Happy Holidays!

The 2016 golf season is coming to a close at HP with the grounds staff putting a few finishing touches across the entire property. The staff is spending the majority of their time these days cleaning leaves; fortunately the weather has been dry, allowing for heavy equipment to move leaves efficiently.

Leaf Clean-Up in the Swales

Recently, the staff did a wonderful job finishing the applications of pre and post emergent herbicides (weed control) across the entire property for next season; the graphic below shows the attention of detail to where various herbicides were applied.

Herbicide Applications to Property

Over the winter months the staff will be busy with the tree managment program, installation of a turf fan on 14, continuing education and preventative maintenance on the equipment. The staff is also responsible for snow removal for the parking lots and platform tennis.

In the near future, the cart traffic will be restricted to the cart paths, due to the Zoyisa being dormant, not allowing for any recovery from damage. Also, please be aware the opening of the course could be delayed by frost or even frozen soils. Please follow us on Twitter @pobrienhpgcc, our blog; hydeparkgolfandcountryclub.blogspot.com or call the Proshop for potential delays.

Frost Delays are Common

Please forward any questions, concerns or feedback to grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Happy Holidays!

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

Gearing Up For Spring

Even though it just started getting cold, preparations are already well under way for the spring season. In October, some dated plant material was removed from the south entrance bed to make way for some new plant material and an updated look. All part of gradually updating the landscape beds around the club. As you can see from the photos, the removal of Boxwoods, Euonymus, and other material, we were left with a great space and blank canvas to add some new plants to compliment the building and surrounding areas.

Before

After shrubs were removed

Blank canvas

A sneak into the future

 

Also as the colder weather sets in, it's time to start planting spring time bulbs. Last year, 4,000 Tulip bulbs were planted. This year we have doubled that amount. With a combination of Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, and Galanthus, roughly 8,000 bulbs will be planted this year. Sure to be an explosion of color and scents come spring time around the clubhouse grounds.

~8000 bulbs

Bulbs being planted

Enjoy the winter months and keep an eye out in the spring for many new plants.

Bryan Miller

Horticulturist, Hyde Park Golf & Country Club

Twitter @HPGCCplantman

 

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A New View from the Fifth

Original layout of the new tee box sizes

As you may have noticed the Grounds Department has been busy over the last few weeks taking advantage of the cooler temperatures and sunny skies to make a few changes around the golf course. With the continued help from Golf Course Architect Tim Liddy, the staff continues to improve the teeing grounds at HP with reshaping, leveling and realignment.

Stripping the Original Tee

And Again...

The objectives for the renovation of the tees on the fifth were to; properly align the tee up to the center of the fairway (rather than lining up to the woods), find a way to utilize the space in a way that increased teeing ground while reducing the square footage of the more intensely managed bentgrass, and finally, completing this all in a way that was as efficient as possible.

Laying out the New Front Tee, While Utilizing as Much of the Previous Tee as Possible

And Again...

Over a ten-day period the staff worked diligently to complete the renovation; meeting all of the objectives efficiently and within the prescribed budget. We encourage all the members to take a look at the new view, but please refrain from hitting tee shots from the new tees, due to lack of adequate rooting. We are hopeful that next season, the tee enhancements will be completed on holes 3 and 9.

Front and Middle Tee Surfaces Finished Being Sodded

New Back Tee after Being Sodded

 

A View of the New Compound as Rough Sod Goes Down

The New View from the Fifth

As always, we appreciate your feedback and any questions to: grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Thank-you,

Pat Carroll

Assistant Grounds Superintendent

 

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Upcoming on the Grounds at HP

 

The staff continues to be very busy in preparation for next season, much work has been completed on the putting surfaces with added sand topdressings, deeptine aeration and next week with the help of a contractor we will complete the process of sand injection into the profile. The DryJect process utilizes high pressure water to inject sand into the rootzone http://www.dryject.com/howitworks/one-hour-challenge/

 

-- How it works!

The greens at Hyde Park were constructed in the early 1920's of native soil material that does not drain well and does not provide an ideal environment for healthy Turfgrass growth. Over the years with consistent discipline cultural practices (sand topdressing, deep time aeration and cultivation) the underlying profile is becoming much more sandier, allowing for air to the roots and a surface that is firmer and consistent.

Each year, we test the physical properties of the underlying profile to see if our cultural practices are moving in a positive direction. On November 8th, we will begin the DryJect process, it will be finished on Wednesday the 9th. The course will be open however, when the machines are on a green it will be closed. If your had clicked on the link above you can see the that it takes about an hour per green and the finished product is smooth and very playable!

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Grounds@hydparkcc.com

Thank-you for your patience,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

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