Spring 2013 maintenance crew

We had all the full-time and part-time staff at the golf course this morning prepping for over 240 golfers during Masters week. We also got our new polo uniform shirts making it a perfect time for a group photo.  These guys have worked extremely hard keeping the course in great shape!!!

Spring 2013 Golf Course Maintenance Crew

Spring 2013 Golf Course Maintenance Crew with safety helmets

Start of Masters Week

The start of Masters week is Monday, yet at Bear's Best Atlanta the excitement starts an extra 3 days early. After a busy day on Friday, today started with a 7:15am Final Four shotgun, an 8:00am MGA Masters tournament and a full tee sheet to follow. Greens were mowed and rolled today and are firm and fast.  We will finish the weekend with over 210 golfers Sunday, and a very busy Masters week after that. Hopefully these mid 70s temperatures will continue and the rain will stay away later in the week.

Greens Mower, cup changer, blower, and roller all in action on #17 green early Saturday morning getting ready for Final Four Shotgun

Beautiful sunrise looking from the Big Putting Green to the Clubhouse

#1 Tee at the start of the MGA Masters tournament

Fairway fertilizer

Here are two pictures of number 9 fairway about 3 weeks ago and then this week. We sprayed a fertilizer package with some pre-emergent and the color change is remarkable. Just wait until real spring weather hits!!!!

Pictures from this past week

With warmer temperatures, some rain and a fertilizer application the cool season grasses on the golf course have very good color.  The greens have healed from aeration and are smooth and fast.  Here are some pictures from this past week.

Front of Clubhouse

Striped up clubhouse lawns

Cool double/single striping pattern around Big Putting Green done by Jesus

10 Fairway early Saturday morning

Chipping area Saturday morning.  Aeration holes 95% healed. 

5 Tee Wetlands

The crew cut down the tall plants at the wetlands by #5 tee. It really looks good from the tee box.

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