#15 Cart Path

Removing old cart path

If I asked anyone who plays at Bailey Ranch where the roughest piece of cart path was on the golf course, I'm sure #15 would be at the top of everyone's list.  It's no secret that the area at the bottom of the hill has been a problem for longer than I'd like to admit.  Several years ago, this portion of the cart path began to settle and asphalt was brought in as a temporary solution to smooth out the cart path.  This seemed like a logical solution at the time, but admittedly coming back to this project to fix it the right way was lost in the shuffle over the years with regarding project priorities.  Since there are fewer projects on the list, and with the growing season behind us, I decided last week to make this project a priority.

Last week, staff began the process of removing the old asphalt and concrete to make way for the new material.  Once the old cart path was out of our way, forms were installed and new gravel was added, then compacted.  Long pieces of re-bar steel were laid in a grid pattern on top of the gravel to give the new concrete additional strength and guard against cracking in the future.  On Thursday of last week, the new concrete was poured and left to cure over the weekend.  Today the staff removed the forms, back filled soil along each side of the path and laid fresh sod to complete the project.  

I couldn't be more proud of the work the staff put into this project.  Although this kind of project may be a little outside their normal scope of work, they all worked together and the finished product speaks for itself.      

New gravel base being compacted

Brushing the concrete provides traction

Finished product

More Drainage

Digging up box right of #6 green

This off-season, one of the major objectives for the grounds staff will be drainage work.  Over the past twenty years, much of the drainage infrastructure that was installed, has aged and is in need of repair.  The staff will not only be adding new drainage to certain areas around the course this winter, but adding, repairing and leveling existing drainage.

One of the projects that has been on my list for quite some time, has been raising drainage boxes in basins throughout the golf course.  The majority of these drain boxes have sunken so far down that they have made it difficult to mow without damaging the turf and/or mowing equipment.  As you can see in the picture above, each box must be dug up, raised up to grade, back filled, then topped with new sod.  Drain basins in green surrounds are our first priority.  Once these are complete, the staff will move on to the remaining basins.

Finished product left of #6 green

#6 Drainage Upgrade

New basin going in

Last week, our irrigation technician, Joe Miller, spent some time upgrading the drain basin on #6 fairway.  We've had trouble with the basin washing out and eroding over the years.  It was determined that the basin would need to be enlarged to handle the water that flows into the basin from the tee box and upper portion of the fairway.  Since this basin sits approximately half way down the hole, there is a fair amount of acreage that this basin must drain. The original drain basin, which is in the top of the picture to the right is a 12" square box that is designed for 4" drain pipe.  There is 6" drain pipe already in the ground, so all that water coming down hill had to squeeze through that smaller box and continue down hill.  It's no wonder this box failed.

Joe tore out the old box and built a custom 18" circular basin which will handle significantly more water.  We shouldn't have any more problems with water backing up and pooling in this basin.  Yesterday Joe dressed up the basin with new sod and put up some rope to keep people out of the area.

Finished product

Goodbye 2014 Growing Season

Based on the forecast low temperature of 27 degrees for tomorrow morning, I think it is safe to say goodbye to the 2014 growing season.  The low temperature, calm winds, and dew point should coincide with a heavy frost which will force the Bermuda to shut down pretty quickly.  This time of year is a big transition period for us as we park our mowing equipment until spring, cut back on our set up schedules and say goodbye to our seasonal staff.

I find myself looking back, at the season as a whole, and am very proud of our staff, and the work they've accomplished.  I feel like we were able to provide a great product throughout the year and had a strong finish.  I can't wait to tackle some projects this winter and get geared up for another great year in 2015!

#18 Drainage Project

Checking the grade of trench

This afternoon, the grounds staff completed the installation of a new drainage structure along the cart path at #18 tee box.  The staff installed three catch basins in key areas along the path to allow the surface water to move underground.  The cart path has a subtle low spot which kept the water from naturally moving downhill and out of the way.  Water would collect in low spots along the path as a result.  Golfers and maintenance staff that would pull off the path would cause these wet spots to turn into potholes.  Once the potholes developed, the areas would never dry up resulting in a persistant problem.

