High Rough/Seeding Trials

The season continues to move along at Hyde Park, with the Art Smith in the rearview mirror our team is focused on giving the greens a little of a break with the added stresses on the turf from multiple mowings and rolling to achieve a true surface.  We are utilizing tools such as fans and venting of the surface to allow for oxygen exchange and dry the surface. USGA VIDEO LINK  There are areas of turf that have "thinned" but are largely confined to certain varieties of bentgrass.

Our annual mowing of the "high rough" areas has begun across the golf course in anticipation of fall herbicide applications, these areas are usually mowed two-three times each season depending on the weed encroachment. In many areas the grass clippings will be mulched and blown to disperse.

Between the 10th and 11th hole we have begun an establishment trial of fine fescues to see if we can create a low input rough area that is playable. This area will consist of Sheep and Hard fine fescues with different seeding rates. 

Rectangle- Trial Area 

If you have any questions please reach out to us grounds@hydeparkcc.com. We appreciate your feedback!

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent 

Cart Path Remodel Update

We are into the third week of the cart path remodel project and it has been very successful thus far. Mother Nature continues to cooperate, giving us above normal temperatures and dry conditions. With roughly 2000 lineal feet left to complete on holes 1 and 18 it looks as though the contractor will be completed paving in the next 10 days The remaining drainage, sod and seed work will continue into the month of November. Over the next week we will be repairing haul roads and bury pits with multiple aerifcations, and seeding with turf type tall fescue. We do anticipate the 10th tee will be used this week as the starting tee again, to allow us more time to safely complete work. Also, please remember to obey signs and stay out of roped off areas, this will allow the seed and sod to establish quickly!

Drainage Work near 1 tee

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact us grounds@hydeparkcc.com
Thank-you,
Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

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Cart Path Remodel Update

 

The cart path remodel continues to move forward with a couple minor set backs due to the wet soil conditions, not allowing the contractor to utilize their heavy machinery needed for this project. The Grounds staff, led by Assistant Superintendent Dan Lawendowski are getting a rhythm with the drainage and final finish work to the edges of the path. A tremendous amount of labor goes into these final steps, there is a lot of juggling of staff resources between daily maintenance of the course and the project. Greg Nickerson has the challenge of leading the rest of the team with course maintenance. Both situations are dynamic and require constant coordination and communication between the two of them to make sure we hit the mark on both fronts. The week ahead looks dry with seasonal temperatures, which should allow for the blacktop to be finished on hole 2.

Topsoil and Final Grading to the Edges of the Path

A couple quick reminders concerning cart operation during this project:

-Please obey signs and directional ropes, the sod and seed will not survive if carts drive on theses areas

-Please enter and exit at the designiated areas marked with the 6ft Orange flags, most of these areas have plywood covering the edges to protect the carts and the sod work.

Enter and Exit Points designated with Orange Flags

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Or follow us on Twitter @pobrienhpgcc

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

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Another Busy Project Season Ahead

Autumn signals the change in seasons as well as the direction of the grounds shifts from everyday maintence to upgrades and enhancements across the property. The major project of the 2015 season is the cart path renovation that will take place on Holes 1,2,7,8 and 18.

Cart Path Enhancement Map

The Grounds staff will be involved with the final shaping, sodding and seeding of the cart path edges. During this project we will continue to add drianage in many areas to eliminate saw cutting of the paths in the future. The aspalt crews will be finished in late October and our staff will continue to into early November placing the finishing touches on the work. During this project our goal is not to close holes however, it may be necessary to close or alter teeing locations to insure the safety of the staff, members and contractor. Please obey the signs and ropes and check with the Proshop and Twitter for the latest on the project.

Drainage Installation on Hole 2

Other projects/initiatives this season include:

Drainage in the select putting greens 8,9,12 and 17 commencing in late October

Renovation of select tees (Pending weather)

Dry Ject and Deeptine of the putting surfaces late October/early November

For the latest on all the iniatives on the Grounds at HP follow us on Twitter @pobrienhpgcc or check out our blog.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

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Preparations for next year!

Late August is a busy time for the Grounds Staff, the college students are returning to school and projects are starting to gear up. Recently the staff has completed aeration of the tees and greens with great results. Aeration during this time frame can be a challenge on the turf due to extreme temperatures but the healing process is much faster compared to late Septmeber and generally the golf calendar is slower with the return to school for Elementary and Highschool students.

Day 1

Day 4

The greens are bumpy and slow but they have filled in well, as noted in the photo above.

