Irrigation Addition to the 8th Hole

We are adding new irrigation to the rough between the 8th and 15th green and fairway.  This area has been unirrigated and we would have to put a portable sprinkler out during the summer months.  This will definitely improve this area.

Tree Removals on Barn Hole

The Norway Spruces on the driving range are in decline and we are attempting to remove the dying ones now so they do not spread to the remaining ones.  We will be leaving one that has some die back on the top to see if it can recover or not.  If not, it will be removed this fall and or winter.

Drain Repair Behind 9 Green

The top picture shows the catch basin by the path behind 9 green overflowing with water that comes down from the parking lot.  2 years ago we repaired the pipe from the parking lot to the catch basin but we learned the pipe was broken and clogged just past the basin, causing it to overflow during heavy rains and flooding out around the 9th green (middle picture).  We added 2 new sections of 12" pipe and this should alleviate much of the flooding issues we have seen in the past.

Pine Trees in Decline Along Entrance Road

The 2 Scotch Pines along the entrance road are in decline and will need to be removed.  The road used to be lined with Scotch Pines and over the years they have all declined and have had to be removed.  These 2 will be removed as well in the near future as the Scotch Pine needs a lot of care due to its susceptibility to disease and the cost to keep them alive is quite high and not worth the investment.

10th Green Improvement

The 10th green has always been a weak green due to the pocketed location and lack of air movement and sunlight.  A fan was installed last year to help with air movement and the green still was somewhat weak.  Last fall, after we renovated the green complex and removed the berm and spruce trees along with a few more trees along the fence, the green has been the healthiest it has ever been and we did not even have to use the fan this summer.

Quick Improvement

This rock actually came out of the 18th greenside bunker when it was constructed back in the late 1980s and this was as far as they could move it and it has sat here ever since.  We quickly added some soil, a few plants and mulch and it looks much better after about 2 hours of work.

Mother Nature Pushing Us Around

This is a very informative blog posting but it is also me venting a bit.  Okay...no rain for almost a month and the temps were so high with little humidity that we were throwing water like mad, almost in a losing battle to keep the golf course alive.  Fast forward to July 20th, the Arcola Cup, and it has not stopped raining since.  While the constant rain will avert water restrictions for a while.....it is not good for the grass at all!  When the humidity is high like it has been for almost 7 straight days and you add in constant rain, the turf becomes puffy and lush....two things I despise.  Also, when the grass stays damp, disease pressure is extremely high and that is when raising mowing heights and skipping a few mowings is the logical thing to do.  We can push the greens as hard as we want, but if it is humid you will lose that battle.  You can get greens rolling decent for a day or so, but long term it will catch us.  This is the 5th green on Sunday afternoon after our second storm in 24 hours.  We got 1.2" on Saturday and then another .6" on Sunday.  When water sits on fine turf like this, eventually it will kill the grass directly or indirectly.  While the temps look to level off in the mid 80s for the next week or so, humidity levels will continue to stay on the high side and this is when we have to be careful.  When the weather is conducive for increasing green speeds, you know we will, but right now we have to keep our guard up.