Tee surface re-sodding

We hope you all like the changes that have taken place as a result of the Master Plan construction thus far. The changes are very exciting for the Grounds department as well. Bunkers that don’t puddle, rectangular, in-line tee boxes with more square footage, and Bermuda grass surfaces are all great improvements for our operation. One change that will happen over the next few weeks in conjunction with the Master Plan work is the converting of some previously reconstructed tees to Bermuda grass surfaces as well.

Holes 5-9 were reconstructed under previous Master Plan work and the tee tops were seeded to ryegrass. Ryegrass can be a great surface to play from on fairways, collars, or tees in the appropriate conditions with the appropriate amount of inputs necessary. We have a very strict budget and many acres to maintain at the facility and this does not suit the needs of ryegrass tees very well. The ryegrass does not tolerate the heat and humidity and once the plant begins to suffer, disease and death can quickly follow. Water and fungicides can alleviate some of the issues, but the time and money needed to baby the ryegrass through the summer sometimes outlasts our budget. The final problem with ryegrass is that it does not regenerate from healthy tissue and spread over thin areas as other grass species do. Ryegrass must be reseeded to establish new turf. Unfortunately, seeding in July and August is extremely difficult, especially on a high traffic area such as a tee. Because of these issues, new tees constructed under this year’s Master Plan work are being sodded to the same Bermuda grass variety as the fairways: Riviera.

To strive for consistency and sustainability, our staff will undertake the task of converting the tee complexes on holes 5-9 to Bermuda grass as well. To do this as economically as possible, we will be salvaging some Bermuda grass from the fairways slated to be reconstructed in this year’s Master Plan work. Ahead of construction, our staff will strip and remove any viable Bermuda grass sod prior to earth-moving and replace the ryegrass tee surfaces on holes 5-9 where possible.

In the coming weeks we will try and tackle several back tee boxes and some forward tee boxes while maintaining playability. Back tees that we convert to Bermuda grass will be removed from play for a short time and tee markers will be placed on the tee box immediately in front. Forward tees that we convert will also be closed for a short time and tee markers may either be placed in the fairway ahead of the tee box where feasible or placed at the front of the tee box immediately behind the forward tee.

We hope that with rounds down through the month of August and prime Bermuda grass growing weather, these re-sodded tee boxes will only be out of commission for a couple of weeks. The goal is to do as much of this process as possible with “free” Bermuda grass sod and to eventually complete the renovation of all the surfaces on these holes.

 

 See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org