September Update From the Grounds

Photo Credit- D. Wilder 

As we move into September, our Grounds team continues to focus on establishment, refinement, and the many details that come with the maturation of the restored golf course.

We have received many compliments on the condition of the greens and on the continued compaction of the bunker sand. It has also been great to see members bringing guests out to experience the course. Hearing that feedback and seeing people enjoy the restoration has been very rewarding for our team.

Fine Fescue

Our team has been working through the fine fescue areas, mowing them down as part of the establishment process. This work is labor-intensive, but it helps reduce weed competition and gives the fine fescue a better opportunity to develop.

Fine fescue requires patience, particularly during periods of heat and drought. We have continued to inner seed several areas originally seeded this spring, including left of Hole 5, right of Hole 8, behind the 8th green, and behind the 1st green.

Members will notice temporary sprinklers and hoses in many of these areas as we provide consistent moisture for germination and establishment. As temperatures cool, we will continue to spot seed areas where additional establishment is needed.

Fall herbicide applications will also be an important part of managing these areas. In late September, one of our partners will be trialing drone-applied herbicide treatments on selected steep fine fescue slopes. This will allow us to evaluate another option for safely and efficiently managing difficult-to-access areas.

Once these areas mature, our plan is to mow the fine fescue twice each season—once in the spring and once in the fall.

Primary Rough — Turf-Type Tall Fescue

Our team has continued to inner seed turf-type tall fescue throughout selected areas of the seeeded primary rough, and we are encouraged by the progress. Seed is germinating well in many locations, and cooler fall growing conditions should continue to support establishment.

Following our summer annual bluegrass control program, portions of the turf-type tall fescue showed more discoloration and growth regulation to the turf type tall fescue than anticipate. We are working closely with our industry partners to better understand the response and continue to investigate several possible contributing factors, including environmental stress and a potential plant-pathogen interaction.

These areas will remain an important focus for our team throughout the fall as we continue to monitor conditions and inner seed where needed.

Bentgrass Greens, Tees & Approaches

Mowing heights have been lowered on all of our bentgrass playing surfaces, including greens, tees, and approaches, and we will continue to gradually lower them as we move into the fall.

Aeration of the bentgrass greens, tees, and approaches will take place September 8–10. The golf course will be closed during this work so our team can move efficiently through the process.

The recent stretch of temperatures pushing into the upper 90s has required additional attention on our bentgrass surfaces. Our team has been providing supplemental irrigation by hand where needed while continuing to learn more about the coverage of our new irrigation system. This includes evaluating sprinkler patterns, making nozzle adjustments, and fine-tuning water distribution throughout the golf course.

One quick safety reminder: when our team is hand watering a green and the flagstick has been removed, please do not hit into the green. We will be as quick as possible getting on and off the putting surface so play can continue with minimal delay. Thank you for helping keep our team safe.

Bunkers

The bunkers continue to mature and knit in well. The steel mesh installed on select bunker faces will remain in place through the winter, although in many areas the continued growth of the zoysia has already made it much less noticeable.

Many of the wooden stakes used during establishment have also now been driven down into the bunker faces.

Drainage, Cart Path Edges & Storm Cleanup

Our team continues to work through a long list of smaller projects across the golf course. This includes drainage work near tee areas, addressing springs around the 7th tee, and work along the left side of Hole 18.

We are also completing final preparation along cart path edges for additional sod and seed work. Cooler temperatures should provide more favorable conditions for establishment in these areas.

Storm cleanup continues as well. We are removing miscellaneous stumps throughout the property, and a few remaining tree-related items left of Hole 6, left of Hole 14, and behind Hole 3 will require assistance from our tree contractor.

GPS Mapping & Course Inventory

Behind the scenes, our team has been working with one of our partners to develop a detailed GPS map and inventory of the golf course. This work allows us to accurately define the different maintained areas of the property and establish reliable square footage and acreage measurements for sprayer and fertility applications.

Our recent mapping shows that we actively maintain approximately 126 acres of Hyde Park’s 153-acre property.

Having more accurate measurements allows us to improve application planning and product calculations while also further developing our time and productivity studies. By combining accurate acreage with the amount of time required to complete individual maintenance tasks, we can better understand labor needs, improve scheduling, and continue refining the efficiency of our operation.

We are also in the final stages of irrigation mapping and system verification. Once that work is complete, we can begin the process of placing yardage tags on sprinkler heads throughout the golf course.

As members continue to learn how to play the restored golf course, our team is learning and adjusting as well. We continue to refine our maintenance practices based on how the course is performing, how the different turf areas are responding, and what we are learning through daily operation.

Horticulture

In the Horticulture Department, Bryan and Aubrey continue to do a wonderful job throughout the property. Their current work includes pruning, developing planting plans, removing vines, and preparing for fall planting. Fall plant material will begin arriving the week of September 6.

They will also begin developing a tree inventory using our drone imagery and on-the-ground evaluation. The inventory will help document the location, species, size, condition, and landscape role of trees throughout the golf course and club grounds.

The aerial imagery will help us better understand our tree canopy, woodland edges, and perimeter screening. Combined with field observations, this information will help guide future specimen-tree planting, enhance screening where appropriate, improve management of our wood lines, and support thoughtful long-term landscape planning.

Much like the GPS mapping of the golf course, the tree inventory will become a living resource that can be updated and refined over time.

If you have any questions about horticulture, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Bryan Miller at bmiller@hydeparkcc.com.

A Thank You

Finally, a special thank you to Chef and his team for the wonderful lunch they prepared for the Grounds team. It was delicious, greatly appreciated, and very welcome during a busy stretch for our staff.

September will be another active month for our team. We are encouraged by the continued maturation of the golf course, the germination we are seeing in newly seeded areas, and the steady progress being made throughout the property.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and feedback!

Pat O’Brien