We have been waking up the neighbors for the past two weeks over on 16 Sabot. This week it wasn't just the wood chipper, it was the trencher. First thing Monday we cut a 400 foot long trench on the right edge of the fairway to help catch runoff from the properties to our west. From there we tied the trench back down to existing drain basins in the middle of the fairway.
We borrowed a smaller tractor mounted trencher that throws the soil directly into the trailer to help quickly cut in some lateral lines.
Each trench was filled with gravel, perforated pipe and then capped off with sand. We will probably end up sodding some of this area in the spring but for the most part these lines will fill in over the summer just like they did on 8 Sabot last year.
All in all about 800 feet of pipe went into the ground this week on 16 fairway. Click here for a higher resolution panoramic of the action.
More trees continued to fall off the edge of the wood line here on 16 this week as well. This trimming back of the shade line will pay dividends this summer.
In the past the golfer's right side of 16 fairway always struggled with shade and the combined cart traffic. The fairway and rough inside the cartpath should have a fighting chance now.
Our stump grinder contractor was on site Thursday to start knocking down stumps with his $100k machine. This is one activity we are happy to contract out.
Curtis well drilling was also on site Thursday to replace the well behind 12 green. This well pump had been in the ground since the early 2000's and hadn't worked in over 5 years. Now in the summer it can help supplement the lake level and start to give the stream to the left of 12 a little more character.
The Manakin guys were happy to get their big project for the winter going over by 9 green. They removed all the bunker sand and the old drainage. Each bunker is being evaluated for the proper floor depth to ensure balls roll down to the bottom, off the slope. The floor of this bunker in front of the green went down about 8 inches.
We have used this week to excavate all the old material. Next week we will install new drainage in all 3 bunkers and then the capillary concrete will be delivered on Thursday.
As with every winter, even though the air temperatures can fluctuate 50 degrees some weeks, the soil temperatures and sunlight hours remain inadequate for any kind of grass growth, no matter bermuda or bentgrass. A moderate amount of topdressing was spread on the greens this week to help try and defend against some of these winter ballmarks. With 0 opportunity for recovery, winter traffic stress is just something the turf, and golfers, have to deal with. As the days get longer after January and into February, we will see the bent wake up and begin to move again up top. Down below the surface, the roots are still barely active. Next week we hope to start the deep solid tine aeration process once again. These 8 inch deep holes will give another avenue for roots to take come spring time and will do little to interrupt your winter golf enjoyment. Enjoy anther moderately warm weekend!