The staff and I have been busy with other initiatives such as:

• Slicing of the fairways to reduce compaction and improve water movement
• Rough aeration and spot seeding to enhance turf type tall fescue populations

Rough Aeration

Fall Projects

The are a few key projects this fall including;

Cart path renovations totaling close to 1.5 miles on Holes 7, 8, 2, 1 and 18. This project will commence September 21st and should be completed in 3-5 weeks pending weather conditions. The golf course will be open during this process, however hole closures may need to be employed to ensure the safety of the contractors and our staff. Updates and progress will occur via Twitter and the Grounds Blog.

Scope of the work including cart path re-routes, drainage and irrigation relocation

Other projects will include added green drainage on holes 8, 9, 12 and 17 along with tee enhancements.

As always, thanks for the feedback and questions concerning the initiatives on the golf course and grounds at Hyde Park. Please email us with any questions? Grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendnt

 

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Grounds Update

The staff continues to move forward but at a slightly slower pace due to the seasonal fluctuations in staffing and Mother Nature has created some cooler wet conditions. With the guidance of golf course architect Tim Liddy, the Hyde Park Grounds staff finished all renovations/zoysia grass conversions on the approaches 4,6 and 8.

4 before

After

These renovations will enhance playability, consistency, and reduce expenses with fewer inputs, utilizing Zoysia grass. The 6th hole will also offer new shots utilizing the natural contours and fairway mowed short grass off of the bank directly behind the green.

6 before

6 after

The Zoysia grass will take roughly a full season to look and play the same as the existing fairway grass. All new Zoysia can be played off of, but please refrain from driving carts on the new sod.

In the coming month, frost delays will be common and more cart traffic will be restricted to the cart paths because of the dormancy of the Zoysia grass. Zoysia grass is not growing this time of year and unfortunately, any mechanical damage from carts will not heal until next year. We will expect to restrict cart traffic on the fairways sometime in early November pending weather conditions.

The final deeptine and solid tine aeration of the greens will occur in November, allowing to fracture the compacted soil condtions deep in the profile. This process will be followed by topdressing and rolling for smoothness.

Also, beginning in early November, internal drainage will be added to greens 2,10,11 and 16. This process has been completed on 7 of the greens with excellent results, allowing for improved turf health and reducing closure times. Only one green will be closed at any one time for 2-3 days during the first two weeks of November.

 

10 green- Labor Day

2 green-Labor Day

The 11th..

For more information on the current initiatives and course conditions please follow us on Twitter @pobrienhpgcc Or contact us via email.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

 

 

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Fall is here! What does this mean for the Grounds?

The fall season is a very busy time of year for the Grounds Staff and I as we prepare the golf course for next year. Many of the agronomic practices that are occurring now will have an impact in 2015. As many have you noted we have been engaged in:

• Aerifying and seeding the roughs
• Fall fertilization of all surfaces
• Removing summer annuals and planting of fall material
• Herbicide applications to the all rough areas
• Mowing of all high rough areas and herbicide applications
• Deeptine aeration of greens in late October/Early November
• Deeptine aeration of all tees and deep vertical mowing

This time of year we shift gears slightly to project mode of enchancing the property with various small in-house projects. This year is no different with several projects planned including:

• Tee leveling and reshaping
• Bentgrass approach conversion to zoysia and enlargement of these landing areas. We are planning convert the last approach areas if holes 4, 6 and 8.

Work has begun on the approach on 4. With the help of Golf Course Arcitect Tim Liddy, the scope of the work includes:

• Enlarging and reshaping of the approach to allow for greater visibility and increasing playability for the higher handicap golfer
• Conversion from bentgrass to zoysia grass
• Slightly reshaping green to Ross design
• Clean horizon lines on the back of green to give subtle look the green is much larger then it is
• Addition of short grass closer to the bunker to add greater challenge

Here are a few photos of the work thus far and a Ross sketch of the 4th green

Original Shape of Green

Before

New shape of green and approach, clean horizon line at back of green, almost ready for Zoysia!

 

Continuing this fall, drainage will be added to another 5 greens. After the next 5 greens are completed this will 6 greens left to drain. This process has and will continue to improve the consistency and health of the playing surfaces, please stayed tune for details.

Speaking of putting surfaces I wanted to pass a reminder along to fix you're ball marks (pitchmark) and any other ball marks that have been missed. The below graphic shows how to fix a ball mark properly, a properly fixed ball mark will allow the turf to heal extremely quickly and not leave an unsightly scar.

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Grounds@hydeparkcc.com or follow us on twitter @pobrienhpgcc for the latest updates on the grounds.

 

 

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Golf Course Update-Winter Preparations and Renovations

The Grounds staff and I transistion into the winter months with plenty on the agenda to accomplish. Recently, the staff completed a new forward tee on 6. The tee was only shifted roughly 70 feet but it is now level, aligned correctly and much closer to the cart path. The red dot in the picture below signifies where the new tee is located.

