Wednesday

Above, we are getting started on some rock curbing additions.  We are extending the curb further down #11 cart path past the area in the rough that always gets extremely worn.  The rocks are laid out in the rough because each one is sawed in half so we can cover more ground with a pallet of rock.

On #11, we are installing drainage below the area that is being widened and then resurfaced with asphalt.  As you know this is a very wet area and it's important that we manage the ground water to prevent heaving of the new asphalt.  The paving will not be done until later March or April.

Monday

The drainage is progressing up the 6th fairway!  It is remarkable how much drier the fairways are that have been finished to date.

This gives you a better look at the limbing/pruning on #11 to allow for a wider cart path.  This area is a peat bog!  We are going to install drainage below the cart path expansion.  Just look at how black the soil is!

Lots happing on #12- fairway aeration and tee/approach topdressing.  Below, you can see how tight the 3/4" tine spacing is.  That is a lot of material that we have to pick up!

Pretty shot of the 15th green and topdressed.

Friday

It's been a damp and foggy day in Highlands after receiving 1/2" of rain last night.  It was a perfect day to continue pruning along the edges of the golf course.  Today, the focus was the right side of #6 between the fairway and Cobb Road.  This has been on our radar for a couple years now and we're glad to finally get to it.  

There is an unfortunate rumor circulating that we've been cutting down a lot of native Azaleas on your golf course.  A native Azalea is also known as a Flame Azalea with bright orange flowers that sometimes come in pink and even white.  I've not seen any native Azaleas being cut anywhere on the golf course.  Rhododendron as you know, are very aggressive and need to be pruned back from time to time to reclaim the golf course.  That's what we've done on holes like #12 and #9 this winter.  It's a healthy program for the golf course in addition to the shrubs, themselves.  Rhododendron that are pruned back, grow back with a fuller and denser growth habit.  Please disregard this rumor if you hear it and don't hesitate to call me for a first hand account of what we're working on, on the golf course.

On #10, opposite side of the pond, we've been working to clean up this area that was badly damaged by fallen trees during the hurricane in September 2024.  We're really going to put a lot of effort into making this a really nice setting- perhaps a nice place to fish!

On #11, we are removing the stumps and roots in the way of our cart path widening effort.  After the paving, we'll be grassing a 6-10' wide strip on the opposite side of the cart path.  This will really improve the aesthetics of this area.

USGA Green Section Record

 CLICK HERE for the latest edition of the USGA's Green Section Record.

Putting Green Performance Data from 2025

A few days ago I posted the raw data from a two month period over the summer (June 7- August 7) where we recorded putting green measurements.  I took that data and graphed it in order to see if there is a correlation between these different measurements.  On all the graphs, the red line indicates the desired threshold for what the USGA considers "tournament conditions." However, in the case of green speed, 11 feet is the goal for daily play according to my 'Golf Course Standards" document that's be approved and accepted by the Green Committee.  These measurements were taken using the USGA's GS3 ball, shown below.

If you'd like to see how it works, here is a 3 minute instructional video.  CLICK HERE to watch.

Green Speed is determined using a stimpmeter.  The number is how many feet it rolled off the stimpmeter.  As I've said before, it's a factor of friction- how much or how little is working on the golf ball as it rolls across the putting green.

Smoothness and Trueness are somewhat similar.  The GS3 ball determines how much up and down movement there is on the ball in the case of smoothness and trueness is the measurement of side to side movement of the ball.  You can see above that these graphs are quite similar.  In both cases, the goal is to be below the red line on the graph.

Finally, firmness is determined using the GS3 ball after it is dropped on the green from a consistent height.  The USGA created a tool that holds the GS3 ball which measures the indentation (ball mark) made on the putting green when the ball is dropped.  The deeper the indentation, the softer the green.  The goal is to be below the red line on the graph.

By knowing this data, I can look back and compare what maintenance practices were done on a particular day that influenced the particular measurement.  The same goes for weather data.  For example, a heavy rain event may be the cause for a drop in green speed.  Or, a sand topdressing application may be the reason for a change in smoothness.  

Thursday

Everyday, we are hauling loads of soil to the 11th tee complex.  We are raising the elevation of the ground around the tees to improve drainage. 

Above, we've done significant pruning down the left side of the cart path by the tees.  This is where the cart path will be expanded two more feet (10' total) to allow for 2-way traffic for carts coming from Pipers Court.

