Bunkers are hazards

 Most of the comments I've heard the past month about our course concern bunkers and their condition. Many comments about balls plugging when the sand is dry, balls getting stuck on the faces of bunkers because there is too much sand on them, time to replace our white sand with the tan variety because it is much more "consistent," etc. I went to Bandon Dunes last week with a group of members from Glendale CC and got a 3 round reminder that bunkers are hazards. They are not fair, the ball plugs, the ball gets stuck wherever it lands, there are rocks everywhere, sometimes you can't hit the ball the direction you want because there are steep banks that get in the way, sometimes you have to take a penalty for an unplayable lie, and there is gorst waiting to poke you if you're not careful!

This bunker is just in front of the 1st green at Old Macdonald. If you hit it close to the face, you'll be taking a penalty and moving back to get a swing at it. And when you take your drop, yes, it will plug.

Clint hit a shot into this bunker at Pacific Dunes and it plugged deep in the sand. Most of them did. Notice the rake job by the last guy that was in there. He probably wasn't very happy with the shot he had to play- too much sand, plugged lie?

Here I am in a bunker on the 14th hole at Pacific Dunes. It's a short par 3 and I pulled my tee shot left into the sand. The ball ended up too close to the edge to take a swing and hit it toward the hole. I sat on the
bank and hit it at the back of the green. Not where I wanted to go, but I got it out on the first try. I hit a bad tee shot into a hazard, my fault.

Kevin Suther hit it into this fairway bunker at Pacific Dunes. Rocks, steep slopes, and no sand are all conditions present here.

Kevin plays his third shot from this bunker on the 18th fairway at Pacific.

He also hit his fourth shot from the same bunker!

My favorite bunker I saw on the trip at Pacific Dunes. Gorst, weeds, and rocks. Now this is a hazard. If you hit a shot into this bunker, good luck.

Sometimes we forget that bunkers are hazards and the conditions in them may not be what we want. Just remember, you hit a bad shot to get there and sometimes you have to pay your dues.

High water on Sept 6 shows possible design flaws

We had a .65 inch rain event on Thursday night 9/5 and the photos below were taken on Friday 9/6. The newly constructed areas of the stream had some damage, but it's hard to say if it was due to the design or not.

This view is from the bridge next to #16 tee looking north toward the 16th fairway. During a big rain event, the stream always goes over it's banks through this area. The water will flow down the cart path next to the 17th green and re-enter the stream on the down side of the bridge going to the 11th hole.

The high flow of water re-entering the stream cut this chunk of bank away adjacent to the bridge on #11. I'm not sure how this could be prevented since it happens every time we get high flows.

This photo shows the bank next to #8 tee. This is a design flaw that has to be corrected. The root wads and tree stumps in the stream directed the flow around them toward the bank and caused this erosion. Design engineers were on site later that day to access the situation and determined that one of the larger stumps had to be removed. The bottom photo shows the stump removal. The bank work will have to take place next year since the in-stream work window has closed for this year according to the project permit issued by the WA State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

Last weir complete

The work in the stream on the last weir next to #6 green is complete. The contractor will start the planting and turf restoration process which will take about one month.
The photo below shows the stream bank on the green side of the stream on #6. The contractor cleared off all the stickers and knotweed for us so we could maintain it in the future. It sure looks a lot better with the tall junk removed!

Last week of in stream creek work

Work in the stream is in it's final week and the contractor (Jansen Inc.) is working on the last weir next to the 6th green. This is the most complicated part of the job so they left it for last. It has the worst access due to the slope of the area above the creek across the 6th hole. All of the material that is used in the stream has to be hauled in with a tracked vehicle. It's not safe for dump trucks to make the trip back and forth, they would slide down the slope into the stream.

This photo shows the area where they are working next to the 6th green. Take a look at the photo below. You can see the pipes in the stream right below the weir. Those are pipes that are connected to two pumps that draw water out of the stream and fill the pond for our irrigation system. Those two pipes will be installed into a large concrete box which the contractor will set below water level next to the weir.

 Work in the stream must be completed by the end of the day on August 31st to comply with WDFW permits for the project. The next phase of the project will be planting the work areas with native shrubs. Work will start at the south end of the course on #11 and continue north along #16 tee finishing up by the 8th green. The contractor will also clean up as they go and restore the work areas where the turf was removed. The work should be complete by the first week in October.

Creek project continues along 9th hole

Creek restoration work continues along the 9th hole. Two sets of weirs are completed and the contractor is working next to the bridge on #6. They should finish there today then move their operation back to the pair of weirs in front of Bing Tang's house on #8. They will be there through Friday, then clean up as much as possible before the Women's Member-Member event on Mon 8/19 and Tues 8/20. No work will take place during the women's event. On Wed 8/21 the contractor will move to the last pair of weirs to the left of #6 green. This will be the most difficult part of the job due to the steep slope next to the creek on the sixth hole. Dump trucks will not be able to haul material to the site due to the slope so a tracked dumper will be rented for the job. The in stream work must be completed before September 1st to comply with the WDFW (WA Department of Fish & Wildlife) permits for the project.

This is the first pair of weirs along the 9th hole. I'm standing on the upstream weir looking downstream.

I added this photo to show the location of the weirs in the photo below. The loader is parked adjacent to the second set of weirs about 100 yard out from the 9th green.

Looking downstream at the completed second pair of weirs on #9.

The crew is installing anchors to the root wads to prevent them from washing away in a big rain event. This is the third set of weirs on the 9th hole as seen from the bridge crossing the 6th hole.

Creek work complete at #8 tee

The 8th tee has been closed for the past four days due to work in the creek next to the tee. The construction crew cleaned up around the tee yesterday afternoon and is moving their operation to the 9th hole for the next two weeks. The tee will open for play today (Friday August 9th). The photos below show the new stream bed below the weirs with large woody debris added for improved fish habitat sites.

Photo taken from bridge to the 8th tee looking downstream.

This view is from the black tee area looking upstream.

The bank will be planted with native shrubs in September near the end of the project. The two photos below show the completed in stream work along the 8th fairway near the 150 yard marker.

Looking upstream along 8th fairway. The photo below shows the same area looking down stream. The rolls of burlap along the bottom of the slope are there for erosion control to prevent soil from entering the stream during a rain event. The stream bank will also be planted with native shrubs near the end of the project. Hopefully those plantings will be able to out compete the knotweed from taking over the area in coming years.

Kids had fun at the Jr. Golf Camp

The Junior Golf Camp (July 23-26) was a big success this year and all the kids had a great time. The camp ends on Friday with a "Rules Clinic" at the driving range tee. That's what the kids are told, but they all know it's time to get wet and go after their favorite instructors with water balloons.

There are 85 kids shown here lined up on the driving range tee waiting for our head pro, Kenney Boyd, to explain the rules of the water fight. Buckets are placed across the tee with water balloons and water for loading up the smaller buckets once the balloons are gone.

The assault team hiding on the hill above the tee is led by assistant pro Patrick Ackerman (holding the hose).

Once the action started it was each man for himself!

Patrick in action with the hose. Once the kids were wet they turned on Patrick and tried to get the hose.

Kenney takes over for Patrick and gets even with some of the kids.

My son John decides to take on Kenney for the hose and they both get soaked!

The big kids had a great time too. Thanks Kenney!