Golf Course Report

October 2015

The October Report is always a favorite of mine.  The summer is behind us and we are ramping up our preparations for Season.  When I sit down to write these reports, I tend to take a look at last year’s synopsis.  Last year I reported on 28 days of no sun in September.  This year we had 26 days of no sun in September preceded by 25 days of cloudy weather in August.  The good news is, we are in better shape heading into Season than our previous years.  We have adapted a program to enhance the sustainability of our poorly constructed greens, #15 and #17.  As the sun shifts to a more Southern rise, #13 and #11 will improve rapidly.  The bad news is, we have a few wet areas around the course that have exposed themselves in the recent weeks.  These are ear-marked for drainage improvements next summer. 

The 11 day September closure was action packed; a full aerification on greens and tees, a light slicing of fairways and roughs and our final Dry-Ject on the greens.  We had 8 days of rain during our 11 day closure and I am unbelievably proud of my staff as they completed these tasks in the worst of conditions.  The record number of rounds this summer has kept everyone on their toes.  Our goal is to constantly provide a visually pleasant experience coupled with excellent playing conditions.

October is also a good time to look ahead.  The overall presentation is reflected in the details.  We will spend 7 to 10 days without ball washers as they will be removed, re-conditioned and painted for the season ahead.  New flagsticks and Flags are on order for Opening Day.  Other activities that are planned for this month include a fresh coat of Pine Straw, winter annuals and palm tree trimming.  We are confident in our progress and we are looking forward to a great winter season at Stonebridge.

On a side note, when I came to Stonebridge, my goal was to change the perception of our club.  To make it something that our members could be proud of.  This past week, we hosted the SW Florida Chapter of the PGA.  These are Erik’s peers, the best of the best played Stonebridge and they had a great time.  Our members should take great pride in their property and the team that makes it happens.  We are moving in the right direction, identifying issues, correcting problems and striving for perfection.