2023 Winter Drainage Project Update #1

We started the drainage project highlighted in last weeks Course Update, starting with the the very beginning of #4 fairway. If you recall, we did do some drainage work in this area back in November prior to the rain we received in January. The recent storms exposed the need for more work here, so we started this week knowing we would be finished by Friday. 

Next week we plan to start a much larger job on #12. We plan to employ the same process we did this week in moving tee markers ahead of where we are working Monday through Friday so we can work both safely and productively and stay out of golfer's way. We will provide more pictures and progress reports next week on #12 as we plan to fix the other nagging issue between the first set of new bunkers which are related to surface drainage. Until then, below are a few pictures of this week's progress on #4.

We observed during January's rain events, the lack of rapid effectiveness of the previous drainage work we did in this area in November. Therefore, we decided to change tactics and dig the drains wider with the excavator. Drainage ditches are now approximately 12" wide & 16" deep with 2" of gravel on the bottom of the ditch, followed by a 4" perforated drainpipe, and filled to the top with 3/4" round drain rock. 

Good depiction of the work in progress. 

Compacted gravel awaiting sod replacement.

If you were playing last week, you might have observed piles of soil between the new left-hand fairway bunker on #9 and the pond edge. This is where we moved the soil from the #4 drainage ditches and will continue to add soil from #12 next week. This pond edge is in desperate need of expansion of 8 to 10 feet all the way around the bunker. This slight widening will allow for better transition between the lower bunker edge and water's edge as well making it easier for you to walk around and will facilitate much safer maintenance operations. Above picture shows the
smoothed-out soil we placed there this week.

We will clearly identify specifics when we move tee markers forward during this work.

We will continue to place benches and garbage containers to help identify teeing areas from afar.

Above shows the completed process on #4 the afternoon of Friday 2/3/23. GUR painted around the entire area.  Looks like we have a little rain coming our way starting Saturday afternoon through Sunday that will give this drainage work a little test run. 

The Best is Yet to Come!

Thank you.