Superitendents Revenge Scramble and Ditch Clean Up

I would like to thank all the members who came out for the superintendents revenge scramble today.  We also got an extra $30 in donations from 3 members that couldn't play.  This money will be used to help pay for our new utility cart.  Since I'm normally gone by the time some of you play, it was nice seeing some new faces.

This is what happens when you walk on a green that has frost on it.  Please check in at the pro shop before going on the golf course when the temperature is 40 degrees or below.  I update them on course conditons before letting golf start.  These footprints should grow out in about a week.

Steve Sevald and Scott have been helping with drainage this last week.  We had access to a back hoe and skidsteer this week.  Steve used the skidsteer to clean out these ditch lines while Scott finished shaping and cleaning up the spoils.  Steve also cleared out some overgrown cattails on number 8 and did some work behing tee number 13.  The clean spoils will be used on the new chipping green while the less clean spoils will be used on the new hill.

Over the years, the ditch lines have collected sediment which has slowed up draining of surface water.  By cleaning them out, we hope to dry up the course quicker on heavy rain days.

Green Mowing and Bunker Work

Last Friday, we walk mowed greens for the first time.  The early start to golf season is great for you, but hard on my budget.  Jose and I can't get it all done so we've had to bring in our two best seasonal helpers early.  We will use a combination of walking and tri-plexing greens until we get more help towards the end of the April.

Juan and Jesus started bunker raking on Tuesday.  They should finish on Thursday.  The first raking is very time consuming.  They are cleaning, pushing sand up on faces, raking and placing rakes out as they go.

This is a "Prairie Fire" crab apple we planted 3 years ago.  I picked this tree because it's resistant to many diseases that defoliate many of the older varieties.  Guy Lipack has been helping me choose and donating many of the new tree plantings the last few years.  We are planting in areas that have trees that need to be removed in the next few years.

We will have all 3 port a johns out this weekend.  Tee signs and the rest of the ball washers should also be out.  Thank you for your patience as we get ready for the golf season.

Bunker Project and Spring Cleanup

I would like to thank Guy Liptack for helping fix the Purple Martin House that is on hole number 11.

He also helped with clean up of branches that Mike Ogorek got from the lake.

It's starting to look like a golf course again.  With the warm weather, we have really greened up.  I've had to spray earlier than normal.  Keeping track of soil temperatures is very important at this time of year.

Jose was incharge of installing the pipe, backfilling, replacing sod.  We now have access to a sod cutter, thanks to Rich Tabloff.  This will make drainage jobs earier and cleaner.

Rich Tabloff trenched a line for drainage in the bunker on hole #7.  We will continue next week when we'll have access to a bobcat to clean out the bunker.

The blue line indicates where the drainage line is going. The orange line shows where irrigation is located. We'll have to hand dig there.

Getting Started Early

The unseasonal warm temperatures are nice, but I've had to call in help earlier than planned.  Here, Juan is cleaning up willow branches that fell over the winter.  Juan has worked at Lansing since 2008.

Here is Mike Ogorek doing his annual lake clean up.  He makes piles that my staff will remove this week.

Here I'm checking to make sure all sprinklers are working.  I normally turn on the irrigation system around April 1.  I've already watered greens and tees and will water fairways later this week if we don't get rain.  This year we had 2 sprinkler that needed to be fixed.  The system is now 10 years old and we should expect to see more problems.  Jose is very good at fixing any sprinkler issues.

First Cut of the Year

March 13, 2012.  This is the earliest I've ever mowed greens.  Last year we started on March 17.  We are going to let carts out on Thursday if we don't get rain.  Let's hope for continued good weather for the scramble scheduled for Saturday.

The greens are still a little soft, but should start to firm up with sun and wind.

Course Preparation

This week Jose blew off and rolled the green.  I changed cups for the first time.  Next week, I'm bringing back Jesus to help prepare the course.  We plan on mowing greens next week.  With warmth and a little rain, the color should start to improve.  We'll start putting out tee markers and ball washersout  in the next couple of weeks.  The course is open for play.  I'm working with Scott to decide on carts.  We are still wet, but hopefully we can let carts out next weekend.

This is Butch.  He's finishing mounting the hitches that attaches to the range picker.  He had do a little welding to make it work.

Last week, Jose and I finished fixing an irrigation problem from last Fall.

Please Stay Off

Please stay off.  This area needs to be seeded this spring.  We have a very small crew, and this just added more work for the project.  If it had been seeded, we would have had to redo the area.

Jose and I had a good day getting rid of some junk around the shop.  We cut up this old Vac and got some cash.  We have been using this money on drainage projects.  If you have any old metal or aluminum, bring it to the grounds department.