Slow Spring Recovery

 

First the late snows of March and now the cold temperatures of April have delayed the revival of the golf course.The picture below was taken after the bluegrass rough was mowed for the first time the week of April 8th.  The view shows promise and potential.  My staff and the memberhsip are anxious to get the season underway.

 Mid-April Transition

Greens were aerified on April 1st and 2nd. The weather forecast was not very promising as frosty mornings were predicted for the two days the course was closed. With the chilly forecast, I actually started on Sunday evening  by aerifying four greens before dark.  A greens aerification is very labor intensive and time consuming.  Multiple steps are involved as you  go from punching holes, removing soil cores,  to adding soil amendments and  topdressing the greens with sand prior to the finishing touches of dragging the new sand into the aerification holes.The frosty mornings did delay our start each day, but the crew worked hard and fast to finish all twenty-three greens prior to reopening the course at 11:00 am on Wednesday. Nice job guys!

Aerification of #13 Green

 

 Dragging topdrssing sand into aerification holes on Nursery

green with our new Greens Groomer Brush.

 

As the aerification effort neared completion and while the course was closed, the crew jumped  into #12 bunker to finish the installation of the liner material and firm up the  new sand prior to reopening of the golf course for play.

Finally, #12 greenside bunker is completed after starting the project in early January.Just in the nick of time, as the Board approved the next five bunkers to be renovated for 2013.

 

The slow transition of the golf course and minimal growth rate of the rough has allowed part of  the staff to be diverted  to  several small projects remaining on the 2012 wish list: replacing the railroad tie steps at #15 green and #16 tee; building a small rock weir across #6 creek to allow walkers to cross the creek with dry feet; and replacing twenty-five year old junipers above the rock wall on #14 with creeping junipers that cascade over the wall softening its presence. If the course stays dry, these small projects should be completed by the end of April just as the rough starts growing out of control.