#7 bunker project

We will be starting a bunker project this week on #7 greenside bunkers. We will be removing the old sand, adding fresh sand, and making some repairs to the bunker face.

The bunkers on #7 were some of the first to be done as part of the master plan. Over time, sand shifts, is lost from the bunker, and becomes contaminated with soil. The sand needs to be replaced to ensure that water will continue to drain through and not puddle in the bunker. Also, over time, sand accumulates along the edge of the bunker and three main things happen:

·         The edge of the bunker can rise. This happens because the surface where the grass grows gradually gets higher due to the addition of sand.

·         The perimeter of the bunker will slowly get smaller and the overall size of the bunker can shrink. This happens as more sand collects around the edge and the grass grows in further and further.

·         The grass face along the edge can erode and turf can break off. The newly accumulated sand along the edge is far looser than the soil beneath and it can break free due to rain, Grounds staff walking around the edge, or golfers climbing out of the bunker.

Our process will consist of removing the old sand and storing at the shop for another purpose, stripping the sod along the entire edge of the bunker, shaving the built-up sand off of the soil, adding new sand to the bunker, re-sodding the edge, and then redistributing the new sand.

Our goal is to perform this entire process on the left and front right greenside bunkers. The far right greenside bunker does not need new sand, so we will only strip, clean, and re-sod the edge. Weather and other course responsibilities will impact the speed of the project most directly but we hope to be done at #7 green by the end of the week.

From #7, the plan will be to go to #6 and then #8 green bunkers. #6 and 8 are the next two worst bunker situations. Neither of these holes needs new sand, so it will be only the new edge work to accomplish. Once these are complete we will evaluate where to go next or if we should move on to other projects. The scope of the bunker project is to re-sod the edges of all the bunkers from 4 green through 9. These bunkers are all several years old and are in need of these same repairs. If, after we finish #6 and 8, we decide to pursue other projects, we will continue this project in the spring or this same time next year.

During the work at each bunker, that particular bunker will be played as Ground Under Repair and will have a sign denoting this as well.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not hit into the Grounds department staff while we are working- it is dangerous. Please be sure that we see you before hitting your shot.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Dry weather

How dry is it?

It has been very dry over the last several weeks. An occasional spat of rain has come through, but nothing appreciable. We have been maintaining areas throughout the course on irrigation alone. However, irrigation is not a replacement for rain. Irrigation is meant as a means to get from one rain event to the next.

You can see the faint outline of the old cart path on #3

Using general numbers that can be found online, our area receives about 4” of rain in July, another 4” of rain in August, and 4.5” of rain in September. July and August were both under half of our average rainfall totals. So far, we have not received any rain in September and the forecast is expected to stay very dry.

So, what does this mean for the turf? First, as it gets progressively drier, areas under trees and areas where there is no irrigation go completely brown and dormant. As the dry trend goes longer these brown, dry areas begin to get larger. We expend our resources- time, money, labor- on keeping “down the center” healthy. This means that we focus on the tees, fairways, and greens. The greens are the top priority and take up the most resources. We spend many hours with a hose hitting the driest areas.

You will also see that there are many areas of Bermuda grass that are turning brown. This is a clear cut sign of how dry it is. Bermuda grass is especially adapted to warm weather, but even it needs some water. We currently only sparingly water the fairways to conserve water for other needs. The beauty of the Bermuda grass is that it will bounce right back as soon as we get rain.

Large area of brown Bermuda grass on 18 fairway

We have to monitor the level of water in our irrigation pond near #17 as well. We have a limited amount of water available before we have to rent a pump and pump water from the river to recharge our supply. We have already had to pump once in August and it looks as though we will have to pump one more time still. This is another benefit of having Bermuda grass. If we were constantly running irrigation on the fairways we would run out of water much faster. Over a dry period like we are currently experiencing, we may have to pump water for a month or longer, which would become very expensive.

We have worked very hard to maintain the course in a very playable condition. Enjoy the extra roll in the fairways and firm greens.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not hit into the Grounds department staff because it is dangerous. Please be sure that we see you before hitting your shot.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Bunker projects

We are only a week away from the start of fall and the temperatures have only just started to feel fall-like. Fall golf can be some of the best golf of the year. The Grounds department is also able to start some much needed projects around the course.

