Trials and tribulations

The trials and tribulations of maintaining a golf course continue. After writing about a gas spill last week, this week we have a couple new issues to discuss, one regarding another leak and the other having to do with the irrigation system.

Thursday of last week we had several thunderstorms in our vicinity. We could have used some rain, but unfortunately all we got was lightning. Repeated nearby strikes kept our staff in after lunch for so long that we eventually just sent most of the staff home rather than continue to wait. Instead of getting rain, the close lighting did produce a power surge that went through our irrigation system. This is not the first time this has happened. Like the occurrence back in 2019, some minor damage was observed in a satellite box and the lightning arrester located in that satellite box did its job and had to be replaced. Normally that would have been the end of the story. Unfortunately, when we turned the power back on to the field, nothing turned on.

Not having any power to the satellites is one of the worst-case scenarios for the golf course. Without power, we cannot electrically operate any sprinkler. So, the only way to irrigate is to manually turn on EACH INDIVIDUAL SPRINKLER one at a time. With approximately 900 sprinklers on the property, you can see how this is not realistic. Luckily the Bermuda grass does not need much water, so we focused on running sprinklers on the greens only.

We could not restore power at all on Thursday, our irrigation specialist contractor was busy all-day Friday tending to another lightning related irrigation emergency, so we did not have power on Friday either. So, for two nights we manually turned on every sprinkler around every green- a process that alone takes 2 hours. We didn’t make it through the hot weather unscathed, but for no irrigation system, we did ok. Finally, on Saturday, after nearly 4 hours of troubleshooting, we were able to restore power. The culprit: a small jumper wire in a closet at the shop had also been damaged during the surge, the existence of which was previously unbeknownst to anyone in the Grounds department.

While we struggled with putting water out onto the course on Thursday and Friday, we also unfortunately had a hydraulic leak in several locations on the course on Friday. A hydraulic pump seal went bad and caused oil to leak across several approaches and tees. We train our staff to watch for leaks such as this, but it can be difficult to see. Every course that has hydraulic powered equipment will deal with this at one point or another, but it doesn’t make it any easier to look at. We have fixed the bad seal and will continue to work on mitigating the damage.

All in all, it was an eventful few days. We don’t like having problems, but it is inevitable, especially when dealing with Mother Nature. We will keep moving forward and working to make sure everything is as good as we can make it.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

After filling your divot with sand, either on a tee or fairway, please smooth the sand pile out so our mowers don’t cut through the sand.

 

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org