Renovation Week IV

Despite two heavy rain events of 2.3" and 1.1" this week we still made some good progress and continue on schedule.  We've seen some very good germination of 007 bentgrass on greens and fairways, and I expect to begin mowing greens this week.

Three plus inches of rain filled the new pond to capacity rather quickly! 

Greens mix arrived to the parking lot stockpile before loading and transport to the new greens on #3, #14 and the new practice green.

Greens mix is spread over the gravel layer on the new greens.

Our staff finished the final 2 greens expansions on #9 and #11 before seeding.

Fairway seeding continued, and we observed germination on several fairways seeded previously.

Renovation Week III

Another great week is under our belts and the weather is cooperating for the most part.  While we did lose one day to rain the remainder of the week was very productive.  We have also reached a milestone in any renovation as seed has been sown! 

Stone curbing from greens and tee cart path edges was removed this week in preparation for grading and relocation of cart paths in some areas.  

The drainage and gravel layers are complete on the 3rd green, and the 14th green is not far behind.  Greensmix is scheduled to arrive early next week.

Fourteen of our sixteen existing greens that received the fumigant were floated and seeded this week. Expansion work on the ninth and eleventh green will be completed early next week before seeding of our final two existing greens takes place.

The lake on #5 got bigger and so did the tees throughout the golf course!  Much of the fill from the lake is being used to expand and raise tees.

RCC staff focused on consolidating and leveling the existing drain inlets in fairways.  Damaged pipe is also being replaced in preparation for seeding next week.  

Renovation Week II

The second week of the Golf Course Renovation Plan brought an inch of rain which slowed production in some areas that required earth moving.  We were however able to adjust and once again have a productive week.

Covers were removed from fumigated greens early in the week.  These greens will be allowed to air out for 5-7 days before seeding operations begin.

Bunker sand is removed and reused as fairway topdressing sand.

Cart path removal is underway at tee locations.  These paths will be relocated and replaced in decomposed granite instead of asphalt.

Our golf course architects made several visits to adjust and tweak the new greens and practice area.

Soil fumigant was applied to fairways.

Drainage and irrigation work is underway on the new greens.

The 3rd green irrigation and drainage work is complete.  I expect to seed these new greens by the end of August.

Renovation Week I

The weather this week has been ideal as the golf course renovation began.  Tremendous progress was made in a few short days by both TDI and RCC staff.  A glimpse of the work is outlined below.

Greens were scalped and verticut in 4 directions early Sunday morning.

Double aerification with 1" diameter tines followed.

Heavy sand topdressing.

All aerification holes were filled using drag mats and rotary brushes.

Not much grass left at the end of the day.

Green expansions were stripped of sod and cored to a 6" depth.  Drain tile from the XGD system was extended into these expansion areas when possible.

Green expansion cavities were filled with 7:2:1 mix.

Tubes were laid in a grid pattern across each green and expansion area to insure distribution of the fumigant.

Plastic covers were then installed over each green and held in place with a sod ring at the perimiter.

Methyl Bromide was then applied under the covers through the tubing.  Cover will remain in place for 5 days.

Lake excavation began on the 5th hole.

Tree removals make way for the new tees on #5.

Several trees were in very poor condition.

Fairways were sprayed with Round-up, double verticut and double aerified in initial preparation for seeding.

Fill was imported to the 3rd green site where initial shaping began.

The green cavity is already beginning to take shape.

Grab a shovel boys!  Staff began the process of removing bunker sand.  Much of the sand will be salvaged and used for fairway topdressing.