Back from the Woodshed!

      Irma has kept us busy and I promised myself I would not write a blog post with frustration clouding my sensibilities.  Today, we topdressed greens.  A small victory for our staff as we look to get back to taking care of the golf course on a full time basis.  Granted, the afternoon duties included tree trimming, debris removal and stump grinding but we are making progress.  Going forward, more and more time will be shifted towards preparing the course for the "Tournament" season.  

    As you might recall, even before Irma, we were in the midst of a record breaking summer.  Our rainfall totals from June 1st through September 30th were close to 100 inches.  This is usually the time that we do a majority of our preparation and agronomic cultural practices that enhance the conditions for the coming season.  The most effected programs are the herbicide and fertilizer applications.  To compensate for the loss of efficacy during the summer, we took advantage of the fair conditions of October to aggressively treat the weeds, that led to some off color areas throughout the course that will soon recover.  The recovery will be enhanced by the fact that we have had the opportunity to apply our scheduled October Fertility coated with a Pre-Emergent herbicide to prevent winter annuals and two liquid fertilizer applications.  We have an aggressive schedule set forth over the next 4 to 6 weeks that should produce excellent playing conditions. 

    I am looking forward to next week.  Due to the storm we had to push back the installation of our pine straw and the planting of our winter annuals.  This process will begin on Monday the 13th.  We have a few more flowers to install and a lot more pine straw to spread than previous years.  I thank you in advance for your patience and I promise you that I will do everything I can to expedite the process. 

There is so much to look forward to, we have always striven to make this season better than last season, today better than yesterday!  We will keep pushing the envelope to find the right combination to make Stonebridge the best that it can be.   

     

All The King's Horses and All the King's Men...

 I have no words to describe the effort and determination that my team has put forth during the last two weeks in an attempt to restore this beautiful piece of property.  We are a long way from reaching our goal but we are on the right path.  When it is your job to inspire your team sometimes it is tough to be inspired.  When you see what my staff has had to endure through this storm and what they have done to support me, I am truly inspired.  Working sun up to sun down for the last two weeks is made a little easier when you know you are greeted by Family at both locations.

We will be opening the golf course for play on Wednesday morning (9/27) and I would like to preface this with a few words of insight.  This will not be our best presentation.  We have not had the time to attend to the finer details that our members are accustomed to. I implore you to take a drop from all lateral hazards and do not attempt to look for your ball in a wooded area.  We have cleared all the playing surfaces but the periphery will take quite a bit longer.  Please work with us as we continue to progress to our ultimate goal of being the best club all of SW Florida.  

I would like to thank the members for their generosity.  Their continuous donations have made a great impact on many of my team members lives.  These guys are my Heroes!  

August (last minute) Update

Leave it to me to wait until the last few days of the month to squeeze in a monthly report.  I was much too frustrated the last four days to be optimistic about anything, that is why I waited for the sun to break through before I passed on this information.  This Tropical system that decided to park itself directly over SW Florida for the past four days dropped closed to 12 inches of rain on Stonebridge.  This brings our total for August to over 20 inches and if you add that to June and July we have endured over 70 inches of rain during that span.  That three month accumulation is 15 inches more than our ANNUAL average. 

"The Sun will come out Tomorrow" "The Sun will come out Tomorrow" "The Sun will come out Tomorrow"  I keep telling my team that we will catch a break and the weather will reward our hard work if we just BELIEVE! 

 Enough with the depressing weather, let's move on to the nuts and bolts of what we've been up to and where we are headed. Below you will find a picture of a little green house that I am sure most of you did not know existed.  This houses our Common Grounds Pump Station.  Or in layman's terms "the machinery that draws water out of the lake to supply the irrigation for all the homeowners and Common Areas".  We had to clear the hedges in front of the building because we are well over due for a replacement on this very important asset.  During our September closure we will be removing the failing equipment and installing a more efficient upgraded pump station.  This new station comes equipped with a built in filtering system and we are incorporating a biological cleaning program that will aid in reducing clogged sprinkler heads and faulty valves.  I will be certain to take a lot of photos during the installation. There is a crane involved, it should be pretty cool.

