Clubhouse Patio Landscaping

Paint is used to mark the new bed shape,
and the grass is killed w/ herbicide

Although the grounds staff spends time each week, throughout the growing season, maintaining the lawns and landscape beds around the clubhouse, a few times a year extra attention is required to make necessary improvements.  This past spring, the bed on the north side of the food & beverage facility was redesigned and has turned out to be a big improvement.

As our mowing schedules and other tasks have begun to wind down, I felt a need to address another issue at the clubhouse while we still had our seasonal help.  The area directly north of the back patio has been an eye sore for quite some time.  This area is in continuous shade and the Bermuda cannot fully grow up to the edge of the patio.  This has created a muddy thin area that hasn't been much to look at.

A few weeks ago, the new landscape bed was outlined and herbicide was applied to kill the existing Bermudagrass.  Earlier this week, Joe, our irrigation technician, redesigned the irrigation in this area to ensure the proper spray distribution.  Yesterday, the staff installed new landscape edging, plants, rock paths, and mulch.  The plants chosen for this bed are all tolerant of full shade and should acclimate very well to their new home.  Each of them will also flower at various times to provide some seasonal interest throughout the year.  This new bed certainly improves the look in front of the back patio, but it also removes the gap that existed in the landscape design which creates some continuity around the back of the clubhouse.

Plants and paths being installed

All finished!

#5 Greens Surround Drainage

First, the trench is dug out

This week, the grounds staff completed a small drainage project right of #5 green.  This area has been holding excessive amounts of water for most of the season and has become an issue.  The wet turf is very soft and prone to damage from mowers and foot traffic.  Joe, our irrigation technician, installed a small section of drainage pipe, and gravel, to give the excess water in the soil someplace to go.  Over the next few days, this area should start to dry up and should be much drier going forward.

Second, pipe is added 

Third, trench is backfilled with gravel

Lastly, sod is replaced and topdressed smooth

Fall Transition

The signs of fall are everywhere!  The leaves are beginning to change color and some are even beginning to fall from the trees.  The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler.  These changes in the weather also usher in a change in the growth of the Bermuda grass in our tees, fairways, and rough.  We've noticed, over the past few weeks, a sharp decrease in the amount of grass we are cutting each time we mow.  This means that we are able to mow less often, which affords us more time to work on other tasks.  The staff has been able to catch up on all sorts of details, such as edging sprinkler heads and basins, topdressing divots, etc.  In another month or so, we'll likely have our first frost and the Bermuda will then go dormant until spring.