We at TurfNet intentionally stayed away from Merion Golf Club during Open week, anticipating adequate coverage from the regular turfies as well as near-manic '#Twysteria' from the cub reporters new on the scene.

Somebody had to stay home and tend to the rest of the turf industry.  

We saw little need to further clog up the maintenance area, tweet more images of "the fairway mowers going out!!!" or burden Matt Shaffer with yet another interview request.

But wait... Matt! What a class guy and fabulous ambassador for our segment of the industry!  I can't recall ANY golf event with more positive media coverage for the superintendent profession, and of course Matt was right there in the middle of it — always smiling, always humble, ever cool and collected.  That should come as no surprise, I suppose, to anyone who knows Matt.  That's just the way he is.

The success of the event (and skirting of near disaster) was, of course, a tribute to Matt's management skills and those of his inner circle (yeah, with a little luck thrown in too). The ability to orchestrate such a massive volunteer effort and tackle anything and everything Mother Nature threw at them was something to watch.  It's not often that the Good Mother loses, but in this instance she was outdone. 

I have never volunteered for an event like that, but I can only imagine the camaraderie among the volunteers, regardless of the level of fatigue or adrenalin rush.  I'm sure it was very much like what goes on in a hockey dressing room (of which I AM familiar), albeit on a larger scale. Those friendships and memories will endure.

I'm sure we will all look back on the 2013 US Open at Merion with images of red-blotched weather radar maps and an army of blue-shirted squeegee pushers — all holding their collective breath that the worst of the weather stops or takes a detour.  But for me, the lingering mental image of the week is of a smiling Matt Shaffer. I don't like the term deserve, but in this instance I'll go ahead and use it: Matt and staff really deserved the success and recognition they received.  Well done!