A Heartfelt Thank You as We Wrap Up Another Remarkable Season

As we bid farewell to another spectacular season at Pine Hollow, I find myself reflecting on the incredible memories and experiences we've shared throughout the past months. It has been a privilege and an honor to manage this property the past 10 years, and I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Our club is more than just a gathering place; it's a community of people who share a passion for sport, fine dining, and a warm family atmosphere. This season has been nothing short of extraordinary, I personally thank each and every one of you who contributed to its success. Whether you participated in our engaging events, supported fellow members, or simply enjoyed the amenities, your presence has made a lasting impact on us and the club.

I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Green Department, whose hard work and commitment have played a pivotal role in creating great golf conditions and beautiful landscapes. Their efforts behind the scenes have ensured that our club remains a place of excellence and a top destination for all to come and feel welcome. I'd also like to thank my fellow teammates, due to their contributions, drive, and passion this season has been filled with growth, achievements, and cherished moments that will help propel us to an exciting 2024.

WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST

As we prepare to transition into the off-season, I encourage you to stay connected with our club community. We have exciting plans in the works for the coming months, including our continuing bunker project, pool house renovations, front circle beautification, tree maintenance, and much more. Your input and feedback are invaluable, and I look forward to working together again next year to continue improving our product and property while also enhancing our reputation.

In closing, I am so thankful for your continued support, enthusiasm, and camaraderie with our Department and Team. It is the membership that make our club truly special, and I am eager to see what the future holds for us. From all of us at the club we wish you a joyful holiday season, filled with cherished moments and anticipation for the seasons to come.

Thank you, Pine Hollow, for welcoming me to this family 10 years ago, making this year so memorable, and the opportunity to continue to do what I love!!!

Yours For Better Turf,

Brent

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 11/11/23

• MOWING HEIGHTS - Greens will be mowed at .125" 1x time per week and rolled Wednesday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday as frost and play dictates. TEES/COLLARS/APPROACHES Mowed at .325" 1x time per week. FWYS Mowed at .375" 1x time per week.
• IRRIGATION WINTERIZATION - All Golf Course, Clubhouse, and bathrooms will be winterized on 11/15/23. This process should take one day and is performed to protect the lifeline for our turf. All bathrooms on #4 and the Halfway House will officially be closed as of 11/15/23 for the season.
• TOPDRESSING - Heavier sand applications will be made to manage growth in the coming weeks and will cap greens insulating them from harsh winter conditions.
• BUNKERS - Our bunker will be raked full once a week an touched up as frost and play dictates. Please remember our hazards also need your help throughout the year, if you are in a bunker please think of your fellow members and rake yourself out if no caddie is present.
• SILVERY THREAD MOSS - You may have noticed quarter sized black spots on some greens, this is due to the chemical applications necessary for our eradication program. Over the years we have had great success cutting back populations and just recently got aggressive with the program again. This process will be slow and has shown significant improvements on most greens with populations decreasing thru by 80% since I took over thru plugging and chemical applications. We are on our way to 100% eradication of this unsightly nuisance.
• CLUBHOUSE CONSTRUCTION - In the coming weeks we will begin removing and replacing the pavers and walkway around the Front Circle entrance. This work will match the walks from the tennis and new patio added around the back of the clubhouse. We will also begin gutting the bathrooms at the pool house with a much anticipated renovation to improve our member experience.
• GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION - Our work to finish all green side bunkers is scheduled to begin in March of 2024. You will also notice we have started releveling a few tees lifting sod and regrading. I have a number of these we will be addressing in the coming weeks. We will also start drainage work in select areas to combat the changing weather patterns.
• AERATION - Our major aeration work is complete and healing up perfectly. Before winter weather sets in we will solid tine greens again with 5/8ths solid tines, deep tine fairways again, and aerate all roughs.
  
