Fall 2023 Review
We didn't get a fall blog posted so a quick round-up is in order for the close of the 2023 season. Bunker rebuilding was still on the list and the bunkers on 9 green were the target. Drainage, capillary concrete and new Pro Angle sand was installed. Ran out of weather for finishing all sodding so we'll need to button those areas up this spring. They came out perfect and we're confident they'll be better to play from.
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| 9 green bunker before |
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| 9 green shaping up |
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| 9 green right |
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| 9 green new bunkers |
Targets
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| Target greens |
On a great suggestion from Head Professional Jason Wall, we killed off and scalped out the range target areas and have planted them to a dwarf bluegrass cultivar. We'll mow these at tee height which creates a more realistic looking target green for the warm-up area.
Fall Seeding
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| Slit seeding perennial ryegrass |
As per our usual, overseeding was completed in late September and results were excellent. As we chase better fairway quality, for current circumstances, pushing perennial ryegrass and dry mowing is paying off. Consistency and density has improved and for the immediate future this will be our approach. While talk of bentgrass fairways isn't dead, there's vastly more to it that needs to be discussed; perhaps another time when a new irrigation system can be more seriously considered.
New Maintenance Facility Update
After the first full season working out of the new maintenance building I can assure the members that there isn't a detail that was overlooked. We are safer, more efficient, and energized to be working out of this facility. The pride in the grounds crew is palpable and their good attitudes toward the property are contagious. From the pictures below you can get an idea of why it was such a big deal for the maintenance department to upgrade. It truly is a state-of-the-art facility.
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| 2022 |
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| 2022 |
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| 2023 |
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| 2023 |
Tree Removals
Every winter conditions eventually get firm enough to thin out areas that are dense with shade. This winter, work was between holes 5 and 14. Approximately 40 trees were completely removed by our maintenance staff. When we're fortunate to have an excavator on site (Thanks Jeff Hanlon), we dig the stumps as opposed to grinding them. Shallow rock makes stump grinding slow, incomplete, and expensive. We also took 3 major trees down that were directly west of 5 green. This will let more sun onto the green and reduce debris that lands on the green through spring and fall. Unrelated freebie: all the pear trees lining 9 fairway got a much needed trimming from the county highway department!
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| Whole stump removal |
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| 5 and 14 |
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| 5 green from approach |
Winterkill (not) |
| 4 green damaged in 2014 |
Holding our breath for the rest of the winter but conditions haven't been a cause for concern. The mechanism for killing Poa annua in greens is generally an unseasonable warm up, rain or melt water puddling on surfaces followed by a fast, hard freeze. We've had the warm up, but not enough moisture or fast freeze up. We still have February to go, so no promises, but odds are getting better we've gotten through without a winterkill adventure.
