As the season came to a close, the agronomy team was able to make one last push to finish a few projects on the course. The first project on the list was to rebuild the left green side bunker on #12. Over the past few years, excess sand had accumulated on the face along with a high volume of traffic. The picture below illustrates the project.
The sand on the faces is pulled down to the middle to prevent dirt from contaminating the existing sand. Once the sand is removed, a sod cutter removed the grass along the edge of the bunker. Dirt was then brought in to replace the sand removed from the face. We then expanded the tongue of the bunker to allow an easier entry/exit point of the bunker. The bunker was then sodded and will be ready for play in the spring.
Finished product
The next project involved renovating the entry way to the clubhouse. The first step involved removal of the existing turf. The area around the entry way struggled to grow due to the high periods of shade. Upon removal of the grass, fresh top soil was added before the new sod was installed. The pictures below illustrate the process.
The next project involved the waste bunkers on #15. The bunkers on #15 have been an eyesore to the agronomy team throughout the years. The bunkers receive very little to no play throughout the season. When we receive high amounts of rainfall, they fall at the bottom of the restoration list. When they were constructed, they were built without liners, which in turn, allows weeds and grasses to thrive in the sand without having a barrier between the sand and dirt. Long story short, we came to the conclusion that we would best served to turn these bunkers into native fescue. The process began with the removal of sand in the bunkers. The sand was then used on the waste bunkers on 14 that were in need of sand.
Upon removal of the sand, the faces were the collapsed, along with the islands. The softening of the edges was done to ensure we will be able to mow these areas with the surrounding fescue. A tiller was then used to put a final grade on the bunker. Followed with seed, straw, and erosion on fabric on the slopes around the perimeter. The "dormant seed" should begin germination in the spring as soil temps rise followed with multiple fertilizer applications. Full establishment should commence by the end of 2015.
Thanks for reading. Have a Merry Christmas, a happy New Year, and we will see you in 2015.
Best Regards,
Dan Grogan
Golf Course Superintendent
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