Golf Course Maintenance

Agronomy Update

October 16, 2026

 

Bermuda Grass & Bunker Project

If I keep quiet about the rain, maybe it will take the hint. We have now had rain six weekends in a row, but next week is finally looking dry and we are ready to make the most of it.

Bunkers

It was a full and productive week on holes 11 and 12. On Monday the construction crew installed erosion and sediment control around the greens, and by that afternoon the county had approved us to begin work. Tuesday split the crew in two: one group stripped sod and demolished the old bunkers around the greens on 11 and 12, while the other removed the E&S control at the 12 fairway bunker and the 15 green surround so we could lay two loads of sod Wednesday morning.

Wednesday went to plan. The crew sodded about 90% of the 12 fairway and 15 green surround, and those two bunkers were sprayed with Better Billy that afternoon. In the meantime, the bunkers on 12 green and 11 green were rough shaped ahead of Joel's site visit Thursday morning. Joel spent four hours with us and gave his approval for the greenside bunkers on both holes. Thursday afternoon was a busy one on 11 as we prepared for sod Friday morning, and a couple of refinements came out of the visit: a second bunker was added to the left front of 11 green, and the back approach was enlarged.

Drainage goes in on the 11 and 12 bunkers this Saturday and Monday. Sand for the 12-fairway bunker will follow on Monday the soil floor there was a little soft from groundwater, and we wanted to give the drainage we installed time to firm up the subgrade first.

Sand being installed in the 15 bunker.

Busy Thursday afternoon on hole 11.

Bunkers on the left side of 11 green.

Irrigation changes were light this week only the right front of 11 green, where a mound was removed and we had to lower the irrigation line by 18 inches.

Looking ahead, the construction crew will install erosion and sediment control around the greenside bunkers on 10 ,18, and 18 fairway bunkers and we will be wrapping up work on holes 11 and 12.

Course Operations

The staff continued seeding rough, and we pulled plugs on holes 13, 14 and 16 across all the areas that were sodded last spring as part of the bunker project. That aeration is aimed at relieving the compaction left behind by last spring's construction on those holes.

Alvaro aerating the 16 rough.

Next Tuesday and Wednesday we will be aerifying the greens on the course and in the Short Game Area. The clubhouse practice green is being left alone so that members can keep practicing their putting. An outside contractor will be on site to DryJect the greens, a process that uses a specialized aerifier to inject sand into the green under high-pressure water. It dilutes the top two inches of organic matter and leaves a firmer putting surface, and it typically means another 24 to 30 tons of sand injected into the greens. This aeration is taking the place of the one we would normally do in March.

And a nice moment to close on: Tuesday morning we looked up and watched the SpaceX rocket fly over.

 

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