• TENNIS COURT UPDATE - Courts are currently all closed with all accessories stored for winter.
• PICKLEBALL / PADEL UPDATE - All Pickleball and Padel Courts are also closed for the season.

PINE HOLLOW CLUB FALL AERATION SCHEDULE

GREENS:

• ***October 10/24/23 – 5/8” Solid Tine Aeration w/ Heavy Topdressing
•   ***December – 5/8” Solid Deep Tine Aeration w/ Heavy Topdressing

*    Minimal disruption to putting surface (healing time a few days)

**  Medium disruption to putting surface (healing time 7-10 days)

***Most disruption to putting surface (healing time 10-14 days)

Emphasis put on removing 20% of surface area per year

TEES/FAIRWAYS:

•       October 10/23/23 - 5/8” Hollow Tine Tee Aeration with Sand Topdressing Deeptine and aggressive vertical mowing on Fairways

ROUGHS:

•      Beginning November aerate all roughs for healthy turf green to tee

THE GOLF COURSE WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY 10/23 thru THURSDAY 10/26

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 8/23/24

WOW!!!!! That went fast! Amazing that the summer season seems like it started yesterday and here we are after Club Championship preparing for camp season to end, final summer vacations, and Labor Day festivities fast approaching. I always take time to reflect on our year since I am now finished with aeration week and summer renovation work starting to erase the summer stress. I always look at this as a new year while we will prepare for fall golf and continue to build healthy surfaces for 2024 and regrow areas affected by the year's abuse. With this year's reflection being how proud of what we accomplished this year with project work and how our course handled the challenges of the summer grind. I'd also like to thank my staff and Assistant Will Travers for all the hard work and our property and culture would not be the same without the help of a great team across the Club where we are again demonstrate that Pine Hollow is an exceptional experience. In the coming days and weeks we will continue the great golf experience you have always enjoyed while healing up from the necessary evil that is GOLF COURSE AERATION. This is never an exciting time here but we ask for your patience while we make the property better thru healthy and progressive aerification. The renovation work performed over these couple weeks will pay huge dividends with better turf quality going into the fall for awesome conditions over the next few months while also giving us a great foundation for 2024. If you have any questions in regard to the process and healing time please refer back to the aeration post. 

Please also review the golf course etiquette post about divot repair, ball marks, etc. and please be mindful with golf cart traffic while our tender turf continues to heal from aeration and shallow rooting from the excessive rains we have had since mid July.

Thanks again as always for your support and your help making Pine Hollow a special place for all of us!

Aeration promotes air exchange, nutrients, and water availability

• MOWING HEIGHTS - Greens will be mowed at .110" 7 times per week and rolled Wednesday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday. TEES/COLLARS/APPROACHES Mowed at .325" 3 times per week. FWYS Mowed at .375" 3 times per week. ROUGH will be cut weekly at 2.25".
• AERATION/RENOVATION- Aeration wrapping up. Please review the previous post for specific details.
• TOPDRESSING - Sand will be applied bi-weekly to dilute the seasons growth, smooth the surface, and create a more consistent growing medium for our putting greens
• BUNKERS - As a reminder most bunkers have been rebuilt due to this process we are able to spend less time and money repairing after storms and this also helps get you on the course quicker. Also I want to remind you that these new bunkers will take time to settle. Soft sand will get dirty with some contamination and will settle in nicely after a few seasons. I'd also like to remind you that our hazards need your help throughout the year, if you are in a bunker please think of your fellow members and rake yourself out if no caddie is present.

  

  Dots help staff recapture collar consistency

• SILVERY THREAD MOSS - You may have noticed quarter sized black spots on some greens, this is due to the chemical applications necessary for our eradication program. Over the years we have had great success cutting back populations and just recently got aggressive with the program again. This process will be slow and has shown significant improvements on most greens with populations decreasing by 90% since I took over thru plugging and chemical applications. This process has again worked great this year and we are on our way to 100% control.
• DETAIL WORK - You will see in the coming weeks we will begin painting and dotting the course. These lines and dots are to indicate where mowing lines should be adjusting the seasons mistakes or recapturing straighter more defined lines. Please excuse our painting as we begin the process of detailing the golf course. 
  
