Cold, cold and more cold is the word.  We haven't seen a winter like this in a while so hunker down and stay warm.  Most of our work is inside right now.  The crew is working on equipment and preparing golf course accessories for the upcoming season. Each morning the parking lot is checked for slippery spots and ice melt is spread as needed.  We use magnesium chloride for ice melt because it is safer on concrete and more environmentally friendly.  It melts ice down to fifteen degrees but it has been much colder than that of late so we have substituted sand in its place.  Mr. Groundhog makes his prediction next week and we are feeling a little apprehensive at the moment!

 

Mag chloride for ice melt.  There is a shortage due to the nasty winter we are experiencing.

 

 

Group painting powwow.

 

 

We use a product called Vinyl Guard on all rake handles and hazard stakes instead of painting.  Here Jose is using a heat gun to  shrink wrap a bunker rake handle.  Vinyl Guard provides a more professional and longer lasting finish than paint. 

 

 

White pine removal between 14 and 15.

 

 

Large pine taken down near the 2nd green damaged from the ice storm.

 

 

View from the 7th tee with the pine gone.

 

 

Sod repair in the 8th fairway before the bad weather hit.

 

 

Finished just in time.  Winter is a great time to sod if the ground can be worked.

 

 

 

Annual bluegrass invasion in the 18th fairway.  Voids where we had difficult time growing bent had some annual bluegrass contamination.  Without sterilizing the soil this was impossible to prevent.

 

 

Murphy's Law at work.  Annual bluegrass in the 18th fairway (the straw colored grass) facing the clubhouse of course!

 

 

A small patch in the 10th fairway.  This will be removed gradually using growth regulators and new selective herbicides.

 

 

Deer enjoying the snow mid-day.

 

 

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