Golf Course Update June 13th 2011

LOOKING BACK AT LAST WEEK

Monday June 6th: Greens were aerated on the Hawk golf course on Monday June 6th. The aeration process was successful as the weather cooperated for the most part. The greens healed very quickly due to small holes being punched and the heavy rain experienced on Tuesday June 7th helped work the heavy topdressing into the turf.

A Greens Aerator Monday on the Hawk Golf Course

Topdressing approximately 6,000 lbs of sand per green following aeration


Working the topdressing sand into the aeration holes with a mechanical brush.

Tuesday June 7th: Staff started to detail the golf course in the afternoon maintenance gap program. After getting 5 holes completed staff were sent home as the Thorgard lightning prediction system went of twice and staff were rained on twice. After most staff went home we received an incredible 1.25" of rain (32mm) in approximately 2 hours. Remaining staff sand bagged until approximately 7pm when the water level started to recede. Erosion damage to bunkers was significant. Sand bagging worked well as only minor erosion to creek banks and cart path edges was experienced.

Wednesday June 8th: All staff spent a 10 hour day repairing flood damage. Every bunker on the golf course had to have silt removed and sand shovelled back from the low spots back up to the slopes. That just about wore everyone out.

Thursday June 9th: Prepare the golf course for an 8:00am members shotgun followed by a corporate 36 hole tournament at 1:30pm.

The construction crew strip sod on the left hand side of 2 Raven in preparation for arrival of 18,000 sq' of sod Friday morning.

Friday June 10th: Staff are able to get back out on the golf course with some equipment to mow grass that is getting very long due to our inability to get equipment on very soft saturated ground. We are now using light weight ride on greens mowers on fairways and hand mowing rough areas with walking push mowers to minimize rutting from equipment tires. This is very labour intensive and inefficient but gets the job done. All greens are fertilized with liquid fertilizer and Plant Growth Regulators.

Construction crew have big day installing all the sod on 2 Raven.

Saturday June 11th: The golf course is pummelled with 53mm (2.125")of rain. Staff are able to perform a few essential maintenance tasks before going into flood mode. Most staff leave around noon while an elite team of sand baggers stay to fight the good fight to protect areas from erosion.

Construction crew was able to lay 10 pallets of sod on 17 Raven in the rain. A Special thanks to the guys for this one a it couldn't have been more challenging conditions.

Pouring rain, mud but getting the sod installed


The sod crew lead by Ross Moore working through nasty conditions.

Sunday June 12th: The golf course is closed in the morning so Turf Care staff can repair flood damage and repair all the bunkers from the heavy rains the day before. Staff are able to ready the golf course for a 1:30pm opening and just in time to get the mixed member guest out on time. No mowing of any areas other than greens is completed due to excessive moisture.

Miscellaneous: Dandelions are out of control on the golf course due to perfect conditions for a bloom and staff have been unable to spray because of rain and prioritizing all labour getting the golf course re opened following flooding.

Cart path asphalting on 16 Hawk was re scheduled for the 3rd week in row due to soft conditions caused by more rain.

Standard mowing is not an option now as the ground is saturated and to soft for equipment. Fairways and rough that are normally mowed 4 - 5 days per week might be getting mowed 1X / week due to these wet soft conditions.

We are now experiencing the wettest conditions ever (in my opinion of 18 years at Priddis Greens).

Water has somehow gotten under the turf on 7 Hawk and created a water bed on a large section of the fairway.

Turf on 7 Hawk damaged by water intrusion getting under the turf and lifting it up. Once water stops running we have this rolled smooth.

Although the sod project replacing rough on the front nine Raven is taking longer than anticipated, the construction crew has completed close to half of the work in conditions that are not conducive for progress. These guys are awesome!

This Week June 13 - 19th

Monday June 13th: Prepare the golf course for a 36 Hole 8:00am corporate shotgun. Try to mow any grass that we can get with hand mowers and the greens mowers on fairways. 6 staff sprayed weeds with back pack sprayers to get a start before more rain comes on Wednesday. Sr. Staff stay late to continue to mow late into the day after the shotgun.

Construction crew continue on preparations to replace sod on 3, 4 and 6 Raven

Tuesday June 14th: Brushing greens for grain control on the Raven in the morning, a light topdressing followed by Planet Aire spiking and rolling Raven greens in the afternoon gap program.

Big mowing day in very wet conditions. Lots of push mowing to try to catch up on very long grass. If there is a risk of damage the long grass areas will have to wait another day.

Construction crew has 18,000sq' of sod rolling in at 6am and will push to get it all laid prior to forecasted rain on Wednesday.

Wednesday June 15th: Asphalting of 16 Hawk cart path canceled again due to wet conditions and the wet forecast. Hawk course maintenance gap scheduled for 11:00am. Lots of mowing and detailing planned if it doesn't rain. We will have an small army spraying dandelions if it doesn't rain.

Thursday June 16th: Rain Forecasted - All staff schedules and tasks will be adjusted based on conditions.

Friday June 17th: Rain Forecasted - All staff schedules and tasks will be adjusted based on conditions.

Saturday June 18th: Rain Forecasted - All staff schedules and tasks will be adjusted based on conditions.