Winter weather is here.  Right now, it is all hands-on deck as we try to wrap up a number of projects.  Three tee is nearing completion.  We hope to have the cart path completed before the rain Thursday.  More sod will be laid on Wednesday, but not enough to complete the rough surrounds.  

Unfortunately, too much rain and cold has forced our hand and we have postponed the 16th tee renovation till next fall.  This tee sits in a cold, shady spot and construction isn't possible at this time.  Starting later in this growing environment would push opening this tee well into the golf season, so punting on the work seemed the appropriate action.  The forward tee on 15 will be done this winter.

Asphalt work at three tee.  The maintenance path in a new location and more out of view.

Loading topsoil to be spread before sod.

Paving the entrance to the lower blue/gold tee.

Adding new irrigation between one green and eighteen tees.

Additional irrigation was added to the right side of seventeen where trees use to be.  New irrigation was also installed between the bathroom and the 16th hole.

Meanwhile your grounds crew added new sod to the 2nd and 9th holes.  This is absolutely the best time to sod!

Gill's buddy but a nuisance to our bunkers.

A magnificent sawtooth oak and our signature tree?

 

 Construction is rolling along.  Today marks day eleven since breaking ground on the third hole.  Most of the dirt has been moved and some sod will be planted tomorrow.  Irrigation installation begins today.  What a tee shot it will be over the water!  The upper red/white tee and alternate blue tee have been significantly upgraded as well with their alignment to the fairway and improved drainage and some added length.  What an improvement and the anticipation to play off these new tees is off the chart!  

Our crew is motoring along as well.  New sod has been installed around the chipping green bunkers, and rough areas on the 9th and 11th holes.  One more load is scheduled next week.  Deep tine aeration of fairways should be completed this week.  Fairway compost will be spread after this beginning this week.  Leaf work is nearing completion with creek bank clearing beginning.  

Saturday morning view of three tee from seven.

The view from four.

The tee shot view.

Saving the best sod before demo and moving to weak areas around the course.

Our crew preparing a large area of rough for new sod.

Using bent sod to widen the right side of two fairway.

Luis using our new Wiederman dep tine aerator.  Slow and steady, a step to better fairways.

Another magnificent start to the workday.

 Suddenly it's November and the golf season is complete.  It has been a great year for the course, though we are not quite finished.  This month marks the beginning of phase 2 of the course improvement plan. Tree removal on holes 3 and 16 should be completed by the end of this week and McDonald and Sons begin construction next week.  Expect work to begin on hole 3.  November is also project time for our crew before winter arrives.  New rough sod will be added on several holes beginning on the ninth.  Deep tine aeration followed by composting and dormant seeding will occur in the fairways.    

I hope you were fortunate to play in Lentz's Revenge.  This was my last one and it was awesome.  Many thanks to my staff for all their hard work, especially Richard Purple who is primarily responsible for the setup.

Lentz's Revenge was a hoot!

Tree removal is complete on the third hole.

The view from the new tee location.

Root zone medium arriving for tee construction.

What a weekend of leaves we experienced.  This week looks to be the beginning of the end.

The crew blowing sand and leaves on the fifth hole Saturday morning.  Whatever it takes.

Prepping for new sod behind the ninth green.

Tulip planting time has arrived.  Don't forget to plant yours.

Thumbs up from our diver who cleaned debris away from the irrigation intake.

The material will be removed once it has dried.

A Gingko in all its fall glory.

A perfect hickory.

Quite the obstruction in the middle of a golf tournament.

Dick and Jose to the rescue.

Safely in a trash can and on to a safe spot.

Back to the lake.

Early morning pics.

Sunrise special!

One more with a little frost on the pumpkin!

Club Championship was a resounding success.  Timely rain the week prior followed by some sterling sunny days set up for some of the best playing conditions possible.  Thanks to my crew for providing a beautiful, challenging championship course for our members.

Though troubling at the time, the 2.8 inches of rain help set the plate for some great golf.

By the following day we were able to get the mowers out.

On Friday morning of the championship qualifier the course was ready.

Our greens had the sheen and it only got better.

Perfect bunkers for a championship.

Green Chair Dan Deriso chipping on 13.  Carlos Aranda's ball can be seen in the bunker.

Previous Green Chair Steve Luddy enjoying his first club championship with Scott "the King" Inman observing.

Bucks doing a number on a newly planted maple.

Wildlife continues to thrive at Springfield.  Here a Great Blue Heron and a Cormorant share a branch on the 15th hole.

 We made it to October! Fall Member Guest went great and now it's time for Club Championship. But first we have to deal with the remnants of Ian.  The course dearly needs rain so this should be beneficial.  Unfortunately, it looks to be a very wet weekend and most likely no golf.  Oh well, the course needs a rest before the final stretch of the golf season.

A sure sign it's Member Guest week.

Tall fescue/bluegrass coming up in vivid lines between one and eighteen.

Perennial ryegrass germinating on the practice tee.  We will hit off grass for our big competitions and then use mats for the remainder of the year.

Scalping down the club grounds before drill seeding.

Rony adding sand to our practice bunkers.

Tree roots sucking the life out of fairway turf on the 14th hole.

The spillway on hole five has developed a significant leak.  We are investigating how to fix this.

It must be Monday!

The crew enjoying crabs and burgers after successful course maintenance.

The club's biggest asset relaxing for a change.