Late June Course Update

The hot extremely dry weather persists although we are receiving some light showers today. A welcome relief for those Turf Care staff that have been hand watering over the last week. The golf course is showing the effects of an old irrigation system, some areas of poor soil and a turf type (Poa annua) that doesn't like temperatures at +30 C. It's difficult to resist the urge to overwater but we are doing our best to keep conditions from getting too wet. In some spots it is unavoidable and in many areas it will get dry, firm and brown (I feel there is nothing wrong with that). I actually like the look and it always greens up eventually. That being said we are using roller base sprinklers in areas that are really suffering. This is a last resort practice that has been used infrequently over the past 5 seasons.


An example is this high traffic area to the right of 3 green. Even though it has irrigation coverage it requires supplemental water from roller base sprinklers in periods of drought.

The project work on the front nine is coming to a close. The last paving stone "side out" will be installed at 2 tee. Steps will also be added leading to the back tees as the slope can get slippery and damaged during rainy periods. A pin oak has been planted in this area as well. A burr oak has also been planted to the back right of 9 green. Next season we plan on installing paving stone around the washroom at 17 and on the walking path from 8 green to the asphalt cartpath. The following pictures are a few examples of Dave Quinn's fine work:

 

 

 

 

This obviously is not paving stone but a mule deer doe that walked past myself and staff member Neal Roberts (he took the great photo). She then proceeded through the bunker and over to the flower bed at 5 tee and we encouraged her to move on before Val saw her munching on the greenery.