Between Now and April 1st We Must All Do Our Part

This has been one winter that has forced many of us to leave for warmer climates or dream of warmer climate if you haven't been able to leave the city. We've not been able to open the course on warmer days because of frozen conditions within our greens. We finally opened today for the first time in many weeks. We could have some additional course closed weather days before we begin to mow a great deal but they should be for much shorter intervals than what was experienced over the last month or so.There are a few things that our golfing members could assist us during the next few weeks until the turf begins to firm up and grow and we are fully staffed in April

Middle of 6 White tee concentrated divot wear. Please use the edges when possible.

• Greens will be very soft and repairing ball marks would be helpful.
• Divots on tees and fairways could be large due to the soft, wet conditions. Place your divots back in place, even if it breaks apart. Also, step down your depression which will reduce the exposure of roots to cold and or windy conditions. Your competitors would appreciate it as well in case a ball would roll into your smaller stepped down divot. Of course this is helpful during the growing season as well.
• Tee markers will be placed back on the tees in a few weeks but in the mean time use areas of the tee that appear more full of grass, especially the sides. Please don't place your ball in the middle of a heavily divot spot to make one more divot. Place your tee in an area of less damage.
• Carts will probably remain on the paths for the near future and I would encourage that you leave all wheels on the path instead of pulling partially off the path. I know if you are in a group with 2 carts, you have to go around a parked cart. If you do pass, it is always best to go on the side of the path away from the fairway so you do not potentially damage rough in the close rough/fairway area. Certain areas of the course are wetter than other areas, especially bottoms of fairways. It might be wise to wait for the group to move instead of burying your cart in a wet spot at the bottom of #12 cart path.
• Driving ranges are on mats through at least mid-April or later. Please refrain from hitting off the grass tee. If you must hit off grass, please go to another range until we can get our grass growing and open. I don't like to hit off mats as well but its what we have to do since our grass is not actively growing until late April. The less damage we do to our grass now, the quicker we can open in the spring.

Olympic Flame troubleshooting

There is a great deal of work for our staff to complete before we reach the month of April as well. Not a complete listing but some of the main work.

• Finish all the equipment repairs for tees, driving ranges etc.
• Clean up of all equipment and checking carts for the season
• Continued tree removal and tree trimming.
• Rake and clean up gum balls and other debris
• Blowing remaining leaves that have dropped and finishing fence leaf removal.
• Monitoring seed head production on greens and spraying.
• Dry-ject(aerate) greens March 18-19 45 tons of sand.
• Aerate rough and root prune trees
• Finish applying weed grass post and pre-emergent to fairways. tees. Walk spread pre-emergent around greens and apply by fertilizer hauler pre-emergent into rough areas.
• Repair greens surrounds with sod and other areas of course with sod and seed.
• Clean up tree stump grindings/sod
• Repair driving range netting by installing new telephone pole.
• Changing holes, moving tees a couple times a week as needed.
• Repairs to outside areas around the clubhouse including walkway lights, patio lighting, pool clean up and lawn areas.
• Asphalt repairs as needed.
• Growing all of the plants for this season and Becky will be busy cleaning up beds and planting spring pots around the clubhouse.
• Clean up in and around field bar]
• Rebuilding 2 tee
• Rebuilding the greens nursery
• Grass part of dam on #9.
• Divot filling

Repairing and painting driving range bag stands. These were all home made by the staff a couple of years ago.

As you can see, we all have responsibilities that are important for the overall well being of our grand old golf course. We of course first rely upon you to come out and visit us, first and foremost but while you are here, some player etiquette in regards to the course is always appreciated.

Collar nursery finished and seeded

The staff finished the prep work on the collar nursery near 16 tee.  We reduced the size to make it more manageable.  It was seeded on Friday and should begin to germinate by late next week.  

The greens nursery was mowed for the first time on Friday.   We are mowing it at a little over a 1/10" higher than our regular height of cut.  We will be topdressing the green to help stabilize the plants and protect the crowns from mowing.  We will lower the height of cut  every week or so as growth warrants.  

Staff finished laying fescue sod on the old part of the nursery that was filled with dirt.

Collar nursery seeded and water running to help keep the seed bed moist.

Tom walking mowing the green nursery near 18 tee.  We will mow without baskets for a few weeks to help add a little thatch back to the green.  Also with extra fertilization to encourage growth, the clippings being returned back to the sand will provide some added nutrient value to the new turf.