Spring is on the Horizon

 

Winter can be long, grey and perhaps even a little mundane for both golfers and the golf course maintenance staff. We have seen nice, sunny days recently with temperatures in the upper 60's followed by freezing rain and lows in the teens the very next day. These drastic changes in the weather can be frustrating and can make it hard to get into any kind of a rhythm. Regardless, work is still being done both on the course and inside of the maintenance shop. Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner and the 2018 golf season is fast approaching. 

A significant amount of trees have been removed from the course this winter, most notably on No.'s 5, 6 and 12. Three trees along the right side of No. 5 have been removed for better visibility and access of approach shots from the fairway to the right side of the green. This will also give us a better chance to grow turf in these areas that have struggled in the past. Compaction issues and competition for water and nutrients from the tree roots can make it hard to grow turf. Trees have also been removed from behind the green to allow more sunlight and airflow to struggling turf in the rough and to the green itself. Multiple trees have been cut down along both sides of No.6 fairway. These trees have been removed for better visibility and access to the fairway from the tee boxes. No. 12 is a tough par 3 requiring  an accurate tee shot to thread the needle between tree lines on both sides of the tees. Over the years brush has grown up and trees have gotten a little too big. Brush on the left side and a few trees from both sides of the tee boxes have been removed. This hole is still demanding and will require an accurate tee shot for par. 

No. 12 before tree clearing

No.12 after clearing

Progress on the bunker renovation project was slowed down due to bad weather in the month of February. This project is now scheduled to be completed by March 31st. Our next post will highlight some of the work that has been completed on the front nine bunkers. Also, just a heads up, the course will be closed Monday March 12th for greens aerification.