  
  

  

  Re-squaring our tees with sod or scalping

GOLF COURSE AERATION SCHEDULE AND COURSE CLOSURE

COURSE WILL BE CLOSED 8/15/23 and 8/16/23

• TEE AERATION - MONDAY 8/7/23 *5/8" on 2" SPACING HOLLOW CORE NO SAND* This process will take one day with good weather and should be healed within 10 to 14 days.
• FAIRWAYS - MONDAY 8/7/23 *1" SOLID DEEP TINE w/ NO CORE This deep and aggressive practice will take 7 to 10 days and will be ongoing until completion. There will be no major disruption to play and should roll out with 7 to 10 days.
• GREENS - TUESDAY 8/15/23 *1/4" HOLLOW TINE CORE w/ LIGHT SAND TOPDRESSING* This process will take one day to core and clean. You can expect softer and slower conditions while we heal and should be unnoticeable within 7 to 10 days.
• APPROACHES & COLLECTIONS WEDNESDAY 8/16/23 *1/2" on 2" SPACING HOLLOW CORE NO SAND* This process should take one day to core and clean. We are expecting to be healed within 10 to 14 days.

GOLF COURSE ETIQUETTE REMINDER 2023

 

All, as we continue to enjoy this great game I wanted to remind everyone with Club Championship approaching to please be mindful of fellow member and do your part to preserve our golf course. As a friendly reminder from your turf care team we ask that you remember to rake bunkers when finished, please be mindful where we drive the carts, play fast, refrain from stepping in other players lines, and view some of the most common questions examples below. Thanks and see you on the course!

LINEAR PATTERN HELPS HEAL FASTER AT DRIVING RANGE

PLEASE REPAIR PITCH MARKS

FILL DIVOTS W/ SAND MIX AND SMOOTH SURFACE

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 6/22/23

 

Summer is upon us here at Pine Hollow and we have been fortunate to have one of our best starts to a year that I can remember. For most of the past couple months we have had 70's and sunshine to showcase our great golf course and provide you all with exceptional playing conditions. Looking ahead at the coming weeks we should continue in the favorable forecast and kick off the summer solstice ready for whatever the dog days of summer brings our way. 

Now that I have reflected back at what we have all accomplished it has really been an exciting spring with all the project work, getting caught up with property detail, and with helping our staff progress the overall product. A few of my most proud accomplishments this season within my department has been reestablishing our culture and dedication, and I can notice every employee here is working to elevate your club experience beyond anything we have had here before. With a firm grip on our schedule and the support we get from our team this is shaping up to be our best season and on behalf of everyone we are so happy to spend it with you. 

Around the course and the property, you may notice some small projects but in the the coming weeks we really start the transition into maintaining and preserving the property. Scaling projects back helps us focus on your day-to-day experience with our daily/weekly property conditioning and to make sure all touch points for you are in the best shape possible. Along with our maintenance, water management will be incredibly important and take priority as summer temperatures rise with daily overhead and hand watering during hot stretches and pushing and pumping water off grass during inclement weather. Please know that these measures along with course restrictions are to help preserve our turf for season long success.

In the coming months we expect to bring lots of joy to you and your guests and I'd just like to say THANK YOU for giving us the opportunity to be part of your escape. I hope that the 2023 season has been as good for you as it has been for us, and I'd like you to know how proud we are to be part of this wonderful family. Enjoy and see around the course!!!

