Course Update

The Green Department has had a very busy March preparing the golf course for the season. We are still operating with about a fourth of our normal peak staff. We should begin to have more people coming on board over the next few weeks. Once we are up to our normal staff size we will open the Willows. I would anticipate opening the Willows sometime during the first week of April. Next week we will begin setting the tee markers in their normal location. We will be mowing greens for the first time this afternoon. The Greens usually take a little longer to start growing as compared to the rest of the golf course. The sand that remains on the greens is making it difficult for us to roll or mow the greens during the early morning. The dew collects on the rollers and mowers and brings the sand to the surface of the greens. We apologize that there may be some mornings with dew on the greens but this should only be the case for another week. Our construction company, Hawk Shaw, should be returning by April 15th to complete the project. They are currently finishing another project in New York and will be moving equipment in as soon as that project is completed. As our staff begins to grow we will start setting most of the accessories on the golf course. Ball washers, benches, hazard stakes, and water coolers will be placed on the golf course sometime in early April. We anticipate opening the driving range the week of April 2nd. We will once again be utilizing the area in front of the tees during the early part of the season. We would like to take the chance to remind everyone to spend some extra time repairing ball marks and replacing divots. Divot mix will not be placed on the carts until soil temperatures warm up a little. Please remember to keep your carts on the paths when you are around a green or tee complex. This is a policy we are placing a high emphasis on this year. Also new this year we are asking that all bunker rakes remain in the bunkers. Our hope is to make the rakes more visible so members can find them easier. The USGA has no official policy on where to place the rakes and leaves it up to each individual club to make their own decision.

It has been a tremendous month of March and we hope this great weather continues. Rounds are up and we are getting a early jump on the season.