A bunker raker admires his work as the sun sets on the Straits Course.

Walk mowing No. 5 green with a John Deere 180C.

Volunteers with bunker rakes in hand ready for a hayride to the course for the first evening shift of maintenance.

Golfer Steve Stricker mid-practice round encouraged the greens mowing crew to keep working while he putted out the hole.

John Reid, assistant greenkeeper of The Duke’s, St. Andrews, and Ryan Lindsley, Staits Course assistant-in-training, take time for a photo. (And thanks to Lindsley for valeting my Dodge Charger when I got to the course… but was that burn-out really necessary? Oh well, it’s a rental.)

The crew works to tidy up No. 5 fairway with their reflections bouncing off the water.

Walk mowing the green surround on No. 6.

Walk-mowing a tee box. Check out that Wisconsin sky over Lake Michigan!

The second cut is closely mowed by the lead mower… three staggered mowers follow his lead.

Grandstand facing the 18th and final hole of the PGA Championship with one of the signature bunkers situated next to the green of course.

Senior Assistant Superintendent Joe Sell directs traffic with rain clouds overhead ready to pour buckets on the crew.

The cart parade heading to the back nine holes pauses to receive directions from Joe Sell, senior assistant superintendent of Whistling Strait’s Straits course.

The bunker raking crew gets a ride to the far south end of the course.

Several weather delays put some excess water on the turf. Crew members used blowers to remove some of it before mowing.

The crew spends some down time with a game of pick up. Some of these kids have game, I’ve gotta say.

Dave Van Auken, superintendent at Bass Lake GC in Deerbrook, Wis., gives the Gremlin’s Ear bunker a raking