Superintendent News – June Course Update
- Practice putting green renovation planned
- #14 tee box expansion and reshaping still moving forward
- Improved irrigation and drainage around the practice green
- Greens maintenance includes DryJect, verticutting, mowing, and rolling
- Cart path repairs planned after larger capital projects
During the month of June, our plans have changed for several capital projects. We will still increase the size and shape of the #14 tee box, but we will not continue adding stacked stone to #7 at this time. Instead, we will be rebuilding and reshaping the large practice putting green.
Although this area was renovated a few years ago, the practice putting green has continued to struggle each year, mostly due to poor irrigation coverage and drainage issues. With the new putting green project, we will be moving it slightly and reshaping it. Irrigation coverage will also be improved, increasing from 7 total irrigation heads to 12 heads.
The surrounding area of the putting green will receive new drain lines and will be sodded with TifGrand Bermuda grass. The putting green itself will be sodded with TifEagle instead of sprigs, allowing for a faster recovery.
The other grass areas throughout the course are really starting to take off. We preloaded the entire golf course in April with a slow-release fertilizer, and now the warmer temperatures and rain have helped the course begin to thrive. Fairways and tees are being mowed at .500, or 1/2 inch, and growth regulators have been applied with liquid fertilizer to help tighten and thicken the turf.
Two weeks ago, we DryJected sand into our greens and verticut them six times. We will verticut two more directions this coming week, followed by double mowing and rolling. Greens are currently being mowed at .120, and new reels have been installed on one mower, with the second mower scheduled to be completed this week.
Another capital project to be completed this year, after the putting green and #14 tee box, will be the cart paths. As you may remember, we completed root pruning this offseason to help prevent additional path issues from developing. The next step is to remove and replace the bad raised areas of the cart paths.
This work will be completed last because heavy equipment will be moving out to the #14 tee area. That way, if any other areas are damaged during the process, we can address them at the same time.
As always, thank you for choosing the Brickyard. Please remember to repair all ball marks and fill divots.
— Rusty Hill, GCS
Rusty Hill
General Manager & Golf Course Superintendent
