A busy week outside....

What a difference a week (and some timely Spring rains) make on the color of the golf course.  All of the fine playing surfaces have greened significantly and there are only a few small areas of winter injury that are slow to green.  Mowing schedules at this time are still on an "as needed" basis, but will pick up with more consistent warmer weather.  Aerification on green and fairway surfaces were completed successfully this past week as well.  

18 green complex

Close up of 18 green's surface

Our Spring project schedule has picked up in progress within the last week as well.  18 green continues to round into form as it returns from its winter dormancy.  Our mowing heights have dropped from a beginning point of .225" to currently .200".  Within the next three weeks the green will be aerified and topdressed further to help smooth out the surface.  We will continue to gradually lower the mowing height (.015" weekly) until the turf is comfortably mowed at the same hieght of cut as the other greens, .120".

Heavy roller on 13 tee

18 tee

13 and 18 tees begin to take shape as well.  18 tee was re-sodded using sod from the practice fairway due to the inconsistencies and health of the sod taken off of the tee last fall.  We had a heavy roller come in this week and roll 13 tee to further smooth that surface out.  Our bluegrass sod supplier will be opening next week, so expect to start seeing these surrounds, as well as the stump holes from the winter tree work, to be grass instead of soil.  Similar to 18 green, these tees will be aerified further over the course of the season to continually smooth any imperfections out.  

Greg Stump measuring the firepit

Removal of the large burning bush

Demo work begins on the old pathway

Phase 2 of the Terrace Project has begun as well.  Our staff this week removed all of the old pavers, scooped out the old aggregate material below, and even removed the large burning bush at the corner of the building.  The concrete walkway outside of the club room and Fireside room was torn out on Friday as well.  Next week, the gas line to the new fire pit will be run, as well as the pouring of a new stamped concrete walkway that will mirror the current look outside of the ball room balcony. As this is a construction site now, please watch your step around the terrace.  Stay tuned for more updates on this great addition to the clubhouse!

Wood duck box on 14

Wood duck box on 3

Finally, our wood duck nesting boxes have been placed on the golf course, one near the pond on 3, and the other on 14's pond.  An additional box will be placed on the property, although its location has not been determined yet.  It will be interesting to see if we get a pair to nest in them, which we will monitor as part of Elcona's Audubon Program.

There is a lot going on this Spring, and that's a great thing!  If you have any questions on these or other projects on the golf course, feel free to ask me!  Have a great week and I will see you on the golf course!

Ryan

Course Opening!

16 green complex

I am happy to say that after a much too long winter, the golf course will be open this Sunday, March 29th at noon.  All snow and ice has melted, and the ground has become frost free.  But what can you expect to see when you next visit the course?  For starters, we will have began mowing playing surfaces, continued clearing leaf litter and other debris from the course, and will start raking bunkers next week.  While we do our best to achieve great course conditions from the start of the season, we will be doing these on an "as needed" basis.  Patience is required for the full quality of Elcona's golf course to truly shine.  A recent USGA article further explains why, which you can read here.

As for other parts of the golf course, you will notice some trees that were removed as part of our annual tree maintenance program.  More Ash trees had to be removed due to their demise from the Emerald Ash Borer, others were removed to continuously improve playing conditions.  I wrote a more in-depth summary of our tree work you can read here.  The staff and I have filled and leveled all stump holes with topsoil, and when the weather is more consistently warm, will be seeding or sodding them, depending on their location relative to play.  Until then, these areas are to be considered ground under repair.

The renovations on 13 and 18 tees are almost complete.  We will be bringing in a heavy roller to smooth 13 tee from the settling that occured during the winter, and the staff and I put a finish grade on 18 tee yesterday, which makes it ready for sod and re-alignment next week.  I will have a more in-depth post later on.

18 tee ready for sod

In the next week, the staff and I will be charging the irrigation system, continuing our course and pond clean-up, and continuing on our spring projects.  The season is here, we are excited, and I hope to see you on the golf course soon!

Ryan