The Blog is Back!

The 11th Hole at RCC. June 2017

Thank you for visiting our golf course maintenance blog. After a six month hiatus, we will once again return to regularly posting information related to course conditions, maintenance practices, projects, and plans. Check out the photos and links below to learn more about recent and upcoming happenings. Additional information including: in-depth details on specific items, previous month's course updates, and photos of course maintenance activities can be found by checking out the links in the right side bar.

Golf Course News

How are our greens doing?

One of new gas powered fans on #16 Green

GPS golfer tracks showing foot traffic on #9

Overall, our greens are doing well for late summer. Each year from mid-June to mid-September we must take special precautions to help our bentgrass greens survive the summer heat and humidity (click the link in the right side bar for more info). Some of these precautions (such as raising the mowing height and reducing rolling frequency) result in slower putting speeds during the hottest months of the year. Under tough conditions, greens that are already stressed from other environmental factors (shade, traffic, air movement, compaction, etc) are hit much harder. Our practice putting green, #9 green, and #16 green are prime examples of how these factors combine to create perennial problem areas (notice the concentrated traffic on #9 in the photo above). To help these areas improve we added an additional electric fan to the practice putting green, and purchased two portable gas powered fans for #9 and #16 earlier this year. We will keep the fans on #9 and #16 for at least another six weeks. The good news is that fall is right around the corner. Cooler temperatures and shorter days will give us the opportunity to repair any weak areas and shift gears from focusing on survival to performance.  

Fairy Ring in July on #2 Green

Dakota and Gary repairing #2 Green

Many of you may have noticed damaged areas in circular patterns on several greens. In July, we battled a fungus known as "fairy ring". This fungus typically moves outward in circular patterns or rings and can cause damage to the turf by creating hydrophobic soil conditions. Basically, water cannot get into the soil deep enough to be taken up by the plant's roots. When this occurs on NC State Fairy Ring.
bentgrass greens with temperatures over 100 degrees damage can occur rapidly. Over the last few weeks multiple spray applications, hand watering, and light aeration have been used to prevent additional damage. We believe that the fungus is now under control and have already started to repair several damaged areas. Full recovery is expected in four to six weeks.  To learn more about "fairy ring" check out this article from North Carolina State University: 

Master Planning and Tripp Davis

Tripp Davis, Golf Course Architect

Earlier this year the Golf Committee commissioned the golf course architecture firm Tripp Davis and Associates (TDA) to develop a new Master Plan for the course. Based out of Oklahoma, Tripp Davis has worked with clubs throughout the United States and is experienced in all facets of golf course architecture. A few of his clients in Texas include Brook Hollow Golf Club, Northwood Club, Oak Hills Country Club, and Preston Trail Golf Club. As explained by Tripp Davis below, the Course Evaluation and Master Plan will provide a road map that guides our efforts to continually improve and preserve the course – both now and in the future.

“Briefly, our Master Planning process begins with a complete evaluation of the existing golf course and practice facilities, looking at everything from the infrastructure of the course (irrigation, drainage, greens, tees and bunkers), to the overall landscape and the state of shade and airflow around the course, to the strategic makeup of the course from each tee. This is an objective analysis that looks to understand how everything exist before we look at how a Master Plan could be developed.  

The Master Plan itself is a byproduct of learning from the evaluation the areas of need, strong points to build on, and opportunities that would enhance the golf course or practice facilities.  The plan is not a directive for immediate change, but a guide so that anything done now, or five years from now, no matter how small or large, work together.” – Tripp Davis

Additional information about TDA’s approach to the Course Evaluation and Master Plan is available online by visiting TDA Golf. The Golf Committee will be working closely with TDA over the next couple of months and looks forward to sharing details of both the Course Evaluation and Master Plan as they become available.

Project Update

May of 2016 Flood Damage to Holes 15 and 16

In July, we received approval from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to complete repairs to the flood damaged cart path and retaining walls on holes. We are currently beginning the bid process and work should begin by early October. We have also continued to move forward with plans to expand and renovate our golf course maintenance facility. Check out the short video that I created using Google Sketchup to help illustrate our ideas. Waco based architecture firm, RBDR currently working to complete design/build specifications which also include the installation of a new water line for the marina and maintenance facility. This water line will cross portions of holes 1, 2, and 3 and will accomplish the following goals: provide fire protection for the marina and maintenance facility, improved water service, future main water supply for clubhouse.