Thursday 4/5/18

The golf course is open for walking only.

Early Morning Maintenance 
Sod prep and install for drain lines on #'s 3, 4, and 13

Mid Morning Maintenance 
Bunkers raked
Pin locations relocated
Possibly mow and/or roll greens (waiting on cold temperatures to improve) 
Watering sod

Snow!

We received a dusting of snow last night. Due to the wind it is hard to tell how much, some areas of the course have pretty heavy drifts.

Restrictions
The golf course will be closed until the snow melts, please check back with the proshop for additional information.

Monday 4/2/2018

There is frost on the golf course this morning, there will be a slight delay please check with the pro-shop when making a tee time.

Today's Maintenance
Golf course clean up - winter debris; sticks, twigs, and leaves.
Preparing drain lines for sod - Hole #'s 3 and 4 fairways
Treating rough for weeds

Restrictions 
Walking only

Holiday Weekend

Due to  the wet and cold conditions there will be minimal maintenance this weekend. Pin locations will be checked and possibly moved. The golf course is open for walking only.

Happy Friday

Morning Maintenance
Greens Rolled
Continue Bunker Maintenance - fixing winter washouts
Roll Fairways

Afternoon Maintenance
Mow Fairways
Mow Approaches
Golf course clean up - branches and sticks

Restrictions 
Walking only

Opening Day

Today's Maintenance 
Greens rolled
Cups cut into greens
Bunker Maintenance - raking and fixing winter washouts
Course Accessories are being put out onto the course
Greens were mowed:  3/28/18

Weather 
Minimal rain last night

Restrictions 
Walking only

Welcome back! We are excited to kick off the 2018 golf season. Your maintenance staff has been very busy with lots of off season work that was completed. The off season work will be talked about in more depth in another post, but you can expect to see new drain lines that were installed on hole #'s 3,4, and 13.  As well as some tree work that took place between holes 13-15. The bulk of these projects is complete but we are waiting to get sod from the sod farm. We hope, weather pending, to have these projects completed by the end of April, beginning of May. We look forward to seeing you out there.

Nick Marfise
Golf Course Superintendent

One Season Ends, the Next Begins

#10 Green, Frosty for birdie...

As 2017 ended it was important to prepare the golf course for winter. A lot can be accomplished that helps setup for the next new growing season. 

#3 Green 

Prior to winter we heavily sand top-dress the greens. Sand topdressing helps protect the bent-grass from the harsh winter weather. Bentgrass holds up to the winter weather well, as long as it does not last too long. It is important that the plants have had enough moisture and the sand topdressing helps prevent from dehydration. 

Close up of sand covered greens

A few people have asked what is the best kind of weather to have in the winter. Is it better to have snow? or no snow? or cold vs milder temperatures? Experience has shown that no year is ever the same as the last, and you always see something different, and the turf performs differently every spring. Snow cover however is good, protecting the turf from the wind and extreme colds. If there is no snow, we'd hope that it might be a little warmer out and less windy. You never want to see ice for extended periods of time on the turf. Ice causes a lack of oxygen and turf loss is possible. For now we seem to be fairing well with some snow, and some warm days, and no ice. 

Organic fertilizer going out on fairways

This fall we took advantage of having the opportunity to spread some organic fertilizer out on all of our fairways. This product is similar to a Milorgonite or other composted type materials. This material will help give the fairways some nutrients heading into next spring and help get an early jump on the next growing season. This product will also help amend our sub soil surfaces as well. By adding this materiel to the grass canopy, the grass will then grow up and through that organic material, similar to sand topdressing greens. Once the grass has grown through that organic material will become apart of the soil, adding those rich nutrients to the ground below. 

Dragging Fairways 

The composted fertilizer is then dragged to help break up the larger chunks and work the materiel into the grass. We will let the materiel sit there through the winter and let the snow and rains help break it down even more. We will then do a final cleanup of the fairways before we open for the 2018 season. 

Snow covered 4th green 

Prior to winters arrival all of the golf course accessorizes were removed from the golf course. All ball-washers, garbage cans, tee markers, bunker rakes, etc... All of the amenities will be refurbished and prepared for the upcoming season.

Those are some old snow shoes

Unfortunately we have not had enough snow to groom cross country ski trails just yet. Six inches of snow is the minimum needed to have an adequate base in order to safely groom the trails and not harm the turf below. All of our greens have been staked and roped to prevent from skier traffic, and prevent from any possible damage. If we receive enough snow and are able to groom the trail this year, we will make sure it is marked with reflective stakes and ready for use.