Sunday, September 28, 2025

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 9/28/25

 


    What an incredible stretch of weather we’ve had since early August! Pine Hollow has enjoyed some of the best golf conditions in recent memory, and it has been a true pleasure seeing so many of you out on the course taking advantage of it. Adding to the excitement, it was Ryder Cup week here on Long Island, a truly special moment for golf in our area. I hope many of you were able to experience this world-class event—it was a reminder of how vibrant and inspiring the game can be, especially so close to home.

Our Green Team delivered one of the strongest late-summer finishes I’ve experienced in my time here. The crew worked tirelessly—hand-watering, mowing, and maintaining every detail of the property—during what was also one of the busiest stretches we’ve had in years.

We started September with a great turnout for the Team Cup Tournament, then turned right around to host the First Annual Vanderbilt Two-Day Member Guest. I couldn’t have been more proud of how the course presented: firm fairways, tournament-quality greens, and roughs that challenged players of all levels. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the appreciation expressed for both the golf course and the club as a whole was truly rewarding.

A heartfelt thank you to all who participated—you make these events special. They are only as good as the people who come together to enjoy them, and Pine Hollow continues to shine because of your enthusiasm and support.

Looking ahead to “Golftober,” we have plenty of great golf on deck, starting with the Superintendent’s Revenge. With cooler weather settling in and the seasons changing, conditions will be ideal for memorable fall golf.

Please take a look at the schedules below for upcoming aeration, project work, and course updates. We are excited to finish the season strong, continue building momentum for 2026, and, as always, we deeply appreciate your support.

Yours For Better Turf,

Brent Peveich, GCS

 



FALL AERATION SCHEDULE:

GREENS:

  • ROOT PUSHING IN OPEN HOLE
    ***October 10/20/25 – ½” Hollow Tine Aeration w/ Heavy Topdressing
    (8%)
  •   ***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)

TEES:

AUGUST MORNING DEEPTINE PIC
  • October 10/22/25 - 5/8” Hollow Tine Tee Aeration with Sand Topdressing

      FAIRWAYS:

  • October 10/20/25 – Dethatching of Fwys/Apps or ¾ Solid Deep-Tine
  •  November - ¾” Solid Deep-Tine Aeration


    ROUGHS: All Roughs and Lawns will be aerated starting in November.



2025 Accomplishments

  • #16/#17 Beds Beautification – Removed and transplanted all plant material to the Pro Shop and Main Drive; installed stripe sod to fescue and seeded wildflowers in Spring 2025 to create a cohesive aesthetic. 
  • Tennis Hillside Preparation – Prepped area for wildflower planting in Spring 2025.
  • #15 Tee Complex Cart path – Removed all path and sodded area. Area worked out great and new needs aeration along where old path sat.
  • Irrigation Upgrades – Ran wire from tennis controller to booster pump (in-house) and upgraded all clubhouse controllers to Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi controllers worked great but still issues with pm pump system. To be addressed fall 2025.
  • Main Drive & Surrounding Areas – Cleared wooded areas around main drive ponds, parking lot, left of #2, and left of #3.
  • Equipment Investments – Purchased new sprayers and new EZ Go carts.
  • Parking Lot Improvements – Installed concrete dividers for organized material storage.

Current Projects/2026 CAP EX 

  • #16 Tee Complex – Worksheet and artwork on schedule. Work may begin in November thru winter and ready for Men's Opening Day.
  • Hole #10 Green – Cart Path – New asphalt path March 2026 Final grading to be completed using on-site fill/soil and sod.
  • Drainage Projects – Holes #5, #16, #17.
  • Fairway Bunkers – Holes #18 & #4 – Gravel available; sand procurement and equipment rentals (aligned with drainage work) remain pending.
  • Green & Surround Heads – Raising all heads (in-house) to improve water distribution and minimize runoff.
  • Winter Property Line Work / Tree Work– Continued clearing: Hole #6 tee area and Hole #7 property line extending to Highwood Road residents/maintenance road. We will also continue with tree work around course. We will be pruning low/overhanging/damaged branches. Also continue to selectively remove trees from our Tree Management Plan while also being sensitive to properties integrity. All work will be planned and coordinated with our Pro Staff.


Mowing Schedule


Greens:

  • Mowed at .125 7 times per week once we finish tournament play. Higher HOC will provide our surfaces the ability to build root mass going into winter dormancy.