• MOWING HEIGHTS - Greens will be mowed at .110" 7 times per week and rolled Wednesday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday. TEES/COLLARS/APPROACHES Mowed at .325" 3 times per week. FWYS Mowed at .375" 3 times per week. ROUGH will be cut weekly at 2.25".
• TOPDRESSING - As you may have noticed we have started our Sand Topdressing Program again. This sand will be applied bi-weekly to dilute the seasons growth, smooth the surface, and create a more consistent growing medium for our putting greens
• BUNKERS - All golf course and practice bunkers have been edged, sanded, and raked out to keep free of stone and weed encroached. We have been raking daily and/or keep disturbed surfaces touched up. New sand will be added to bunkers throughout the season where necessary in bunkers not being renovated this spring. As a reminder most bunkers have been rebuilt and have been already saved us time raking after storms and also helped get you on the course quicker. Please remember our hazards also need your help throughout the year, if you are in a bunker please think of your fellow members and rake yourself out if no caddie is present.
• SILVERY THREAD MOSS - You may have noticed quarter sized black spots on some greens, this is due to the chemical applications necessary for our eradication program. Over the years we have had great success cutting back populations and just recently got aggressive with the program again. This process will be slow and has shown significant improvements on most greens with populations decreasing thru by 80% since I took over thru plugging and chemical applications.
• CLUBHOUSE CONSTRUCTION - Our Patio/Outdoor Seating Area came out great and all the grass detail surrounding the patio has grown in for the busy party season. We have also finished re-grassing the front circle, added new landscape around the front pond, and have been aggressively pruning existing plant material to cleanup the properties first impression membership experience.
  
• GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION - All major work is complete at this time. #11 has grown in beautifully and we have had great feedback on the new teeing options. Our new bunkers are also settling in nicely. Thanks for all you patience while we had open ground and temporary greens.
• AERATION - 7/5/23 Solid needle tine non-disruptive w/ light sand topdressing. 8/14/23 GREENS - 3/8" hollow core no sand / TEES - 1/2" hollow core no sand / FWYS - 3/4" solid deep tine 
• TENNIS COURT UPDATE - Courts are currently being brushed daily and rolled as necessary with a goal to improve consistency and court conditioning. Due to our efforts and working with Alina and her Professional Staff our playing surfaces have continued to improve and we have had great feedback while working towards our goals of excellence. Courts are also receiving extra attention on Maintenance Mondays with bi-weekly Calcium applications and additional Har-Tru where necessary.
• PICKLEBALL / PADEL UPDATE - All Pickleball and Padel Courts are open for play. Pickleball Courts will be hosed off on Mondays along with cleaning of the Padel glass. We will also add sand to our Padel courts at the direction on our Professional Staff.

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 4/27/23

 

On to the next phase here at the Club! As many of you have noticed this has been the best April weather we have had in my 10 years as your Supt. and possibly since my time on the island. We have all been busy tweaking our programs and dialing in our changes as we welcome all members back home and wrap up our off-season improvements. Not only has the weather put us on a great pace to be finished by early May with construction but the warmer weather has jump started our golf course conditioning programs. As we move from project season to maintenance mode in the coming weeks we will be preparing the golf course and property facilities daily, while building on the momentum we have built since re-opening. The energy I have felt from our staff and the membership is exactly what all of us here at the club have been excited about since we closed last December. I honestly can't remember a season with so much anticipation to begin growing in our property and continue training my crew to excel and enhance your daily experience. Next week we will focusing efforts our playing surfaces with more mowing, tighter clip frequency, and some extra rolling in preparations for our opening tournament. We are in great shape for late April and all signs point to Pine Hollow having another great season!

Please enjoy the ride as we continue navigating the project season phase and know that in the coming weeks our property will be awake with all the amenities that you have loved and new updates you will enjoy for years to come. 