Now that the drainage is in place, the cart path edge will stay dry and we shouldn't have any problems with potholes any more.  Since we have fresh sod down, I would like to remind everyone to please use caution while walking to and from the cart path, as the sod has not rooting into the ground and it could be unstable.  The area has been roped off to keep carts on the path and we ask that golfers slow down as they drive through this area.  With your help, we can keep the area as nice as possible.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Thank you.

Drainage installed,  trench being backfilled

New sod laid over trench

Finished product

Potholes along path before project

Detail Work

 

Joe leveling valve boxes and sprinkler heads at #13 green

Cooler temperatures and longer nights have significantly slowed down the growth rate of the Bermuda.  This has allowed the seasonal staff to allocate more of their time to detail work.  Topdressing divots on tee boxes, edging drain basins, leveling valve boxes, string trimming, back filling pot holes along cart paths, blowing divots and leaves off fairways are just a few tasks we are finally able to address.  Individually, these details may not be that noticeable, but cumulatively, they can have a big impact on the overall appearance of the golf course.  The staff has done a phenomenal job over the past few weeks getting some of these tasks completed.  

Joe's finished product on #2 green

Crisp edge around sprinkler heads

Sharp edge around basins

Deep Tining Greens

This morning, the grounds staff has begun deep tining greens.  As you can see from the picture, there is minimal disruption to the surface, and all that is required is a light roll afterward to get them smooth again.  The holes that are left behind are only 1/4" wide, but go 8 inches down.  These channels will not only allow water to freely drain down through the profile, but also increase oxygen content at the bottom of the root zone.  This increase in drainage and oxygen content, combined with the cooler weather, should encourage deep rooting as we phase into late fall/early winter.

This process, although very important, does take quite a long time to complete.  The tractor can only travel about a half-mile per hour.  We hope to have all the greens done by Thursday afternoon.  During the next two days, we realize we will be out amongst golfers.  Our staff will do their best to remain courteous while staying productive.  We appreciate your patience as you make your way through the course over the next few days.

As always, if you have any questions about the process, or the benefits, please don't hesitate to ask.  Thank you.

Aeration Recovery

It's been just over 14 days since we began the fall aeration of greens and I have to say the recovery process went just as planned.  Ideal weather had a big part to play in the success of the process, however, I cannot diminish the efforts made by our team.  Timely applications of fertilizer, and diligent hand watering have kept each green in optimum health to minimize the time required for recovery.

Now that the holes are over 95% healed in, our focus this week has been to improve the playability of the greens.  The application of a growth regulator this past Monday has significantly reduced the amount of clippings collected each day, which will prolong the cut and improve ball roll.  Yesterday the staff ramped up efforts to improve smoothness by mowing the greens at .130", which is .005" lower, and then rolling the greens.  We noticed an immediate increase in both speed and smoothness after this process.  Today, we continued this process by double cutting greens at opposite directions to ensure all grass is cut and we continue to smooth the putting surface.  Tomorrow morning, the cutting height on greens will be lowered another .005" to .125".

Overall, we felt like the aeration process, and subsequent recovery, went very smoothly.  The weather has been ideal and we feel that the greens are set up perfectly for fantastic finish to the 2014 golf season!

Greens Aeration Recovery

These 5/8" holes are almost filled in

It's been just over one week and greens seem to be right on track regarding aeration recovery.  Aeration is an aggressive process that takes typically 7-14 days for full recovery depending on several factors such as: tine size, soil moisture, weather and the growth rate of the turf.

Leading up to the process, the soil moisture is carefully monitored and nutrients are applied to maximize the growth potential.  After the process is completed, the greens are rolled and brushed for a few days until we feel that the sand has been worked into the canopy as much as possible.  Mowing is withheld during the first few days after the process is complete to allow the turf to growth through the sand and to allow the roller a few days to smooth the surface.

