As we approach the 2019 Winter Solstice this coming Saturday 12/21/19, I cant help but thinking how transformational the year was for the golf course. We started what will be the biggest change since the courses inception and that is the switch from cool season turf to warm season Santa Anna Hybrid Bermuda in our primary playing surfaces. The change was and is not without some pain and sacrifice. Hybrid Bermuda takes longer to establish as it needs to be propagated in the warm summer season right ahead of it's natural dormancy in the fall and winter. This is really evident in the immaturity of the new surround turf which is now not growing so we can't do anything make it better until early spring. Additionally to finish the project we are looking at closing the golf course for a period of time in 2020 which displaces our members.
However I am extremely confident that once this new turf is fully established, we will have the fast and firm surfaces we have always desired spring all the way through fall. And if #17 fairway is any indication of future firmness of the fairways in the winter months, I'm confident play-ability will good in that season as well.
Current Santa Anna Hybrid Conditions.
My observations so far with the turf we started installing only 4 months ago (8/6/19) is the color is good in both the surrounds and #17 fairway particularly where there is plenty of sun exposure. Texture and play-ability in the surrounds is too tight and uneven especially compared to what we are accustomed to playing off of in the winter months with our older cool season turf. This, along with density and color of the turf in shaded areas will be mitigated before next December as we will have a full season of establishment and will raise the height of cut of the turf prior to fall slow down. I'm very satisfied with the firmness of #17 fairway which is firmer then the older fairways at this juncture. Still more wet weather to come likely that could impact it, but I'm optimistic.
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| #17 Fairway December 19, 2019 only 4 months after the sod was installed. |
The Project in 2020
We would have fully hoped at this point at the end of the year we would have had something definitive to share with the membership regarding our plans for 2020. I can assure you the final scope of work is diligently being worked on and hashed out through the year end budgetary process. The likely scope will include finishing fairways and some work on greens, tees & trees but timing and details are still a bit fluid. We will know soon and will use this Granite Bay Course Update format along with all other forms of communication to get the word out on 2020's details as soon as we know more.
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| #2 Surround December 19, 2020. |
Thank You
All of us in Granite Bay Golf Course Maintenance would like to express our thanks for the year end bonuses we receive through the generosity of our members. It is really appreciated by the maintenance crew and we thank you. I would personally like to thank for your support and patience during the "in process" and upcoming turf conversion. This kind of work wouldn't be possible without your support.
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