Golf course superintendents and their staff do much of their work behind the scenes.

Preparing the greens, fairways and rough for everyday play is sometimes a grueling, thankless job, but the Capital Region golfing community is fortunate to have so many dedicated experts who keep our favorite layouts in excellent condition.

One of the reasons the subject of course supers came up recently was that all the golf clubs I’ve played this month have been in spectac­ular shape, despite the unfavorable weather conditions. The recent spell of rainy, cool weather may have kept some golfers indoors, but they could be missing one of the best times of the year to play.

According to Orchard Creek course superintendent Pete Cure, it’s easier to keep area layouts in good shape in the spring than in the middle of the summer.

“Everyone has their own course and their own conditions, but what happens in weather like this is that it slows down the growth of the grass a little,” Cure said. “We are far enough into the season now that weather like this doesn’t hurt us at all. In fact, it helps a little, because many of us are short-staffed because we don’t have high school and college kids working for us yet. With the weather like this, the growth slows down, and it helps us keep the conditions up with a smaller staff.”

Most area courses are in peak condition, and the speed of the greens is just about perfect for the average player.

“The speed of the greens is

dictated by the weather. When there are humid, wet conditions, the speed of the green slows down. If it gets hotter and windier, the speed picks up. We keep the height of our greens about the same all the time. My golfers at Orchard Creek let me know if they like the speed of the greens or not.”

The surprising warm conditions in April gave most area courses a head start on their growth, and that’s why most local superintendents are in a pretty good mood right now.

“The conditions are great right now. We haven’t had any stressful weather to our courses yet. When we get to July and mid-August, those are the tough months for us. When we have extreme heat and drought conditions, superintendents get concerned.”

Cure said the only thing he has noticed about the cool, rainy con­ditions is that fewer golfers are out on the course.

“It’s not conducive to playing for many people. When we’re out on the course, we’re noticing fewer people out there.”

Friday marked Cure’s 10th anniversary as the Orchard Creek course superintendent.

“I started here when they first broke ground. It was something I had looked forward to. I wanted to grow into a course,” Cure said.

“Before I came here, I worked in Colorado, and I actually came on

after construction began. I missed the earth-moving stage, and I wanted to have the opportunity to be involved with all the construction right at the beginning. It was a great opportunity.”

Cure, the past president of the Northeastern Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Assoc­iation of America, is a Guilderland High School and Springfield College graduate. Besides the time he spent in Colorado, he worked at two different courses in Connect­icut for a total of 10 years.

“I got a call from the Orchard Creek owners, and I did some consulting for them when they started thinking about building a course there,” Cure said. “One thing led to another, and they ended up hiring me. I really appreciate coming back home to work here.”

Cure is just one of many outstanding course superintendents that keep Capital Region golf clubs running smoothly. The next time you see your club superintendent or one of his staff members mowing the grass, tip your hat to show your appreciation for a job well done.

NEW TOY

I’ve purchased a new piece of golf technology, and I can’t wait to try it.

After playing golf with a friend who owns the popular GPS system called the SkyCaddie, I finally gave into the temptation and bought one from Rick Wright, the director of golf at The Edison Club.

GPS systems, which are now legal for most amateur competitions, are even used in certain events held by the Northeastern New York PGA. They give accurate infor­mation about how far a golfer is from the front, middle and back of the green, as well as how far away any bunkers or water hazards are.

No more searching for 100-, 150- or 200-yard markers. I should have a much better idea of what club to hit on every shot. Plus, the SkyCaddie tells you exactly how far you hit the last shot. That’s extremely helpful in determining the true carry yardage of all my clubs.

Of course, the bad news is that I’ll have fewer excuses for my poor shots, but at least I’ll have more fun, and I should be able to play more quickly.

I’ll keep you informed on how this new toy works out.