The first few days of mowing are primarily used to pick up the larger granules and excess sand that won't work into the holes.  This is a messy process which quickly dulls the mower blades and requires the staff to clean up the debris left behind.  Each day the clippings that are collected are inspected to monitor the ratio of sand to grass.  Initially, the buckets will be mostly sand and very heavy.  After a few days, the sand amount will

Minimal sand in clippings

decrease and the ratio will become about 50/50.

With almost a week of mowing sand, the reels were very dull and in need of sharpening.  This morning, with a freshly ground reels, we were pleased to see almost no sand in the buckets.  The photo on the right shows a handful of clippings from this morning.  Now that we are phasing out of the sandy portion of the recovery process, we will begin using our newer greens mower which will give us a much better quality of cut.  Once all the holes are filled in, we will slowly lower the height of cut from .135" back down to .120" for the fall tournament season.

As always, if there are any questions regarding the aeration process or subsequent recovery, please feel free to ask.  Thank you for your patience during this time.  

Bunker Maintenance

Sand is added where needed

Today, the grounds staff has begun checking sand depths in bunkers.  The grounds department completes this process 1-2 times a year depending on weather, play and other factors.

The staff takes measurements throughout the bunker looking for sand depths to be approximately 4-5" in the bottom and 2-3" on slopes.  Sand is then added to areas that do not meet this requirement.  We've just about got the front nine done and will work to finish the back nine by next week.

Then spread around until depths are on target

The grass around bunker edges has gotten away from us lately and we will be putting a fresh edge on them next week as well.  The staff should have the bunkers shining by the end of next week.

Fall Aeration Rescheduled

After looking ahead to next week's weather, the decision has been made to postpone greens aeration until Tuesday September 9th and 10th.  The forecast calls for highs in the mid to high 90's, which is too hot to complete the process.  Aeration is inherently a stressful process and we need the greens to be ready to handle the stress.  If they are under heat, or drought stress, they will be more prone to injury during the aeration process.  We believe that pushing back the process one week, should allow the temperatures to come down into a more favorable range.

We will continue to monitor the weather and post any further changes, if any, to the schedule.  Thank you

Fall Greens Aeration

It's hard to believe, with this current heat wave, but fall aeration on greens is just around the corner.  On Tuesday September 2nd, the grounds staff will begin aerating the front nine greens.  This will allow play to continue on the back nine.  On Wednesday September 3rd, the front nine will be back open and ready for play while the back nine greens are aerated.  The practice greens will aerated on Wednesday morning.

Aeration is a key practice performed each spring and fall that promotes improved soil drainage, oxygen content, and root density.  For more information about the process and how it is performed, stay tuned.  Once the process is complete, I will post pictures that help explain how it is done.

Getting Caught Up

This week, the grounds staff has been hard at work getting caught up on all the mowing on the golf course.  Tees, fairways, approaches and surrounds have all been cut at least twice this week.  The height of the rough was the main topic of conversation over the past week and we have made a lot of progress.  By the end of the week, we will have all rough cut back down to two inches.  Please excuse all the clippings in the rough as a result of all the mowing.  The staff will work hard to ensure all short turf is cut and clean for the weekend.

One Last Meal

Each year, in August, the grounds staff focuses on giving the course one final dose of food to get carbohydrates stored up before winter.  Winter injury of Bermudagrass is a big concern in this part of the country, and while we can never truly prevent winter injury if the weather gets really cold, providing a timely amount of the right nutrients will give the plant a fighting chance.  Douglas Knapp, our chemical applicator, has been hard at work this week applying a 10-5-22 blend of fertilizer "wall-to-wall", meaning that all maintained turf on property, minus greens, was treated.  There is approximately 77 acres of maintained Bermudagrass on property that had to be treated and the staff was able to complete the application in about 10 hours.

