Bermudagrass Progress

We continue to see great relults in all of the bermudagrass areas on the golf course. The herbicide sprays are weakening the bermudagrass and stunting rooting and stolon growth. We will continue to spray these areas through the first hard frost. Our hope is to send the bermudagrass into winter as weak as possible and with very few stored carbohydrates.

As you can see in this picture, the tall fescue that we have seeded into the bermudagrass right of ten green is germinating nicely. Holes ten, eleven and thirteen have the greatest concentration of bermudagrass in the rough, and the thirteenth hole was the last area we seeded. You will see drastic differences in these areas over the next couple of weeks.

Walk Path and Int. Cut Renovation

We wanted to give everyone some insight into how we went about renovating the walk paths and Intermediate Cuts around the golf course. As we talked about in an earlier post, we have sprayed all of these areas with Tenacity to eliminate bentgrass. We also sprayed any common bermudagrass in these areas with a new product that we have been testing through the summer months.

The process then started with our disc seeder making two passes through the walkpaths and intermediates dropping seed along the way.

We can't get as tight to the fairway line as we like with this piece of equipment, so we follow up with aerifiers. these aerifiers are poking holes on very tight centers approximately half an inch deep.

Drop seeders are then used on all walk paths and intermediates to ensure perfect coverage.

Starter fertilizer is then applied and all areas are watered-in. We will continue to keep these areas moist and in the next seven days we will see great germination. We will touch up any areas that need additional seed at the end of next week, and then we will begin to mow the new seedlings.

Bentgrass Eradication Update

As of today, we have sprayed two applications of Tenacity herbicide on our ryegrass intermediate cut to eliminate bentgrass contamination. Monday morning we will begin seeding all of the intermediate cut to perennial ryegrass. The ryegrass will germinate within a week and in a couple of weeks we will begin mowing it and grooming the intermediates back to our desired heights. Once we have mowed the intermediate cut a few times we will spray it again to clean up the remaining bentgrass. Temperatures look great next week for this project!

#7 Bunker Construction Update

Drainage was completed on the back bunker of number 7 and prepped for the Better Billy Bunker system this past week.  Grades were shot and lines were trenched using our Dingo to ensure over 2% fall throughout the bunker. A thin layer of washed 8's gravel was then used in the bottom of each trench before using double walled 4-inch slotted drainpipe.  The same gravel was then used to fill in the rest of the trench.

Part of the setup process for the Better Billy Bunker is to apply a 2.5 inch layer of the washed 8's gravel to serve as the base before the product is applied.  Grading stakes were marked at the correct depth and placed throughout the bunker during dispersal.  Once completed, the gravel base was raked to ensure the proper shape of the final grade.  

Stayed tuned for more updates as the project comes close to wrapping up.

Back Bunker on #7 at Final Grade

We were able to get the back bunker to final grade last week before the snow...here are some pictures to show the progress from start to finish.

The snow and rain has put a recent damper on the progress but the front bunker should near completion by the first to middle part of next week, stay tuned for more details!

Shaping on #7 Bunker Project Continues

We have continued to make great progress on our bunker redesign project on number 7.   Here are some photos to mark the progress:

Stay tuned for more updates in the next couple of days as the back bunker nears completion...

Construction Begins on Number 7 Bunker

Construction recently began on the redesign of the left bunker on number seven’s green complex. The new design calls for the change of the existing bunker by forming two bunkers and bringing them both much closer to the green. Both bunkers will resemble the recently renovated greenside bunker on number one as far as depth and style. We will be utilizing a newer drainage and sand stabilization system known as “the Better Billy Bunker.” Stay tuned for more details about the Better Billy Bunker system and updates on the progress of the project in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, check out the pictures below marking the shaping progress of the first few weeks.

The new bunker design was flagged and painted by Architect Lester George.

The biggest change outside of two bunkers being created will be the proximity of the new edge to the green.

Notice the new front edge compared to the old bunker.

Again stay tuned for updates...

#12 Walk Bridge is Complete

The New Year brought the completion of our first in-house project of the off season with the addition of a new walk bridge for our members and their guests on the 12th hole. The new grassed walk bridge will make for an easier walk from the Blue tee to the fairway.

Construction began back in the first of December with the stripping of sod and shaping of the existing creek bank leading to the new bridge. A pipe was placed in the creek for continued flow, and then we started forming the new walk bridge above. Once completed, members or our staff constructed a rock wall to border the pipe and frame the bridge.