Course Update....Another Week with Mother Nature!

Memorial Day weekend provided us with some excellent weather that served some major benefits with the recovery of greens.  The new bentgrass seedlings really started to grow and spread laterally helping to fill in the ice damaged areas.  Tuesday following Memorial Day was very productive as we were able to get a lot of work done but unfortunately that evening 2.2 inches of rain flooded the course.  Another case of 1 step forward and 2-3 steps back which has been the norm this Spring.

Bentgrass germinated and starting to spread laterally filling in the voids



Productive day with needle tining greens prior to the 3rd round of seeding

2.2 inches of rain fell and set the plan off track

6 green with a river running thru it

15 fairway was "boat only"

Wednesday was pretty much spent pumping water and trying to get the course cleaned up and ready for the next day.

Thursday the crew did an excellent job and got all the ice damaged areas on greens seeded and topdressed.  With the weather now on the warmer end of the spectrum as compared to the 2 previous months, the recovery process should move at light speed in comparison.  Most greens are about 85% recovered with a few of the greens significantly further behind but still much improved.

Dimple tining damaged areas to incorporate the seed for good soil/seed contact



Completed area with seeding and topdressing

The new front Range Tee height of cut has been lowered to the Intermediate height and should be ready for use in a couple weeks.  Next week I hope to get aerification and topdressing completed.

Mowing the Range Tee to Intermediate height

Range tee with an early morning irrigation cycle

I will update things next week with hopefully the opening of the tees at 2,10, & 16.

Idle Chatter With Course Updates

FROM THE GROUNDS

MAY 2013

Spring is quickly escaping us as we move into the end of May.  We have gotten a lot of work done and the course shows the progress that has been made even with the extra work that was put upon us with the flood.  For the most part we have achieved all the necessary duties during the timing that was necessary but for a few things.  Here are a few tidbits to either mark on your calendar or maybe even make you laugh a little.

Irrigation working properly on #10 Tee.

The irrigation system, “The Dragon” as I call it; has once again awakened for the season.  It took a lot of man hours but we finally have it operating properly.  My fingers are crossed that my old nemesis will maintain itself thus allowing me to maintain my sanity.

 

Solid tining provides benefits without the major disruption of pulling plugs.

The aerification process that I have used for the last few years is pretty membership friendly and it has all but been completed.  The only areas remaining to be aerified are the fairways.  Without the irrigation system operating properly, I had to delay fairway aerification to ensure the health of these 25 acres.  Now that the irrigation system is up to snuff….we will begin fairway aerification next week.  We will be solid tining the fairways so they should recover pretty quickly.

 

New #16 Tee.

I am happy to say the new #16 tee will open Friday May 24^th just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.  It’s kind of a funny thought but I think some people may be upset.  Numerous members have said they like the temporary tee box as they have hit the green more often.  From that stand point I find it hard to say sorry but some good things must come to an end.

 

Andrew performing flood clean up.

In case you haven’t noticed the new face on the course this spring I wanted to mention Andrew Narlow.  Andrew is the new Assistant and I am happy to say the he is off to a great start.  Andrew is a hard working and diligent young man that is going the help me a great deal.  He has quite a few things to learn about the operation here but I am sure he will give the effort necessary to succeed.

 

Thinking about the heat makes me think of snow.  O-H-I-O!

I hope everyone has had a great spring thus far and are looking forward to some normal weather before the heat and humidity set in for the summer.  I am really looking for to the 2013 and the great things it will bring to the club.  I feel the same way every year about this time; ask me that in August and you may get a different answer.  For future, frequent updates follow the blog or follow me on twitter @idycc

Respectfully,

Kurt Sams, CGCS

# 16 Tee Update!

# 16 Tee

The less than idea weather we have been experiencing this spring has delayed just about everything except the desire for warm weather.  The renovation of the 16th tee has been in a holding pattern as we wait for the proper conditions to get the work completed.  It would be my hope that the sod work will be completed by the end of April.  Based on that time frame, plus warm weather that is bound to come eventually; the tee should be open for play around Memorial Day Weekend.  Why the wait you may ask.  Once the sod is installed it will need time to establish its root system in order to sustain the attacks given by the golf clubs and foot traffic.   

# 16 Tee Renovation

The Tee mix being installed on #16 Tee.

Last week we installed the tee construction mix on # 16 Tee which was the last phase of the project for this fall.  We will use the winter months to allow for settling of the soil.  Early next spring we will laser level the tee and install the bentgrass sod.  Assuming the spring weather cooperates the tee should be open around the 1st part of May, 2013.