We are beginning to button down the course for winter.  Before we do there are several important tasks to be done. Temp greens and tees are being readied for winter play.  We anticipate moving to them by the first of the year.  We are almost finished with the shock wave aeration of fairways and will begin deep tine aeration of greens next week. In addition we will fertilize all the fairways as well as applying fungicides to greens and tees for winter disease prevention.  We have put down quite a bit of sod this month and will do another truck load this week before Thanksgiving.  This is the best time to sod as minimal water is required and the sod roots in well when the soil is prepared properly.

 

The shock wave in action.  This machine helps break down the layering in our soil and promotes water infiltration as well as oxygenating the soil. 

 

 

 It takes us about two weeks to complete the fairways but the benefits are worth it.

 

 

If necessary we roll the fairway afterwards.

 

 

All summer annuals have been removed and tulips have been planted throughout the course.  This November Julio and Armando planted over twelve thousand!

 

 

Removing the old turf around ten approach.  The prep work is the hard part and when done properly the sod flourishes.

 

 

The rough around ten approach just about finished.

 

 

Preparing for sod around the fairway bunker on the 12th hole.

 

 

These red flags represent annual bluegrass plants to be removed on the practice green. This is an ongoing process to keep this green as pure bent.

 

 

We have put out alternate rakes by the practice bunkers and the 18th green to try.  These seem to do a better job than our current ones.  The only difference is the width of the rake head. The wider rake is shown below on the left and our current rake is on the right.  Quite a difference!

It is hard to believe we are three weeks from Thanksgiving.  We are focusing our efforts on keeping the course as leaf free as possible. It is frustrating looking for balls amongst the leaves so leaf work is priority number one right now.  There are still some nice days for golf so we hope to see you on the course.  

 

Before trees lose their leaves we have the good fortune to enjoy their magnificent fall color.  This is a Ginko tree.

 

 

A pin oak on the second hole.

 

 

A nice orange-yellow hickory.

 

 

Red maple in nice contrast with the turf.

 

 

A spectacular willow oak on the fourteenth hole.

 

 

Fall fruit on a southern magnolia.  Its not all about the leaves!

 

 

Burning bush in all its glory.

 

 

This is a bald cypress.  Often mistaken as an evergreen in decline at this time of year.

 

 

Before the leaves fall it is an excellent time to mark trees for removal.  This red oak near the thirteenth green is in decline and is a candidate for removal.  Trees with the red dot will be removed this winter.

 

 

We had a lot of fun with Lentz's Revenge this year and hope you were able to play.

 

 

 

This tractor was strategically placed and got some revenge!

 

 

A crafty pin placement on the fourteenth green.  At least it is a six inch hole!

 

 

We had some skillful ghouls on Halloween mowing greens.

 

 

Stephen the clown mowing straight lines.

 

 

Thanks to my staff for a great year!

 

 

Sunrise special!