The first day of summer has arrived.  What a crazy weekend of weather we just experienced!  Friday it was 95 degrees with 35 mph winds followed by a cool weekend with similar winds.  Those winds have dried out the course considerably so a little rain would be perfect about now.  Of course, it is Member Guest week.  The course is in excellent shape and should present itself well for our guests.

Monday morning it was 47 degrees when I left for the course, almost 50 degrees cooler than Friday!

This spring has had an unusual amount of clover in the rough.  It has been difficult applying herbicides with golf, weather and mowing schedules.  We finally sprayed nearly 20 acres which is about half of what is required.  The yellowing area in the picture is the clover saying goodbye.

Member Guest preparation begins weeks before the tournament.  Here Shawn applies sand topdressing to spruce up the driving range tee.

Repairing a wet area near the 11th green tee.

Our fairways are playing firm and fast.

Benefits of tree removals are starting to show.  Here is the rough-fairway perimeter on the first hole.  This use to have thin, weak turf caused by the large oak that was growing nearby.  What a difference!

This is an improvement happening before our eyes on the tenth tee.  The yellowish areas are Poa annua saying goodbye now that there is a better environment for perennial grasses.  Eventually these voids will fill in with bentgrass.

The two-year upgrade of our pump station is complete.  To the left is a new 30 HP pump and motor.  The pressure maintenance pump is on the right.

Foxes continue to be a nuisance, even in our Better Billy bunkers.  Fortunately, they can't dig through the polymer layer.  

Unrepaired ball marks continue to be an issue.  This was 12 feet from the pin on 18 green.

The wildflower bed on the 11th hole is astounding.  I counted ten different species blooming when this picture was taken!

 

 The President's Cup was a resounding success.  Next up are our Member Guest's competitions.  We have plenty to prepare for over the next two weeks.  Our staff size is finally growing with some new employees, but they are green and need seasoning.  Please bear with us as this takes time.

Weather has been close to perfect, but we did have a bad storm last Thursday.  Here's Shawn in his element cleaning up a downed elm on nine.

Another tree down on fifteen.

The storm warning stations have been relocated.  Here is one near the 12th tee.  This bed will be mulched soon.

The other unit is between ten and eighteen.

Our pumphouse upgrades are concluding this week.  A pressure maintenance pump was added to reduce energy costs, and a new 30 HP motor and pump replaced the old 25 HP pump. 

Shawn fertilizing some hungry fairways.

Lu and Patrick topdressing greens on Wednesday.  Topdressing helps smooth the putting surface and   improves the overall health of the turf.

The crew detailing green side bunkers.  Sand depth is checked, and more is added if necessary.

Past and present Green Chairs having at it!

A young buck munching on cattails on fifteen.  

  

 Weather was perfect for the Memorial Day weekend.  Hot weather joined the party as our second heat wave of 2022 is upon us.  This comes to and end today.  The President's Cup is this weekend, and the weather looks fantastic.  Let's hope we don't receive too much rain and the course proves to be a challenge.

We had a Pro Am on Wednesday and the course played tough. Here Jose puts on a double roll after mowing.

Rough was sprayed with a preventive fungicide and season long grub control this week.  This application is lightly watered in.

Some areas of the course are showing the benefits of tree removal.  This is behind one green and the turf is near perfect.  Sunlight and adequate air circulation are essential for growing quality turf.

Please use cart paths around greens and tees.  I promise you the turf does not like this.

The course has many nice plantings and are they looking good!

There are a number of wildflower species around the course.  Everything is just about in its prime.