Sod work done and more spring repairs taking place

After a few days of sod work, the crew is tired and a lot of sore backs persist.  However, it seems worth it with the result we got on #1 and #6.  We used some excess bentgrass on #1 to add almost 30 yards to #6 fairway.  I think both holes improved aesthetically, and the playability of #6 will be forever improved for shorter hitters.  The sod should be knitted in and playable in a few more days.

I actually heard some grumbling from members about "all the money we were spending" to do that sod work.  When all was said and done, we had nothing but our own labor and about $600 worth of purchased materials that went into the project.  Relatively little for an impact project that has been talked about far beyond my 6 years here.  These type of inexpensive projects provide great benefit to many members without breaking the bank.  Just the type of projects to do when the play is slow and membership is down.  Scroll down to see before and after pics.

Now that the sod is finished and the rain has finally slowed down, we are getting to deal with some more standard spring maintenance projects, namely drainage and irrigation.  You have likely seen all the leaky sprinkler heads here and there, and we are now starting to pick them off one by one.  Also, with all the rain, we have been able to detect drainage tile in need of repair. 

Before

It's a little tough to see in this photo, but there are almost 30 more yards added.  Aesthetically from the upper tees, the fairway is much more visible.

IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE:

The older our sprinkler system gets, the more leaks we seem to have each spring.

Fortunately, most of the leaks are simple, rubber O-rings that allow these 'swing joints' to move.  Hopefully we can avoid any serious 'main line' issues like the valve on #9 this past winter.

It was evident that the drain next to #17 green was no longer working.  Aaron is tracing and excavating the line to root out any clogs or breaks in the line.