Buttoning up projects

The last few weeks have been busy ones as we finish up all of our projects before Memorial Day weekend. The bunkers are all finished and look really good. They are still a little fluffy but once we get a few good rains on them they'll firm up and play just like the other ones do. We finished work at the range and the new driving range mats were installed too (we had nothing to do with this, but it's worth mentioning). The mats will really help to reduce the beating the range tee takes from outings. With this warm weather the course is really greening up, leaves are filling in the trees and we're starting to look like a golf course. The focus moving forward will be getting all the detail work done and transitioning into maintenance mode. It's looking like it will be a great Memorial Day weekend!

New plantings at driving range.

Artificial tees.



















Ian

Bunker work, seeding, range parking and tilapia.

We are getting very close to finishing all the bunker projects we've been working on the last few weeks. We finished the bunkers at #4 and #7, are almost done at #6 and have to put in capillary concrete in the bunker at #9 fairway. The biggest hold up is the rain. We cannot pour the concrete if there is a chance of rain and it seems nearly every day there are rain chances. We've worked around it as best as we can and will soon be done. The new bunkers do look great and while they are a little fluffy right now, after a few rain events they'll soon firm up.

While we're on the bunker topic, we've started using new rakes that will allow us to hand rake all the bunkers every day. We'll still use the mechanical rake after heavy rain events to help fluff up the sand however, on a daily basis we'll hand rake. This will help keep the bunkers more consistent and reduce the damage done to bunker banks by the machines driving in and out.

Bunkers at #7.

As we wind down with all the projects we have started to seed the areas where we've been working. This means there are a lot of roped off areas on the front nine. Please do your best to stay out of these areas as it will help the young grass fill in and it will keep mud, seed and hydra-mulch from clumping up on your shoes.


















The range parking lot has been poured and I believe the artificial tee will be installed early next week. Now that we have parking at the range we ask that you utilize the spaces and not park on the actual tee. The tee is showing signs of wear from all the traffic and as we get into the season it will only be worse. Thanks a lot!

Finally, the tilapia arrived today and are in all of our ponds. All together we received a little over 1000 fish from Ripple Rock Fish Farms and placed them in every pond on the property. It will be interesting to see how well they work. We're hoping they do a great job however, if they don't we'll always be able to handle the weeds the way we have in the past.

Counting out fish.

Tilapia adjusting to new surroundings.

Ian