  • Double-rolled on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to enhance smoothness and speed

Tees, Collars & Approaches:

  • Mowed at 0.350 inches, 3 times per week

Fairways:

  • Mowed at 0.375 inches, 3 times per week

Rough:                                                                                                        

  • Mowed at 2.25 inches, once weekly, this height is lower than all summer season and will again be dropped to 2 in once leaf sweeping season begins in the coming weeks.


Pin & Tee Setup

  • Greens and tees are set 6 times per week

  • Ensures fresh pin locations and ideal playing conditions daily


Bunkers
Routine Maintenance:

  • Touch-up raking: Monday & Thursday

  • Full raking: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

  • Sand consistency: Recent sand depth checks and cleanings have given us a consistent base to finish the season strong. One more round will be performed in the month of October.


Topdressing Program
Our biweekly greens topdressing with fine sand is underway to:

  • Smooth and firm surfaces

  • Improve green speed and playability

  • Support root zone health and turf vigor

This program complements our vertical mowing and grooming strategy aimed at top-tier playing conditions.


Spray Program
The full-season spray schedule is active and continues weekly through November. We will make our final applications in early December prior to freezing conditions, including:

  • Plant protectants

  • Fertilizers (as needed)

  • Growth regulators

  • Seed Head Suppression apps for spring 2026

Applications cover all short-cut turf, roughs, range, and lawn areas.


Clubhouse Grounds
Landscaping is ongoing:

  • Lawns with poor irrigation and heavy traffic have been sprayed, aerated, and seeded to restore any areas back to full coverage. Some areas experienced more stress than we have seen in some time and will be renovated. Thanks for supporting any work our guys do to hold the property up to our high expectations.

  • All flowers are still thriving and will stay in beds until first frosts dictate! Some fall plantings in pots will begin prior to fall festival. Bulbs will be planted in November as you may have noticed in spring of 2025.

  • Fall pruning of shrubs and landscape is continuous as plants grow during the season. 

  • Beds are continuously being weeded, mulched, and pruned. Once we finish, we lap back around for the freshest appearance possible.

Ongoing maintenance will ensure pristine presentation and enjoyable views throughout the season.


Course Detailing
We're actively refining the course’s presentation by:

  • Edging around irrigation heads and valve boxes. All will be complete again early Oct.

  • Sodding and repairing cart path edges and bunker banks mostly complete but ongoing as necessary. Please follow directional roping and staking while keeping carts to paths as much as possible.

  • Pruning dead material, low branches, and sucker limbs from trees.

  • Repairing divots as needed.


Racquet Sports Update
Tennis Courts:

  • Watered, rolled, brushed, and lined daily. Scoreboards are all stored for the season and we will be scaling back court detail as Alina decides and as usage declines.

Pickleball Courts:

  • Blown and cleaned every morning for optimal playability and appearance

Padel Courts:

  • Fully ready for play and our pro-staff is ready to show you this exciting game

  • Court will be available until weather and usage dictates



Monday, September 1, 2025

GREEN DEPARTMENT UPDATE 9/1/25

 


As we move into one of the most beautiful times of the year at Pine Hollow, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey this season has been. This summer brought multiple heat waves and extended periods without rain, yet our team rose to the challenge. Thanks to their dedication, hard work, and relentless effort, the golf course not only endured but thrived under the most demanding conditions.

This season also delivered one of the most memorable Club Championships in my twelve seasons at Pine Hollow—a true showcase of sportsmanship, skill, and camaraderie. I am deeply grateful to be part of this family and to share in moments like these with all of you. Congratulations to all our Champions but especially to Phil Gutterman and his incredible accomplishment of raising the trophy for his 22nd time here at Pine Hollow.

Now, as the temperatures cool and the leaves begin to turn, fall golf will soon be upon us. The course is in excellent shape and ready for a season filled with crisp mornings and a golf course prepared to have an all-time finish to what has already been a fantastic year.

Here’s what’s ahead:

  • Team Cup – Our traditional start to the fall golf season with members teaming up to compete for this year’s title.

  • Two-Day Member-Guest – Our marquee invitational event, featuring two days of championship golf and Pine Hollow hospitality. This competitive event is exciting on so many levels for us here at the Club and I can already feel the anticipation building from the team to execute a championship caliber golf course.

  • Ryder Cup Week at Bethpage – The world’s spotlight will shine on Long Island, offering a rare opportunity to celebrate the game at its highest level right in our backyard. This is a once in a lifetime event for us here so please take the opportunity to join in.

  • Superintendent’s Revenge – October – A member favorite where our grounds team gets creative with daring pin placements and unexpected challenges. The ideas and collaboration with the Pro Staff and Chef is my favorite part and I'm blessed to have such a great group to think our way thru the Men's Closing Event. 

