HGCC In The Know

2022 LPGA Tournament of Champions

This past week Assistant Superintendent, Chris Coddington headed south to Lake Nona Country Club in Orlando, FL to work the opening LPGA Tournament of the season The Hilton Vacations Tournament of Champions. Starting Wednesday, January 18 through Sunday, January 23 Chris assisted the Management Team at Lake Nona by overseeing all aspects of the Driving Range and Fairways along with assisting in other areas that were needed.

His day started at 3:45AM when the Management Team would arrive to meet and prepare for the maintenance team to arrive at 4:30AM. Here is a timeline of daily assignments they encountered everyday of the tournament.

3:45AM Management Team Arrive and Meet

4:30AM Staff Meeting and Job Assignments

4:40AM Head out on course to prepare for 7:15 Tee Times off #1 and #10 Tees

Mow and Roll Greens

Check Moisture on all turf (greens, tees, and fairways)

Mow Tees (That were being used for that day)

Rake All Bunkers on the course

Mow Driving Range and Set up for use by 6AM

Set Cups to Pin Sheets

Blow off all turf areas in play where needed (Greens, Tees, Fairways, Rough)

Final ride around with LPGA Officials to set tee markers and check conditions from tee to green on every hole. Address any issue once the sun rose before players teed off.

7:30AM Staff Breakfast

7:30AM to End of Round==On call for any LPGA issue that would arise throughout the tournament.

1:00PM Staff Lunch

3:30PM Management Meeting

4:00PM Staff Meeting and Job Assignments

4:30PM to Completion (usually 8PM/9PM)

Mow greens

Mow Tees

Mow Intermediates and player walkways

Mow Fairways

Moisture Management (Greens, Tees, Fairways, Rough)

Reset any ropes from galleries

Blow any clippings, pick divots from tees and fairways

Fill all divots tees and fairways

Although it was cooler than normal in Florida and the days were long it was a pleasure to work with a maintenance staff that had invested so much prep time to this tournament. Lake Nona will host the LPGA Hilton Vacations Tournament of Champions for the foreseeable future and Chris will be heading back January of 2023 to assist again. It was bitter sweet for Chris as he not only got to work the LPGA tournament but also got to work along side his son, Corey, who is an up and coming member of the turf grass profession as the Assistant in Training at Lake Nona Country Club!

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