The drainage contractor is finishing up on the green side fairway on #6.  In another 2 days, we'll be moving to the 9th hole.

Fairway aeration continues! After the plugs have some time to dry on the surface, we "drag" the plugs with a section of chain link fence (below), which breaks the plugs up, returning the soil to the ground and leaves the thatch and leaf tissue on the surface.  That material is then blown to the middle of the fairway, where it can be picked up and disposed of.  When this is complete, we'll make a application of sand to the fairways that will also fall into the aeration holes, improving the drainage characteristics of the soil over time.

 

Tee and Approach Topdressing

 

All the tees and the approaches on the golf course are receiving an application of sand that can be worked into the aeration holes.

2025 Greens Data from June-August 7

 

This past summer we worked with an intern from NC State University, Cooper Hall.  Cooper is a great guy and has been part of this team for the last 4 years, since he was in high school.  This summer, I had him collect data and observations of putting greens.  It started with a daily stimpmeter reading in addition to smoothness and firmness tests.  We also weighed clipping yields every morning which gave us insight into our growth regulator/fertility programs.  You can also see weather data and general notes.  This information is useful in seeing how our management practices affect putting green quality.  In a future post, I'll get into specifics of what was learned from this data.

Rhododendron Pruning Photos

Now that all the clean up is finished, you can see the amount of rough we will be gaining back on #12.

On #11, we are preparing to widen the cart path.

Landscape Design

I've enjoyed working with Mary Palmer Dargan for over 16 years now at Highlands CC.  I'm most impressed at her ability to knock out sketches like this, while standing on site!  These are the landscape beds at the main entrance of the club, on both sides of the breezeway (where the valet parkers work).

More from Monday…

This afternoon, I met with landscape architect, Mary Palmer Dargan to revitalize two areas at the Clubhouse.  The first area is the courtyard and the second is the area across the breezeway from it, outside the window of the Jones Room.  These two areas are our landscape department priorities for the 2026 season.  Both need attention since their initial design in the late 2000's. 

On the golf course, we are trimming back Rhododendron around the restroom on #13 in order to create more golf cart cover on the opposite side of the restroom facility.

On #11, we are trimming back the left side of the cart path by the tees because we are going to be widening the cart path to 10 feet, from the Piper's Court entrance past the tee boxes to account for heavy 2-way traffic in this area, which is common during the summer months.

Drainage installation is complete on the tee side of #6 fairway and work has commenced on the opposite side of the creek, towards the green.

As I posted before, fairway aeration is complete through the 7th hole.

Fairway Aerification

With the golf course closed for the season, it's time to start doing the disruption to the playing surfaces that we choose not to do while the golf course is open.  Today, fairway aeration started and we are hoping to have this completed and cleaned up before December 23rd.  If we aerated fairways in September, like most clubs in the area do, the process would only take about 4 days to complete.  However, when we do it this time of year, it takes over 3 weeks.  There are a couple reasons for that.  First, we don't have the same amount of man power available to pick up the aeration plugs.  Second, we have to work around the weather and frost delays.  Sometimes the conditions are such that we can't get out on the course at all or, we have to wait until noon to begin because of a hard freeze.  Finally, when we do get rain, it takes longer for things to dry.  We can't break up the plugs with a drag mat until they are fully dry.  That can take a couple days because we don't have the sun at a high angle to help us.  As forested as Highlands CC is, shade is a bigger challenge in the winter with the low sun angles.

Grass Clippings for the Holiday Edition of the Piper

 

If you click on the image, you should be able to zoom in to read the print.

Wednesday

After 1.5" of rain yesterday, our drainage on #1 got tested out!  It's pretty impressive how dry the fairway was after so much rain!  Keep in mind, this is step one in process of addressing drainage.  There are areas that we may have to address further by coring out the native soil and replacing the rootzone with sand.  This process is know as sand capping.

The site that once occupied 4 buildings dedicated to employee housing is now just a small consolidated pile of rubble!  It's so fun seeing the progress!

Happy Thankgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!  There is so much to be thankful for at Highlands CC and we're excited about the upcoming winter that will be full of golf course improvements.  The course is closed on Thanksgiving Day but will open Friday and through the weekend before closing for the season after Sunday.