Often when I begin writing these blog entries I struggle with the opening line. It always seems awkward and out of place. This entry is particularly difficult to phrase because of events that have taken place in the last few months. My promotion to Superintendent at Oakfield and the birth of our second child and son Gabriel have left little time for reflection, blogging and sleep - in that order. Only now, after the fungicide is out, tarps are in place, the flags put away, the shop is empty of staff and the baby asleep does the reality really set in.
Mean while on the golf course, our little projects continue to progress. Number one is for the most part completed. Below are a few photos of the project as we moved through the fall.
The above photo is of the number one as it was for most of this summer.
In early September the Greens Committee suggested that the project would be completed faster if an outside contractor was brought in to completed the rough in of the mounds and the bulk of shaping. Rick Reed, a local contractor, brought his excavator and began moving material.
The first step in the process was to remove the mounds on the right hand side of the cart path and move the material over to the left side, where it would be shaped into mounds designed by the Greens Chairman and Superintendent.
The view from one tee.
Then, when the mounds were removed, Elmsdale landscaping were hired to install topsoil and sod on the right hand side of the cart path, which when sturdy enough, will be mowed at fairway height.
In the above picture the left hand side of the cart path is shaped out and the bulldozer is spreading topsoil on the right hand side. During the process we had Elmsdale add three inches of topsoil to the new fairway area to level and increase the root zone for the blue grass. Shortly afterwards the contractor brought in 18 pallets of sod and had it laid in less than two days. Sodding can be a very costly process, especially in for areas that are in high priority for play. For this reason everything on the left side of the cart path was seeded using a method called Hydro-seeding.
The same area from the green side view.
The above photo is a close up shot of the Hydro-seeded area. The Hydro-seed is made up of water, seed, fertilizer and fiber mulch. The fiber mulch is shredded paper that when added to the tank becomes almost a paste, which is then sprayed over the area. The process greatly improves the germination rate of the seed because the mulch protects the seed and keeps it moist. Although nothing replaces sodding as the best way to quickly and reliably vegetate an area, hydro-seeding does increase the germination rate over regular seeding and comes in at a fraction of the cost of sodding.
While working the in the area we included the repair the corrugated metal culvert at number one pond, which had began failing over the last few years. During the process we cleaned up the pond as well.
The first step was to pump down the water. Here's Hugh manning the pump.
Over the years the years the pond bottom had become silted in from run off accumulation and biomass sediment. In some area, there was as much as two feet of sludge. Here's Rick cleaning it up.
The sides of the pond are repack with clay from the bottom and made to be a bit steeper. This will help with reducing the accumulation of weeds and bull rushes.
The culvert was dug back to where the metal was still in decent shape and replaced with plastic culvert. We add a vertical portion to end of the pipe to control the level of the pond. The area was then back filled with clay.
The finished product. While at the golf course, we had Elmsdale hydro-seed this are as well.
Although plastic culverts have along life then metal, the drawback is that they are flexible. We discovered that when the pond was full the portion of the pipe not cover by soil flexed up ward from the buoyancy, which in turn raised the pond level. After trimming the culvert to the preferred height, the last step was to add this weight and cage to the top of the pipe. We created this in the shop, with a few bags of cement and spare rods. The weight is roughly 500 pounds, heavy enough to keep culvert in place and maintain the correct water level.
The weight in place. We weren't a 100 percent sure that the pipe would maintain the weight of our creation so we left a retrieval rope tied on in the event that the weight rolled off. As you can see the weight did lower the pipe level and will maintain the desired height. We'll keep an eye on it over the winter to see how the freeze / thaw effects the stability of the pipe.
Another project we have begun this winter is to replace the bridge on number 13. We had the wooden bridge assessed by an engineer and it was recommended that it be replaced sooner than later. Often times the wooden bridge was slippery and had to be painted with grit yearly to prevent injury. Like any wooden structure the life span is limited by the material, and while this bridge was only five years old, the exposure to freeze / thaw and constant dampness sped up it's decline. The above picture is of the bridge at normal water levels and the below picture during late fall this year. During that time the over flow culvert leaving Fish Lake had become blocked and the water level in the lake climbed way beyond the normal levels. This caused the bridge to be lifted from its moorings. While this event is uncommon, it has occurred in the past. When considering the replacement options there were a number of types of materials considered including metal and stone, but most were discarded due to cost. Eventually the best solution for the bridge replacement was determined to be a three foot culvert that would support the asphalt cart path in the future.
