Golf Course Report

December 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, I want to make sure we end on a good note.  December is always a busy month for our team on the golf course, it is our last real opportunity to get some projects done on the golf course before the onslaught of golf and “official” events begin in January.   We certainly have the team in place to handle the job. 

It all started with the Irrigation project, we had close to 20 contractors on site to perform the needed repairs and Bob, our Irrigation Manager, did an excellent job of directing traffic and cross-checking their work.  We are quite happy with the end product and should be well on our way to a more sustainable system.  As this was happening, our team was working hard on replenishing the sand in our bunkers.  This task is well overdue.  Thanks to Irma last year we had quite a few sand traps that were contaminated with native soil.  Timing, weather and Season pushed this work right into December.  This new sand has already provided a stark contrast aesthetically and will also provide consistency throughout the course. 

A couple of other projects that took place just off the beaten path were the removal of close to 16 dead pine trees and an extensive dredging of the waterway that feeds the Cocohatchee River.  I prefer to leave dead pines erect if I can for their natural resource, however most of the ones that we removed were either adjacent to in-play areas or structures.  We will continue to identify any potential risks and have them removed as they present themselves.  The dredging work will be an on-going project to ensure proper flow throughout the entire property.  I have been working with a site engineer to review past plans to determine the intended function of each area. 

A brief note about the health of the turf; we have had our fair share of good weather and for the most part the golf course is in good shape.  We do have a couple of unusually ugly areas for this time of year and they are completely my fault.  They are the result of a fertility application that was coated with a pre-emergent herbicide.  It is the same product I have applied for 25 years, 8 times here at Stonebridge.  It is the only product that I apply that needs to be watered in.  The application went well, the watering did not.  This resulted in fertilizer burn, which would recover nicely if it did not happen in the worst possible area, cart path exits.  The two most noticeable spots are Hole #2 and Hole #3 just as you exit the cart path from the tee.  We will continue to push these areas with supplemental fertility and some added cultural practices.  The remainder of the course is responding well to our new programs and we are looking forward to presenting a great playing surface for the entire 2019 season.

We do have a few other minor changes out there that are worth mentioning.  This first change is the removal of the green and white exit posts.  These were originally installed to remind our members and guests when/where to return to the cart path around the green.  Being that we eliminated most of our continuous paths over the last couple of years, it leaves only one option, return to the path as soon as it starts.  The second minor change goes hand in hand with the first.  Not being a big fan of traffic control measures and definitely not in favor of artificial signs, we have hand crafted some stained curbing material to help preserve the turf where we once used the small green and white plastic stakes.  This gives it more of a natural look and does not divert your eyes from the course.  Finally, the last upgrade we installed this month was a little more high tech.  It is a computerized pin placement program.  Our greens were measured via GPS and downloaded into this program.  The computer randomly generates pin placements on a daily basis.  This provides variety, accountability, a tracking ability and most importantly a program for planning for future events.  We have the ability to disable certain areas, such as slopes and/or wet/dry areas or for any other reason.  The program will not place a pin with 6-8 feet of a spot used within the last 7 days.  It keeps a record of every pin ever used on each green.  We are 3 weeks into working with this program and we are still finding more tools to use.  It does come with an App for the phone that our members/guests can download.  I look forward to hearing your feedback.

I hope everyone had a Happy and Safe Christmas Season.  I am really looking forward to 2019, I have a hunch there are some big changes coming right around the corner.  Happy New Year!