Last week we got quite a bit done. I am so pleases with how the crew is doing managing the course and dealing with the projects that I keep throwing at them around the clubhouse. Our goal last week was to finish aerifying the fairways and we fell short by three fairways. I didn't count for the 6am split tee on Thursday which limited us on what we could get done. Next week we have four shotgun tournaments but I am confident that we can pick them off by Wednesday. We have 12, 13, and 15 left to do. After we finish we will begin to topdress. On a side note I am going to begin to lobby for another tractor in the future so we will be able to topdress right behind the aerifyer and have everything done much faster. There are other time when we could use an extra tractor like in the fall when we are blowing leaves and having to topdress at the same time. I think it would really speed thing up and would be worth the investment.
Last week we also verticut the greens and topdressed them. This was the first verticut since we aerified them and they really needed it. They are rolling so much smoother now. This week we will be lowering the cut down to .120 which we will remain at for the remainder of the season. After Mike fertilized them on Friday the greens are looking great!
Gaffney Lane 6th Graders
Friday was our annual bird watching field trip with Kristi McQueen's 6th grade class from Gaffney Lane Elementary School. This was our 5th season hosting the kids and somehow we managed to have another wonderful day. The weather was magnificent and the kids had a blast. Each year I ask a group of volunteers to help guide the kids around the course and locate birds. I am so grateful for their support. They are all ardent bird watcher and bring their scopes to zoom in and give the kids a great experience and help them see what our wonderful wildlife looks like up close. In the picture above, from right to left I would like to recognize Steve Berliner, Sally Shook, Ellen Spitaleri, Dick Shook, Terry Flannigan, and Ron Spencer. Steve Berliner is an accomplished photographer and has won many contests nationally and internationally. Steve took these pictures (below) of a Common Yellowthroat and a European Starling while waiting for the bus to arrive. I bet you didn't know Starlings could be so beautiful. This is the same view that many of the kids got to experience during the short hour they had to visit.
Below the kids are looking through a notebook of Steve's photos that he brought to share. These pictures are so incredible. I can vision a gallery of them on the wall in our new event center!
Event Center
Speaking of the new event center things are coming along nicely. I did a preliminary walk through Friday afternoon and found a few blemishes but for the most part the building looks great. It sounds like we have one more signature to go to receive for our occupancy which should happen sometime on Monday.
The sidewalks are in along the east and south entries. Jason and Rick are currently working on the west entrance. I am sure they will be pouring by Tuesday afternoon. The left over spoils have been getting dumped east of the clubhouse which we will be grading and seeding when they are finished. We have been using the fairway aerification plugs to fill in the low grade along the north side of the building. I think it will turn out nice after we are done. Once we get the path tied in to the sidewalk between the buildings, we should have a nice avenue for the golfers to exit the course from the eighteenth.
This week I will be obtaining bids to tie in the landscape. Gordon suggested it since he realized that having the crew do it this time of year may be a little taxing when there are still plenty of work for us to be doing on the golf course.
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