Long Driving Range Plan

As announced last week, the long driving range tee is being converted back to Zoysia which is our main playing surface on fairways and tees.  The following information will give you an approximate time table on our plans and what will take place during the construction work.  I will post this information in the pro shop and locker rooms.

Last Sunday, I sprayed the tee with a 10% Roundup Solution and a high rate of Fusilade II.  The Roundup is a non-selective material and kills everything that is green.  Fusilade is a grassy weed killer and Bermuda grass is on its label.  You need as much help as possible killing Bermuda.

After 6 days of Roundup and Fusilade spray.  Dying but far from dead yet.

In the next few days we will strip the tee of plant material with our sod cutter, fertilize the tee and attempt to encourage the Bermuda to grow again.  Once we get some growth back on the tee, it will be sprayed again with the same mix as we did before.We are attempting to get the material into deepest part of the plant in an effort to kill it.  I would expect this part of the project to take a minimum of 6 weeks.  The regrowth of Bermuda plus the second killing will require some removal of additional turf.

During this second removal process, we will install drainage into the tee.  It will be perforated 4" pipe with pea gravel creating the drain back fill material.  It will be kept about 6 inches from the surface of the tee.  The tee surface will then be tilled by our laser level contractor and the exposed trench lines will be back filled with the tilled material.  The trenching work should take a day or so to complete.  We also have to dig up our sprinkler heads and raise them so that they can be set slightly above grade for sod installation.

During the stripping and killing of the tee, we will begin the process of removing trees along with our contractor.  I expect to have a majority of the tree work completed before the grass is laid on the new tee surface.

Once everything is back filled and ready, the laser-leveling will begin.  The tilling and leveling will take about one day.  Could till on a day and then laser the next day.

Once the surface is prepared and ready, big roll sod will be brought in and installed by our staff.  We will also sod the outer ring of the new range tee with fescue,  This work should be completed in about 2 days.

I would expect that the tee will be completed before September 1st which should given it a chance to root and fill in.  Once the tee has firmed enough, we will be filling cracks in the sod with sand to help level these areas and fill in.

The tee should be open no later than June 1, 2015 if all goes well.

We are evaluating placing some additional netting along the teeing area to help reduce the amount of golf balls lost during the season.  We are having discussions with Barrett regarding the best potential course of action to take to help reduce the golf ball loss.

1. June 29th, Sprayed range tee with weed killer.
2. Week of July 7th, remove dying Bermuda grass.  Fertilize and water and begin to regrow turf.  Meet with contractor and discuss tree removal.
3. 4th-5th week of July, spray tee again with herbicide.  Ongoing tree work.
4. 2nd week of Aug. strip off remaining dead material and install drainage.  Raise sprinkler heads in preparation for leveling and sod work.  Make changes  in sprinkler alignment if necessary.
5. 2nd week of Aug. finish tree work.  Install any additional netting around range tee due to lack of access after it is sodded.  Any netting along the line away from tee can be installed later in fall.
6. Aug 18 or 25 Laser level tee   
7. Lay sod on and around tee after leveling is complete.

September 1, watch it grow!!