The rain has not held off this week. As has been the case, the forecast was for around an inch of rain and we ended up with 3.5 inches. Our normal for the year is just less than 44 inches. For a little perspective, the average for New Orleans (the wettest city in the country) is 63.5 inches. The wettest year on record was 1889 for Richmond, when they counted 72 inches of rain. Second place was 2018 at 63.73 so 2020 is well into the new second place for our property. A trend that hopefully does not continue into the new year!
In between rain storms this week we were able to get out a light topdressing and some winter nutrients (calcium, potassium and magnesium). The rains again washed everything in nicely Wednesday. Continued topdressings this winter will help the bentgrass hold up better to golfer traffic and more rain.
Our search for valuable stones in old curbing around the course is just now coming to an end. These nice river stones are much better suited......in a stream. We have been excavating them all year and either sodding over the area or adding stone pavers. With the stream on 5 Sabot finished off for now, we are moving to 14 Manakin to start removing silt and creating some pools there.
Paver work will continue all through the winter. Our punch list includes 4 Sabot bathroom walkway, along the main drag between the club house and 10 tee Sabot, and even in the baby pool area to make some more room for seating.
As the excavator finally moved off of #5, it swung through the pond at 4 sabot. The pile of silt by the bridge was cleaned up and Ben even scooped up some junk to clean the edge of the pond up.
All sharpened up and ready for the growing season!
On behalf of the Golf Course Management Department, we would like to join in with the rest of the world in saying goodbye to 2020. Please enjoy the Holiday season and you will see the blog fire back up quickly in January!
