Metrolink Project

Work continues on the Metrolink ditch project.  A construction road is being built along the right side of #1 near the fence.  Once the road is complete, the two large oaks forward and right of the first tee which died over the summer will be removed by the contractor.  Also, five silver maples on the mounds on the right side of the hole from about the 160 yard mark down through the 120 yard mark will be removed as well.  Brush and trees in the ditch area 350' long will then be cleared between the fence to the metrolink tracks.

Our Golf Course Master Plan called for a widening of the fairway at the dogleg and the mounds will be replaced.  The fairway will be widened by approximately 5-8 yards.  Our staff will install two large drains and a catch areas will be shaped to help capture water that crosses into the area from #18 and the left side of #1 and will be piped underground into the creek.  The soil from the mounds will be used to create a graduated rising slope toward the fence.(2-3')  New fescue rough will be installed in this area which will help to slow balls from entering into the fence and out of bounds.  Once the project is completed, the rock will be removed and used on the right side of our range and in our parking lot area to provide for a solid surface for our equipment.

Looking from back left corner of the range down toward the tee.  Cleared area  before the installation of the drain pipe.

Left front corner of the range tee.  The area along the range tee  out about 75 yards is still covered by trees and brush.

The dozer pushing rock into place to create the construction road along the right side of #1.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your support and wish you and your family a full belly over Thanksgiving.  Bird went in the oven at 6:30 a.m. and course is ready for everyone to enjoy over the next few days.   Great weather for the Turkey Day Tournament on Friday starting at 11:00 a.m.  Come out and play and then have your better half come by for some Black Friday 1/2 price Martinis in the pub that evening.  Sounds like fun to me! 

Additional Collar Aeration

Our collars have had their troubles over the last few years and we need to reduce the amount of turf loss that has been occurring.  Additional aeration over the next 6 months will encourage and improve water infiltration and root development which will strengthen the plants.  The reduction of compaction also discourages poa annua which infests the collar/approaches.  Poa annua has shortened root systems in the summer and also has a number of diseases that can affect its overall health.

The staff used our walking aerator over the last couple of days and aerated the green collars and approaches with a 1/2" solid tine.  My intentions are to do this another 3-4 times next spring before summer rolls in along with the normal coring and needle tinning that we utilize as well.

Water management is also important for our collars to remain healthy.   Proper amounts of moisture to support health cannot be applied by the overhead sprinklers by themselves.  Wetting agents and extra hand watering must be utilized to reduce the water stress that our collars experience.  We also need to reduce the amount of Bermuda that is encroaching our collars from the green surrounds.  Early and regular applications of a pre-emergent called Tupersan will be utilized again this year.  We have used it in years past with some success but it has not been used on a consistent basis to reduce the impact of the Bermuda.  We will also need to cut out and spray some of the intermediate areas around greens.  The large areas of Bermuda on some of our greens surrounds provide a regular supply of runners that try to invade the collars.

Collar aeration of the practice green.  Damaged and or  weakened areas were gone over a second time to encourage additional root growth.

    

Metrolink Project

Road has been completed back to the dump area and trees/brush are being removed from both sides of the ditch along the driving range to within about 50 yards of the front corner of the range tee.

Road going around the right corner of the long range.

Track hoe with a claw loading up brush onto the dump truck.  The trees to the right are to be removed as well.

Pile of brush in our main dump area waiting to be ground by the tub grinder which  must be brought to the property and set up.

Metrolink Project Work Begins

The Metrolink project has started in our maintenance area and into the long driving range.  They are building a road from our maintenance area into the back of the driving range that will take them to the staging area in the back left corner of the driving range. The bins will be replaced, fence put back up but the road will be left in place which will give us a permanent road back to the dump area during winter and or wet conditions which will be very helpful for our operation.

During the project, you may expect dump trucks, flatbed trucks and other equipment will be coming into the club from St. Mary's Lane and coming out of our maintenance building area on a regular basis.  The work hours should be between 6:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.  For your safety, please allow trucks to exit St. Mary's Lane before you enter with your vehicle. 

Material bins being removed.

The roadway that comes into the driving range from the material bin area.  Rock is being laid to build the road back to the staging area.

Veteran's Day, 2011 Thank you!

For those who have served or are currently serving our country, thank you for the sacrifices you have given for our freedom.  

Happy Birthday Marines

I'm sure we have a member or two who are Marines, or a relative. 

Happy Birthday Marines  November 10, 1775