One project which we have already completed is checking the depth of sand in all of the bunkers on the course. It is amazing the amount of shifting the sand can do over a season, let alone multiple years. The newest bunkers from last year’s construction needed only slight adjustments. However, some of the bunkers we worked required major changes. The two biggest culprits that cause the sand to shift are weather (rain and wind) and maintenance. Heavy rainstorms can wash the sand from one end of a bunker and deposit it in the other end. Wind can also slowly move sand. Usually, the wind blows the sand completely out of the bunker, leaving areas shallower than we want. The second major cause of sand shifting is regular maintenance. The machine we use does a good job of smoothing out the sand, preparing it for play. However, to make the surface smooth, the machine pulls a lot of sand along with it, redistributing it in lower areas. In addition, hitting bunker shots splashes sand out and routine player raking also play a minor role in changing the sand depths within the bunker.

We start by digging into the sand in the bunker in a grid pattern checking to make sure there is adequate sand evenly spread throughout. Too much on the face can lead to plugged lies, too little in the bottom can lead to players striking soil with their swing. Once we have determined where there is excess and where there is a need, we move sand accordingly. We use shovels, a small grading blade on the front of the bunker machine, and this year we even used our skid loader! Some of the bunkers needed MULTIPLE CART LOADS of sand moved from location to another. Once repositioned, the sand is leveled and compacted. While time consuming and labor-intensive, adjusting the depth of sand is essential to maintaining bunker playability.

Here is a pile of sand that we are moving from one end of the bunker to the other.

The second project, which we have not yet started, will be to re-sod the bunker edges around the bunkers on holes 5-9. These were the first holes reconstructed as part of the master plan and are in need of some upkeep. These bunkers are still performing well from their improvements, but over time sand collects in the sod immediately surrounding the bunker. The loose sand can easily give way and the turf will break away from the bunker face. Also, a lip forms around the bunker creating an area where a ball may come to lie and making a very difficult shot. We will pull sand away from the sod, strip out the old sod, lay new sod in its place, and push the sand back. Our goal is to start in October.

Bunkers are hazards from which shots are not supposed to be played. However, even the best golfers end up in the sand so we spend many man-hours making sure that the bunkers are prepared as best as possible.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not hit into the Grounds department staff because it is dangerous. Please be sure that we see you before hitting your shot.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Small projects

This picture shows the prior location of the porta-john.

Sometimes the smallest projects can have a big impact on how the course is presented. The changes can seem minor and they usually occur in non-play areas, but they can have a big impact on the aesthetics and appeal of the course. In the last week we have completed two such projects.

First, we re-positioned the porta-john between 8 green and 9 tee. The previous location did an ok job of hiding the structure from view, but it was in a very sloped spot with no grass. Whenever it rained, the mud from the surrounding area would wash into the outhouse. This was unsightly for anyone using the facility and made extra work for the Grounds department. Now we have moved the porta-john down the hill to a much more level location. Also, since moving the porta-john took it away from the trees that were blocking it from view, we planted 5 new trees, staggered in front of the outhouse to provide screening. This facility is certainly not a fancy golf course bathroom, but it is our current situation, and by relocating it and properly blocking it from the view of golfers, we have upgraded to the best extent possible.

New location and screening trees. The topped pine in the background will be removed.

There is a cart turnaround area behind the white tee on #9. There was also an area that collected water with no place to go. Rain and irrigation would run across the cart path to this one spot; it would collect and remain there for days on end with no place to drain. We were unable to mow this section of the tee surround because it would stay too wet. Occasionally, it would dry out just enough that we would attempt to mow it and make a muddy mess. This week we installed a drain in this location. We created a sump with a 12” inlet to collect the water and ran a drain pipe out to the native grass area away from the tee. We still encourage the water to flow to the same area, but now we have given it a place to go. The water will drain into the tall grass area and no longer affect our mowing. More importantly, the area behind the white tee at the cart turnaround will no longer have a mud hole that every white, blue, or black tee player sees each time.

Muddy area prior to our work

Often times when something looks good or the way it should, it is easy to miss or forget after seeing it. However, when something looks bad it sticks out like a sore thumb and sticks in everyone’s mind. Such was the case with these two areas of the course. Neither of these changes affects how the golf course plays; however, the small details are what differentiate one course from another. Our small detail work is by no means complete. The course is not where we want or expect it to be, but crossing a couple of eyesores of the list is a step in the right direction. Going forward they will be out of everyone’s mind and that means a win for the Grounds department!

Completed drain area at 9 tee

Happy Labor Day!

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not hit into the Grounds department staff because it is dangerous. Please be sure that we see you before hitting your shot.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org