• MOWING HEIGHTS - Greens will be mowed at .115" 4 times per week and rolled 3 times until grass growth and demand dictates otherwise. TEES/COLLARS/APPROACHES Mowed at .325" 2 times per week. FWYS Mowed at .375" 2 times per week. ROUGH Will be cut for the first time Monday 5/1/23 to clean up remaining winter debris and keep turf tight as needed.
• GOLF COURSE / CLUBHOUSE CLEANUP - By this weeks end most if not all Golf Course, Tennis, Pool, and remaining Clubhouse beds will be initially cleaned out, treated w/ herbicide or fertilizer, and mulched for the season. 
• BUNKER CLEANOUT/SAND - All golf course and practice bunkers have been edged, sanded, and raked out to keep free of stone and weed encroached. We will now begin raking bunkers weekly and keep disturbed surfaces touched up. New sand will be added to bunkers throughout the season where necessary in bunkers not being renovated this spring. Our hazards also need your help throughout the year if you are in a bunker please think of your fellow member and rake yourself out if no caddie is present.
  
• TEE MARKERS/GOLF COURSE ACCESSORIES - All golf course accessories will be returned to the golf course including tee markers, bunker rakes, select ball washers, etc. Hazard stakes and ut of bounds stakes will be placed next week as we are now gearing up golf.
  
• CLUBHOUSE CONSTRUCTION - You will notice from the lunch room we started the Patio / Outdoor dining area this week. Our disturbance will be wrapped up quickly as we have a great contractor on-site to expedite the work and my team will wrap up any finish work necessary before we get into party and function season. Along with the patio we are also working on re-grassing the front circle, adding landscape around the front pond, and will be aggressively pruning existing plant material to cleanup the properties first impression membership experience.
• 
  GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION - #11 Tee Complex is complete and growing in nicely. Our projected opening will be for the new tee on Men's Opening Day. As mentioned before this exciting work is continuing with McDonald & Sons one of the premier golf course construction companies in the country. This new tee ground was expanded and shifted away from #12 fairway. The next phase of work is wrapping up on approximately six holes of greenside
  bunkers (#2,#6,#7,#8,#15,#18). All existing sand and subsurface will be excavated from our bunkers, drained/regraded, lined using the Better Billy Bunker System, and new sand to finish off.
• TENNIS COURT UPDATE - Reconditioning of courts started last week on Courts #1 and #2. These courts have been rolled daily since the surfacing and will open on Tuesday 4/25/23. Courts #3,#6, and #7 will be available Tuesday 5/2/23 and Courts #4 and #5 will be available Friday 5/5/23. We will follow the same process with rolling for one week after completion and open with nets at that point. Once the courts reach the desired firmness and speeds we will brush daily and roll as necessary with a goal to improve consistency and court conditioning. 
• 
  PICKLEBALL / PADEL UPDATE - All Pickleball and Padel Courts are open for play. You will notice new plant material along the retaining wall at the pickleball courts and all construction areas will be seeded and cleaned up once court resurfacing is complete.
  
  

BUNKER CONSTRUCTION STEP BY STEP PICTURES

FIRST STEP EDGE

SAND ENCROACHMENT

ONCE BOTTOM IS CREATED HAND WORK SMOOTH

RE-SET DRAIN LINES

GRAVEL LAYER FOR DRAIANGE

READY FOR POLYMER SPRAY TO CREATE LINER

#7 GETTING A FULL FACELIFT

#8 IMPROVED AESTHETICALLY AND PLAYABILITY

BETTER BILLY BUNKER POLYMER SPRAYING

SAND, COMPACT, AND FINISH RAKE

#11 TEE CONSTRUCTION STEP BY STEP PICTURES

STRIP ALL SOD

REMOVE TOPSOIL, STAGE, CLEAR THE PALLET

STAKE OUT DESIRED AREA, DESIGN, CHECK

LASER LEVEL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE TEE

ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR WORK IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER

USE DRAINAGE TO PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH DRAINAGE

READY FOR MIX AND IRRIGATION

IRRIGATION INSTALLATION

7-2-1 TEE MIX INSTALL TO FINISH GRADE

LASER LEVELED, FINISH RAKE, LOCK IN TEE

GOOD 2 GO #G2G

007 BENTGRASS INSTALL

 

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 3/23/23

 

It's been a while since we've seen you and too long since I posted! On behalf of the Green Department welcome back from the winter that wasn't and hopefully it will be followed by the spring that was unforgettable. We've had a very busy offseason as always reflecting on 2022, recharging, and most importantly preparing for the upcoming year. I couldn't be more excited about our team and the track Pine Hollow is on once again showing membership and those on the outside what a premier experience looks and feels like daily.

