Irrigation blowout.............

Next week Monday we will be starting the annual irrigation blowout. The process takes about 3.5 days.

This week we mowed all the short grass one last time and then pulled all the reels off of the traction units. So I dont plan to mow anymore this season. The bathrooms should be winterized and shut down for the season by the weekend. Most of the rakes, t-signs, tee markers, ballwashers, etc. have been brought indoors too.

Following blowout we still need to make our snowmold application and topdress the greens. We also will be working on the leaf harvest, but that has been a waiting game as the trees are not dropping leaves real fast yet.

New tees????

Here are some new locations for ladies tees in 2012. Hole #6 could be 50+ yards shorter (125 yards) and #16 could be as much as 60 yards shorter (120 yards) than the current tee boxes if this project is approved.

I have often believed that the ladies tees were positioned too far back and also believe that the tee space on our par 3's is too small. The construction of new tee's on these two par 3's allow for more tee space for the men and a more comfortable hole for the ladies.

My plan is to cut these areas down to tee height (did that today as you can see in the pictures) and when construction begins save the sod so the tee can be put into play as soon as possible. We want to excavate a larger area then you see in the picture so we can elevate the tee slightly and of course be left with a flat tee.

No time table is set for this project because it has not been approved yet. I would like to get #16 done early in the summer and #6 (requires more fill) completed late summer or early fall.

#8 drainage project complete.................

The drainage project on #8 is complete. The fairway lines have been adjusted and we will be evaluating the playability of the new fairway lines through the spring of next year. My current plan is to maintain this area at 1 and 1/4 inch.

We are also working on building 1 and maybe 2 new tees next year on #6 and #16 for the women. While nothing is approved I will be working on exact placement, size, and distance heading into the winter months.

#8 drainage

Today we trenched our drain lines, put in the drain tile with pea gravel, and put in some transfer boxes. There is about 100 ft of tile left to be laid and we should get to that Monday and complete our finish grade. If it stays dry I hope to get the sod finished next week too.

Today we trimmed some trees around the property. This is a before and after picture of one limb we trimmed that was hanging over #1 fairway. A member requested it be removed and I couldnt see why it needed to stay.

It would be better for the future if I took before and after photos from the same spot and with the same camera. It would make the differences a little easier to see.

#8 drainage project update.....

This project stalled out because of the rain last night. The rain did gives us a chance to check our work before we start trenching in our drainage system. I am shooting for starting our trenching on Friday this week.

#8 drainage project......

Here is the start of the drainage project across #8 fairway. Today we stripped and hauled away the old sod and started moving some dirt around to improve the surface drainage. We also located the irrigation lines. We probably wont hit any of those when we start putting in our subsurface drainage.

If things dry up on the site we could get most of our grading finished tomorrow and start trenching on Wednesday.