Wet Blanket

This week was pretty wet with an inch and a half of rain coming down just like a wet blanket. On Monday we ran out a got a number of things accomplished before the rain. The deep tine aeration is now complete on all 39 greens and a light dusting of sand was laid down. Our new topdresser and Progator knocked this task out very quickly. With two of these rigs now we can get sand out in a very timely and accurate manner.

With a quick turn on the digital dial the topdresser is fitted to spread compost. Our goal is to compost all the roughs on the Manakin and Sabot, as well as some wetter fairways on the Sabot over the next 2-3 weeks. This is weather dependent of course.

We started digging out a cartpath extension past 18 Manakin on Monday as well. This path will take golfers to the parking lot more comfortably and our staff to our service road. The paving improvements are set to start on Monday February 24th. This road and the gravel road in front of the bathroom behind 7 Manakin will be paved. That road will connect to 5 tee. All around the Manakin putting green and behind the range tee, up to 10 Manakin tee and all the way down behind 18 Manakin green will be milled out and paved. The worst areas on 1 Sabot and 9 Sabot will also be replaced. Once this is complete more smoothing and sealing will happen to the remaining paths on both courses.

As the rains came we turned inside to finish up some winter projects. The new rakes for the Sabot were sealed up with polyurethane.

Joe is working on a new double water cooler house for 3 Sabot.

The mechanic squad finally has their new lift in and functioning. Dunstano and Carlos are laughing about how their scarred knees are going to disappear now that they don't have to lay on the floor to adjust reels.

Jacob is down in the pumphouse making new shelves to help better organize our variety of irrigation parts inventory.

Back out in the rain we have been making major headway at the dump area to the left of 1 Sabot. It has been a process of burning smaller material and moving larger stumps and logs to a consolidated area. The bulldozer came on site yesterday and has been smoothing out the area to make it functional. This area was essentially full and impassable about two weeks ago. By the end of next week we will have close to 2 acres clear and ready to go. Even the dump area needs constant management and we have a plan now to keep it as functional as possible.

Enjoy this last blast of cold air and get ready for spring!