One more project checked off the list...

While the spring-like temperatures were welcomed this past week, we have had more than enough rainfall lately.  As we near the end of February, we have received over 6" of rain--more than twice the historical average.  Because of the super-soggy conditions, once again, we had to quickly switch our focus, based on the current weather.

So, what could we do that was productive without causing too much damage to the course?  Well, this proved to be a great time to install the new net at the back of the driving range.  In the past we had basically thrown up some plastic snow/barrier fence to prevent balls from bouncing into the pond behind the range.  This time around we decided to invest a bit more resources in order to have something which will do a better job now, and into the future.

Holes were augered, poles were set in place, and concrete was poured.  A day later the cable was strung, and lastly the net was attached.  In looking at the photo below, you might think this was a simple process, but in order to do the job efficiently, it took a good combination of planning and execution.

The new fence is slightly taller than the old one, but when viewed straight on, it is actually less visible.  When standing on the practice tee, it's difficult to see at all.

 It has really been a crazy winter in terms of the weather, and while the rain has not been much fun, we keep saying, it could have been five feet of snow this month...

2018 Golf Industry Show

The Golf Industry Show was held last week.  This gathering includes educational seminars as well as a large trade show, where manufacturers of everything from fertilizer, to bunker rakes, sprayers and sprinklers, all have their goods on display.  Some of the new products may not look like game changers, but can prove to be a great new tool.

An example of an unassuming new piece of equipment is shown below.  This hand seeder is designed for overseeding small spots with Bentgrass.  The tool creates a series of tiny holes, then deposits the seed, all in one step.

Other new items are impressive for their size, and potential labor-savings.  Pictured below is a boom mower attachment which can trim anything from small branches overhead to pond banks when lowered to a horizontal position (and would be great for keeping phragmites under control).  This was clearly an attention-getter!

Whether it's big or small, we always leave the show with plenty of new ideas on ways to improve the course management plan for the upcoming year.  Temperatures may break record highs this week, so spring is surely getting close!

Irrigation maintenance

With a whole lot of cold weather this winter, concerns about the dog days of summer can easily become a distant memory.  However, rather than waiting until we really need the irrigation system in six months, now is a much better time to address some issues. 

Over the years, we have discovered that some of the system's isolation valves no longer function correctly.  When there's a problem (such as a sprinkler getting stuck on) an inability to isolate an individual tee or green means that we may have to shut down the irrigation to several holes while the problem is addressed.

We recently installed two new isolation valves for the practice area and one new valve for #12 green.  Hopefully we won't have a need to use these this upcoming season, but it is good to know that they are in place and will work properly if we do.  We think of projects like this as fire prevention, which is certainly preferred to putting out a fire!

Tee Expansion

A quick look at the divots on the lower tee on #17 made it clear that few people ever use the right side of this tee.  With a few feet available between the left side of the tee and the cart path, we were able to give this tee a slight expansion. This will increase the usable teeing area, while improving visibility of the putting surface from the tee.

Despite some less than ideal weather (aka wintry mix), the guys did a great job of knocking this project out.

Once again, we were able to use some Bentgrass sod we harvested from our nursery, thus the material cost for this project was negligible.