Progress protecting property

While the golf course maintenance facility is still far better than a barn, after 30 years our operation has outgrown it, and the structure is now undersized.  One of the consequences of this has been the need to store equipment outside.  

We are always mindful of protecting the Club's assets, and with a rough mower costing $100,000, having equipment exposed to the elements year round is definitely not ideal.  In order to limit the potential damage, we recently installed a carport.

Nobody enjoys climbing onto a tractor in the morning and sitting on a soaked seat.  The carport isn't 100% weather-proof, but it definitely is an improvement.

Play it as it lies?

 As most players know, geese on a golf course are not a great combination.  With 16 ponds and 40 acres of wetlands at Laurel Creek, it is an ongoing battle to prevent the goose population from exploding.  

If you do happen to get near one of their nests, you will find the geese acting like most parents, actively protecting their offspring--or potential offspring.  Interestingly, in some cases not everything that they are honking and flapping their wings about is likely to produce goslings:

Yes, not one, but two of the current nests on the course contain golf balls (along with a duck egg in one of them).  While not quite a fried-egg lie, it is undoubtedly a birds-nest lie, and the winged spectators won't approve of playing the ball as it lies here.  Should you find yourself in this situation, your best option may be to reference Rule 16.1b and take free relief.