June Update

It looks like we’ve finally made it over the hump and into some warmer weather—for the most part. Recent rain events have given the course a little boost that we haven’t seen in almost two years. The droughts of 2024 and 2025 are behind us—now we’re dealing with the drought of 2026.

Believe it or not, drought conditions are actually worse right now than they were last summer. We are currently in a Critical Drought. Keep in mind that spring is typically our wet season, yet we received very little rain in April and May. Every month that passes with below-normal precipitation puts us further behind, and the only way to catch up is through months with above-average rainfall—not just a half-inch rain event here and there.

The color of the grass, the leaves on the trees, and the appearance of flowers are not what determine drought levels. Instead, drought conditions are assessed using factors such as reservoir levels, river and stream flow, groundwater supplies, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration. The map below was last updated on May 22. We’re waiting to see what the next update brings, but I doubt the 0.6 inches of rain we received last weekend was enough to significantly change our status.

What does this mean? It means we’ll need to continue paying close attention to our water use. As always, we will follow our Seasonal Demand Management Plan by reducing irrigation where possible, increasing hand watering, shutting off nonessential areas, and implementing other conservation measures. Fortunately, we haven’t used much water so far this season, so we remain in good shape. While rainy weekends may not be anyone’s favorite, they are helping us get through this challenging stretch.

As we move into June, we’re entering the heart of the season and the event calendar will begin filling up quickly. Play has increased significantly over the past week, and we’re already starting to see some of the common summer issues appear.

First, the dreaded unfixed ball marks are starting to rear their heads. Please take a moment to repair them. An unfixed ball mark can take weeks to heal under the best conditions, while a properly repaired ball mark can recover in less than 36 hours.

Second, please rake the bunker after you’re finished. Our bunkers are not raked every day, so if you’re playing late in the afternoon, don’t assume that because nobody is behind you on the tee sheet there’s no need to rake. You may tomorrow's entire tee sheet playing behind you.

Lastly, remember to keep carts and golf bags in appropriate areas. Having a handicap flag does not mean you should drive up and park on the collar of a green.

Thank you for your help. If everyone does their part and takes pride in the course, it makes Bass Rocks that much better for everyone.

Finally, I’d like to talk about the 7th hole. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback so far, which is great to hear. It’s important to remember that this is a completely new hole and will require a different approach. Aggressive shots at the green may now come with some harsher penalties, so keep the long grass and the possibility of a lost ball in mind when choosing your strategy.

Another topic that has come up is flag color. The old green featured an upper and lower shelf, so we primarily used yellow and white flags to indicate which section the hole location was on. The new green is wide but not very deep and includes more prominent surrounding features. As a result, we’ll be using a more traditional approach to flag color placement.

As with any green, there will always be some hole locations that fall into a gray area. Fortunately, modern golf provides plenty of tools to help, including GPS-equipped carts, sprinkler head yardages, and rangefinders that can provide exact distances. Below is a general guide to what you can expect to see.