For those who may not know, whenever you are looking at fertilizer bags, the three numbers on the front label are the percentages by weight, of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium, in that order.  For fall applications on Bermuda, we always look for just enough nitrogen to sustain growth into October and let the plant naturally slow down into dormancy.  You never want to apply high rates of nitrogen past mid-September, because it will cause the plant to become succulent and it will be susceptible to winter injury and disease in the spring.  The main reason we choose this analysis is for the last number, the Potassium.  Potassium has shown to be helpful in reducing the risk of winter injury in Bermudagrass in the transition zone.  This analysis allows us to give the plant a high dose of this key nutrient just before it starts storing energy for dormancy, while keeping the amount of applied nitrogen relatively low.  Also, there is a small amount of Phosphorous included in this mix to help encourage root density going into winter.

Once watered in, the fertilizer should begin to take effect just in time for Labor Day weekend.  The plant response should last through October and set the course up very well for the upcoming busy tournament season!

Tall Rough

With all the beautiful weather lately, it's hard to find many things to complain about, but one issue that has surfaced a lot lately is the height of our rough.  I couldn't agree more.  The recent rain storms have prevented us from sticking to our mowing schedules but have managed to keep up with our tees, greens, fairways and surrounds fairly well.  The main factor contributing to the tall grass has been the numerous mechanical issues we've encountered with our rough mower.  We've been borrowing and renting equipment, to do our best to keep up, but haven't been quite able to get 100% of the rough cut each week.  This leaves us with rough throughout the course with various stages of growth.  Some areas aren't too bad, while other areas, mostly wet areas, are getting very tall.  Mitchell, our equipment manager, has worked tirelessly to remedy the mower issue and we are looking forward to a dry week next week so we can get caught up.  I realize this is frustrating and appreciate your patience during this time.

As always, if you have any questions, or additional concerns, just let me know.  Thank you.

Course Update

The recent cool down in the temperature has allowed me to take minute and reflect on the weather and other topics related to the course in this latest course update.  The weather, good or bad, always seems to be the main topic when discussing the golf course.  Although we recently had some hot weather, overall, the weather has been very mild.  Daily highs have been very close to seasonal averages, which seems very cool compared to the past few summers.  Due to this cooler weather, the turf across the entire course is loving this weather.  The cultural practices, fertility program and water schedule has all complimented perfectly with the weather to produce some of the healthiest greens we've ever had this time of year.  The picture to the right shows roots coming out of the bottom of the 5.5" soil probe.  Usually, during July, we are trying to hang on to 3" roots until fall.  Longer roots have allowed us to keep firmer conditions while maximizing plant health.

As for the rest of the course, the staff has had their hands full keeping up with the mowing schedule for all short turf (tees, fairways, approaches, collars, and surrounds).  The intense growth rate has caused us to stay very busy keeping up.  The rough has been the only real concern this year.  Due to some mechanical issues with our rough mower, we've had to utilize rental mowers and loaners to keep the rough cut.  During this time, portions of the rough have gotten away from us and have become unacceptably tall.  We apologize for this and are working diligently to get the course cut back down to improve playability.

Rough at edge of fairway on #11

Over the past few weeks, staff has been working hard to get all the native areas and pond banks cut down.  Mowing these areas 2-3 times a year helps to clean out all woody plants and gives the native grasses the advantage.  Over time, the grasses in these areas will continue to thicken up and the end result will be a nice, clean stand of turf.

 Over the past month, golfer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with many people commenting that they haven't see the golf course this nice in many years.  We, in the grounds department, appreciate all the compliments and will continue to work hard to make Bailey Ranch the best value in the Tulsa metro area.

Looking ahead to the fall, the golf course should continue to shine and as the weather cools down.  We are looking forward to finishing 2014 golf season on a high note!

Tee Aeration

Kyle pulling cores on #10 tee 

Those of you who've been out on the course the last few days have noticed the grounds staff pulling cores on tee boxes this week.  You may be wondering why we are messing up the tee boxes when they look so nice.  Core aerating any turf when it's at the highest growth potential will minimize recovery time, and mid-summer is the ideal time for aerating Bermudagrass.  As you can see from the picture to the right, the first step is pulling a core with our tractor mounted aerator.  Once the cores have all bee pulled, the tee is drug with a steel mat to break up the plugs.  The soil from the plugs is re-incorporated back into the holes, while the thatch is left at the surface to be blown off into the rough.  Once the tee is cleaned off, the tee is mown again to finish off the process.