We also finished up our Cart Path Removal/Enhancement Project.  I never knew what to call it but I think it will make quite the impact this season.  The last few steps were to switch out the soft path material  on #1, #6, #15 an #17 and to add the concrete extensions to the exits and entrances around the tees and greens.  This should help to reduce some concentrated wear areas.  After a little "wheeling and dealing" I talked our contractor into coming back to take care of a nagging issue.  The cart path leading from #13 to #14 had quite a dangerous drop off and a sharp right turn just past my Maintenance entrance.  We formulated a plan to raise the catch basin and concrete the surrounding area to make it safer for our members and guests.  

We are a week away from our last Summer closure.  Typically, we tend to ease into Season, this year will be completely different.  The saturated conditions on the golf course are far reaching, if we are not aggressive in our approach during the last months of the growing season, our turf will not be acclimated to survive the season.  

It has been a trying Summer, but I am not about to throw in any semblance of a towel.  "WE" will make it happen.

Common Grounds Pump Station

New Concrete en route to #14

The Mad Dash to the Finish Line

Today we spent a majority of the day cleaning up the golf course.  After nearly two full weeks focused on major projects and cultural practices there were quite a few detail items left to corral before we could consider the course presentable. The team did an amazing job today handling a very difficult assignment in  a Triple Digit Heat Index.  We are looking forward to getting the golfers back on the course, after all, that's why we do what we do.  

Tomorrow will be a late night with the installation of the TurfHound Mats.  My plan is to write an early edition tomorrow recapping the work done to the course and the expectations going forward and then follow that up with a Final edition of the DR Tee Update.  Be forewarned it will be a very late edition.  The TurfHound rep will not even be on site until the afternoon.  This coupled with the fact that we will have fresh sprigs on the ground that will need to be watered on an hourly basis may lead to a late night.  I was assured by all involved that the hitting stations will be ready for Saturday morning.  I just may still be asleep on them when you get there.

Sod installed on slopes

Ready for mats

Ready for Sprigs

Off color Rough due to lower Height of Cut

New soft Path material on #15

It's beginning to look a lot like..... a  Driving Range Tee!

If you squint just right and tilt your head slightly, it looks like we are ready for some grass.  The rough grading was completed today and the sod will be delivered tomorrow.  We will be sodding the the surrounding slopes for stability and grassing the tee top with sprigs.  We had a brief battle with Mother Nature this afternoon and we all agreed to allow this project to proceed to completion without any more delays. (Did I just Jinx myself?)  

Rough Graded 90/10 sand mix

slopes to be sodded

The Calm before the Storm

Typically these last few days of a maintenance closure are usually reserved for detail work and presentation in preparation of re-opening the golf course.  The July closure is always a bit different.  We are still "knee deep" in projects and our contractors keep throwing curve balls at us.  I have to give all the credit in the world to my team.  As our plans seemingly change hour by hour, they have risen to the challenge and accomplished every task without hesitation.  We will forge ahead and focus on healing up a battered golf course and providing an enjoyable playing experience for our members and guests.  

Now for our daily Driving Range Tee Renovation Update:  the new concrete slab that will support the State of the Art Turfhound Synthetic Mats was poured today.  The installation of the mats has now been moved to Friday(contractor curve ball).  This has the schedule looking like this: Wednesday - Final grade and shape of entire tee and surrounds, Thursday - sod all slopes, Friday - install mats and sprig tee surface,  Saturday - listen to our members rave about how great these new mats are.  Always the Optimist, Forever the Realist!

