With February coming to an end and golf season approaching, golfers throughout Maryland are looking forward to finally getting on the course. What I don’t know much about, and learn more here, is what the courses have to do to prepare themselves to be ready for the upcoming season. 
South River Golf Links in Edgewater, Md., is a private course just outside of Annapolis. David Fink has been working there throughout the spring and summer months for the past two years, and offers a unique perspective on what courses do to prepare for the huge numbers of golfers getting ready to play.
Q: How are you preparing for the upcoming golf season?
A: Right now its more difficult than ever because of the amount of snow that the course is getting. For me, the real work I do starts next month when the course opens up full-time and more golfers start to play. I’ll try to get the course ready by making sure the shop is open and people can find the bags, clubs, or golf apparel that they need.
Q: So what do you see being done around the course by the greens keepers? And what do you kind of shape will the course be in?
A: What most people don’t realize is that keeping the course in shape is a year round job. There are things to do all the time, and jobs that everybody at South River has to do in order to get the course ready. They even have to maintain the ponds and bunkers, and then obviously keep up the greens and fairways so that they are in good shape. They have a tough job to do, but the course is always in great shape every spring. The snow makes it harder, but the job will get done.
Q: Are there any changes to the course being made for the spring?
The most important change is that the course is now being made an official club that you have to be a member to play. With this drastic change, South River will now have a new full driving range, a new dining area, and new parts to the pro shop. The course itself might change in changing the ninth hole, and the back nine might become the front nine. I’m sure there will be a bunch of new additions to the course to improve everything about it.
Q: What advice do you have to people who are preparing for this golf season?
A: My advice is to always go to the range first. Test out the clubs that may have been put away for awhile. Obviously our pro shop has everything that you need, but it’s always good to check everything in your bag before you play your first round. You never want to start out the year by having a bad round or missing a club, so it’s important. Other than that, golf is a fun sport, so just go out there and play the game.
For more information on the Golf Club at South River look at their website here. They have everything you would want from a course, and includes a dining area and bar. Having played the course before, it really is a great experience and a nice course that you will definitely enjoy.