The golf course contacted ECL, who provided an excellent solution at a very reasonable cost. A concrete culvert, only a few inches smaller then the overflow culvert leaving Fish Lake, would be installed perpendicular to the cart path. This size of pipe will allow the the water to flow freely from 12 pond to Fish Lake and vice-verse, and makes little impact on the fauna in the area. Concrete culverts have a very long life span and installed correctly will support a terrific amount of weight. The pipe would be installed under the existing irrigation and wiring, and low enough to allow water to move even when a thick layer of ice covers the lake and pond. During the installation, Jack Eisener, a member of Oakfield and owner of ECL, donned a dry suit and plunged in the very cold water to fit the pipes correctly together.
Note the ice forming on the irrigation pipe in the foreground. Concrete culverts have a very long life span and installed correctly will support a terrific amount of weight. This seems the best solution as it is long term, cost effective and relatively simple.
Above is a photo of the rough finished installation. The black pipes exposed are for wire and drain conduits, which will be cut to size and buried during the finishing steps. All that remains is to landscape the ground around the new installation and have the cart path paved in the spring when weather allows.
In addition I would like to thanks the staff for a tremendous effort put forth this year, making the golf course what it was this summer.
Merry Christmas,
Adam Fletcher
Assistant Superintendent.
This is not the first time I have taken the step from Assistant to Superintendent, having been through the process in Ontario prior to following my wife to Nova Scotia, but this seems to be a larger event than the first time. Hugh Yorke, the out going Superintendent, has left some very large shoes to fill. After a quarter century of managing the grounds at Oakfield, Hugh has become a fixture at the golf course. He was here during the installation of the first irrigation system, the renovation of the all the green sites and pretty much every innovation that the course experienced. He has trained at least three assistants that have moved on to become superb Superintendents in their own right, and many other staff that have moved on to better positions. After working here for only a few weeks it was easy to recognize that being Superintendent for Hugh was more of a lifestyle than a job. His dedication to the industry in unmatched in the east coast, diligently attending every event and making valuable contributions while there. His wife, Barb, even runs the AGSA, our local association. I learned a lot form Hugh in the almost six years that we have worked together. Perhaps this is the most important lesson: he always gave me the opportunity to try new things, and supported that decision when it was questioned. His professionalism and attention to detail will be constant reminders for me in my new position, and I hope I can meet that expectation head on. Good Luck Hughie, and enjoy Vegas!
The other main event this year was the arrival of this healthy little fellow.
Mean while on the golf course, our little projects continue to progress. Number one is for the most part completed. Below are a few photos of the project as we moved through the fall.
The above photo is of the number one as it was for most of this summer.
In early September the Greens Committee suggested that the project would be completed faster if an outside contractor was brought in to completed the rough in of the mounds and the bulk of shaping. Rick Reed, a local contractor, brought his excavator and began moving material.
The first step in the process was to remove the mounds on the right hand side of the cart path and move the material over to the left side, where it would be shaped into mounds designed by the Greens Chairman and Superintendent.
The view from one tee.
Then, when the mounds were removed, Elmsdale landscaping were hired to install topsoil and sod on the right hand side of the cart path, which when sturdy enough, will be mowed at fairway height.
In the above picture the left hand side of the cart path is shaped out and the bulldozer is spreading topsoil on the right hand side. During the process we had Elmsdale add three inches of topsoil to the new fairway area to level and increase the root zone for the blue grass. Shortly afterwards the contractor brought in 18 pallets of sod and had it laid in less than two days. Sodding can be a very costly process, especially in for areas that are in high priority for play. For this reason everything on the left side of the cart path was seeded using a method called Hydro-seeding.
The same area from the green side view.