New Concrete for Artificial hitting area

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I am hoping this adage is true to form.  Jim Glase has assured me that it will not rain the remainder of the week and we will finish on time. This means the concrete slab will be poured on Tuesday, the Pavers will be set on Wednesday and Thursday, the Mats will be installed on Thursday  and the sod and sprigs will be put in place on Friday.  Call me a dreamer, but I am really putting all my efforts in presenting a quality golf experience for our members and guests.  Unfortunately, this new and improved driving range tee   may be a few days behind schedule.  The golf course as a whole is recovering nicely from an intense round of cultural practices.  Be prepared to play on some sandy fairways and greens that are not 100%.  We appreciate your patience during this closure. This is the most aggressive and disruptive of them all and to throw in a DR renovation makes for an inconvenience for everyone.  

Below you will find a photo a piece of a equipment dropping piles of 90/10 mix to be evenly distributed throughout the tee.  This 90/10 is a greens mix.  We are building a Driving Range Tee in the same fashion that one would build a green.  Going forward, the placement and activity of the range  will be paramount.  I place great trust in the Pro shop staff in preserving the hitting areas.  

As we move closer to completion, we will get a little  more in depth.      

Adding 90/10 Mix

TGI ????

During our 11 day closures we typically don't have a set schedule.  We always start at the same time but we we will usually take advantage of good weather, momentum, timing or other circumstances of need that tend to dictate longer days.  Be it Friday Sunday or Tuesday during a closure, if there is something crucial that needs to be done we will stick it out.  Mother Nature decided to ring our bell early today.  I certainly did not mind, our team certainly deserved a break after a long hard fought week.  On their way out they asked if they could stay late on the weekend to make up for the lost time today.  That's the gift of having a team that knows our goals and what it takes to accomplish them.  

The majority of the course work that remains to be done includes topdressing the fairways and focusing on the play ability of the greens.   Both of these tasks are highly dependent on the weather.  We will start early and stay late to meet our deadlines.  

The concrete extensions are moving along nicely.  Our contractor has performed admirably, pouring in the morning and forming in the afternoon.  We should be able to back fill the edges next week and have them ready for traffic on Saturday.

The Driving Range Tee is on schedule, it is a tight one, but on schedule none the less.  Their crew has finished the drain lines this afternoon and will prepare the sub grade for the sand mix early next week.  As they focus on the DR Tee it may be that the Chipping area improvements are moved to the following week.  

We are looking forward to a busy weekend on the course and a very productive week.  Wish us luck!

A different Perspective 

Another Productive Day!

Our head start from Wednesday made for smooth sailing on Thursday.  We endured a short 40 minute lightning delay and jumped right back into the game.  The team completed the Tee verti-cutting and clean up, fairway circle cutting was completed and the tees were topdressed and aerified today. We also got a head start on the Fairway topdressing. The concrete portion of Cart Path Project is progressing on schedule and the Driving Rang Tee continues to inch towards completion.  The first of four major drain lines was installed today after a lengthy delay in equipment delivery.  As of today, we are projected to pour concrete on Tuesday and install the new Mats on Thursday.  This would allow the range to open on Saturday along with the golf course.  

Brian Beckner was also on site today to install an Osprey Platform between holes #6 and #7 in an effort to to move our existing nesting Ospreys to a safer location.  The original plan was to "snag" the existing tree and move the nest, however the Pine had deteriorated to the point of becoming a safety hazard so the decision was made to remove the entire tree.  The nesting material was preserved and transferred to the platform prior to installation. Nesting activity typically starts in November or December. Keep your eyes peeled!  

Tee Aerification

Fairway Topdressing

First Drain line installation 

Nest in Harms way

Nest recovery

Platform attachment

Ready for install

New home for the happy couple 

 

Success!

Expectations are very low this summer, any day without rain is a successful day.  It still amazes me to this day how my team continues to take so much pride in their work.  We had a set plan for today, not only did we complete those plans, we got a head start on Thursday's jobs and this came from communication with my guys.  Their suggestions and experiences with this process are invaluable.  In my 6 years of working along side them, I feel I have learned more then I have taught. 

