Tree Work through this Mild Winter on the Golf Course

The grounds staff has had the opportunity to get out on the golf course and work on some tree pruning and removal with the mild winter weather we have experienced so far.  In the above pictures we are cutting back the the overgrowth on the left side of the 11th hole.  We will continue to remove any overgrowth around the golf course to provide a more fair and enjoyable experience for the members and golfers of all skill levels.

Trees to be removed this winter

There are a few trees on the golf course that are in a severe state of decline. As the above photos show, the trees are extremely weak and are a safety concern for anyone near these trees as they continue to drop limbs.  The first two photos are from the maple tree at the right and beginning of the 9th fairway.  This tree has been in a state of decline for over 6 years. The tree is a safety issue as well as a maintenance problem as it continuously drops dead limbs to the ground.  The second photo shows what happens as the dead debris falls from the tree and creates a mess below the tree.  The final photo is from another dying maple at the beginning, right of 10 fairway.  This tree does not impact playability and is more of an eye sore than anything.  It is easy to see all the dead limbs still in theses trees which represent the safety concerns with these trees.

#18 Project Update

As the above photos show, the new bunker on 18 is shaped out and and ready for the winter.  We are at a point now where we are ready to fine grade and sod as soon as we can in the spring.  If we were to sod now, the sod would not make it through the winter.  In the spring we will compact the bottom of the bunker and prepare to add the sand.  I believe this bunker along with the new hole orientation and changes to the landing area, will greatly improve the playability of this hole for all skill levels.

18 Master Plan Project

The excavator we used to shape the new bunker.

Removing soil from the new bunker.

We ran into numerous large rocks, glad we had an excavator to remove and continue to shape the new bunker.

The master plan project on the 18th hole is moving along nicely, thanks in large part to the nice weather we have experienced here recently.  We rented an excavator to perform the majority of the shaping process in laying out the new bunker.  We ran into a substantial amount of rock or bedrock during the shaping process so it was certainly nice to have the right equipment on the property to accomplish what we did.  The bunker is essentially shaped out now, all we have left to do is lay out the drainage and sod and shape the edges.  The fairway will be "Sprigged" in the same manner we did with the new chipping area, so this will take some time.  We will have to watch weather and determine if we are too late this year for sod to establish itself, otherwise the sod will not make it through the winter.  The fill from the new bunker was taken across the fairway and used to fill in the left fairway bunker which is now a flat area that blends in with the rest of the left rough on the hole.  More updates to come as we proceed with the project.

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

# 18 Master Plan Project Underway

We have begun work on the master plan project for the 18th hole.  Essentially what will happen is the first fairway bunker on the left will be removed filled in and regraded to the natural contour of the surrounding topography.  We will also reposition the first bunker on the right of the fairway to become a longer bunker running parallel to the fairway.  Last, the fairway will be widened on both sides of the fairway and will provide a bit more forgiving landing area off the tee.  The pictures above show some of the work in process.  We have removed whatever good sand that remained in the bunker and will be re-using it in the new bunker.  Also, the picture with the red flags in it designate where the "new" bunker will be. The picture with the white line in it marks where the new fairway edge will be.  The project will take a few weeks to complete and the finished product will not be realized until next season but I believe the change will definitely be positive and allow the hole to play how it should play.  As a result of the construction going on, the entire area will remain "Ground Under Repair" until further notice.

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

Thatch from Verticutting the lower half of #2 Fairway

The above picture shows exactly how much thatch material we are removing from the fairways.  The fairway is first verticut 2 different directions.  We then allow the thatch material to dry and then we blow it all to the middle of the fairway where it is then raked into piles and removed.  If there is any question why we are doing this process this picture shows just how much excess grass we have on the fairways.  Performing this process every year will inevitably yield some nice tight, upright growing fairways that provide an excellent playing surface to play on.  It is certainly a labor intensive process but will pay off in the long run.

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

#8 Fairway

As many are aware, the 8^th fairway was verticut a few weeks ago.  The process is intended to remove a substantial amount of organic matter from the upper inch of the playing surface (see previous blog for pictures of the process), which without removal, causes a puffy, leggy disease prone fairway.  Since this process has never been done to these fairways and there is an overwhelming amount of grass on them, it is going to take some time for the recovery process to complete as it is a fairly aggressive procedure.  This coupled with the fact that the beginning half of 8 fairway is situated on about an inch of soil, (below which is solid bedrock) gives the fairway the appearance of looking worse than it is.  We have taken the steps to allow the fairway to fill in as soon as possible.  The fairway has been core aerated and overseeded as well as fertilized to facilitate a quicker recovery.  Since the weather has been relatively warm, the fairway has not come along as we have expected but once the cooler nights set in, it will fill in very quickly.

Mike O’Neill

Superintendent