LedgeRock's FitzGerald & The Long Game
LedgeRock Golf Club: View from the iconic 9th green.
April 26th 2020
Before LedgeRock, Superintendent Alan FitzGerald spent his time grooming the grounds at Pine Valley Golf Club. He did his part in upholding the World's number 1 golf clubs reputation for pristine conditioning. He was hired at LedgeRock (Monthon Pa) before construction back in 2005 and brought his ambition for never ending improvement with him. 15 years later and FitzGerald is still at it. LedgeRock is known as one of the premier clubs in Philadelphia Area and continuously offers its members two things on an annual basis.
1) PGA Conditions Daily. When one thinks PGA Conditions, you may immediately think fast greens. This is the case at LedgeRock as the greens were built and designed for tournament speed consistently rolling at 13+ on the stimpmeter, but attention to detail is shown throughout the entire course. The fairways are firm and fast, the rough is manicured but thick, and the natural areas with mature trees and fescue even seem to perfect. This is the result of a membership dedicated to providing the adequate resources and FitzGerald carrying out a vision that provides some of the best amateurs in the country a proven training ground. LedgeRock is the course Senior Amateur Chip Lutz uses to keep his game in shape before majors. Stanford's Nate Menon grew up at LedgeRock and can still be found training at when home visiting family. 2016 Pa Senior Amatuer Champion Scott Mayne is also a member and utilizes LedgeRock to train year around. "Some of the many benefits of being at LedgeRock is after training and playing here, with the conditions, and the player competition you find here, and the ability to train year around with the heated bays, you are never really wowed when entering tournaments anywhere else. The conditions here keep us ready to play anywhere at anytime," said a LedgeRock Member.
2) Course Improvements.
USGA recommends bunker renovations every year which is a feat most golf courses simply can not afford. Many higher end clubs across the globe with flush capital budgets save a great deal avoiding bunker renovations by utilizing various different liner products. With favorable climate conditions this can be done affordably and provide an immense savings. When LedgeRock's Alan FitzGerald first started investigating he had some major concerns with the use of such liners in his Clubs home Mohnton Pa. It gets well below freezing in the winter and spring
April, Easter has come and gone, flowers are blooming, weather is turning for the better, and Pennsylvanians are still not allowed to play golf per state order from Governor Wolf. Golfers across the state are protesting. Both private and public clubs are in big trouble. On top of all the turmoil, fishing is allowed. Golfers are accusing the state of allowing fishing due to the massive revenue it brings in through license sales but there is no golf tax, so Golfers sit tight. How long you might ask? It's very unclear. Governor Wolf has a timeline but how many steps till life gets back to normal? Where does golf fit on the timeline? No one knows.
You may have never heard of LedgeRock Golf Club, or perhaps you have? LedgeRock is a championship golf course with a small exclusive membership in Mohnton Pa. Home club to Senior Amatuer Chip Lutz and Stanford stud Nate Menon. Also home to nationally recognized employees Alan FitzGerald and Andy Miller.
1) PGA Conditions Daily. When one thinks PGA Conditions, you may immediately think fast greens. This is the case at LedgeRock as the greens were built and designed for tournament speed consistently rolling at 13+ on the stimpmeter, but attention to detail is shown throughout the entire course. The fairways are firm and fast, the rough is manicured but thick, and the natural areas with mature trees and fescue even seem to perfect. This is the result of a membership dedicated to providing the adequate resources and FitzGerald carrying out a vision that provides some of the best amateurs in the country a proven training ground. LedgeRock is the course Senior Amateur Chip Lutz uses to keep his game in shape before majors. Stanford's Nate Menon grew up at LedgeRock and can still be found training at when home visiting family. 2016 Pa Senior Amatuer Champion Scott Mayne is also a member and utilizes LedgeRock to train year around. "Some of the many benefits of being at LedgeRock is after training and playing here, with the conditions, and the player competition you find here, and the ability to train year around with the heated bays, you are never really wowed when entering tournaments anywhere else. The conditions here keep us ready to play anywhere at anytime," said a LedgeRock Member.
2) Course Improvements.
USGA recommends bunker renovations every year which is a feat most golf courses simply can not afford. Many higher end clubs across the globe with flush capital budgets save a great deal avoiding bunker renovations by utilizing various different liner products. With favorable climate conditions this can be done affordably and provide an immense savings. When LedgeRock's Alan FitzGerald first started investigating he had some major concerns with the use of such liners in his Clubs home Mohnton Pa. It gets well below freezing in the winter and spring
April, Easter has come and gone, flowers are blooming, weather is turning for the better, and Pennsylvanians are still not allowed to play golf per state order from Governor Wolf. Golfers across the state are protesting. Both private and public clubs are in big trouble. On top of all the turmoil, fishing is allowed. Golfers are accusing the state of allowing fishing due to the massive revenue it brings in through license sales but there is no golf tax, so Golfers sit tight. How long you might ask? It's very unclear. Governor Wolf has a timeline but how many steps till life gets back to normal? Where does golf fit on the timeline? No one knows.
You may have never heard of LedgeRock Golf Club, or perhaps you have? LedgeRock is a championship golf course with a small exclusive membership in Mohnton Pa. Home club to Senior Amatuer Chip Lutz and Stanford stud Nate Menon. Also home to nationally recognized employees Alan FitzGerald and Andy Miller.
While the Golf Industry is shut down in Pa, Fitzgerald and Miller have been busy. Very busy. FitzGerald came from world #1 Pine Valley Golf Club and has been with LedgeRock since construction in 2006. Last year, FitzGerald and Rees Jones started working on some changes to holes 6/10/11 and the work had been so well recieved by the membership they decided to move forward with improvements to holes 1 and 17. The work on 17 is extensive to say the least. Chipping areas have been added all the way around the green, a green side bunker removed, fairway expansion, and a bunker renovation in the fairway.
Brandon Johnson attempting an up and down save from over the green.
Is there fun? Of course. @VGAGolf and @The_Greenbrier have a full schedule around the golf for all and there is no shortage of amenities at @The_Greenbrier. New relationships are made, old relationships are strengthened at events like these and the @VGAGolf provides is a very healthy community for these soldiers. The smiles are contagious around @The_Greenbrier this week!
Will Metcalf holes out for an eagle.
So who will win? With so many great players and so much movement on the board its still anyone's championship. @VGAGolf partner @Golf_Status is providing live scoring ~ www.GolfStatus.com
Follow along as @The_Greenbrier Old White Course provides us with out 2019 Veteran Golfers Association Champion tomorrow, Wednesday October 30th starting at 9am.
Follow along as @The_Greenbrier Old White Course provides us with out 2019 Veteran Golfers Association Champion tomorrow, Wednesday October 30th starting at 9am.
Photos Provided By: @NCR1183