Below are a few photos of the days action.  Maybe the most hi-tech is the Laser leveling of the DR Tee.  The tripod device in the photo actually communicates with the device located on the back of the tractor allowing the box blade to adjust automatically based on the slope desired.  

Old concrete Hitting Station being removed

 

Roto tilling to improve soil structure

Laser leveling

Drain lines waiting their turn for install on the DR Tee

Fairway Verti Cut

Fairway Clean up

#18 new Path extension

July Update

As depressing as the weather has been, I promise not to dwell on the negatives.  But just to recap the beginning of this remarkable summer.  Our little corner of the world received 29.2 inches of rain in June and 11..5 inches through the first 18 days of July.  Those numbers are good for an ANNUAL rainfall total not for 6 weeks.  As we work through our summer projects, a few extra drainage lines may be added to the list.  

Today began our second of three closures this summer.  The July closure tends to be the most aggressive and the most disruptive.  The schedule for the next 11 days includes multiple aerifications, verti-cuttings and topdressing on all of our short grass areas.  The Rough will also be aerified and the height of cut will be lowered to allow for a more upright growth pattern.  

The Practice Area Project began today with work on the Driving Range Tee.  We will be leveling the tee and extending it forward.  During this time drainage will be installed and new Mats will be put in place.  Once the project is complete the tee will be sprigged and the new grass portion will require 6 to 8 weeks to mature.  

The Cart path project is also ongoing. During this closure, we are attempting to complete the concrete portion of this project.  As we extend a few of these exit and entry points we can minimize some traffic wear areas projected by eliminating cart paths.  I have included a few photos below of Day 1.  What you wont find are photos of the sodded cart paths.  For our seasonal members that will not return until the Fall.  The sight lines have changed so dramatically on some of the holes that I felt it would be unfair to have them not experience the full effect of seeing it in person for the first time.

Now I have really peaked your interest. You may just fly down for a round?  I will keep you posted on all other happenings. 

Day 1 DR Tee Reno

#18 form boards for concrete

PG - 1st of 2 aerifications

#18 Fairway Aerified 

Golf Course Report

May/June 2017

This report is aptly named May/June as it encompasses our first closure that began in May and will conclude this Friday, June 9^th.  That is, if we can get it to stop raining long enough to mow some grass.  As May begins, our team focuses on managing the excessive growth of our turf grasses through a multitude of aggressive cultural practices.  Aerification, verti-cutting and topdressing are all used to reduce and/or dilute Organic Matter and Thatch that accumulate in our turf. 

Our Tuesdays in May were spent verti cutting and topdressing.  Our new verti cut reels that accompanied our equipment package in October are the latest technology equipped with carbide tipped blades.  These vertical blades physically remove horizontal runners and decaying material below the canopy.  The benefits of this practice were reaped by those that played in the Memorial Day Scramble.  We will continue this program throughout the growing season with the goal of have firmer truer greens in the Fall.

On May 28^th we started the first of three 11 day closures.  We had a full slate of activities planned and nearly accomplished them all.  The summer annuals were installed during the first week.  They are typically installed at the beginning of May but we delayed planting due to the severe drought.  Needless to say, they are getting plenty of water now!  Our greens received a full treatment, DryJect application started the week, followed by topdressing, a core aerification, a verti-cutting, a brush/roll and finally a little fertility.  The tees, fairways, collars and approaches were all aerified.  The tees and approaches both received some topdressing and verti-cutting.  All this was wrapped up before Friday afternnon when the skies opened up to the tune of 1.6 inches.  Little did we know, that was just the tip of the Iceberg.  Saturday was somewhat dry which allowed us to get some mowing done and to fertilize the entire golf course.  As the weather turned for the worse at the beginning of this week we have had to adjust our plans.  As Mother Nature allows, we will get the course cleaned up, mowed and playable for our targeted opening. 

