The crew went out at 4 a.m. I arrived at 5 a.m. This is how much light we had…

Nice sunrise, utilizing a portable light here on No. 18 green.

Using the portable light for my own purposes…

LED light on tee box mower’s hat helps guide his path.

Raking bunkers as the sun comes up.

John Deere 2500Es mowing fairways on a beautiful Tuesday morning…

A Toro Sidewinder makes that special cut that directs balls into the bunkers.

The USGA closely checks green speed on No. 10 green.

Two Salsco rollers working in tandem.

It’s Bert Brace’s job to point out the spot where the fairway mowers need to start their cut, since it’s hard to pick up with the naked eye.

Deere mowers take care of a swath of No. 7 fairway.

Mowing No. 7 fairway. A similar team mows No. 3 fairway in the distance.

Oakmont uses four Jacobsen PGM walkmowers (22-inch mowers with 19-inch reels) simultaneously on the greens.

It was hard to capture all four greens mowers in the picture at the same time, but there’s a lot of eye contact among the guys as they criss-cross.

A roller works on No. 3 green at Oakmont.

The grass around the church pews on No. 3/4 get a quick drink.

Thanks to this staffer for not blasting me with water as I got close for a photo. He must read Golfdom.

Longtime friends John Zimmers Jr. (Oakmont) and Matt Shaffer (Merion) do their daily walk-through, discussing the fine details of that day’s conditions.

(L to R) Bill Cygan, West Course Superintendent, Winged Foot GC; Jim Skorulski, USGA Agronomist, Northeast; and Darin Bevard, USGA Director of Championship Agronomy, on No. 3 green.

Zimmers and Shaffer on No. 4 fairway.