Monday's aerification

We decided to aerate Monday instead of Tuesday to best the rain. We used 3/8" coring tines on 2" spacing. We put a little more than a light top dressing down and roll the greens twice. 1.4" of rain washed the sand in nicely. A lot of the holes are still open and we will topdress again next week. Greens should heal up rather quickly and still roll very well.

Finishing up #18 Green right before dark

Blowing sand into the holes on Wednesday

Up close after sand was blown around

Golf course pictures from this week

With all the rain it was nice to to have a few days to get out and cut the ryegrass while it was dry.

Chipping area

#17 Fairway

#18 Fairway

Practice facility

Raking of #6 bunkers

The faces of the bunkers on number 6 seem to plug worse than others because of the steep slopes and the angles of the balls that are hit into them. We have started to rake them like they did at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in 2011. We have already received a few comments that this is helping with playability out of those bunkers. Below are a few pictures.

Royal Melbourne with smooth raking technique

#6 with same technique.  We are experimenting with what works best and may smooth out even farther down the face.

2.2" Rain this week

We have received 2.2" of rain this week.  The course is in good shape, but it very wet.  Hopefully, we can get off the paths sometime soon. Bunkers have been repaired and will be in good shape for the weekend.  With lows of 31 on Saturday morning and 25 on Sunday morning, we are anticipating a frost delay each day.  Please call the pro shop to see how your tee time is adjusted.

Surviving the Storms

We got hit pretty good with the storm system that rolled through here on Wednesday afternoon. Luckily, there was no tornados just heavy rain and wind. We got 2.1" and most of it fell in about 30 minutes. Cart paths were covered in debris, bunkers washed, and small limbs down. Most everything has been cleaned up for the weekend and the bunkers have been pumped and repaired.

Cart paths were impassable Thursday morning in spots 

All the old bunkers looked like this if not worse

Even the new bunkers washed and some of the drains backed up