Supply Issues

Supply chain issues are a new challenge to contend with this year.  A nine month wait for the much needed replacement tractor ended in October.  We have a number of equipment repairs to make that we cannot get parts for.  There are also repairs that are in mid stream anxiously awaiting the last piece for completion.  Most recently the gearbox on our 20 year old vacuum gave out.  The vac is made in Canada and the gearbox is made in Italy.  Unfortunately they don't make parts for that machine anymore and it is beyond repair.  Mike is modifying the trailer and box portion of the vacuum with a skid mounted vac as soon as the unit arrives.  Until then we are handcuffed when it comes to leaf removal.  

The dead gearbox for the vacuum.  That hole on the right side isn't supposed to be there.

A sinkhole on 16 resulting from a broken drain pipe is still awaiting a part after nearly 3 months.  We have a number of other similar breaks throughout the course, but are afraid to dig them up for fear we won't be able to repair them quickly.  We don't want to have a bunch of holes on the golf course, but we have to dig them up in order to know what the problem is.  The fitting for 16 was over $700 so ordering a bunch of fittings and hoping we get the right sizes is not an option.   We'll be doing some re-con this winter and hopefully supplies will start to become more readily available.

This is a 24" pipe with a 12" tee.  The tee finally gave way.  This is a common failure in our nearly 30 year old drain inlets.  There are a variety of different pipe and tee size combinations on the course.

We dug up the problem, ordered the parts, and buried it until the parts arrive. 
Thankfully it hasn't rained in 6 weeks.