Winter Maintenance

Rotary Mowers continued.

Jose is finishing up welding supports to a 4500 Rotary Mower deck.  The new supports turned out good.  This process included cleaning and removing rusty metal, fabricating steel, and welding.

Winter Maintenance

Rotary Mowers

We are working on the rotary decks for our 4500 Rotary mowers which cut almost all of the rough grass on the golf course.  We currently have 2 of these machines which are 8 years old.  There are 10 cutting units total, of which 4 of them have significant rust on the underside. The photo on the right shows a rotary deck in decent condition compared to 1 that is rusty.  Factors that cause the rust include, age of machine, usage, moisture, fertilizer, and grass accumulation.

We will be removing the corroded metal and welding metal supports in it's place.  The decks will be primed and painted to try to slow down future rust. This process will extend the life of the cutting units.  With aging equipment and their usage, rust is a concern.

Greens Drainage

There is currently about 4 - 5 inches of snow cover on the greens and golf course.  This amount varies in the undulations of the greens.  On January 25th there was a thin layer of ice accumulation in some areas from the warmer temperatures in the prior week.

The drainage trenches that were cut into the greens this fall for drainage have been exposed in case of a melt.  These drains allow the water to move quickly unobstructed off the greens, removing water before a refreeze.  Drainage was cut out on the following greens, 1,2,3,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,17,18. 

Skating Rink

The skating rink has been successful this year.  The plastic liner held the water from penetrating the clay in the tennis court.  Cold temperatures have also been a help building and maintaining the ice.  There is approximately 5 inches of solid ice as a base.

Maintenance of the ice now that is is established involves snow removal and flooding every few days to keep the ice surface smooth.

Tree Work

Trees removed

2 dead White Pines at the driving range - A new White Pine will be planted this spring.

1 Paper Birch right side #9 that was deteriorating from Birch Borer - We will be planting 4 River Birch in this area

1 Flowering Crab behind #7 green - A Spruce will be planted further in behind #7green.

Trimmed Trees

- Locust trees between the 10th hole and Square Lake Rd.  These trees cause problems with shade and roots, and their over hanging branches come into play.  The Men's portion of the tee box was sodded to Bent grass this fall and the roots of these trees were pruned at that time.

- Oak Trees beside the short game practice area. (photo above).  Branches over hanging the green creating shade were elevated and some dead branching removed.

Winter Maintenance

The greens crew refurbishes course hardware through the winter months.  Shannon Storey (in picture) is working on refinishing flag poles, tee markers and benches.  All of the course hardware is brought in off the course late fall, and will be inspected, cleaned, painted and waxed ready to be placed on the course come spring.

Ice Skating at FLCC

The FLCC skating is open for members to enjoy. The 40'x100' skating rink is located on the clay tennis courts in the south end of the parking lot.

All skaters are required to fill out a "Skating Liability Form".  These forms are located at the front desk of the clubhouse.

Skate at your own risk.

Winter Maintenance

Jose Marcaida - Equipment Technician FLCC

The maintenance of our course equipment begins in the late fall as the golf season comes to an end. 

Jose Marcaida has been the equipment technician responsible for overseeing the turf maintenance equipment since April 2006. 

Through the summer months our equipment is maintained daily to ensure the best possible playing conditions.  On course reel adjustments, equipment operation training, and machine breakdowns are some tasks to be preformed.  Jose has done an exceptional job in keeping machines in good working order and quality operation. 

The winter months allow Jose to work on the equipment thoroughly.  With the help of the greens staff, our machines go through inspection, scheduled maintenance, and cleaning. This includes grinding reels, bed knives and blades, as well as fixing wearing parts. The equipment is detailed and restored to the best possible condition.