The above photo is a close up shot of the Hydro-seeded area. The Hydro-seed is made up of water, seed, fertilizer and fiber mulch. The fiber mulch is shredded paper that when added to the tank becomes almost a paste, which is then sprayed over the area. The process greatly improves the germination rate of the seed because the mulch protects the seed and keeps it moist. Although nothing replaces sodding as the best way to quickly and reliably vegetate an area, hydro-seeding does increase the germination rate over regular seeding and comes in at a fraction of the cost of sodding.
While working the in the area we included the repair the corrugated metal culvert at number one pond, which had began failing over the last few years. During the process we cleaned up the pond as well.
The first step was to pump down the water. Here's Hugh manning the pump.
Over the years the years the pond bottom had become silted in from run off accumulation and biomass sediment. In some area, there was as much as two feet of sludge. Here's Rick cleaning it up.
The sides of the pond are repack with clay from the bottom and made to be a bit steeper. This will help with reducing the accumulation of weeds and bull rushes.
The culvert was dug back to where the metal was still in decent shape and replaced with plastic culvert. We add a vertical portion to end of the pipe to control the level of the pond. The area was then back filled with clay.
The finished product. While at the golf course, we had Elmsdale hydro-seed this are as well.
Although plastic culverts have along life then metal, the drawback is that they are flexible. We discovered that when the pond was full the portion of the pipe not cover by soil flexed up ward from the buoyancy, which in turn raised the pond level. After trimming the culvert to the preferred height, the last step was to add this weight and cage to the top of the pipe. We created this in the shop, with a few bags of cement and spare rods. The weight is roughly 500 pounds, heavy enough to keep culvert in place and maintain the correct water level.
The weight in place. We weren't a 100 percent sure that the pipe would maintain the weight of our creation so we left a retrieval rope tied on in the event that the weight rolled off. As you can see the weight did lower the pipe level and will maintain the desired height. We'll keep an eye on it over the winter to see how the freeze / thaw effects the stability of the pipe.
Another project we have begun this winter is to replace the bridge on number 13. We had the wooden bridge assessed by an engineer and it was recommended that it be replaced sooner than later. Often times the wooden bridge was slippery and had to be painted with grit yearly to prevent injury. Like any wooden structure the life span is limited by the material, and while this bridge was only five years old, the exposure to freeze / thaw and constant dampness sped up it's decline. The above picture is of the bridge at normal water levels and the below picture during late fall this year. During that time the over flow culvert leaving Fish Lake had become blocked and the water level in the lake climbed way beyond the normal levels. This caused the bridge to be lifted from its moorings. While this event is uncommon, it has occurred in the past. When considering the replacement options there were a number of types of materials considered including metal and stone, but most were discarded due to cost. Eventually the best solution for the bridge replacement was determined to be a three foot culvert that would support the asphalt cart path in the future.
The golf course contacted ECL, who provided an excellent solution at a very reasonable cost. A concrete culvert, only a few inches smaller then the overflow culvert leaving Fish Lake, would be installed perpendicular to the cart path. This size of pipe will allow the the water to flow freely from 12 pond to Fish Lake and vice-verse, and makes little impact on the fauna in the area. Concrete culverts have a very long life span and installed correctly will support a terrific amount of weight. The pipe would be installed under the existing irrigation and wiring, and low enough to allow water to move even when a thick layer of ice covers the lake and pond. During the installation, Jack Eisener, a member of Oakfield and owner of ECL, donned a dry suit and plunged in the very cold water to fit the pipes correctly together.
Note the ice forming on the irrigation pipe in the foreground. Concrete culverts have a very long life span and installed correctly will support a terrific amount of weight. This seems the best solution as it is long term, cost effective and relatively simple.
Above is a photo of the rough finished installation. The black pipes exposed are for wire and drain conduits, which will be cut to size and buried during the finishing steps. All that remains is to landscape the ground around the new installation and have the cart path paved in the spring when weather allows.
In addition I would like to thanks the staff for a tremendous effort put forth this year, making the golf course what it was this summer.
Merry Christmas,
Adam Fletcher
Great post Adam; it's certainly a shame we had to lose the tree on 13 but it was necessary to remove when you showed us the pics. All the best; congratulations on the birth of your son! Can't wait for the season as this icy winter is getting to be areal drag! Take care!
ReplyDelete