Hole 16

It has been a productive week for the maintenance staff. The fairway aeration was completed. The driving range was aerated. The fairways and rough were fertilized. All turf areas were also mowed at their usual frequency for this time of year.

Jerry aerating 12 fairway with a drum style aerator

How did we finish the fairway aeration so quickly? We finished using a drum style aerator, which is not as effective as the powered aerator we typically use. The drum style aerator does not penetrate hard ground as well. Compacted areas and localized dry spots are not easily penetrated, and the powered aerator can punch through the hard ground. The drum style aerator tends to ride right over the top of  the hardest areas, or in other words, does not aerate those areas. The drum style aerator however is quite a bit faster.  The powered aerator we typically use required some repairs before it could be operational. In order to remain on schedule, and get all of our aeration finished this fall, it was necessary to use the drum style aerator while the powered aerator was being repaired. The powered aerator should be up and running for tee aeration, which is scheduled for completion next week.

Two deer next to 12 green

Hole 17 in the distance

The fairway aeration continued this week. There were some challenges, and we were not able to get as many fairways completed as we had hoped. Three more fairways were completed (3, 14, and 16). At this point, my goal of finishing the fairways by the end of next week seems pretty unlikely. We will keep plugging away until we finish.

Mr. February

Cooper (Jerry's dog) reached celebrity status this week. He is featured in 2013 Superintendent's Best Friend Calendar, which is put out by TurfNet and sponsored by BASF. Jerry is proud of his pooch and I have a feeling its going to be February year round at his house. Cooper's hobbies are eating, sleeping, and playing hide and seek with Jerry.

View from the clubhouse putting green

Our main focus this week was fairway aeration. We were able to get 6 fairways (1, 2, 4, 6, 13, and 15) completed this week, which is a pretty good start. The fairway aeration will continue next week, and should be completed sometime during the week of September 24th is all goes well.

Jerry aerating 13 fairway

We are using the majority of the cores from fairway aeration to improve outer lying areas on the golf course. Many of the cores are being stockpiled on the edges of holes, and will be spread out in the near future. If you happen to hit your ball in an area where there are cores, play it as ground under repair.

Stockpiled aeration cores will be spread in the near future

View from 16 approach

This week, we have been getting the golf course ready for the Sandpines Club Championship, which is being held this weekend. The greens were groomed in multiple directions, top dressed, and brushed.  The greens and approaches were also fertilized. The greens are rolling great for the tournament. To those playing, have fun and good luck!

Fairway aeration begins next week

Peterson has been working hard getting the aeration equipment ready for fairway aeration. The core harvesters were in need of quite a bit of work. Here is the list of work Peterson has performed so far on the core harvesters: hydraulic motors rebuilt, new chains, new sprockets, new rail boards fabricated, wear strips, all new bearings, re-machined rollers (Florence Welding), rebuilt shoes, fabricated adjuster brackets, and A-frames reinforced. He has put in a lot of  long hours to get it all accomplished, and it was all done in addition to the normal maintenance and repairs required to keep all the other equipment operational. Thanks Peterson, I really appreciate all the hard work.

11 green basking in the sun

The greens, tees, and fairways were fertilized this week. The greens were also spiked and rolled. Other tasks completed this week included: mowing all turf areas, changing hole locations, bunker preparation, bunker edge trimming, tee divot filling, equipment servicing and repair, brush clearing, hand aeration of wet spots, hand watering, and golf cart repairs.

I am continuing to receive numerous compliments on the condition of the golf course. Come play a round and check it out for yourself. There is a great labor day special going on right now. If you don't have a tee time yet, get one quick, they are going fast. I copied the following from the Sandpines Facebook page:

DONT MISS OUT ON OUR LABOR DAY SPECIAL!
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 3RD. 
PLAY 18 OR 36 HOLES FOR ONLY $49.00 WITH CART INCLUDED. YES THATS 36 HOLES FOR $49.00!!!! (OREGON and WASHINGTON RESIDENTS ONLY)
CALL 541-997-1940 FOR YOUR TEE TIME OR ONLINE AT SANDPINES.COM OR GOLFNOW.COM

Jerry mowing with the rotary cutter

Jerry has been making quick work of the brush and tall grass in the areas outside the primary rough. Last year was our first year using the rotary cutter on these areas, and some of the areas were really overgrown. With only a years worth of growth, the amount of brush to mow down this year is substantially less than last year.