Our first snow of 2019 has suspended any work on the course with the exception of plowing snow.  That's fine as there is plenty to do.  The shop looks like Santa's workshop with everything that is going on.  Refurbishing all the golf course accessories along with equipment repair makes for a crowded work place.  Thankfully everyone gets along!

 

A beautiful winter scene.

 

 

The predicted 3-5" quickly became 6-10".  Our crew did a nice job plowing.

 

 

Julio and Luis sanding benches with Oscar and Jose B in the background sharpening reel mowers.

 

 

Rony sanding a bench.

 

 

Francisco applying teak sealer at the end of the assembly line!

 

 

Jose Nunez, Max and Tano painting tee markers.

 

 

Another inch this morning provided a beautiful landscape. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter has arrived and we are expecting our first snow of 2019.  The crew has been busy preparing the course for the new season.  Currently the entire hazard on the seventh and eighth holes has been cut back and cleaned out and now work has begun around the lake on the fourth hole.  This week we were able to slice all the fairways before the ground froze.  This cultural practice helps break up some of the layering in the soil profile and improves drainage.  This is sometimes called linear aeration.

 

Luis slicing his last fairway on a very cold and windy afternoon.

 

 

Nice and neat.  Depending on ground conditions it may go as deep as six inches.

 

 

Next time we need to remember to remove the temporary green cup.

 

 

The custom turf covers for eight tee finally arrived right on time.  Roots are starting to move downward and the tarps will expedite rooting.

 

 

Tis the season for conferences and trade shows.  This picture is from the Mid-Atlantic Nurseryman's Trade Show in Baltimore.  This boxwood is over ten feet tall!

 

 

We are also in the season when our greens get that funky spotted look.  This is called segregation and is caused by different genetics in the bent and poa species.  Fortunately this disappears when soil temperatures rise in the spring.

 

 

Josh and Jose loading a brine solution to pretreat the club house parking lot this morning in preparation of the coming snow.

 

 

This is the way to start the new year!  Ken Eiriksson with a hole in one on the thirteenth hole on Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first week of the new year is wrapping up with the usual Friday-Saturday rain.  This is ridiculous and enough is enough!  (Hah, like I can do something about it). Anyway the course remains very soft and limits us putting any equipment on the course.  The mild weather allowed us to change cups and rake bunkers several times this week.  Creek and pond bank work is slow going due to the amount of moisture in these low areas.  There is plenty of firewood available so come and get it.

 

Too much rain helps point out where drainage is required but it needs to freeze or dry up before it can be fixed.  This water needs to be diverted to the hazard on the right on the 9th hole.

 

 

There has been considerable erosion this year especially under trees and will require extensive seeding in the rough in 2019.  It's going to be a busy year when it stops raining.

 

 

With the amended rules of golf a new hazard line has been created on hole 2.

 

 

Another view.

 

 

Creek on 7 looking ready for 2019.

 

 

Come and get it!

 

 

 

 

Rain on the last day of the year is a fitting end to the wettest year on record.  Let's all make a wish for drier conditions in 2019.  The mild weather is allowing us to accomplish some unusual jobs as we enter the new year.  Changing hole locations, rolling greens and raking bunkers are seldom done this time of year and it's a nice change.

 

This is an unfortunate consequence of too much rain and very disappointing.  Please repair divots by replacing the turf or use sand if available.  Replacing the divot is preferred in the cool months of the year and will heal rapidly.  Leaving the divot unrepaired allows an opening for weed invasion.

 

 

Raking bunkers for New Years Day.

 

 

Rolling greens as well.

 

 

Eight tee turned out great.  Here's a picture earlier this year and ...

 

 

 

Here's the new tee and expanded collar. Once the turf greens up it will look significantly better.  

 

 

Our family went downtown last week and look who also has a bemudagrass problem!  Reducing the amount of this weed will be difficult but will be a major focus in 2019.

 

 

 

 

Rain arrived just as the eighth tee project wrapped up.  We removed two maples between it and the seventh green and increased the size of the expanded collar and the results are stunning!  The new tee has nearly fifteen yards more in length and the red tee has been enlarged as well.

 

A view of the seventh green from eight tee.

 

 

Hole eight from the back of the new tee.

 

 

Catch basin in front of five fairway bunker.

 

 

Catch basin on six doing it's thing.

 

 

Basin behind eight green waiting for sod but functioning well.

 

 

Winter is officially here as the irrigation system has been winterized.

 

 

Replacing some bermudaggrass with bent in the 18th fairway.  Reducing bermudagrass will be a priority in 2019.

 

 

While not a huge fan of USGA greens there is no questioning their ability to drain rapidly.  Here's the practice green and conversely....

 

 

The 18th green.

 

 

Topdresssing the 5th fairway.

 

 

Awesome sunrise this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally some dry weather to help us complete projects on the course.  Unfortunately a little too cold for most golfers but what's new.  The weather has not been kind to golf in 2018.  Eight tee is wrapping up as are the leaves on the course.  Firewood splitting is ongoing and is now available to the membership.  It is located in the woods adjacent to the driving range near twelve green.

 

Ready for sod.  You could shoot pool off that surface!

 

 

Bentgrass going down.

 

 

Drain basin on the sixth hole ready for grass.  There are also basins going in on the fifth hole at the fairway bunker and behind the eighth green (two very wet areas).

 

 

Topdressing approaches.  The sand helps firm up these areas.

 

 

Leaf mulching madness.

 

 

All chipping is complete.

 

 

Splitting wood while waiting for frost to lift.

 

 

Three green still frosty at 11:30 on Tuesday.

 

 

Come and get it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finally have a break from the rain but not the cold.  Golf season in essentially over but not maintenance.  Eight tee is proceeding well and looks to wrap up next week.  The crew is finishing up this fall's sod project.  They have replaced almost two acres!  All fairways have been solid tine aerated and bermudagrass areas overseeded   We rented a chipper and begin work on the mess near twelve green on Monday.  If the course remains dry we will topdress all approaches as well (better late than never),   Leaves continue to drop late but appear to be about done.  Hurray! 

 

Eight tee with drainage installed waiting for irrigation.

 

 

Irrigation installation.

 

 

Drainage work on the fifth hole.

 

 

All collars have been reduced to a consistent 24 inch width and additional sod added around.  Excellent project!

 

 

Monday morning felt like a spring day and the fairways responded accordingly.  Unfortunately it lasted only a day.

 

 

A very strange fall.  Here two willow oaks acting very differently.  One has already lost it's leaves while the oak in the foreground is just turning.