Missing a sand wedge??

I've never seen this before. #18 tee this morning.

Upside down lids

If you happen to notice one of the lids to an underground valve box turned upside down you may try to give us a hand and turn it over. Thanks for trying to lend a hand but this was done for a reason. Anytime we close a valve on the course we will turn the lids/tops upside down so that if another 'fire' breaks out somewhere else on the course that pulls us away from that area we can easily go back and identify what has already been closed.

Just when the greens were perfect...

Spring Aerification 2013.

Typically on the day of aerification we get started before the sun comes up in order to get everything wrapped up and ready for play as soon as possible.  This year however, the weather threw us a little curve.  Because of the freezing temps on Sunday night we were not able to get going until 8:45 and then on Tuesday some severe weather rolled through and shut the operation down for the day.  We made some tweaks to our operation (after the machine sunk into the green this past Fall) and everything went as well as possible given our weather hurdles.

The drill crew comes in and drills holes that go down about 10 inches. 

 

After the drill crew leaves the green our crew comes in and aerifies.



One man follows behind each machine and scoops up anything that is left behind.

 

The 'U'-shaped box behind the aerifier is our tweak this time.  It drags the plugs off to the side of the green.  It worked great.

#4 green.  You can see both machines and all the crew members on the green cleaning up.

The plugs are left on the edge of the green in piles that are picked up and hauled away.



Kyle wanted this picture taken to show reference. 

Next 4 different fertilizers are added so that they can fall down into the open holes.

After the fertilizers the greens are topdressed heavily with sand.

Behind the sand comes the orange brush drag. (forgot to take a picture this year)



The hand brooms.  This has been the best way to fill every hole completely.

A few little mounds are left so they are scooped up and spread lightly across the green.

Then we use a mat made of coconut fibers.  It gets the sand smoothed back out.

 

The last step is to roll the greens to smooth out any humps created during the process.

We then come back and repeat several of the steps a few more times to get everything just right.  We were able to get the front nine almost ready before the large rain storm hit on Tuesday and brought everything to a halt.  Today we got back out in some pretty cold temperatures and the process pretty close to complete.

Snow days


We have had a few snow days through the years at the club.  Here a few pictures from years past as well as some from our most recent one. 

Lower putting green




#2 green




#3 forward tee




#4 right of cartpath




#15-edging cart paths is one of the few tasks that can be done in the snow




Molly out on #15




#18 green




#10 tee--2010





2010



#2 Green



#2 approach




Sledding down the back of #7 green




#3 green




Sledding from the back of #7 tee



#3 Drainage project


One of our initial goals for 2013 was to install drainage on the end of the fairway near the creek and get this area drier and more suitable for play.  Here are several photos of the installation so far.

Fairway on the morning before the guys got started




Because most of our "as-builts" are incorrect we spend a lot of time digging by hand to locate irrigation pipe so that they are not damaged while we excavate trenches.




The first few trenches are excavated and the bottoms are cleaned out by hand




Heavy rain makes for muddy work to get everything cleaned back out




The guys cleaning out mud from bottom of the trench




Plywood is placed down under the tracks of excavator to minimize damage to turf




Now we bring out the jack hammer to bust up multiple areas where rock interferes




After adding a layer of gravel to the bottom of each trench, 20 foot sections of perforated drain tile are added and duct taped together to eliminate separation.




More gravel added to cover drain tile




Now sand is added over the gravel




A plate compactor is used to get everything tight and level


 

After a heavy rain a lot of hard work is washed down into the creek.




Most of this sand and gravel will need to be shoveled out by hand and discarded.  New sand and gravel will have to be added in its place.




A lot of water runs across the surface during a big rain event on this fairway



2012 Year End Review

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

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.) 

Sunday morning sunrise.  #9 green

Erecting temporary green fan.  #3 green

Advertising for upcoming Progressive Dinner on Par 3 course.  #3 Par 3 Course

Finishing mowing the green in the pouring rain.  #9 green Par 3 Course.

Trimming hedge row along OB line.  #9 rough.

Heavy weekly sand topdressing of driving range tee.

9 days after aerification.  #9 green

Long roots a result of deep drilling before each greens aerification.  #9 green

Bush hogging tall fescue down to around 6-8 inches.  #9 tee

#16 tee

Renovated area to pinestraw bed.  #11 green/#16 tee

Repairing area where Pro Sweep machine plowed through during aerification.  #3 green

Another core of extremely long roots from deep drilling before aerification.  #14 green

Setting up for Progressive Dinner on Par 3 course.  #2 fairway Par 3 Course 

Setting up for Progressive Dinner on Par 3 Course.  #4 fairway Par 3 Course

Setting up for Progressive Dinner on Par 3 Course.  #8 tee Par 3 Course

Sunday morning preparations.  #13 green

New bed installed to add some seasonal color to this area.  Flagpole bed at clubhouse

AGA setting hole locations for State Senior 4-ball.  #17 green

First mowing of ryegrass area at Clubhouse

#4 green Par 3 Course

#6 green Par 3 Course

#8 green Par 3 Course

#8 Par 3 Course

Molly helping out with an irrigation leak.  #8 fairway

Removing trees causing shade issues on the green.  #4 green Par 3 Course

Removed fescue at back tee to allow for mowers to drive straight back off of tee box rather than turning on top of tee causing damage.

Root length starting to grow deep again.

Exposing rock shelf.  #7 green Par 3 Course

Area renovated to pinestraw bed.  #2/#8 rough

Beginning work on walk through area.  #18 green

 

Nov 8, 2012  Geronimo is brought back to VCC healthy.  She is released after about 3 months of rehabilitation.