December 29, 2011

47 degrees at the end of December means the fairways are having a great winter.

Happy New Year!

December 8, 2011

We are having a wonderful early December!! This picture depicts our installation of much needed drainage in the landing area on #12 fairway.

November 30, 2011

Our team continues to install brick pavers at the new cart staging area along the practice green / first tee.

November 18, 2011

The Board of Governors and the Grounds Committee joined the Grounds Staff for breakfast on Saturday morning at the maintenance building. The morning was filled with good will and appreciation from everyone who celebrated the close of a successful season.

November 14, 2011

The start of the cart path installation near the new first tee.

Our guys are good!!

November 12, 2011

One of my favorite days of the season. Winterizing the irrigation system leaves us one less thing to worry about.

November 5, 2011

Our work this fall continues. Here we have the new cart staging area prepared for the final stage of sand and bricks.

October 21, 2011

The boys are hand topdressing the new practice putting green this morning. The sand will cover the crowns of all the newly established seedling, promoting greater density and finer leaf blades. This process also helps to smooth the surface allowing us to lower the height of cut.

October 15, 2011

Happy Sweetest Day!!

The new practice putting green continues to get sweeter everyday. We should have no problem getting it open around Memorial Day 2012.

October 9, 2012

As we watch the fairways grow out of the Poa annua reduction program, the crew continues to sod the new borders.

Last week we installed 120,000 sqft of the 250,000 sqft required to complete the borders.

Enjoy the weather, and the golf course. The weather is perfect, the golf course, not so much. But the current conditions and progress are right on schedule.

October 4, 2011

More sod bordering. The boys finished #6 yesterday. Today we are working on #3.

October 3, 2011

The boys are beginning to lay rolls of sod for the new fairway borders. Quite a bit of work ahead of us.

September 27, 2011

#11 fairway is ready for the new sod that will create a perfect edge. But, Mother Nature is not ready. We will wait until next week to get started with the sod border.

September 23, 2011

After a couple years of clearing, mowing, seeding and cleaning.....we are finally seeing results in the woods. Fall flowers will greet you when the course reopens on October 1!

September 21, 2011

Preparing for the new sod border installation. Set to begin next week.

September 21, 2011

This picture shows the yellowing of the new turf, in comparison to the color of the existing turf on 18 approach. The color change was anticipated and will persist for another week or so. The yellowing is a result of the Poa annua reduction portion of the fairway re-grassing.

September 20, 2011

Thom has excellent germination on the new practice putting green.

September 6, 2011

The fairways are a little off-color due to our Poa annua control program. But the turf density continues to increase and root growth is excellent.

September 14, 2011

A hazy start to our day thanks to the wildfires of northern Minnesota.

September 12, 2011

Thom Irvin is seeding the new practice putting green today. The green should be available for use next spring.

September 11, 2011

The fairways continue to improve.

September 10, 2011

Aaron Becker did a little reseeding on the few thin areas in fairways. There remains a few spots that we will sod later.

Photo by Thom Irvin

September 8, 2011

I've never been sad to see a dozer leave the grounds.

Adios!!!!

September 7, 2011

The first tees take shape.

September 6, 2011

18 fairway at the end of our work day.

September 6, 2011

The first of many rolls of sod to be placed around the first tee area.

September 3, 2011

Happy Labor Day weekend folks. Have a safe holiday.

We have four loads of sod coming next week to start turning the 1st tee area green!

September 1, 2011

We are beginning the first mowing of all fairways today. The first mowing is critical, the tender plants will not tolerate any abuse. To be as gentle as possible, our boys will walker mow the entire 24 acres over the next two days.

August 31, 2011

13 fairway, first mowing at 1/2". 15 days after seeding.

August 30, 2011

We are rolling a few fairways today. The rolling is required before our first mowing to smooth the surface.

August 29, 2011

After the 4" layer of washed gravel is spread over the sub-grade, a 12" layer of a sand/peat mix is placed. This 12" layer will be the growing medium for the new practice putting green.

August 28, 2011

Not much to report on a Sunday morning. The weather is so nice I think I can hear the grass growing.

Monday and next week will be busy with aerification, irrigation installation and more drainage.

August 26, 2011

After the drain lines have been installed into the green, an even four inch layer of washed round gravel is spread over the sub-grade.

August 26, 2011

#5 fairway at sunrise. Still a lot of work to do. But, even I can be happy with this catch of grass only eight days after starting to irrigate.

August 25, 2011

The construction crew is installing perforated drain lines into the sub-grade of the new practice putting green this morning.

August 24, 2011

The shaper puts a few finishing touches on the lawn behind the new first tee. His challenge is to maintain the level lawn and keep storm water from entering the bunker.

August 23, 2011

We have germination on almost every seeded fairway now. Last Saturday's rain expanded our areas that will need to be reseeded. And the next several days of rain don't look good.

The rain has already set back the first tee project. More rain may delay our Labor Day seeding date on the putting green.

The old saying goes "I'd rather be lucky than good." The new saying goes, "if Im' not going to be lucky, it's lucky I'm good."

August 21, 2011

#14 was the first fairway we completed. The seed is germinating nicely. Our boys are pushing off excess water from yesterday's storm. Looks like a nice day to grow grass!!

August 20, 2011

That's what 1.1" of rain in 30 minutes looks like on a saturated seedbed.

August 19, 2011

It's important that all areas are SOAKED several times through to germination. The kind of heavy soaking only a hose can provide.

August 19, 2011

Hi Folks:

Happy Friday!!

We have completed seeded all the fairways, finishing up last night. The watering will be consistent to keep a moist seedbed for a week or so.

The putting green and first tee area have really come around this week. Everything is taking shape, but much work remains.

We also have aggressively core aerified a few more greens.

It's been a great week. Have a great weekend!!

Dave Schlagetter

August 18, 2011

An early morning picture with all the fixin's. Seeding. Dozer. Drainage. It's gonna be a GREAT day!

August 17, 2011

Continued progress. Only three more holes to seed!

August 16, 2011

And progress on the first tee area.

August 16, 2011

A good day. Water flying means this fairway has been completed.
Seeded in two directions
Sand topdressed two times
Dragged smooth
Rolled tight
Fertilized
Water!!

August 16, 2011

18 green is your practice putting green for some time.

August 15, 2011

7 days after the initial Roundup application. We made our second application today.

August 15, 2011

Away we go!!

August 14, 2011

Better exposure on this one, folks. And no, I'm not nervous.

August 14, 2011

Six days after first Roundup application. Nervous yet?

August 11, 2011

Around the new first tee and practice green, our boys are removing the existing sprinklers. We will reuse the sprinklers around the new green and tees.