On a final note, the cart path project that consists of grassing over a majority of the soft paths and adding short extensions of concrete to existing paths is underway.  We are in the process of hauling fill dirt to the locations to be grassed.  Once this is in place we will install the sod.  I am working with a contractor regarding the concrete portion of the project with the goal of completing this during the July closure. 

Just for reference. I am posting this at 5 pm on Wednesday June 7^th. We have had over 11 inches of rain since Friday.  And it still Raining!

 Day 6 - Completion (almost)

Today was the adjusted target date for completion.  Unfortunately another equipment malfunction resulted in a slight delay.  The remainder of the work consists of sealing the transition from the new wall to the existing rock formation on the west side.  The steps completed today include installation of the "deadmen", inserting the tie-backs, nailing down the Cap piece and backfilling the soil.  

Once the loose ends are secured tomorrow, we will begin to clean and grade the disturbed area, re-install the irrigation and prep for sod.  The goal is to have the sod on the ground next week.  This will allow some time for the soil to settle and any addition fill dirt can be applied to achieve a seamless transition.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as we "Make Stonebridge Great Again!"

Deadmen and tie-backs

Cap boards being installed

98% complete

 Day 5 - The Picture of Progress

Friday brought a full day of work.  The remainder of the verticals were installed,  an additional piling and whalers were set on the east end to help tie in with the existing grade and the liner was put in place to prevent erosion.  The plan is to set the deadmen, install the tie backs, cap the wall and back fill on Monday.  Once this process is completed our Stonebridge team will take over by re-installing the irrigation, adjusting the final grade, adding rip rap where needed and installing new sod.  

I can certainly sympathize with "you know who", building a Wall is easier said than done! 

Inner Soil Cloth Installed

Completed Verticals

 Day 4 "Slow and Steady Wins The Race"

And on the Fourth Day we installed the "whalers".  These are the horizontal pieces that are attached to the pilings.  They provide a base for the verticals that will make up the retaining portion of the wall.  Once the whalers were completed the crew started inserting the verticals and cutting them down to the proper height.  The next report should have a clearer definition on when this project will be completed.  Once all the hardware is assembled, we will begin the task of backfilling, grading and sodding; in an attempt to make it look like a golf hole again.  Stay Tuned!

Top and Bottom Whalers

inching closer to completion

Day 3 - Pilings Installation

Unfortunately we had to skip a "Day 2" update due to a mechanical issue with the equipment.  With the problem solved, our contractors installed the required amount of pilings that will be the framework for the new bulkhead.  This is an arduous process that is made even more cumbersome by the amount of rock that is lining our lakes.  I am quite impressed by the attention to detail that our contractors are employing during installation.  With the Member/Member events set to occur on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, we are hoping to have the "heavy lifting" done by Monday.  That would leave mostly cosmetic touch ups to finish the project.  I certainly appreciate the concessions made by our members and guests during this inopportune project.  We pride ourselves in completing our duties unnoticed,  the timing is not always optimal but the cooperation is impressive.  Thank you for being the best Membership in all of SW Florida!

Day One - Demolition

The first day of the project consisted of removal of the the damaged bulkhead.  After a few equipment mishaps, the contractors finished the removal and will move on to placing the pilings in the coming days.  I am quite impressed with the talents and dedication of the operators.  The construction of a bulkhead and the physics behind the plan are fascinating.  My goal was to align all of our major projects into one time frame to incur the least amount of disruption.  Unfortunately, degradation and previous short cuts have altered our plan.  We have an amazing property, the clubhouse is first rate, the golf course is gaining recognition and our location is enviable.  The bridges and bulkheads are an integral part of this formula.  This repair/replacement, although untimely, is our first opportunity to establish part of our long-term plan for the sustainability of Stonebridge.  I will do my best to keep you posted on this process.  

