Project One and Nine

Happy New Year to all who, for some reason, choose to read this rather poorly written blog.
2014 has commenced with stupendous weather and excellent potential for the up-coming golf season. December of 2013 had us more than a little worried as it was colder than average, lots of ice build up and with a lot more snow.  Fortunately a mid January thaw has melted all of that white stuff away and reduced the possibility of ice damage.  Most ice damage occurs with 30 days of coverage and that eventuality is becoming less likely as the spring approaches, not impossible but unlikely. 
The excessive snow has kept us constantly busy plowing the accesses to the golf course and the warmer temperatures of late were much welcomed.  It gave us a chance to get out and see what had been going on with the turf.  It appears that all is good; the tarps remain intact and in place despite some extremely high winds and ground thawing temperatures.  One major Spruce tree on eighteen blew over in a recent storm, but the damage overall is minimal as most of the trees are without leaves and have less drag in the wind.  With the wind came an excessive amount of rain. Number five flooded again and drove the ice from the pond almost up to the green, where it settled when the water eventually receded. Here's a few photos of that.

Number five pond. 

The ice had taken the pond edge with it.

The winter months at the golf course usually consist of, for the most part, a number common jobs.  With certainty, we know at some point we will be plowing snow, rebuilding and maintaining gear, painting and refreshing sundry equipment, and planning for the next year.  The last is always the part that we look forward to most.  We look at the way we approached aspects of our department, how our logistics worked out during the season, and how we can better those for the next season.  We also take into account the suggestions and direction from the Greens Committee, the membership, the management, and our staff.  We consider both the daily operations and any projects that are slated to take shape during the season. One such project will be the renovations area around holes one and nine.

During the 2013 season the Greens Committee identified an issue of safety; the proximity of fairways one and nine and the number of errant balls played from one that end up on nine fairway.  After discussing the issue, it was determined by committee that the golf course should seek the advice of the Graham Cooke, the architect who had designed the renovations at Oakfield in the early 2000's.  Graham visited the course on a cold December day in 2013, took a walking tour with the Greens Committee to examine one and nine, as well as the rest of the course.  Mr Cooke then produced a series of recommendations the help make two adjacent holes safer.  The following are quoted from Mr. Cooks report.

Recommendations  (Hole Number One)

• ·        Remove the grassy mounds that are found on the left side of the fairway (tight to the cart path). Return this area to playable fairway area. The removal of the mounds will make the fairway corridor appear much larger and more inviting.
• ·        Remove all the trees found to the right of the cart path.
• ·        Thin-out the forest trees left of the path by at least 30% to 50% to a depth of approximately 15 metres. Add soil and drainage to this zone to further promote a stable, healthy turf grass establishment. The goal in this zone is to make this area maintainable and to allow true recovery opportunities for errant shots into the area left of the path. It is hoped that the tree thinning will also open a view of the green from the tee on this opening par five.  It may be possible to dig out a more defined channel or create a pond deeper in the woodlot that could help to direct water away from the location left of the path that receives errant shots from one tee.

Recommendations  (Hole Number Nine)

• ·        The ninth hole has potential to be shifted to the left to close with the existing cart path. The grades in this zone work well for a fairway expansion, however top-dressing and minor levelling of the turf in this location may be necessary. Irrigation will also need to be reviewed to see what is needed to add irrigation coverage.
• ·        After establishment of the fairway expansion pull the right side of the fairway down by approximately 10 metres (grass cut change only). At this time in may be helpful to let the rough grow a touch longer on this right side and between the two golf holes (2.5 inches for example).
• ·        In this zone between one and nine the opportunity exists of adding more trees and there is also the opportunity of adding another bunker or two  just short of the existing ninth fairway bunker.
• ·        The shift of this fairway line on nine will require that you cut all the trees that presently are found to the right of the left side path (except for the far fir tree).
• ·        Left of the existing path there is a nice open linear stretch of rough before you reach an attractive evergreen grove of mature trees. This grove is important as it sets the limit of the corridor on this left side and would be a deterrent for tee shots hit well to the left. However, at present the grove is supported by high grasses around and within the trees. Moving the fairway left brings the grove more in play and I feel the tall grasses would become a very harsh penalty, especially as we are trying to keep tee shots on nine away from the first hole. The recommendation is to cut back or remove the tall grasses on this  side of the corridor.

Hopefully these measures will be effective in separating the first and ninth holes and the occurrences of errant shots to the wrong fairway will drastically drop off. However, if greater separation is needed the opportunity exists of pulling the fairway center line even farther left by relocating the left side path on nine up to the corridor boundary (tight to the tree line and high rough line.  This change would then allow the club to  shift the existing right side bunker on nine to the left by 10 to 20 metres. With the bunker shifted much farther left then the space to add trees between the golf holes would be greatly increased and the centre line separation of the golf holes would be quite pronounced. 

These recommendations do bring tee shots from nine closer to the features of eight green and nine back tees. However, the distance between these features is not too problematic and fortunately these features are on the left side of the ninth corridor and short of the principal landing area for drives off nine tees.

Here are the drawings that accompanied the recommendations (If you click on the picture you can make it larger).

Obviously the recommendations entail quite a lot of work and if we attempted to complete all of it in one go, there would be disruption in play.  Hugh and I were tasked with finding a schedule for the project that would best benefit the club and complete the project.  We have taken into account the area involved, the seasonal conditions, the construction requirements and limiting the interruption of play.  Here is our schedule.

Numbers 1 and 9 Fairway Renovation Action Plan

Winter 2014

• Remove trees all from between the cart path and the fairway on number one. 
• Remove scrub and trees on the left of cart path on number one and push forest back 15 to 20 yards from cart path to increase site lines to green.
• Remove roots and grub area
• Dig canal at far left of area to allow for water egress to number one fairway pond.
• Material removed from canal will be stock piled for later use in shaping area.
• Remove “elbow” in number one pond to allow for water level to temporarily drop.

Spring 2014

• Remove all the trees on the between the cart path and the fairway on number nine with exception of last fir tree.
• Remove stumps from right hand side of number one cart path; remove stumps from right hand side of number nine cart path. Level and inconsistencies.
•  Add irrigation the left hand side of number nine rough.
• Mow rough on right hand side of number nine down to fairway height to move 9 fair way toward the cart path.
• Continue planting trees between fairways.

Fall 2014

• Remove mounds from left side of number one and use material in conjunction with material from canal to shape area to new rough area to the left of number one.
• Sod area to right hand side of cart path where mounds were removed.
• Install drainage and seed area to left side of cart path in new rough area.
• Replace elbow on number one pond to return water level to original height.

Spring 2015

• Expand fairway to the cart path on number one to allow for greater landing area.

As we progress through the project I will be posting  updates on the blog. Please check back and feel free to post questions, comments or observations.