Naples version of Winter

  With all the snow being dumped on the Northeast I thought it would be a great time to                      remind  all of our member and guests how lucky we are to at Stonebridge.  The next 5 to                 10 days are expected to give us some cooler weather.  These temperatures will slow the                         growth rate of our Bermuda grass and may effect color retention.  I do not foresee our                        soil temperatures lowering to the point of dormancy.  The amount of stored carbohydrates                     in the plant will keep the turf healthy.  Traffic patterns will be more noticeable during                            this period so please take the "Road less Traveled".  The possibility of Frost is always concerning those that have tee times.  Any delays will be promptly communicated from myself to the Pro Shop staff and onto the effected members.  We do employ a multitude of trade secrets to prevent frost and to hasten the resumption of play.  A timely application of nutrients will help restore any lost color in a short period of time.  

We look forward to improving the course throughout the season and providing an excellent playing surface for all of our members and guests.  The drier, cooler temperatures will produce firmer, faster conditions.   Bundle up and enjoy the Winter at Stonebridge.                   

Wood Duck returns to Stonebridge

Golf Course Report

February 2015

February is a time to take stock in how we are holding up through the first month of heavy play.  The challenge is to maintain a high quality playing surface throughout the course.  Each year we implement new programs that are aimed at providing conditions that are superior for our members and guests.  The cart path extensions, supplemental fertility and member awareness has improved our traffic patterns.  A shift in our tee program helped strengthen the playing surface.  We took some time in January to address a couple of our wet areas around the course.  Drainage was added to #12, #13 and #14.  We have identified a couple more areas that we will conquer in the next few weeks.  These projects will be marked as “Ground Under Repair” until they are completely playable. 

The remainder of this month will be focused on fine-tuning the course for the upcoming member events.  We are scheduled to apply fertilizer to the entire property in the coming weeks.  This fertilizer will provide the nutrients required to maintain a healthy stand of turf as well as prevent weed germination through the Spring Season.  The timing of this application should give us excellent presentation for our member/guest events in late February and early March. 

We continue to work hard on the areas that need attention, from tee to green.  Our staff takes great pride in improving the course each and every day.  When you measure your success on a daily basis, sometimes it is prudent to realize how far you have come in a year.  Our team works every day to be better than yesterday, this results in a course that is 365 times better than last year.  And it fuels the fire for next year.