Bulkhead Replacement on #5

Last week we experienced a failure with the bulkhead that is located directly in front of the"V" Tee on hole #5.  Due to the extent of the damage and the overall decline of the entire wall, a complete replacement is set to occur this week.  The process of removal and replacement should be completed in 5-7 days.  The effected teeing area will be closed during this time.  We have created a temporary tee and will alternate play between the new tee and the back of the "drop area" tee until this project is complete.  Please use caution as there will be an influx of construction traffic along this route throughout the week.   Once the wall is in place, we will work diligently to restore the playing surface to proper conditions.  

I apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.  If there any questions or concern please feel free to contact me at any time.

"V" Tee on #5

Golf Course Report

March 2017

The biggest drawback to producing a written report is the impossibility of conveying the proper amount of effort and passion that is involved in the tasks chronicled.  This is particularly true during this time of year.  We have just concluded the three MAJOR Member/Guest events held annually at Stonebridge.  Our goal is to provide property-wide conditions that our Members are proud to present to their guests.  There is no satisfaction better than hearing the Members brag about their guest being jealous of our conditions.  The beauty of having all three guest events occur in a two week period means they all get to benefit from each other’s focus.  The Ladies Member/Guest started us off with a focus on details and presentation, the 9’ers Invitational put an emphasis on playability and enjoy ability and the Men’s Invitational tends to center around firm and fast tournament conditions.  The preparation for all these events begins weeks in advance.  The resulting effect is that, both Ladies tournaments benefit from the preparation for the Men’s tournament and the Men benefit from the extra attention to detail we employ to enhance the Ladies tournament.  It’s a “Win/Win” for the entire club.  From all accounts, this year’s events were a huge success and we are determined to make next year’s even better.

Last year at this time, I was pleading for the rain to stop.  This year we are coping with very dry conditions.  We are attempting to maintain proper moisture without disturbing play.  Occasionally, we will need to hand water certain areas as we progress through the next few months.  Our staff is trained to limit the inconvenience as much as possible and I appreciate your understanding and patience.   

We have great plans for the future of Stonebridge, at some point my goal is to be recognized as the best in all of SW Florida.  As our maintenance techniques advance and evolve with the new products and technology, the resulting enhancements will be appreciated by our Members.  Perfection is only EFFORT away!

                

A Tale of Two Years!

       As I was riding the course this afternoon and crunching the numbers on our irrigation totals, I stopped to reflect on last year's El Nino fiasco.  Looking at rainfall totals from last season, we endured 17.5 inches of rain from 10/15/2015 through 2/15/2016.  During the same time frame to start this season we have a total of 1.25 inches of rainfall.  Last year we were diligently trying to dry out the golf course, this year we are working hard to conserve water and limit hot spots.  Going from one extreme to another is precisely why I love my chosen profession.  The opportunity to be challenged by Mother Nature and still produce acceptable playing conditions is exhilarating to me.  Every year, every month, every day and quite possibly every hour the conditions can change and require a different approach to solving a given issue.  Our "wheels" are turning each and every minute of the day to improve your experience here at Stonebridge.  Adaptability is a key characteristic that my entire team possesses.  As conditions change and schedules change, we alter our plan to maximize our productivity.  I am extremely thankful to have a staff that takes pride in their work and trusts me in this ever changing environment.   

      We have survived a very busy January and as we move through February we are looking to present a product our Members can be proud of.  Our goal is to produce quality playing conditions throughout the year, but our focus will always be on our "Guest" events.  Nothing brings more satisfaction than hearing the stories  of jealous guests that revel in Stonebridge's quality conditions, superior customer service, utmost professionalism and overall enjoy-ability.  To this end , we will focus our attention on the details that usually go unnoticed.  Sight lines, edging, definition, mowing patterns and strategic fertility all lend themselves to proper golf course presentation.   Please feel free to stop me on the course with any questions, concerns or suggestions that will help make "The Stonebridge Experience" better.

