The official calendar date for spring has passed us by and Easter is right around the corner. The golf course is beginning to wake up and we are patiently waiting on soil temperatures to increase so that our Bermuda grass will begin to break dormancy.
You may have noticed around your house or in your neighborhood lots of plants, particularly hollies and laurels, were hit hard by subzero temps around the first of the year. Bermuda grass, a warm season grass, can be affected the same way. Shaded, heavily trafficked, or compacted areas can be more susceptible to damage or delayed green-up than those that are not. Our agronomic practices are constantly adjusted for these conditions based on the current weather. If we have received rainfall the previous day or days that could negatively affect the golf course in the long term, we may reduce the amount of maintenance done to greens, fescue and fairways. Our goal is to protect YOUR investment while providing the best playing surface possible under the given conditions.
We are being proactive with our cultivation methods to encourage green-up, recovery and replacement as needed. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
We have been busy preparing for the upcoming season with several projects to make your golf experience better, including:
- Construction of two new tees on hole #7 for the gold and green tees. This will allow us to reduce traffic on the existing primary tee, yielding better overall conditions.
- Continuing to plant 27 new trees around the course, replacing trees damaged from storms or dead and hazardous trees.
- We will be transplanting four 30-foot maple trees to shape holes when weather permits.
- Added 25 new additional bunker rakes.
- Adding curbing and new asphalt on holes #10 and #11.
- Continuing to expand our perennial and annual flower beds around the course to add more seasonal color.
Our project list will continue to grow as warmer weather approaches. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at Tyler.Ingram@invitedclubs.com.
Next Friday, April 7th, from 10 am to 2 pm, I’ll be hosting a crawfish and shrimp boil in the Maintenance Facility.
Drop by and meet your Golf Course Maintenance Staff, check out our facility and enjoy some good eats!
Looking forward to seeing you on the course,
Tyler Ingram
Golf Course Superintendent