Fall at Pine Hollow is always a special time—a season when the course shines, and our Club comes together to celebrate theses events, memories, and traditions that mean so much to all of us. The photo above was taken on a morning when I paused to watch the sunrise, and the day just felt different—a reminder to slow down and appreciate where we are. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be here, caring for this remarkable property, and it’s moments like these that make the hard work of summer all worthwhile. On behalf of the entire Green Department, we look forward to seeing you on the course and sharing in everything the rest of the season has to offer.

Yours For Better Turf,
Brent Peveich, GCS



FALL AERATION SCHEDULE:

GREENS:

  • ROOT PUSHING IN OPEN HOLE
    ***October 10/20/25 – ½” Hollow Tine Aeration w/ Heavy Topdressing
    (8%)
  •   ***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)

TEES:

AUGUST MORNING DEEPTINE PIC
  • October 10/22/25 - 5/8” Hollow Tine Tee Aeration with Sand Topdressing

      FAIRWAYS:

  • October 10/20/25 – Dethatching of Fwys/Apps or ¾ Solid Deep-Tine
  •  November - ¾” Solid Deep-Tine Aeration


    ROUGHS: All Roughs and Lawns will be aerated starting in November.



Mowing Heights & Frequency

#14 DURING CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Greens:

  • Mowed at .110 7 times per week once we get back to the Tournament Schedule we expect to lower HOC to .105 and significantly cut back on watering daily

  • Double-rolled on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to enhance smoothness and speed

Tees, Collars & Approaches:

  • Mowed at 0.350 inches, 3 times per week

Fairways:

  • Mowed at 0.375 inches, 3 times per week

Rough:                                                                                                        

  • Mowed at 2.5 inches, once weekly, this height will be dropped after Men's Member Guest as cooler temperatures set in and will aid in leaf cleanup. I know we have discussed HOC in rough a lot lately. It came thru the heat in exceptional shape and we will adjust in the month of September


Pin & Tee Setup

  • Greens and tees are set 6 times per week

  • Ensures fresh pin locations and ideal playing conditions daily


Bunkers
Routine Maintenance:

  • Touch-up raking: Monday & Thursday

  • Full raking: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

  • Sand consistency: Thin areas are topped off as needed; recent sand depth checks and cleanings will be detailed prior to Team Cup and Men's Member Guest Event


Topdressing Program
Our biweekly greens topdressing with fine sand is underway to:

  • Smooth and firm surfaces

  • Improve green speed and playability

  • Support root zone health and turf vigor

This program complements our vertical mowing and grooming strategy aimed at top-tier playing conditions.


GOLF IS GOOD
Spray Program
The full-season spray schedule is active and continues weekly through November, including:

  • Plant protectants

  • Fertilizers (as needed)

  • Growth regulators

  • Pre-emergent herbicides

Applications cover all short-cut turf, roughs, range, and lawn areas.


Clubhouse Grounds
Landscaping is in full swing:

  • Lawns with poor irrigation and heavy traffic will be sprayed, aerated, and seeded to restore any areas back to full coverage. Some areas experienced more stress than we have seen in some time and will be renovated. Thanks for supporting any work our guys do to hold the property up to our high expectations.

  • All flowers are thriving! We will be thinning out some perennial beds and wildflower areas as flowers start to get past their flowering prime. This will continue in September where necessary.

  • Fall pruning of shrubs and landscape is continuous as plants grow during the season. 

  • Beds are continuously being weeded, mulched, and pruned. Once we finish, we lap back around for the freshest appearance possible.

  • Remember: the more rain we get, the faster undesirable plants return

Ongoing maintenance will ensure pristine presentation and enjoyable views throughout the season.


Course Detailing
We're actively refining the course’s presentation by:

  • Edging around irrigation heads and valve boxes.

  • Sodding and repairing cart path edges and bunker banks as heat and wear impact our appearance. Please follow directional roping and staking while keeping carts to paths as much as possible.

  • Pruning dead material, low branches, and sucker limbs from trees.

  • Repairing divots as needed.


Racquet Sports Update
Tennis Courts:

  • Watered, rolled, brushed, and lined daily

  • Bi-weekly calcium applications to aid moisture retention and surface consistency

  • Walkways cleaned as much as possible. Note: overnight watering and storms may wash material onto paths—please use caution as these areas can be slick

Pickleball Courts:

  • Blown and cleaned every morning for optimal playability and appearance

Padel Courts:

  • Fully ready for play and our pro-staff is ready to show you this exciting game

  • Sand topdressing can be applied to firm the surface and enhance play speed and consistency