lets him use a County truck and County gas to commute back and forth from his home every day so they should make one of his work days a weekend. I don't expect him there each and every weekend but I do expect to see him there sometimes, instead of never. What other Golf Course has a greenskeeper who works Monday to Friday only? Take a Monday off and come in on Saturday or Sunday. Take a Friday off and come in on Saturday or Sunday. We would like to meet you since we have only heard we have a greenkeeper but have never seen one. Judging from the poorly maintained areas around and on the greens I think it is just a false rumor anyway .

Perhaps if you (the greenskeeper) made an attempt to learn how to play you would also have an idea of the frustrations we have to suffer every day at this poorly run and maintained Golf Course. The greens look nice from a distance but then we have to putt on them. They aren't nice to putt on with a stimpmeter speed of 3 to 4 and that is a generous speed on some days.

The US Open should hire this guy. I am sure the elite golfers would be just as thrilled with the 6 inch and higher grass surrounding all of the greens. Don't ever expect to see a second cut on the fringe. If you need some balls you should come to this golf course. After searching for a few minutes you will find some that have been lost just in back of the first and only cut fringe. All you will need is a rake to uncover them.

This past Sunday we had the pleasure of having 16 out of 18 greens with a pin placement within 5 feet of the fringe. Perhaps this is a new and novel way to preserve the center of all these greens. I would suggest roping off the center though because everybody had to walk back and forth across the entire green to putt. I am also assuming the ball was found if the green wasnt hit in regulation.

Yes, I know we can complain and we do. The standard answer from the club house on a weekend is either "consider it a challenge" or "tell the greenskeeper". Gee, what a great idea! Why don't we call him at home and ask him to commute here in the County truck and fill it up when he gets here so we can. What? We have to come back during the week? He isn't available during the weekend you say?

Greens fees have been rising every year along with the grass. The County is pouring a ton of money into new tees and an irrigation system. With this greenskeeper still working there I can only see higher grass for the money because he has never heard of lowering the blades on a lawn mower. Now he will be able to water the rough and get it really high if it would only quit falling over from its outrageous height. Instead of out of bounds stakes and hazard stakes I expect to see stakes around the greens to hold up the grass.

I think it is time for Passaic County to hire a greenskeeper. We need a greenskeeper who believes in doing his job, one who really cares about the game and how it is played and give us a course that is playable. The current greenskeeper is only interested in looks and not playability. He should get his resume in order, turn in the county truck and find a job as a landscaper.

John07507