Vestavia Country Club Golf Course Maintenance: December 2012

Another great year of golf is quickly coming to an end for the Vestavia CC golf maintenance team. As a staff, we would like to thank all of the members of VCC for allowing us to work at such a great club. Below are some of the highlights from this past year.

Jan 09, 2012 Irrigation leak in #13 fairway. Had to hammer out rock to make room for new parts.

Heavy rain puddling on #9 green.

Heavy rain fills up green-side bunker on #16

Heavy rain puddles through middle of #16 green (Hint- this is great way to see how a golf ball actually breaks during a put. Hard to see these low areas when you're playing)

Spraying Poa annua that was not controlled by the Pre-emerge herbicide

Ryegrass overseeded in the bermuda islands at the parking lots.

Adding new sand to bunkers. #3 fairway bunker

Renovated practice bunker on back range tee.

Adding new sand to bunkers. #12 fairway.

One of the very few hole locations due to very fast greens speeds. #15 green.

Deep drill crew drilling the greens before we come behind them and aerify.

Aerifying the green to remove organic matter and allow for better air and water movement down into the root zone.

Azaleas blooming in flagpole bed at the front of the Clubhouse.

Tulips blooming at front door.

First fairway and approach mowing of 2012. Adding a new close mow area left of #7 green.

First fairway and approach mowing of 2012. #9 fairway striping a little.

Cherry trees are the first to bloom. behind #12 green.

Installing Celebration bermuda grass under the shade of the oak tree in #11 fairway.

Bunker washed after a moderate rain. #11 greenside bunker.

Just before the new mat system was added at the practice area tee.

Irrigation leak wasting water. #5 rough.

Verticutting after aerfying the teeboxes. #11 tee box

Topdressing tees after verticutting and aerifying. #6 tee

Verticutting fairways. #1 fairway.

Why it is not a good idea to apply sunscreen/bug repellent while standing on the turf.

Replacing flowers near the Presidential Entrance.

Sodding along new cartpath addition. #3 Par 3 Course

Mowing fairway

Aerifying short game practice area greens

Aerifying Par 3 greens for first time since construction. #7 green Par 3 Course

Pinestraw company spreading straw around property. #6 tee

Tree service removing large dead tree. #16 rough

2012 Member-Guest Tournament

Aerifying with small needle tine Monday after Member-Guest Tournament

Irrigation blow-out. #2 fairway

Straight-line wind storm leaves a lot of debris behind. #2/#8 rough

Straight-line wind storm breaks down a maple. #18 near green

One of many kids' summer clinics on the Par 3 course. #2 green Par 3 course.

Signs of another drought start to show. #2 fairway

Irrigation repair #8 fairway

Nice root depth for end of June. #18 green

Molly goes for a swim in the lake that has dropped a few feet because of no rain.

More signs of a long stretch with no rain. #9 fairway

Irrigation leak that cannot be valved off because it would stop water from getting to the green. Not something you like to see especially during a drought when water is even more valuable.

More dry spots in the rough. #18 rough

Washed bunker. #15 green

Another well attended kids' clinic.

Roots look good for mid-July on the weakest green. #3 green

I was surprised when I looked up and spotted a Porche driving down the cartpath. #18 cartpath.

Root length looks good. The longer the better. #9 green

Kyle with an injured hawk (Geronimo) in a box at the maintenance shop. Hawk is taken to Oak Mountain to be rehabilitated.

Club Championship Saturday. #10 green

Final preparations for Club Championship. #18 green

The pedals for the brake and reverse are really close to each other!! Creek at #4 tee. (due to operator having his seat belt on, he was not hurt. Amazingly, the machine drove out of the creek and was able to continue mowing.)