I don't have a whole lot to report this week other than this golf course is looking great. I think we can officially say that summer is finally here. The tall rough has reached it's pinnacle and the native roses are blooming around our buffers. We were rewarded with a fantastic weekend which brought the golfers out in masses!
Many of the small projects that we did earlier this season are really starting to make a difference. While we were aerating the fairways this spring we utilized the plugs around many of the worn and bare areas that were not supporting turfgrass. Especially along the edge of the cart path near some of the greens and tees. The plugs worked great for this; utilizing the existing organic matter, they held moisture and started growing vegetatively along with the seed that we added. This area here on the third tee is one of the many that we repaired. This is one way that we can do a small thing that makes a big difference in the appearance of the course.
While playing golf a couple weeks ago my drive on ten bounded off to the right over the cart path and into the tall grass next to the 18th tee. After cursing myself for letting all the grass grow tall, it dawned on me that I am probably not the only one that has had to look for their ball in this particular location. After further investigation we found that at least one ball in every group ended up somewhere in this location. The tall grass is tough enough, especially this time of year and when it is located in an area that attracts golf balls. We decided it was time to do something about it. Mike took the tractor with the flail and made the first cut, following up with the turf vac then again with the rough mower. The result is an area where balls will be quickly located and the pace of play will be maintained, not to mention a couple strokes will be saved from my score!
I would like to finish up my report by posting some photos of some of my staff hard at work. There are probably a lot of golfers here at Stone Creek that may only play in the afternoons or the weekends, and have probably never seen the maintenance staff. If you are one of those players, here are some of the guys that make Stone Creek what it is. I can't say enough about these guys. They are true professionals in what they do and they do their job with enthusiasm and pride. If you happen to see one of them please be sure to let them know you appreciate their work!
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| Jorge Espinoza |
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| Mike Coppedge |
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| Mike Holl |
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| Bryan Nishimoto |
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