Another Productive Week

Despite the rains, we've been able to make big strides in a few key areas over the past two weeks.  In addition to the project work, we've been able to roll and mow greens a few times which is not typically an option in January.  

Trees

In-house tree work continues almost daily in the form of dead tree removals.  Joseph, Garrett, Tyler, and John have been the primary team on this task.  They've taken care of dead trees on holes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 so far.   We still have a long way to go just to cross all the dead trees off our list.  

Drainage

Finding all green drainage cleanouts and installing risers between the greens and the drain outlets has been the primary focus for Alan, Dave, and Cody.  Greens have a herringbone pattern of 4" drain pipe beneath them.  Ideally, the main line of the drainage pattern should come to the surface at the high point of the green.  The riser off the edge of the green where the main line exits allows for us to peer into the drain to examine it's function.  Just because the outlet is easily visible and clear doesn't mean the drain is functioning as we've come to discover in recent weeks.  Finding the cleanouts that were buried during construction and/or never installed and adding risers will make it much easier to keep tabs on drainage.  A lot of digging is happening around greens and we will occasionally need to close a hole in order to accomplish the task.  It is not an exciting project that will give instant results, but it is critical for the long term health of our greens and long overdue.  

Here are some pictures from the first two weeks of 2023...

 

Bean and I were the first ones on the course in 2023.  Geese are about
to start passing through, but she and her sister will keep them on the move.

A warm first day of 2023 

The clean out for 10 green drain was found a foot below the surface

Jason cutting steel rod to make deep tines for greens

Dave, Alan, and Cody trying to find the tracer wire for 2 green drain

Cody hoping to find the drain leaving 2 green.   It's a lot deeper than it used to be
thanks to the mounds that were added after the course was built.  

After a day of digging by hand, we brought in the "big shovel"

Cody hoping to find the clean out at the top of 2 green

Working on the high side to find the clean out.  Turns out there wasn't one
so we had to do some plumbing work to install one.