Thursday, March 28, 2024

7-Day Forecast

 

I love these temperatures!  We'll start seeing some grass growing if it stays like this!

Thursday


Above, we've recently made some Clubhouse landscaping improvements.  We replaced a couple trees that had outgrown their space and we growing too close to the structure.  One of the trees we removed was a large Norway Spruce that engulfed the left hand side of this entrance.  Next week, we'll begin mulching the Club grounds and golf course.


In the photo above, we applied another layer of topdressing sand to the greens.  Two weeks ago, we aerated greens using 3/8" tines on a very tight spacing.  The result was a lot of holes that need to be filled with sand.  We applied the usual sand rate of 60 tons of sand to the greens.  However, that wasn't enough to fill all the holes that we created.  Since then, we've gone back and doubled the amount of sand put on the greens to 120 tons.  Using a drag brush, we'll test one of the greens this  afternoon to see if we got enough sand on them to adequately fill the holes.  I feel like it may even require another 25 ton load to be able to finish the greens.  That just goes to show you how aggressive we aerated greens this spring.  This type of aeration is required for the health and life expectancy of the greens.  

Monday, March 25, 2024

Friday, March 22, 2024

#3 Fescue Bed

We started prepping and seeding areas on the golf course with Fine Fescue.  This is the turf that grows tall and has a wispy seed head that we use on steep slopes.  While some may prefer the look of maintained turf, on steep slopes, it's just not practical to grow Kentucky Bluegrass in these areas.  The intense maintenance and water requirements on that kind of slope would use a tremendous amount of resources.  We are covering the seed temporarily with loose wheat straw.  Historically, we used a straw mat, that was rolled over top of the seed bed.  We are trying this straw this year so we can rake it up once the seed germinates and establishes.  The matting we would use would be permanent once the grass started to grow.  Removing the mat after germination would tear up the seedlings below it.  There are other benefits to using Fine Fescue on slopes like on #3.  Some examples are:

1. Biodiversity: Native areas provide habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species, including native grasses, wildflowers, birds, insects, and small mammals. By maintaining these areas, golf courses can help support local ecosystems and promote biodiversity.

2. Water conservation: Native plants are well-adapted to local climate and soil conditions, making them more drought-tolerant and requiring less water than non-native species. By incorporating native areas into their landscape design, golf courses can reduce water usage and support water conservation efforts.

3. Erosion control: Native plants have deep root systems that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion. By planting native species in areas prone to erosion, golf courses can reduce the risk of sediment runoff and protect water quality in nearby streams and rivers.

4. Aesthetics: Native plants can add visual interest and natural beauty to golf course landscapes, providing a more authentic and sustainable alternative to traditional landscaping practices. Native areas can also enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of a golf course and create a more natural, harmonious environment for players and wildlife alike.

5. Sustainability: By incorporating native areas into their design and maintenance practices, golf courses can reduce their environmental impact, conserve resources, and promote sustainable land management practices. Native areas can help golf courses minimize their carbon footprint, protect natural resources, and support overall ecosystem health and resilience.

Old Range Ball


While raking the soil in the area on #3 that was cut back this year, we uncovered this relic from the Country Club of Birmingham.  I notified the authorities in Birmingham about their missing capital from 34 years ago.  They are launching an investigation to see who is behind this. 

#15 Cart Path Paving


On Thursday afternoon, our paving contractor worked into the evening getting the new cart path on #15 surfaced with asphalt.  I am very pleased we were able to get this accomplished before the golf course opens for play.  The 15th hole is arguably the prettiest hole on the golf course.  For many years, the cart path took away from the beauty of the green complex by being so close to the putting green.  The new path does not increase the distance of the walk from the golfer's cart to the green.  A small pull-out was constructed by the rain shed, not far from where golfers parked in years past.  I personally this this is one of the best improvements we've made to the course in the last few years.  



Thursday, March 21, 2024

Thursday


It was a big day today!  We held the first ever bridge staining party that consisted of about 15 guys armed with paintbrushes!  The newly rebuilt bridge crossing Club Lake no longer looks like new treated lumber.  In addition to that, the white rain shed structure at #18 ladies tee also received a freshening up by way of a new coat of paint.  You might notice the Highlander Man Logo is missing from the structure.  That is because a new and improved logo is currently being produced and will be installed in the coming weeks.

These are just a couple examples of the details we are honing in on before we open for play on April 12th.



Cicadas

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Bobby Jones

7-Day Forecast

 

Wednesday

 

Rather than having 2 or 3 guys tied up on bridge staining for a number of weeks, today and tomorrow we are throwing all we have at it. 9 gallons of TWP dark oak stain, 13 paintbrushes and a team of go-getters and this is just a small project! 🙂 By tomorrow afternoon, this will be a distant memory!

A really good chance of rain is scheduled for Friday, and it is much needed.  Since January 1st, we’ve had over 26” of rain. To put that into perspective, that total equates to almost 130” for the year if the same trend continues for the next nine months.  Would you believe me if I said we’ve never irrigated this much in a spring season as we have this year? How is that possible if we’ve had that much rain?  The answer is that those 26” of rain fell in a total of about 5 or 6 individual rain events.  Between each rain event, the humidity has been very low and the breeze has been fairly constant. Therefore, the water produced during those rain events, either ran off or evaporated very quickly. This is led to us using a much higher than normal amount of irrigation water since the end of February, when we pressured up the irrigation system. Most years, the system is brought up to pressure in late March.  If those 26” of rain fell in a pattern of 1-2” a week for the last 9-10 weeks, I’d be telling a totally different story.  In short, we always have to be on our toes and ready to respond to the curve balls that Mother Nature is known for. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Tuesday

We laid our final load of Kentucky Bluegrass of the winter!  11,200ft2 of Bluegrass was laid in a number of areas that were impacted by our winter work.



These photos show where we eliminated pinestraw behind the 3rd green and replaced it with turf.  Notice how much everything is greening back up!



Speaking of green, the new approach extension looks like it's been there forever.



I'm happy to report that #13 is finally shaping up!  You can see by the photos that the area looks cleaner than it ever has before.

Magnolia Lane Then vs. Now


 Such a cool photo!