Winter 2012 Newletter Article

Notes from the Agronomy Department

The Dye Course:

The Dye Course continues to be in “tip-top” shape!  The over-seeded greens continue to provide a great playing surface, firm and fast.  While it hasn’t happened yet this year, don’t be surprised if the fairways begin to show a more dormant look.  This occurs each winter when the temperatures drop below freezing for more than a few days, causing the leaf blade of the plant to “curl” into its self – allowing only the back side of the leaf blade to be visible.  As the temperatures begin to climb again, we will apply more paint to the fairways, giving the course a better appearance for the rest of the winter.

We will be adding shell sand to the paths during the month of January.  As we work through this project, the paths will be bumpy until the surface is completely level and compacted.  We appreciate your patience with our progress.  Please note: Cart traffic on #2 will be limited during January and February to provide adequate playing conditions for the winter months.

The Nicklaus Course:

The over-seed is the best we have had so far and the greens continue to stay very healthy and roll true.  If you recall, in normal years, playing on a full stand of over-seeded rye grass doesn’t take place until late winter.  This wasn’t the case this year as there was a full stand everywhere except for a few “problem areas” by Christmas.  This puts us far ahead for the spring months.

Upcoming Course Projects:

In the month of January, we take advantage of the closure periods and perform as many projects as possible that would otherwise be disruptive to the membership.  The most visible this year will be work on the lagoons of the Nicklaus Course on holes #2 and #8, as they are the worst culprits for leaking on the property.  Each year, we pump millions of gallons of water into several lagoons on the Nicklaus for aesthetic purposes.  If you recall, last year we repaired, in-house, the first lagoon on #7 with positive results.  With the help of an outside consultant, we were able to find an alternative solution to the problem and save the club over $60,000 on that lagoon alone.  We will attempt a similar repair to both lagoons on #8 and the first two on #2.  The length of time for the project will not be known until after the height of the water is dropped and we are able to see the full extent of the project.  Other projects this winter will be on the more routine side and include:

·         Trimming of all the native plants

·         Adding and adjusting sand levels on all of the 400+ bunkers on the property

·         Trimming suckers from trees and other plants throughout the property

·         Transplanting of sea oats in the dunes on the Nicklaus

·         Pressure washing all bridges, bulk heads, and wood structures

·         Adding additional shell sand to cart trails

·         Adding dune sand where necessary

·         Testing all backflow prevention devices

Hope to see you on the course!

Bill