Bear Course Greens Update

Here's a quick snapshot of 2 Bear green today, nine days after aerification.  Compare it to four days after aerification on the bottom.  We are moving in the right direction and will continue rolling and mowing to get them smoothed our for opening.  Light topdressings will continue next week as well to fill any imperfections.

Soil Amendments

This week we are making a soil amendment to the tees and some of the fairways on the Bear Course.  This product is basically a compost.  It will provide better water and nutrient holding capabilities to the sandy tees and high spots on the fairways.

Here you can see it being applied to the beginning of #11 fairway.

 We covered all of #6 fairway.  This should provide for a denser and healthier turf.  This particular fairway could take five times more water than others just due to the fact that it is sandier than most. 

You can see it being applied to 11 tee here.  Afterwards it was dragged into the canopy with a steel drag mat.

Driving Range Tee Aerification

On Monday we aerified the west side of the driving range.  During this time we were able to keep the east side of the tee open for members to continue to warm up before play.  

 Mondays aerification of the west side of the tee.

Here you can see the stands set up on the west side for play after being aerified on Moday.

Bear Course Greens Update

Here's a quick snapshot of #9 green on day 4.  They are healing nicely!!

Bear Course Closure Day 3 & 4

On day 3 of our closure we finished aerifying all the fairways and tees.  

This is hole #1 just after getting punched on Wednesday.  The next step in the process is to pull a steel drag mat behind a cart to break up the plugs.

Here is the aerifier in action on hole #9.

 This is hole #1 after being circle cut and cleaned off.  Circle mowing is just as it sounds.  We literally mow in circles.  By doing this the grass gets mowed from lots of different angles and really helps smooth the surfaces out. 

 This is the finished product of #1 tee.  It was verticut like the greens, aerified with a 3/4 hollow tine, and circle cut like the fairways.  All these processes are done to reduce compaction of the soil and remove thatch for a better playing surface.

Bear Course Closure Day 1 & 2

Monday marked Day 1 of the Bear Course Closure.  We tackled numerous tasks including verticutting greens, topdressing and aerifying greens.

 In the picture above, the green is being mowed vertically 1/4" deep.  This practice is done to eliminate grain in the greens.  It removes lateral stems and produces a more upright turf for a truer ball roll.

Here you can see the stems and "stolons" after being verticut.  This material is then blown off and the green is mowed with the greensmower to remove any remaining stalks and stems.

After that process, sand is then "topdressed" heavily.  This material will be incorporated into the rootzone later.

 Here you see the aerifier poking holes in the greens.  

These are 3/4" holes made by a solid tine.  After the sand dries, it is dragged into the holes using brushes on our greens roller and also a brush pulled behind a cart.

By the end of day 2, we had completed the processes above on the greens and are now able to move on to some of the other areas on the golf course.

More Rain............Updated 6/15

We received another 1" of rain yesterday.  Brings June total to 12.85" and almost 14" for the last 16 days.

We received another 1.6" of rain yesterday.  This brings the June total to 11.85" and almost 13" in the last 15 days.  The courses are very wet as the water does not have anywhere to go due to Hendry Creek being so high as well.  

Bobcat Closure Finishing Touches

The Bobcat Course is rapidly coming to a close and everything is progressing nicely! With the opening coming up on Monday, there are still a few projects to complete.  Here are a few that we are working on now.

 Cart paths have been edged.

 Lakebanks have been weedeated.

And just about the entire crew is edging bunkers right now.  

Bobcat Course Closure Update

As you can see below, the grass in the reclaimed areas of the greens is really starting to come on strong.

Lots of new shoots and runners have emerged since the last post.  The new growth will just continue to give off newer runners, also known as stolons, everyday.  

 We have been rolling greens almost daily since the aerification in order to smooth out the surface of the greens.  The greens surfaces have healed nicely and should be back to normal by opening day.  

Royal Poinciana Trees

The Royal Poincianas have been showing off as of late.  I love these trees!  A native of Madagascar and also known as Flame Tree, it was previously placed in the genus Poinciana, named for Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy, the 17th century governor of Saint Christopher, now know as Saint Kitts.

Two Royal Poincianas on the left side of 6 Bear

Royal Poinciana on the left side of 4 Bear

Much Needed Rain (Updated)

Yesterday we received 3.5" of rain in the afternoon.  About 2" fell within 45 minutes causing some minor flooding on property.  Thankfully, our lakes are finally filling up and looking normal again.  

Our five day total is 5.1".  We are under an aerial flood watch until Saturday, June 6 at 2:00 PM.

Update 6/5/20:  We received another .4" of rain yesterday and overnight bringing the six day total to 5.5" with forecast of more to come.

Update 6/8/20: We received 2.5" of rain over the weekend bringing the eight day total to 8".

Update 6/11/20:  We received another 1.5" of rain last night bringing the 12 day total to 10.3".