Did that seem like a long winter? Well here are a couple of
number that would say it was. The greens were under a tarp (essentially a sheet
of thick plastic) for 154 days. Also anywhere that ice had formed I have it
calculated at 104 days. To say the least it was a tough winter and a few areas
visibly struggled. I wasn’t able to get this information into the newsletter
because I simply didn’t know exactly what was going on with every location for
the submission deadline. The following is what I would consider I know at this
point:
· Yes the greens have suffered some winter kill.
The green that has been hit the hardest is #6. We are estimating that 90% is
damaged. My initial thought of action to repair it will be to do exactly what
we did with 10 green last spring. I’ve learned many things over the years that
I believe will contribute greatly to its successful recovery. This was
completed on April 16th
· Greens 1, 3, 9, 15, 18 will also require the
above action to repair them however the level of damage is much less severe.
· Greens 2, 16, 17 are candidates for repairing
the damage with our green height sod from the nursery on hole 8, with 17 being
the largest. Completed April 17th & 18th
· I would anticipate we will have some temporary
greens to start the season, it’s just too early to say exactly how many but no more
than 4. What’s the upside? BIG CUPS!! We’ve
gone from our usual 6” to 8” for added enjoyment. ;-)
· Tees are all in good shape including the newly
constructed tee on 15.
· Fairway damage is increased from last spring and
if you are familiar with the property you know the “spots”. It’s more of a
short term inconvenience though as they always make a decent recovery.
What’s next and what needs to happen to get our golf season
started?
· There is still an incredible amount of frost in
the ground and many of the drain lines are still frozen which is hindering
drainage on the course. From the greens to the fairways to bunkers the frost
needs to subside so the drain lines can do their job and the course can start
to dry out.
· The week of April 20th we will begin
the cleanup process. It’s the usual suspects that require the most work
1,2,3,4,5. Winter came upon us so quickly we didn’t get to cleaning up our
normal amount of debris. This will not delay the opening however, it’s just
standard business.
· Then of course the final details. Mowing of all
areas and getting all the hardware out to turn this place into a golf course.
· We are right on schedule to open when we
historically do.
Winter kill is always a disappointment but during my tenure
here I would have to say it’s just a reality of our property and winters. I
have a plan in place which I’m confident will lead to success and in turn some
great golf course conditions before we know it. Once again some patience will
be required because as I’ve come to realize it’s not how you overwinter it’s
how come back. Don’t let this information concern you we have it all under
control. I just want to keep you in the loop so you know what to expect when
you come out and play your first round. After the conditions that we endured
here on our property this winter by the time we open I feel we all will be
pleased with where the condition of the golf course is at including myself (and
I’m our hardest critic). Plus we have a very exciting project taking place this
spring that I truly believe will enhance holes 6, 7 and 8 through the sale of
the land to the hospital.
