March 31 Update

We are getting closer but still the weather is giving us a jab. The cold nights, especially last weekend have continued to make things lag about 2-3 weeks behind. Believe it or not, there is still some snow out here. We will catch up over the next week or two but with April's long range "colder than normal" forecast definitely not enough to try and hit our normal target for opening the weekend of the 90th Masters. I'm guessing it will be sometime closer to the following week or in that general vicinity.

We've been bouncing back and forth between different tasks and projects to stay efficient and productive. The course has been cleaned up of most debris but for the massive amount of goose droppings. Yesterday's dry weather allowed us to drag all of the fairways and start that cleanup; we are through the 10th hole. It looks like the rest of the week will be wet; we will play it by ear from here. The greens with the exception of the new 7th have all been aerated, topdressed and rolled before being covered back up. Its been a busy week of taking covers off and putting them back on to perform work. We did our traditional 3/4 inch solid tine on most greens but pulled a core on 2,11 and 17. Eleven and 17 had a little extra organic matter that needed managing and I wanted to incorporate some additional organic material into the 2nd green. While 2 is a few years old it is still considered a new green. It takes a green between 5 and 7 years to really perform like a mature surface. The majority of other green surfaces look really solid; I do see some weak spots in the typical areas that hold water and don't surface drain the way you would want them to but nothing at this point that will keep them closed. All greens have been sprayed and the covers have been put back on. I would like to try and take advantage of the covers heat generating capabilities a little longer in order to speed up aeration healing. 

We've been picking away at some smaller and  larger projects, bringing a lot of material in and around the last week or so. I roughed in some mounding and new forward tees on holes 13 and 3 in accordance with the Enhancement Plan. Our architect Robert McNeil was out last week to go over some of the modifications and Country Golf got here on Friday to start the finish work. We are also reworking the surrounds of the 11th green, replacing some old bunkering, adding drainage as well as enhancing the bracing mounds on hole 13 and improving the play in area to the right and in front of the green. Robert will be back this afternoon to look at the roughed in bunkering on 11 and make a few tweaks before we try and finish it up. It usually comes together pretty quick once the majority of the material is moved around. We will add the irrigation to the new areas where needed once the finish raking is done and the sod is ready to be laid. I'm hoping to have all of these areas completed prior to opening the course. You'll definitely see things roped off from play but more on that once its done. We are also replacing some old drainage on the 9th hole and have discovered and replaced a little drainage by the 11th/rear 9th tees. 

We will get you out here as soon as possible. The goal is to get the course ready, hopefully have the aerated greens recuperate under the covers for a bit and give you an extended period of solid puttable surfaces until the end of August before we ruin them again! Ideally, you'll be enjoying smooth greens while most other clubs are closed and aerating for a few days later this spring. I'll do my best to keep you posted here on the blog and will have another coming around opening with some photos of the finished project work for those of you lucky enough to stay warm into April and May.