Golf course updates for the week of 4/1/2014

Today's post will give an update of various things that are happening on the golf course. We removed a lot of Japanese Knotweed from along the creek on holes 6, 7, and 8 last fall. I like the look of the exposed creek,  and this season we are going to do our best to keep the Knotweed from taking over those areas. The photo below was taken last Friday and shows the Knotweed waking up from winter. Small plants have emerged all along the creek and soon it will be  time to make our first herbicide application. 

We can spray most of the plants close to the stream, but some of them are right along the edge and we can't get the spray mixture into the water. Those plants will have to be dealt with by other methods yet to be determined. The area shown below is between the walk bridge over the creek on #7 and the 8th tee. While this area does not look very attractive, at least it's better than twelve foot high Knotweed. 

All of the benches have been refinished and are back out on the course. Thanks to Deane Austin from our staff who spent two months over the winter doing the work.

New mats are here and were put out on the driving range tee this morning. 

We have just started the process of replacing all 192 green side sprinkler heads. Each head takes about 45 minutes to dig up and replace. The new heads offer several advantages to the 21 year old heads they are replacing. New nozzle technology produces a better spray pattern distribution, adjustable arcs, improved electronic valves to turn them on and off, and increased height when they pop up upon being turned on. 

In an effort to clean up the look of the course a little bit, all of the hazard and OB stakes are being replaced for opening day. Some of them were looking very tattered and bleached out from the sun.

Most of our time is currently being spent on mowing long grass. It's still very wet in some areas and we've gotten several mowers stuck in the mud today. Hopefully things will dry out soon so we can get the course in shape the golf season.