Pine Hollow Green Department

Monday, June 17, 2019

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 6/8/19

Actual mowing heights – GREENS .115, TEES/COLLARS, .300, APPROACHES/COLLECTIONS .325, FAIRWAYS .375, STEP-CUT 1”, ROUGH 2.25”.
Our 2019 Golf Season has started slow with significant rain events. Over the past few weeks rough has improved and playing surfaces have healed from aeration. This process was slow!
PUMPTATION– 100 hp. Pump replaced this off-season is working to full capacity. 200 hp. Pump has been flushed and serviced and is ready to take on the season, this station has had issues for years but since the upgrades made in 2015 this motor and pump have been reliable.
Silvery Thread Moss eradication program for greens on is going. This process has shown significant improvements on most greens with populations decreasing by 80% but needs to be altered due to some aggressive varieties.
Bunkers have been severely impacted from extreme weather events causing failure of bunker liner, contamination, and bunker collapse. Our hazards have been maintained to the best of our ability but these issues are not going away without renovation.
#1 Green continues to be a topic of conversation due to green speed gains over five years and plans are in place to rebuild the green and front right bunker with Macdonald & Sons.
Improve contours in fairways and green expansion areas with additions and subtractions. These areas are part of Hanse Golf Course Design’s original plan and fairway expansion will be discussed with all professional staff before work begins.
Our new bunker built during the offseason is open and provides more practice options. This area will join #10 fairway with the collection from #14 green and add variety and style.
Drainage installation at chipping area approach (driving range), #6 approach, #5 approach, #8 approach, #15 approach, and #16 fairway.
Fall Aeration – Scheduled and will be aggressive to improve playing conditions and maintain overall turf health (see attached).
Pine Hollow Green’s Department Blog – pinehollowgreens.blogspot.com

PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS

LONG RANGE PLAN – Discussion with Committee and Board should take place to develop a Long Range Plan. This plan protects our interests, sets goals and provides information to set aside money. Macdonald & Sons can provide this plan with an architect to help the Club and Supt.
LANDSCAPE - #1 Tee re-organize material and add plant material. #3/#7 screen out dumpsites.
GOLF COURSE - #1 Green and Bunker Complex fall 2019. Tee Complex Construction #11 and #12/#14.
GOLF COURSE - Cont. Tree Maintenance Plan for 2018/2019 late fall to winter: In/Out House work done with a plan to replant.
EQUIPMENT - Purchase Deep-Tine Aeration Unit. Purchase New Walk behind Greens mowers and new utility carts (2019).
BUDGET- Continue to look at areas to improve our bottom line while increasing Member satisfaction with our Club’s biggest asset.

Sunday, May 5, 2019

GOOD COURSE ETIQUETTE

LINEAR PATTERN HELPS HEAL FASTER AT DRIVING RANGE

PLEASE REPAIR PITCH MARKS

FILL DIVOTS W/ SAND MIX AND SMOOTH SURFACE

TOPDRESSING BENEFITS

http://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/ticpdf.py?file=/article/whitlark-thompson-light-5-3-19.pdf

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

GOLF COURSE UPDATE 4/9/19

MOWING HEIGHTS – GREENS .125 in., TEES/COLLARS/APPROACHES .325 in., FWYS .375 in., ROUGH is not growing to mow
Green, Tee, Rough Aeration wrapping up for Spring – Fairway Deep-Tine was delayed until Monday 4/15/19
Our property and golf course have been cleaned up and detailed for the first time from 25A to Tennis Courts. Property lines and wooded areas have also been cleaned up of garbage and branches left of holes #2, #3, #6, #7 and the parking lot main drive buffer areas.
All disturbance areas from our winter work and parking lot projects have been Hydro-Seeded to Turf Type Tall Fescue & Bluegrass mix.
Bunker Work- Our initial cleanup and sand distribution was finished. We will be detailing our hazards starting 4/15/19 to remove as much contamination as possible, adding sand where necessary, and detailing all depths to edges.
Initial landscape cleaning has started and fresh natural mulch will be added to liven up the beds for the season prior to our Annual Flower planting in May.
Our NEW chipping green bunker was shaped and prepped for sod the week of 4/8 and with good weather will be open for practice at our opening tournament. (IN-HOUSE)
As of 4/12/19, all Tennis Courts were available for play to our Membership with all windscreens replaced over the past two season and new nets on our showcase courts.

Spring has sprung and the Green Department is cranking on all cylinders for the start of another great season. This off-season the weather was extremely kind to the Northeast and that trend has continued for us as we welcomed back our Union Staff. For the first time in my five seasons, we are starting the year at full strength and our progress reflects the weather and staff returning. I am happy to say that the property cleanup and the condition of our playing surfaces are all ahead of schedule for the second week of April. You will notice some changes along the main drive, our practice facilities, and areas around the golf course and we are all excited to discuss and take on the 2019 golf season. We have an exciting year ahead with great golf conditioning to come, project work to discuss, and warmer weather on the horizon. We will continue detailing all aspects of the property in the days and weeks ahead and I can't wait to welcome all of you back personally!