Only 7 Days?!

Has it really only been a week since I last posted? Seems like way more than that. It is officially August and I hope this is the fastest one in history. I say that because the turf is struggling and it is hard to accomplish anything until after all the tourists leave and play subsides a bit. Our attempts to spike/aerify and seed the 8th fairway have proven fruitless and it was not easy to get out there in amongst the play. The weather is usually better after august as well so you might be guessing it is not my favorite month. We will be sowing some seed this September.

Just a few minor happenings this week: Monday night we had a 4x4 vehicle climb over the sod walls on 2 tee and tear up the 1st fairway, rough, green side bunker, nursery and lesson bunker as well as a bit of 2 fairway. They also terrorized the roads and parking lot. More turf is sliding as a few tees are giving up the ghost as well as rough and fairways for that matter, but hopefully today's solid tine aerifying of tees and the showers we received will improve the tees etc. Additional or the same vandals returned wed. evening and this time when tearing up the parking lot woke me up. I watched them drive off and stop at the 2nd tees. Probably trying to figure out how to get this different vehicle over the sod wall. Original vehicle was, I assume, a jeep since the police found a stolen one abandoned in town and it matched the wheel base and tire tracks of our damage this vehicle was a suburban, so much larger. I proceeded to dress, (remember it is 3AM my heart is pounding I am running from window to window thinking when do I stop watching? where are my shoes? do I need socks? are these the same guys or random parking lot vandals?) and jump in my truck. I headed down Golf Club Road to Franklin St.and then Bigelow Rd to try and cut off any escape route I cannot tell you my speed because I did not look but suffice to say it was above the limit. I came upon them as they were turning around at Hill Top Rd. to head back to the 2 tee area they just left. I jumped out of my truck, not really sure why, but as the driver saw the logo on the door he took off. I pursued and we went down past the tees and they took a left onto Mink Meadows Rd and then they took a right down Goff Rd. I was on the phone arguing with Siri at this point saying 'call Com Center' and she is responding 'calling Connie O'Doherty'. Sorry Connie if that went through at 3:15 AM. As I posted on Twitter later: "never get in a high speed chase on dark country roads with the guy who plows them in a blizzard #knowthemlikethebackofmyhand." We had several trees come down in the Blizzard last winter right in this area and you get quite familiar when plowing in white out conditions especially when you have to back up using only side mirrors.
Anyway, I call in to the communications center and tell them I caught some vandals and give them the description of the vehicle and plate number. Ten minutes later I call the Tisbury police number and hang up when I get the recording. Another 15 minutes goes by and still no Police. I call the com center again and she tells me they are at the clubhouse dealing with the vandals. I explain again I have them blocked on a dead-end road and can see them in the car. She calls in to the police, they respond to her and we hang up.

"remember it is 3AM my heart is pounding I am running from window to window thinking when do I stop watching? where are my shoes? do I need socks? are these the same guys or random parking lot vandals?"


Within minutes an Edgartown K-9 unit arrives. He tells me there is a stolen car ( Father Nagle's) in the parking lot that he has been chasing around Edgartown all night. Next the Tisbury officer I filed the report on Tuesday with shows up and tells me there was a kid hiding in the car when they came through who ran onto the course so a foot chase was in the works. They assumed this was what I had called in originally. They proceed to deal with the two youths I chased down. While I waited for them I kept myself busy by writing down the events signing and dating this document. I proceed to give them this as two other officers arrive: the other Tisbury one from Tuesday and an Oak Bluffs officer. I overhear them talking and it turns out to be three 15yr old kids. They proceed to do whatever it is they do and I am stuck with three police cars behind me. I ask to be released so I can go about my day. It is normal time for breakfast after all and I have an 8 o'clock shotgun for the Ladies Member Guest. I go back to the apartment and the lazy dog has not even woken up yet, crazy.
There was no further damage to the course and what ever they did to the parking lot is done so often no one even noticed. I have not heard another word from the officials so not sure where it all stands. I hope thee kids were responsible for the jeep and that gets tacked onto their crimes because then they would be the ones who did the damage to the course Monday night. Either way I assume car theft is a serious crime and will be handled appropriately.

Vandalism damage Monday night

K-9 unit and club truck

 Speaking of dogs my request to let the barking, excited, police dog out to give the boys a little talking to were rejected. Too bad. Maybe he/she was able to get in on the foot chase of the other kid. I am hoping for a lot less drama the rest of the summer but with The President and his family coming out for a visit one never knows. If the minor issues I am seeing with the greens does not improve I may do a solid core venting next week to try and breath some air into them. If it were early September our regular deep-tine aerification would be in the works but that is a month away. Thanks in advance for your patience in this matter.

Fairway Fred "I am a good putter"

Also in the last week a 4-some of Mink Members Fred, Rusty, John Rancourt and Doc Santos joined my wife and me playing in a charity event at Swansea CC. My friend and colleague Bill Coulter and his Wife Melissa lost their only child Patrick and have this tourney to raise scholarship money in Patrick's name. Their team tied the 50/50 putting contest and they made Fred putt in the one try closet putt-off. Fred who is known to mutter I am a good putter after getting grief for leaving important putts short did his famous lag for the win. Way to go Fred. and thanks again guys for making the trip.