     A few quick notes and updates from the golf course.  We have replaced the soft path material on #2 and #14 to dry out the quagmires that take place after irrigation.  This new material will be used throughout the course following our soft path removal project this summer.  The measures we have embarked on this year to improve our most troubled areas on the greens have produced good results.  The addition of Worm Power to our fertility program has had a synergistic effect with our existing organic products.  Worm Power is a compost tea made from worm castings.  The beneficial microbial activity has improved fertilizer efficacy, moisture retention, thatch control and soil porosity.  We are always looking for ways to improve our property and be environmentally conscious, this product delivers on both points.  

   Staying current on the latest and greatest can be a tough task in our industry, I am blessed that Stonebridge supports my goal of continuing education.  I spent the better part of last week in Orlando attending the Golf Industry Show(GIS).  This educational conference and trade show brings together Superintendents, Architects, owners, club managers and vendors from all reaches of the industry for more than 450 hours of educational seminars, a trade show that features the latest technology and an opportunity to network with peers from all over the world.  The GIS is held annually and it is a privilege and honor to attend.

    Unfortunately, I have some sad news to report.  The following explanation came directly from the Conservancy regarding the Osprey that was injured at Stonebridge on Saturday.  We have always worked hard to provide a safe haven for wildlife on our property sometimes accidents do happen.  To quell a rumor, this ill fated Osprey was not one that is nesting on #16.  We are actively pursuing a solution for the budding nest on #7 that remains in harms way.  A new platform and a transfer of nesting material will be planned for the summer:   

    From the wildlife clinic at the Conservancy....

The osprey was a female.

Unfortunately the osprey had a severe fracture. The right wrist had a compound, comminuted fracture at the minor and major metacarpal which means the fracture was open and bone was exposed as well as being shattered in multiple pieces. It was a recent injury but the condition of the bones was irreparable and we had to euthanize the osprey.

    Thank you for all your support and encouragement as we make Stonebridge the place that you deserve.  

Golf Course Report

January 2017

Details, Details, Details.  This is our mantra as we prepare for a record breaking golfing season.  Our major cultural practices have been completed and our small projects are out of the way.  It is time to focus on the finer points of golf course maintenance that tend to lead to proper presentation.  The little things go a long way in defining the golfing experience. 

Playability and presentation have always resided at the top of the list when it comes to preparing a golf course.  Healthy turf and proper growing conditions allow us the flexibility to alter these factors.  A minor shift from plant health to soil health has paid dividends.  Two major products were added to our regime this year after careful consideration and multiple turf industry lead education seminars.  Worm Power and Holganix are both products that focus on enhancing microbial activity in the soil.  Proper soil health results in lower Organic Matter, increased nutrient uptake, firmer greens due to less thatch, improved moisture retention, healthier roots, a decrease in fungal activity, and a consistent more predictable growth pattern for our greens.  These products will be added to the Tees and Fairways in the coming season.  The new products are a contributing factor in the success of the new sod on some of our historically weak areas of the greens.   With the right soil biology the turf has a better chance to thrive.

As we move forward our focus will be on tournament preparations and DETAILS; fresh pine straw, freshly painted yardage markers and hazard stakes, properly placed flowers, proper edging of hard surfaces and everything in between.  We continue to look for ways to make the course more playable and research every possibility to open up the surrounding areas. 

We are positioned to have our best Season ever and I want to remind everyone that is the responsibility of all of us to make Stonebridge the best it can be.  Fixing ball marks, repairing divots, avoiding wear areas and practicing proper golf etiquette can make the round a lot more enjoyable for those that follow.  

Some Old Friends and Some New Friends

With every New Year we welcome back our friends from the North.  We are looking forward to a very successful and enjoyable 2017.  It is always a great pleasure to see our Seasonal residents return to "Paradise".  As we prepare the golf course for the busy golfing season, we also take immense pride in providing a thriving habitat for local and migratory wildlife.  Below are a few photos of some new and old species taken in the last month.  Please make your reservations for the Audubon tours, you will be glad you participated.  Happy New Year!

Belted Kingfish

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Snipe

Osprey