SHEA BOY

I'm also excited to say our crew is back on the property with most employees from last season retained to build on what was a great year in 2022. You will see those familiar faces and with most staff heading into the second year of my program we'll continue building the necessary continuity to meet all of our goals. Three guys behind the scenes crushing winter work and needing some recognition are my three lead TURFIES Will, James, and Cristian. From small projects, tree maintenance, to equipment servicing, with our Equipment Technician Sal Tavernese, these guys have been giving it their all to put us in the best starting position we've had in years. THANKS GUYS!!!

Over the coming weeks, we will begin some major improvements on tees and bunkers along with chasing the small detail and property maintenance that has always separated us from others. As we start this construction please be mindful of equipment and the disturbance areas while watching all the shaping and effort to make our property better. As in any year our plan is to have all project work wrapped up by early May with good weather and have our golf course conditions in peak shape for early spring.

Again welcome back Pine Hollow and thank you for your continued support. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you on the course, meeting new members, and keeping you posted on all our progress.

• MOWING HEIGHTS - Starting 4/3/23 Greens will be mowed at .125" 3 times per week rolled 3 times until grass growth and demand dictates otherwise. TEES/COLLARS/APPROACHES Mowed at .325" 2 times per week. FWYS Mowed at .375" 2 times per week. ROUGH Will be cut in the coming weeks to clean up any winter debris and keep turf tight as needed.
• GOLF COURSE / CLUBHOUSE CLEANUP - As of 3/17/23 all Greens, Tees, and Fwys have been dragged and mowed. Roughs and Treelines have initially been cleaned and swept up from storm debris and geese visitation while all clubhouse lawns have been raked and blown.
• BUNKER CLEANOUT/SAND - All golf course and practice bunkers have been edged, sanded, and raked out once. We will now begin raking bunkers weekly starting 4/3/23 and keeping disturbed surfaces touched up. New sand will be added to bunkers throughout the season where necessary in bunkers not being renovated this spring.

  

   ASST. WILL TRAVERS 

• TEE MARKERS/GOLF COURSE ACCESSORIES - All golf course accessories will be returned to the golf course including tee markers, bunker rakes, select ball washers, etc. by the week of 4/3/22.
  

• 

   ASST. JAMES CORNELL

  GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION - Currently we are working on #11 Tee Complex. This exciting work is continuing with Mcdonald & Sons one of the premier golf course construction companies in the country. This new tee ground will be expanded and shifted away from #12 fairway. The next phase of work will take place once the tee work is complete on approximately six holes of greenside bunkers (#2,#6,#7,#8,#15,#18). All existing sand and subsurface will be excavated from our bunkers, drained/regraded, lined using the Better Billy Bunker System, and new sand to finish off.

• 

  AIT. CRISTIAN ALVAREZ

  TENNIS COURT UPDATE - Reconditioning of courts will begin once the weather cooperates and water is made available with courts getting new nets and lines. All windscreens will be installed in the coming weeks and our plan is to have a few courts fully open as soon as possible.
• PICKLEBALL / PADEL UPDATE - Pickleball nets are currently going up for play on 3/26/23 and windscreens will be installed as time allows. Padel netting will follow once the fabric is cleaned to our standards. You will notice new plant material along the retaining wall at the pickleball courts and all construction areas will be seeded and cleaned up.
• SPRING AERATION - I will be modifying the process and now only solid tine playing surfaces throughout April. This process will have little to no impact on our golf.

WELCOME BACK !!!