Busy Busy Busy......

As the summer heat and stress loom in the very near future (looks like 98 thursday - ugh) we are very busy dotting the I's and crossing the t's on a few projects.  For the next 6-8 weeks, the crew will set large projects aside and primarily focus on maintaining the golf course and keeping things alive during what already looks like another brutal summer. 

The largest of these projects would be the new aluminum fence.  Our contractor has done a great job installing, but we have had to do our part to correct some unfortunate highs and lows in the grade.  We have been filling, raking, and digging our way along the line so that the installer can get from one end to the other with minimal "humps and bumps".  There are several natural ups and downs that were unavoidable, but with the widening of Erie St. 10 years ago, there was some sloppy finish work we needed to correct.  With the installation almost complete, we will be seeding, hydro-mulching, and fertilizing the disturbed ground to get as much grass as possible to come back.  Keep in mind that our sprinklers don't reach the fence very well given the reach and the trees, and it will be all we can do to get a good stand of turf going during a hot summer.  We will do our best and re-seed in the fall if needed.

A fair amount of new soil was added to soften the slope from the sidewalk to the golf course.  Almost 50 tons!

It didn't help that there were vines and small trees growing through the fence.  The removal of the root mass left quite a few holes and uneven areas.

Also, you may have noticed some tree work going on this week.  With no outings this past Monday, I finally was able to get a tree crew out to do some pruning and cutting.  We had some "widowmakers" hanging from some tall trees on the course as well as some unsightly deadwood that needed removed for aesthetics as well as safety.  #5 green also had a large dead tree directly behind it that was in danger of falling on the putting surface that needed to be dropped.  Also, the locust tree next to the putting green was in desperate need of pruning to prevent interfering with the flagpole.  A side benefit will be increased sunlight exposure to the west side of the green.

The locust by the putting green was quite bushy with a lot of low-hanging limbs that shaded the west side.

Some low-hanging deadwood that was dropping debris on the green and just looked plain awful.

The tree all cleaned up and more symmetrical.

As you can see, we are a busy bunch.  Most project work will slow way down come July.  With summer stress upon us, we will need to focus on maintenance, hand-watering, and keeping our sprinkler system functioning well. 

A sight for sore eyes

After 30+ years as a blight on our beautiful property, the fence along Erie St. is finally being removed starting today.  For the last 8 seasons, I have driven past that thing every day with my head turned away from it to avoid the embarassment.  When I bring friends, family, or colleagues here to "show off" my club, it's hard for them to believe we are a healthy private club that hosts an LPGA event when they look at that nightmare (and the shape of the clubhouse too).   It makes me happy to see the club spending a little money to improve curb appeal on the fence as well as the clubhouse.

While I realize that spending this money was controversial to some who would like to see every available dime go to the course, I feel it was a very wise decision not only to replace the fence but also address some of the myriad issues with the clubhouse.  The best way to get money for the golf course is to get more members.  The best way to get more members is to make our facility shine.  We don't have the fanciest clubhouse or the biggest, but it will serve us well not to look like a complete dump.  Also, it enforces the perception that we are improving our facility despite the economy.  The city has asked us year after year if we were going to do something about that eyesore, and we are finally making an effort to beautify the community that provides the majority of our members and income.

Now, we won't have to look the other way.

All the posts were buried during the Erie St. Expansion.  Each one is being dug up to detatch the chain link.

The first rolls are hitting the ground.  Good riddance to bad rubbish.

A fall in the bike lane today would might warrant a tetanus shot