The staff has also started work on the back tee on 6. The scope of the work includes leveling, alligning and reshaping.

Drainage:

The drainage contractor, XGD systems continues to work diligently to install drainage systems on holes 3,5,14,15. The drainage systems are composed of 2" pipe on 6 foot centers across the putting surfaces, all of the trenches are backfilled with a sandier material to allow increased percolation of access water. Greens 3,5,14,15 were chosen because of the higher populations of Poa and there challenging micro climates (limited air movement and increased shade) After completion,HP will have 7 greens that will drain adequately. Also, to help air movement a fan will installed near the 3rd green.

Tree Management Program:

One of the key areas the staff focuses on in the winter months is tree managment. Shade and competion from roots can be a detriment to healthy traffgrass growth. The above photo is clearing of the invasive honey suckle in the rightside of hole 3. Once removed, it will be more asthetically pleasing and will allow for greater air movement to reduce pathogens.

Irrigation Winterization:

One of the last practices that signifies winter is here is the irrigation winterization. This process involves moving compressed air through the almost 90 miles of pipe on the property to insure the pipe will not fracture if freezing occurs.

Miscellaneous Projects:

• Poa removal in collars
• Green expansions
• Fan installation near 3 green
• Non-selective herbicide applications to the fairways

The Grounds Department during the winter months is also responsible for snow removal for the platform courts, parking lots and surrounding walkways.

From the Grounds Department we wish you and you're family a happy holiday season.

Regards,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

13 Renovation Complete

The renovation of the 13th hole is complete, the project took about 5 weeks. The scope of the work included:

• Renovation of the existing tees
• Addition of new championship and forward tee
• Addition of 8 bunkers totaling 8000 square feet
• Recontouring of fairway
• Shifting of cart path slightly to the left
• Just over an acre of sod was laid by HP staff
• Irrigation modifications including supplemental bunker irrigation
• Seeding of 2 acres to fine leaf fescues

We are anticipating to open the 13th hole to cart path only Friday, November 8th. This date could change due to saturated soil conditions. While playing this hole please stay off the bunker slopes on and use lift, clean and place when playing from new sod.

Below are a few before and after shots of the 13th hole.

Before- A view from the green tee

After

Before-another shot of the green tee

 

After

Before- The dogleg

After

Before-New bunker on rightside of fairway

After

We hope that you enjoy the latest improvements, and look forward to your feedback. I would also like to thank the entire HP staff, Course Crafters, and Tim Liddy for the collaborative effort to make this project successful.

Regards,

Pat O' Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

Renovation of 13 week-4

The works continues on 13 at an excellent pace. To date, all of the bunkers have been shaped and drainage is being installed in the first bunkers. Irrigation is being installed and all the tee construction is complete. Roughly 65 percent of the work is complete. With the hope of dry weather conditions, the project is still on target to finish the week of October of 28th and shortly thereafter opening depending on the rooting of the sod to ensure safety on the steep slopes.

Remaining work includes; irrigation installation, remaining drainage in bunkers, paving of cart path and grassing of rough and fairway areas.

The Hyde Park Grounds staff has done a terrific job aiding in the construction while preparing the golf course for regular play.

For the latest on the renovation please follow us on twitter @pobrienhpgcc or follow the Grounds Blog.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

Renovation 13 Week 3-

With almost 4 inches of rain over the weekend the work has paused but will be back in full swing very soon. Golf Course architect Tim Liddy has been very pleased with the progress of both HP staff and Course Crafters. Tim has made a couple tweaks to the design, most significantly placing the forward tee close to the position where it was prior to the shift 3 years ago. The existing forward tee will remain.

To date, the following work has been completed:

• Shaping of the first 4 bunkers
• Fairway lines are taking shape
• Drainage out-falls and catch basins being placed
• Haul roads in the bottom of 12 have been seeded (please stay out of these areas that are roped off)

In addition, the high rough areas behind 12 green, right of 13 green and right of 13 fairway near 12 tee have been sprayed with an herbicide and seeded to a fine leaf fescue that will still pose a challenge while allowing some playability. These areas were seeded late, and will take a season to mature.

- HP Staff, Seeding fine leaf fescue near 12 tee-

Modifications to irrigation system on 13 will begin shortly

Bunkers taking shape-

A few reminders:

• Please remain on the cart path on 13
• Follow signs and please stay out of newly seeded areas
• Please fill divots on 13 fairway at temporary teeing area

If the weather continues to be accommodating the project is scheduled to finish in 2 weeks, shortly thereafter the hole will open to cart path only.

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact me grounds@hydeparkcc.com?

Regards,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent