Another Step

Work continues on the drainage project. The staff was able to finish up the clean up on Hole 7 Friday, just in time for the holiday weekend. Our next "Retired Muscle" help will in the seeding of all damaged areas that were disturbed during the installation process. This next week, our staff will begin to prepare for sod in all the rough areas. Catch basins will be set to grade and fairway sod will begin to be laid on the trenches where needed. I am hoping to wrap up the whole project in 2 weeks and begin to focus our efforts on maintaining the golf course to the highest standards that we have set. Once again, thanks to the benefactors and volunteers to help make this project possible. Pictures will be posted soon.

At it Again

Yeserday, another volunteer crew showed up to help in the clean up of the drainage project. We had 14 dedicated members and my staff of 5 worked hole 14 with cleaning the old spoils, raking leaves, adjusting the gravel and then topping the trenches off with sand. At the same time, we had a small crew hand seeding any of the disturbed areas on holes 4 and 6. After hole 14 was done, the crew headed over to hole 7 to clean up those new trenches. Our staff was able to trench and install the 385' across the fairway and up to the wet spot on the left on Monday. We would have had it all done except that the rains came about 2 hours too early. Anyway, the crew was able to top the trenches with sand. Later, my staff went out and picked up some of the spoils piles. We will get that finished by the weekend.

Next week, ther is a High School Regional match on Tuesday. Starting Wednesday, I will have additional help to be able to stay with the project. Sodding in the fairways is the first priority and then we will take care of all the disturbed areas. Once again, thanks to all my "retired muscle".

A Little Muscle

It is amazing what can be accomplished with a little muscle. On Wednesday, 12 volunteers and 5 staff members began the tedious task of cleaning the fairways from last years drainage installation. We were able to clean up all debris and backfill the drain tiles with sand We completed holes 4, 6, and 7. There are a few catch basins yet to set to grade and all the spoil piles to be leveled out. The next phase on those holes is to prep for sod on all the run tiles and the damage areas. Some of the tile lines will be left open to collect water quickly. Once all the fairways are preped, we will sod those areas with sod from our fairway nursery in the range and from the sunken area on fairway 15. We will finish up the project by sodding all the rough areas.

Next Wednesday we will have the volunteers again help us with clean up of Hole 14 and 9. A little break in the weather and we may be able to trench in the last bit of tile on hole 7. Again, thanks to our "retired" muscle for their efforts.

Greening up nicely

Typical spring week we just endured. A couple of nice days and the rest were rainy. Good news, badnews. The good news is the rain really got the damaged turf from winter to recover. The bad news is that the rain hindered our attempt to clean up the drainage project. We have a volunteer day to help in our resteration efforts on Wednesday of this week. If all goes well, we will have turned a big corner in finishing the project. I am still planning on trenching hole 7 yet, but we shall see how the weather cooperates.

A Bit of Rain

As you can imagine, we are a bit wet. With over 5" of rain this past week, the playing conditions are a soft. I'm being generous with that description. Overall though, we fared pretty well. All the new drainage is working and the existing tiles are doing what they are suppose to. The pond on 17 has encroached onto the fairway. I think the tile going over to pond 11 must be plugged. I will keep an eye on it and take corrective actions when problem shows itself.

We have begun the spring cleanup of branches and debris and will finish the leaves when they dry. Plan is to begin mowing on a regular basis next week on greens, tees, and fairways. The roughs and perimeters will be mowed as necessary.

The course is ready to play, are you?