Dewar's and Divots

Please join us tomorrow evening for a divot filling extravaganza!  Fun for all ages!  Bring the kids!

The Evolution of Lower 2

 We have been making big improvements to the Lower #2 green complex over the past few weeks.  This area has been plagued in the past from poor drainage and washed out bunkers.  Our first goal for this project was to replace the drainage around the green and in the bunkers.  We also installed berms to catch and redirect runoff during heavy rains.  Finally, we refurbished the bunkers so that they will be less severely damaged by heavy rains.

The first of two berms which will catch runoff and direct the excess water into the drain.

The catch basins are 30 inches in diameter and we used a 10 inch pipe to carry away the water.

We tied the basin drains into an old tile line that was intact and still functioning well.  Stamped on the pipe was a month and year: "October 1918."

 We utilized larger than normal pipe in the bunkers (6 inch rather than the customary 4 inch.)  We are also utilizing technology often found in septic leach fields.  We installed 75 feet of leach field chamber domes.  These domes are 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide and will store a significant volume of water beneath the sand during heavy rains when drain pipes become overwhelmed.

A section of 6 inch perforated drain pipe connected to the leach field chamber.

We are forming the bunkers with plywood which will be removed once the sand is installed, and sod has rooted down.

  We have been blessed by dry weather throughout the project but received a half inch of rain last night.  We will wait for the area to dry out and begin the finishing touches following the Memorial Day holiday.

Nearly ready for sand and sod!

Lower 2

 The beautiful weather has afforded us the opportunity to make progress on multiple fronts.  Drainage improvements are underway and moving along rapidly on lower 2.  We will be adding two large drainage catch basins with berms to help collect the water behind the green.  We are also completely replacing the drainage in the bunkers.  We are optimistic that the fair weather will continue and that we will complete the drainage work next week and begin work to refinish these areas.

Two large drains will help catch water coming downhill from 3 & 4.

The area is in shambles now but will come together quickly with good weather.

We are also very pleased with progress made on 17.  The entire berm was sodded on Thursday May 10.  Four men laid 13 pallets of sod (7,800 square feet) in 8 hours.

Thursday morning.

Friday

17th Improvements

 We were able to finish bunker renovations on 17 last week- and just in time!  We received frequent rains throughout the week but were able to complete the project despite the muddy conditions.  We were especially glad to have pushed the project to completion on Sunday morning when we received a heavy thunderstorm which washed out many of our bunkers.  We are pleased to report that our new bunker survived the storm with almost no sign of the heavy rain.

Early Saturday morning- the completed liner ready for sand.

Adding sand is the easy part- especially with a large crew.

Finishing touches.

Like it never happened.

View from the tee.

This week's weather forecast has us cool and dry.  We are hoping to take advantage of the dry weather by sodding the terraces on holes 13 & 17 and by continuing the drainage/ bunkers on lower 2.

What's Going on Here?

 You may have  noticed some significant changes on holes 13 and 17.  We thought we would provide an explanation of the work being done.


 We were continuing to experience big problems with 17 bunker following torrential rain events.  Rain runoff; which collects in the valley stretching from the 4th fairway and through #1, eventually makes its way to 17.  Previously, the path into the pond took all the sheeting water directly over the corner of 17 green and  through the bunker.  This water obviously causes tremendous damage to the bunker but also deteriorates the pond's rock wall.  We had just repaired this bunker in 2010 and wanted to take measures to prevent this from happening again. 


Our strategy was to build a terrace which will direct runoff into drains and around the bunker in a different direction towards the pond.  Once the terrace is finished it will be sodded.  The bunker has been completely excavated and we will be installing new drainage along with the liner system we installed on holes 13 and 16 last fall.  The improved performance should be dramatic the next time we get an extreme downpour.

Pictured above you can see the terrace as it appears from the tee.

The terrace up close.

Excessive runoff has caused premature failure of the rock wall.  You can see grass growing in the pond on sand that has been deposited below the wall through the years.  Runoff will no longer be flowing over the rock wall.

We are also making a similar change to the drainage stream on 13.  This stream collects runoff from Southwest 14th street in addition to the golf course.  The problem was similar to what we were experiencing on the 17th and the solution is the same.  

You can see here where excess runoff had eroded around the drain pipe at the beginning of the waterway.

We have added a berm to redirect the runoff water.  Pictured above is the berm as it appears from the fairway.

The berm directs runoff away from the pipe and deposits it in the creek further downstream.

Storm Damage & Spring Aeration

We received .75 inches of rain on Friday the 13th and 3.5 inches Saturday night into Sunday morning.  (Two inches of rain fell in twenty minutes Saturday evening.)  Also included was small hail along with high winds.  Apart from the bunkers we were very lucky - no significant tree damage.

The bunker; pictured below, is to left of 13 green which has the new bunker liner & performed very well, the bunker in the background (right of the green) does not.

Number 17 bunker is featured next with complete devastation. 

We should have the bunkers back in playable condition by the end of the week.  The bunker on 17 and the left bunker on 5 had extensive damage and will require much more work.  Repairs for these bunkers are on approximately a two week timeline.

 

We are also aerating greens this week.  Holes 1-9 were completed April 16 while 10- 18 should be done today.  This aeration is the 1/2" diameter deep, solid tine.

Blowing excess sand from 8 green.

Happy Easter!

We are experiencing some "cold" weather this morning.  The high temperature is forecast at a mere 65 degrees while the low has dipped to 37.  The light frost we are experiencing this morning is normal for this time of year- our average daytime highs are typically around 60 with lows in the upper 30's.  This morning's frost has almost come as a shock to the grounds crew.  We have been experiencing record temperatures off and on since last fall and the weather this spring can only be described as extraordinary. 

By most estimates the golf course is approximately six weeks ahead of schedule in terms of green- up and turf growth.  It has been a struggle just to keep up with mowing, and frankly, we were falling behind.  It is with great relief that we welcomed back our seasonal maintenance staff on Monday, April 2nd.  We have made significant progress since their return.  We have installed some drainage, applied crabgrass preventatives, performed irrigation repairs, and are starting to catch up on mowing.

During this morning's frost delay we are prepping the clubhouse grounds for Easter.

 

 

We have also been working on concrete pads for our water stations.