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This is the par-4 ninth hole at Valhalla GC, an uphill hole playing back into the clubhouse.
This is the par-4 ninth hole at Valhalla GC, an uphill hole playing back into the clubhouse.
The view from behind the green on the first hole. The maintenance facility at Valhalla sits along the left side of this hole.
The par-3 eighth hole at Valhalla. Not sure if the photo does justice to the undulations on the green or the steepness of the slopes around it. Any shot that slides just a few feet off the putting surface is going for a ride.
Jacobsen has a team on site to assist in equipment maintenance and prep this week. They brought this snazzy trailer with them.
The other end of Jacobsen's turf care trailer, which comes complete with a wide-screen TV on the side.
Valhalla superintendent Mark Wilson (blue vest, left) directs crew members as they prepare to hit the course on Monday afternoon.
Another shot of Wilson on Monday afternoon. This time he isn't blocking his face with his arm.
The interview room inside the media center. Hope you caught the video tour of the media center I posted earlier.
A shot of the only real effects of Sunday's nasty weather in Louisville. This is the back side of the 12th green, where a TV tower toppled over in the high winds, damaging the green. Maintenance used a cup cutter to lay in new sod to repair the damage, and will be topdressing these areas throughout the week.
This is the only other spot on No. 12 where damage was visible from the gallery ropes. Both areas are on parts of the green that will not be used for hole locations during competition.
Bill Newton, GCSAA's media/public relations manager, wanders through the TV compound, looking to spread the GCSAA gospel.
A wider shot of the TV compound. NBC and ESPN are based here, along with a number of international broadcast partners.
The view from high atop XM Radio's onsite broadcast position off the 18th fairway. PGA Tour Radio's live broadcasts will originate here this week.
Valhalla super Mark Wilson is big on sayings. Successories posters fill his office, other motivational sayings are painted on the walls of the maintenance facility, and this plaque sits on his desk.
Wilson (right) chats with Kerry Haigh, the PGA of America's managing director of championships (green shirt) and U.S. team assistant Raymond Floyd at the maintenance facility on Tuesday afternoon.
ZZ Top would have loved the maintenance team Tuesday. The ladies go crazy for a sharp dressed course worker!
Paul Aziner, U.S. team captain, arrives at the maintenance facility Tuesday afternoon to address the troops.
"Everyone of you has given us the best opportunity at home to win these matches. It's up to us to go out and do it. I want to thank you for everything you've done," Azinger told the maintenance team.
Azinger spent about 10 minutes signing autographs following his address to the maintenance team Tuesday.
Club Car provided specially designed golf carts for both teams use this week. This is Azinger's sweet ride.
Both the front and back seats of the carts are adorned with these flags. Of course, the Euros went with the blue circle-of-stars thing.
Mark Wilson gets ready to get a little face time on the Golf Channel Wednesday afternoon.
A few minutes before going live, Wilson got a phone call from PGA tournament guru Kerry Haigh. The Golf Channel guys were only mildly freaked.
While Wilson conducted his part of the interview from this perch behind the 18th green, the Golf Channel's on-air talent were asking the questions from their broadcast position just off the ninth hole.
Hey look! It's the GCSAA commercial running in the media center! Right next to a PGA of America logo! Two great tastes that go great together!
On Thursday afternoon, the Stars and Stripes began to appear on various pieces of maintenance equipment, including these Jacobsen greensmowers.
That's GCSAA CEO Mark Woodward in the black shirt and bucket hat chatting with a group inside the maintenance facility at Valhalla. Ohio State turf professor Karl Danneberger, Ph.D. is in the blue shirt.
Members of the maintenance team pass the time while waiting for Thursday afternoon's rounds with a game of beanbag toss.
A thank-you banner from seed company Barenbrug, one of many adorning the walls of the maintenance hospitality tent at Valhalla.
The par-3 eighth hole runs right along the back side of Valhalla's maintenance area, giving the crew its own private viewing area.
Members of the maintenance team check out the action on the eighth hole. I took this one from the wrong side of the fence ... just a little joke there. A very little joke.
Look what you can buy in the merchandise tent: an autograph pen and a Ryder Cup flag, perfect for getting autographs. Now, see the next photo.
Superintendent Mark Wilson, CGCS, begins to mobilize his troops for rounds in between the morning and afternoon matches on day one of the Ryder Cup.
