Greens Aerification

The greens were aerified on April 24th and 25th.  Although greens aerification causes a short term disruption in playing conditions it is very important to the long term health of the greens surface.  Aerification opens avenues for air and water, reduces compaction, and removes thatch and organic mater.  It also creates an opportunity to work important nutrients into the open holes. We are often asked about our timing and why we would aerify when the greens are in good condition.  Waiting to aerify until we saw a problem with the greens would be like waiting until your car breaks down to change the oil.  It needs to be done as preventative maintenance.

There are many steps to greens aeirfication, here are a few pictures of the process:

                                                 This is the machine that pulls the cores.

They are then swept up and hauled off.

After the cores have been removed, amendments and seed are applied. The green is then topdressed with a heavy layer of sand, and the sand is drug into the holes with a brush pulled behind a cart.

Any holes that are still left open are then filled by hand with a push broom.  Excess sand is then swept up and removed.  The final step is to roll the green multiple directions to smooth the surface.

Spring Cleaning

The course made it through the winter in good shape this year.  There appears to be very little ice damage or snow mold.  There was an average amount of clean up to do from the elk and voles.  The course opened on March 16th this year.  The bald eagles are back, so #10 will remain closed until the eaglets fledged.  Here are a few pictures of what it takes to get the course ready after an elk herd has spent the winter on the golf course:

This is what the fairways look like before we start cleaning.

This is after they have been mowed and the rough is swept.

We use a large rotary mower set as low as it will go to pulverize the droppings.

This pull behind sweeper does a nice job in the rough.

All the bunkers have to be blown out and the sand pushed up before they can be raked.

Tee Markers

We are building a new set of tee markers this winter.  They start as Pinon logs, are cut to shape with a chain saw, sanded, and a logo is added with a branding iron. The final step is to paint on the tee colors and seal with lacquer.

Beginning stages of our winter tee marker construction

6 Coats of lacquer and a single coat of paint

Finished product dipped in lacquer for a complete seal.



Elk Fencing

I'm often asked how effective a rope fence can be for stopping elk traffic on greens and tees.  I'm surprised myself how well it actually works.  Although it doesn't stop all of the elk, I would estimate it reduces traffic by as much as 90%.  It seems to work because there isn't anything the elk want to feed on in these areas so it is easier for them to just go around.  If they really wanted in, it wouldn't stop them.