Saturday, October 29, 2011

Superintendent’s Corner

Superintendent’s Corner
Autumn Blaze Maple #5
       Fall is a beautiful time of year in Michigan, with the changing of colors in the trees, and usually great weather to enjoy a round of golf.   Some of our trees have lost their leaves but there still are many trees going through there fall transition before they drop.  We have definitely have had more than our share of wetter days this fall, but the maintenance team has kept the golf course in good shape ready for your enjoyment.

Irrigation System
The Greens and Surrounds Irrigation install has been moving along well.  So far the contractors have been able to install the pipe, sprinklers and wiring on holes 1,2,3,4,5,6,15,18, and the putting green.  Many players have seen the installation first hand during their golf rounds, witnessing the amount of work involved in trenching, digging and installing new irrigation components around the greens.  The quality of work performed and the detail to restoration to the greens complexes has been first class.  Below are a couple of photos from the installation.

#1 Green during installation
#1 Green after restoration

        



New Satellite installed #1 Tee
The other component to the irrigation project was modernizing the control system. The addition of new satellites on the golf course (seen on the right), and updated central control, will allow us to properly manage the water requirements for the individual areas in our greens complexes, improving these areas.  Our goal is to have all of the new irrigation installed by the end of November. 
                                                           
 Thank you,                                                                                    
 Greens Committee          


Saturday, October 15, 2011

Greens and Surrounds Irrigation Project

Staking at #18 green
The Irrigation project to improve the overall quality of our greens complexes has started. The past week Mike Kuhn and Theilen Contractors have been on the property staking the in-field placement of the new irrigation heads. If you have played over the last week there were indicator flags around the greens complexes determining the specific locations. Most of these flags have been since been removed and have been painted instead, with a shallow hole so the locations will not be lost during construction.

New Satellite location #8
Progress this week saw holes #1,2, and 3 have new irrigation piping and heads installed.  Restoration work has also been completed before moving onto the next hole.  Also the satellite pads were formed and new field satellites were installed.  Next Monday we will be starting construction on holes #4, and 5.

During the irrigation installation we have placed a temporary pin on the fairway, as the green on that hole is closed.  No more then 2 holes will be closed at any time, and members and their guests have been asked to play to the provisional pin or play 1-2 extra holes on the golf course that are not closed to complete an 18 hole round.  In scoring the closed golf holes, players are asked to use the equitable score for that hole.

Information on hole closures and scoring are available daily at the First Tee daily.