The Country Club at Loch Lloyd Golf Course Maintenance Update Spring 2019 Jeff Steen CGCS Director of Golf Course Maintenance
With Spring right around the corner and everyone wanting to dust off the clubs, I wanted to send out a brief update to overview some of the work that has been completed this winter and what to expect when you do make it out to the course to tee it up for the first time this year. As I’ve already talked about in the monthly newsletters, it has been quite a winter for all and this is especially true for the Golf Course Maintenance team. The associates have been busy for what some might say, “all the wrong reasons” if you work on a golf course. With average temperatures in the 30s, over 24" of snow, and 8 tons of ice melt dispersed, I must admit that I was thinking of the Hawaiian Islands on more than one occasion these past several months! My hat is off to the team, however, as they have persevered through the elements and kept the roadways, parking lots and Clubhouse walkways clear, safe and usable in some very trying conditions. Clearing snow is not the only area of maintenance that kept the team busy and I’ll highlight a few of those within my update. I have enclosed the winter scene pictures to start out because I want to be cautious to remind everyone that it was only a week ago from the time I started writing this update that the course was still covered in 5" of snow. Please remain patient while we get geared up with many of our maintenance practices such as upcoming aeration, pre-emergent weed control, fertility applications, general maintenance, detailed work and a few small projects. 1
Ice Storms and Tree Damage
The team has worked diligently cleaning up the property for the past few months due to extensive damage from snow, ice and wind. The need to rent a wood chipper for the past two months was the only way to combat the mess. Highlighted Areas: -
Clubhouse Parking Lot
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Golf Course
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Practice Facility
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Roadways
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Neighboring Yards
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What to Expect … CARTS ON PATHS:
The course has gone through a lot this winter and with the recent “Bomb Cyclone” coming through last week, the course is wet in many isolated areas ─ too many to allow carts off paths at this time. Carts must adhere and respect the current course conditions and remain on paths at all times until we feel that it will not create unnecessary damage and maintenance to the turfgrass. Please keep in mind that the property is just starting to wake up. PRUNING OF CEDAR TREES…ALL ABOUT PLAYABILITY:
The team has done a great job trimming the bottom of all cedar trees throughout the golf course; allowing someone to not only find their golf ball, but for the brave, to attempt at taking a shot. SPRING AERATION: As mentioned, we will be begin to aerate tees and approaches on March 25th, followed by greens April 1st. Small ¼" holes will be punched and, if the weather cooperates, will result in a quick recovery to this much-needed agronomic practice. PRE-EMERGENT WEED CONTROL, FERTILTY AND OTHER TIMELY SPRAY APPLICATIONS: As you begin to get out on the course and play, you may notice an increase in activity around these ongoing inputs. We will do our best to get these practices completed on course closed days and ahead of play, when applicable. This is not always attainable, but again, this is all part of a normal routine of regular maintenance to the property. DETAIL WORK AND SMALL PROJECTS: As you’ll see in the pictures included and the mention of stump grinding, we were able to clean up over 100 stumps recently. Getting these areas back to playable conditions will be a priority for the team. Also, in the next few weeks we will work with the Viridity team to re-grass the greenside bunker edges from cool season turf to warm season Zoysia on holes #7 and #10, along with all bunkers on #18. Bunker edges struggle during the heat of the season; by wrapping them in Zoysia, this will allow us flexibility in maintaining to a high standard. I will send out another update specifically about this small project which should be completed in a few short days. NEW CART PATH #8 COMING: As the real estate team works to prepare the development adjacent to hole #8, the need to move the existing cart path from the left side of the hole to the right side is being planned. The final routing design is near and we will update the membership as this project progresses. 3
What to Expect ‌ OVERSEEDING:
A new over-seeder has been purchased so the maintenance team can continue to enhance the native areas, along with extensive spring and fall seeding to our green surrounds to provide better density and vigor to these highly playable areas. We will also focus on a few key areas of Sechrest, including but not limited to the tee complex on hole #1 and the entire playing areas of #4. BRIDGE REPAIR: The cart path bridge near #3 green will have some of the planks replaced. The wood has been ordered and the team will replace the damaged areas as soon as possible. This will also be an ongoing project as many of the bridges are in need of attention. DRAINAGE #17 FAIRWAY: During your upcoming rounds on the course, when you arrive to #17, you may notice a team repairing a plugged drain line in the middle of the fairway. We will have to remove the turf in this area and investigate. The area in question has been a problem for some time by the looks of it. Our goal is to repair the damage and, when it’s completed, to create a smooth playing surface and have the area back to its intended purpose. SPLIT RAIL FENCING: Now that the ground will allow us to work with soil temperatures slowly on the rise, we are focusing on the need for new fencing and the repair of old. You will see the team working near #1 tee and #18 green soon, repairing some of the current split rail. During your round, when you get to #12, the addition of a fence was added along the cleared creek edge to provide much-needed safety as the drop-off is only a few feet from the edge of the cart path. TREE UNDERSTORY CLEARING: The next time you pass through the property, you will notice the team has been working hard throughout the winter to clear many of the tree understory areas. A few key areas are the left side of #4 Sechrest; creek edges #5, #12 and #14; plus extensive work around the green complex at #15.
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Ongoing Course Projects
#4 Sechrest: Cleaning of Tree Understory
Exposed Creek and Safety Fencing #12
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Course Enhancements
Creek Aesthetics
Playability around Cedars
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Helping Out the Neighbors!
A little extra effort goes a long ways within our community to help out a neighbor in an emergency situation.
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Native Clearing, Tree Understory and Stump Removal
The team ground 102 stumps throughout the property. We will work toward backfilling the holes, sod cutting the corners square and then re-sodding all in-play areas. Until the new sod is installed, these areas are considered “Ground Under Repair” and the rules of golf apply. (see rule 16.1) Extensive trimming in the native areas along pond edges, waterways and creek banks have been trimmed back to enhance the playability and aesthetics. Our goal will be to maintain all native areas with a mowing height not exceeding that of 6“.
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New Equipment: Tractor and Seeder
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New Aeration Machine
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First Mow of 2019
I wanted to end by sharing a picture of the first mowing to take place in 2019. We mowed all greens on Saturday, March 16th. The team is excited to get going with all of our programs and excited to see members and guests out enjoying this amazing piece of property. Again, please remain patient while we implement many new maintenance practices. Winter is in the rearview mirror, but we can still see the affects. It will take time. Lastly, a gentle reminder of respecting Cart Rules in effect and please remember to always fix your ballmark and one other! Please contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns and I’d be happy to discuss. See you out on the course. Jeff
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