groundS meet the team

Every year, the Golf + Grounds Maintenance team continually strives for constant improvement. Projects are vetted through the Green, Golf, and Capital & Planning committees. If approved, these projects are scheduled years ahead for implementation.

Last fall, we implemented and recently completed an additional phase of the Long-Term Drainage Master Plan on the East Course by finishing the entire hole of #1 and lowest portion of the #2 fairway. Details of the work include 855 tons of drainage sand, 226 tons of growing mix (top 6” of trench), 1.79 miles of pipe, and 32 surface drainage basins installed.

Our Long-Term Drainage Master Plan was developed in 2018 by Turf Drainage Company of America and implemented in 2019 because of record-breaking rainfall in 2018, with over 75” of precipitation (33” above the 147-year annual average), followed by 55” in 2019 (14” above the annual average). The plan has been implemented with local golf course contractor McDonald & Sons. To date, 4.04 miles of pipe, out of the over 15 miles in the plan, have been installed. The plan involves numerous phases throughout the next few years until it’s fully complete. Ultimately the goal is to consistently provide a well-drained soil profile, healthy playing surfaces that can withstand the summer stress periods, and firmer playing surfaces that our members and guests come to expect.

In addition to this work, our team along with McDonald & Sons completed regrassing all the West Course tees from cool-season bentgrass to warmseason bermudagrass. Why make the switch? Warmseason bermudagrass requires fewer inputs of water, fertilizer, and other turf care products (fungicide, herbicide, insecticide) and performs better during the summer stress season when the play on the courses is at its peak. In addition, the approximate savings of fewer inputs is approximately $17,000 per year.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM DRAINAGE