On a slow day we...

Everyday isn't as busy as today was, but they sure seem to be. 

Whenever we start something that needs to be completed on a time schedule...something goes wrong.  Today we are topdressing fairways and the spinner broke off while topdressing the second hole of the day.  Weld it up and get going.

We needed to drag the sand in afterwards so we built another drag mat.

The bridge railing needs to be installed so we started cutting the wood.

Altered the posts to fit into the sockets...

Moved fertilizer around to use later on the greens and to move it out of the way of all the work...

Topdressed the fairways

Mowed fairways, tees, collars, approaches...

Needle tined greens...

Cut out and graded for some concrete stairs at the clubhouse...

Drug the sand into the fairways...

Started installing the posts for the railing on 16 bridge...

Router, table saw, wrenches, epoxy, sledge hammer...you name it we used it o this bridge... 

After the needle tine passed over the greens, we fertilized them, topdressed them, drug them and rolled them.

More fairway dragging...

Custom railings take time to create...

Tonight the wind will pick up and we will be cleaning up Tuesday... all in the life of a greenkeeper!

"Drop In Sometime"

Minor repairs and improvements are a part of the daily maintenance of the course.  This drainage drop inlet was raised and leveled today.  This little improvement is good for the mowers (less scalping), players (less awkward lies) and the course (drains correctly keeping the surface drier and firmer). 

Backpack Attack

Spot spraying disease on the golf course is a much more cost efficient and environmentally friendly way of controlling localized disease areas.  Instead of spraying 120,000 square feet of turf, we might spray 1,000 square feet and control the problem before it gets out of control.

A 3 gallon backpack sprayer is used to apply a fungicide that should control whatever particular disease we are currently hosting.

Raining Fish and Kelp

Keeping the greens (and all the other areas of the course) green and growing during the winter is a tricky job.  Convincing grass that would normally take it easy for the winter to keep growing takes some special ingredients.

We have talked about some of the fertilizers that we use and the philosophy in the past.  The method of application is also interesting.  We use a nozzle made by FCI (Rainmaker) that we have calibrated to apply 11 gallons of mix per 1,000 square feet.  That is important so that we know how much nitrogen or other ingredients we are really applying to the turf.  The application may look hap hazard or unsophisticated but it is really a great way to insure proper over lap without tire marks or doubling up of rates on the over lapped areas.  Also, it is a great way to get the fertilizer to interact with the soil, thatch and plant tissue all in the same application without the need to apply water through the sprinkler heads after the application.

Applicator "raining" the fertilizer

 This method is good for the environment because the fertilizer lands and stays where we want it.  The need for irrigation to be run after an application is removed as is the chance that the fertilizer will be washed to a concentrated area or washed away from the intended sight.  Sometimes "old school" methods are still the best.  It certainly works for us.

16 Bridge Update

The crossing over the 16th hole will open soon.  The railing needs to be installed so no accidents occur.  The wood railing should be completed this week or early next week. 

Storm Update

Disregard the date... it is really Monday January 23rd (not the 22nd).  Day late, dollar short.

 Leaves being swept hole #7

 Bunkers on hole #6 being blown out

 Leaves being blown and swept on hole #7

 Tree behind #11 green being cleaned up

#9 Pine needle debris being blown

Driving Range Drainage

Win / Win / Win

The guys stay warm by exercising, the driving range is better drained and future repair work to the bunker is avoided.

Just in Time

As the rains approach for the first time in 2012, we are now better prepared.  The creek crossing on hole 16 has been completed and should be in use within a week.

Hand rails and finishing touches will be completed soon even if the predicted rains come.

Jack Frost Visits Corral



24 degrees two mornings in a row makes for cold soil temperatures, delayed tee times, cold hands and a record breaking consumption of coffee.

1.5 gallons of coffee drank from 5:45 am to 8:45am!  Great job guys! Maybe we can break this record tomorrow!

Corral TV 16 Bridge

A brief video Inside the Corral