Pulled cores on #4 tee

Over the years, I've spoke of the benefits to aerating turf many times, but it's importance can never be understated.  Aeration is critical to the overall health and sustainability of any turf by providing key benefits such as: promoting deeper roots, increasing soil oxygen content, removing thatch, reducing soil compaction, and improving soil drainage.

Staff cleaning up cores on #6 tee

It should go without saying that there is a lot of hard work involved with this process, and although we would love to accomplish this project without impacting play, we realize that is not feasible.  We appreciate your understanding and patience during this process.  As always, if you have any questions, or concerns, regarding this project, please let me know.  

Finished product on #6 tee

Thoughts on US Open

Over the past few weeks, leading up to the U.S. Open, I've been increasingly asked about the new look of Pinehurst #2.  In general, reactions to the changes that have taken place are mixed at best.  It seems that you either love it or hate it.  I for one love it.  For a long time, I've lamented the perfect, verdent conditions our member,s and guests, see on TV each weekend.  While I'm sure none of them expect the same conditions at our facility, given our resources, it's impact on our industry is not lost on me.  For decades, golf course conditions on TV have influenced general opinion in this country about what a good golf course should look like.  This is typically referred to as the Augusta Syndrome.  The USGA, to their credit, has had sustainability and water conservation at the forefront of their efforts for several years now and it seems coordinating back to back mens and womens U.S Opens this year at Pinehurst, and next years Men's U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, is no accident.  It seems they indend to put firm, fast, and brown courses in front of the masses in hopes of curbbing public opinion.  Will it work?  I hope so.  My biggest hope is that by watching these tournaments, the average golfer will realize that courses don't have to be lush and green to be considered good.  Using a little less water and fertilizer is not only cheaper, it's better for the environment, and playability is often improved.  Drives roll farther, and greens roll faster. 

Now, I realize that not all facilities are going to be able to do what Pinehurst has done, but I believe they must take steps, however small, to reduce their footprint and cut costs.  I think that the ability of any golf course to reduce its inputs depends on it's geography, design, and whether or not they have grasses that are adapted to the area.  Courses in the transition zone with cool-season tees, fairways, and rough, are going to have a very tough time reducing water usage, and other inputs, without losing grass.  Courses like Pinehurst and Chambers Bay, contain grasses that are acclimated for their locations and can withstand a fair amount of environmental stress without dying.  

#14 fairway

Here at Bailey Ranch, we've always been strigent with our inputs.  We rely exclusively on stormwater runoff which forces us to use water sparingly, and limited coverage with our irrigation system causes the turf in the fairways and rough to turn dormant.  The membership has been very accepting of this due to the increase in ball roll in fairways and thinner lies in the rough.  Also, the drier conditions fit nicely into the links design aesthetic of the course.  Over the past few years, our department has converted 10 acres of maintained rough without irrigation coverage to native areas to help further reduce inputs and increase native habitat. 

Many colleagues at courses similar to us will be able to say they're doing, or not doing, the same things that we are, mostly due to budget constraints, but my point is that its nice to finally see a course on TV that isn't perfectly manicured from edge to edge.  Even if their budget is still 2-3 times ours.  It's important for the future of the game that water conservation, and sustainability, not just be talked about, but put on display for the public to see and get comfortable with.

#8 native addition

Project Bluebird Update

Bird box near #10 tee

  In February, the grounds staff, cooperating with the Oklahoma Bluebird Society, constructed and installed Bluebird boxes in select areas around the golf course.  During the initial stages of this project, we quickly learned that there was a lot we didn't know.  The boxes were constructed and redesigned several times to ensure the birds would use them, and that other animals, such as snakes, squirrels, and other bird species, couldn't interfere.
  
Throughout spring, we began to see an increase in bird activity near the boxes, but hadn't seen evidence of nesting.  Over the past few weeks, we've noticed some nesting building.  I peeked into the box near #10 tee and saw a large nest containing eggs and what appears to a hatchling.  Incubation is only 12-14 days from the time they are laid to when they hatch.  Once they hatch, it takes only 19 days until they can fly from the nest.  The old nest material will be removed once the young are fledged from the nest.  Bluebirds can have 2-3 families each year and a new nest will be build each time.

I am very excited to have this much activity in our nests in our first year.  I hope that each year, the population grows, and we can incorporate more boxes throughout the property for everyone to enjoy.

Course Update for May

May is typically a transitional month where the cool nights and days of spring give way to the warmer weather of summer.  Although delayed, this May proved to be no exception.  The first three weeks of May were anything but ideal weather for Bermuda growth.  Cool nights, cloudy days and lack of rain, had our Bermuda on "stand-by" waiting for summer come along.  Then all of the sudden, the pattern changed drastically with day temps in the high 80's to low 90's, and abundant rainfall.  If you include the rain from last Monday morning, we've had enough rain in the past seven days to double our annual rainfall total.  

Removing thatch from green

May is also a time full of transitions operationally.  Seasonal staff have been brought in to begin mowing schedules as well as cultural programs such as verticutting, slicing, and topdressing.  Douglas Knapp, our chemical applicator, is going full throttle keeping up with all our fertilizer, and pesticide applications.  Joe Miller, our irrigation technician, is busy maintaining our irrigation system.  Lastly, with more equipment leaving the shop each day, Mitchell Pierce, our equipment manager, has to spend most of his time adjusting and sharpening mowing equipment.  

topdressing green to dilute thatch and firm surface

Despite a slow start to the month, I feel that all the work completed by our dedicated staff, coupled with favorable weather, caused the course to peak right before Memorial Day weekend.  June is starting out with great conditions on the course and should be a great month for golf!

Bermuda is flush with growth from recent weather!

Tee slicing

This week, the staff is decompacting tee boxes using the Aerway shattertine machine.  This is the same unit we used on fairways a few weeks ago.  The shattertines torque as they go into the ground which helps loosen and fracture the soil.  The tees are then mowed to clean up the tufts left behind.  Doug, our chemical applicator, is following the slicing project with an organic fertilizer to encourage some more growth.  Once the weather starts cooperating and begins to warm up, the tee boxes should start to fill in quickly.

Rotary Presentation

This afternoon, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Owasso Rotary Club about two passions of mine: golf and the environment.  I appreciate them allowing me to speak and they were a great audience.  I've embedded a copy of the presentation below for those who are interested.

Golf and the Environment from Chris Cook

Course Update March 2014

March, in many ways signifies the end of our winter off-season, and the beginning of the golf season.  Seasonal staff begins to arrive to ready the golf course for the season, the weather starts warming up, winter projects are wrapped up, and many of our chemical and cultural programs begin.  The following is a brief update on what happened in March.

The grounds department began taking on seasonal staff, March 1st, to help keep up with the growing list of tasks and projects.  March is a time when course preparation tasks like mowing greens, raking bunkers, moving tees and emptying trash cans is done much more frequently and seasonal staff is needed to accomplish this.  Next month, 4-5 more seasonal staff will be added as the Bermuda begins to awaken and the summer mowing schedule is phased in.

In typical fashion, the weather over the past month has been anything but predictable.  The temperatures went from 7 degrees to 82 degrees in 9 days.  Some days the wind was calm and other days the wind gusted to 50+ miles per hour.  Despite the inconsistent weather, the grounds staff made the best of the situation and accomplished many tasks that are vital to a successful golf season.

North bunker edge reconstruction

The bunker project on #13 was completed.  This bunker required a little more work than just removing and replacing the sand and drainage material.  We determined that the northern edge needed to be elevated 12-14 inches so that water from the basin to the north would not back up into the bunker anymore.  This basin drains slowly which causes stormwater to back up into the bunker, bringing with it silt, grass and other debris.  Raising this bunker edge allows the bunker to only deal with the water that falls within it's own footprint, greatly extending the lifespan of the drainage.

Finished product on #13

Earlier this month, Doug our chemical applicator, finished applying the pre-emergent herbicides.  This process takes 2-4 weeks depending on the weather and is vital to the success of our weed control program. We always aim to complete the spring pre-emergent application prior to greens aeration, and Doug was able to meet that deadline.  The golf course is largely weed free and once the Bermuda starts coming out of dormancy, there should be an easy transition with little competition from weeds.

Although greens aeration had to be delayed one day due to frozen conditions, once we started, the project went as planned.  I couldn't be more proud of the staff and the finished result.  The process is very complex and involves many steps, the staff was able to complete all work on schedule completely in-house, with no temporary labor.  For a detailed look at the various steps involved, click here.


As I assess where the golf course right now, I believe the course is primed and ready for the warmer weather of April.  As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Course Update (Winter Recap)

The days are getting longer and, although we still have a few weeks of winter left, spring is just around the corner.  I wanted to take a few minutes and highlight some of the work the grounds staff has completed this past winter, which will improve playing conditions and make your round more enjoyable.

Behind #12 green looking to the NW

Each winter, the grounds staff spends 2-4 weeks pruning trees that are either damaged, overgrown, or are causing poor growing conditions for the turf.  Occasionally trees must be removed if they inhibit growing conditions around greens.  This year, the notable removals were behind # 12 green and right of #13 green.  These trees were causing thinning turf and bare spots within a short distance to the putting greens.  The ability to grow quality turf in these areas will have an immediate positive impact on playing conditions.

The latest project that was completed was a bunker renovation on #13.  Over the past year, we began to notice a decline in the bunker's ability to drain.  The grounds staff removed all the old sand and drainage pipe, then replaced it with new material.  The renovation process should give us 5-8 years of quality playing conditions.

Height of cut is maintained to the thousandth of an inch

During the off-season, Mitchell Pierce, our equipment technician, has worked tirelessly to ensure that all the equipment needed for the season is finely tuned and ready to go.  Much of his time has been spent sharpening cutting units, rebuilding hydraulics, replacing bearings, and other miscellaneous tasks.  Without his work, we would not be able to meet the expectations of the golfing public.

Douglas Knapp, our chemical applicator, has been hard at work this off-season, spot-treating weeds and applying our course wide pre-emergent products.  Thanks to his hard work, the golf course is weed free and ready for spring green up!

Spraying pre-emergent on #11 fairway

The weather this week looks warm, sunny and the golf course is ready, so come on out and kick off the 2014 golf season with us at Bailey Ranch!

Bunker Etiquette

It's hard to believe, with snow on the ground, that the 2014 golf season is just around the corner.  Soon the grass will start coming out of dormancy and the course will start filling up with golfers.  With this in mind, I wanted to spend just a few minutes talking about bunker etiquette.  In my opinion, the golfer has the biggest impact on how a bunker will play each day.  The grounds staff hand rakes the bunkers each morning, but after that, the playing condition of each bunker is up to the golfer.  The old course etiquette adage "Leave the golf course as you found it" definitely holds true regarding bunkers.  As a courtesy to all golfers, please rake your footprints out after you play your shot.  This will have an immediate positive impact on the playability of the bunkers.  

Notice how his back foot digs in

Also, over the past couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in the number of golfers exiting bunkers toward the green, which is usually has the steepest slope.  Not only is this dangerous from a safety perspective, it has a direct negative impact on the bunker itself.  Climbing up the steep slopes of the bunker can cause the sub-grade, and drainage materials, underneath the sand to become compromised.  Once the drainage is disturbed, considerable labor and materials are needed to make the necessary repairs.  Stepping on the bunker noses also causes them to erode and the bunker lip can get damaged.  We please ask that everyone enter/exit the bunkers on the low side, usually opposite of the green.  Each morning, the grounds staff will place bunker rakes near entry/exit points to encourage proper access.  

With your assistance, we can keep the bunkers the best condition possible.