Waterlogged

Some unseasonably warm weather for January has allowed for more golf than we typically see this time of year.  While conditions above ground have been pretty nice, the ground itself leaves a lot to be desired.  It's hard to believe that just a few months ago we were all afraid the lake was going to dry up and the turf was under stress from being too dry.  Now it's hard to walk in many areas and golf balls are disappearing in the ground. 

The three most important needs when building a golf course are drainage, drainage, and drainage.  We are built on poorly draining soil and the course is routed in and around wetlands.  Construction is the best time to shape for surface drainage and install pipe where needed, but unfortunately that opportunity was largely missed 27 years ago.  Heavy soil that doesn't drain well, large flat areas that don't allow for surface runoff, and very little subsurface drainage make for a sloppy course during wet periods.  Winter time magnifies the issue as sunlight, temperatures, and weather all work against us.  When conditions and resources allow, we'll do what we can to address some of the drainage issues.