Happy New Year

This past year has been a year of change and we are headed into 2014 with our eyes wide open and ready to take on any challenges that befall us in the upcoming year.

Our hopes from the GCM department is that you have a safe and wonderful New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving

From the GCM staff members To everyone ...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Dead Grass!!

Traffic Kills Turf

I can ask, pro shop can ask, even Mark can ask but if you do not scatter grass will DIE!  The picture above shows the damage from one day of traffic on our young and tender ryegrass.  Will this area bounce back?  Yes, but areas that do not benefit from rope rotation thus it is up to our members to scatter.  Remember that damaged cause today takes two to three to exhibit.

Please Scatter!!

What is Scattering??

Mowing 9 in Prep of SG

Yesterday was lady team play and boy was is it exciting to prep the golf course in time to have it ready for the enjoyment of the ladies.  We made it - barely.

This is NOT Scattering - Caused By Carts Heading Towards Their Holes in the SG

The picture above shows the exact worse thing you can possibly do to turfgrass especially young tender grass.  Taking the path of least resistance and NOT scattering will KILL grass almost as quick at Round Up.  So please, drive everywhere, anywhere but do not drive the same path. 

Cold Weather Is Around the Corner

Believe it or not but appears that right around the corner is what appears to be the first frost of the season.  This is a dangerous time since our crew has forgotten the importance of stay off until this frost has lifted so we will not damage the turf for months.

Please check with the pro shop before any contact with the turf is made.  All updates will be given to them.

The Dawn of a New Day

Sunrise Over 3's Green

As the new day starts today I am looking forward to what we can produce for our members this upcoming season.  There are some major changes but all of these are for the betterment of the Club and to improve member/staff relations.

1's Tee Lake

I do want you to know that this season there are many new members to the GCM staff.  We have six new team members (five of which with less than a week's experience) and will be hiring another this week so bare with us during the training process.  I also ask for your help in letting me know issues you might find since with a 117 acres Ernie and myself cannot see everything.  Your help is extremely valuable.

The good news is that the weather has been fantastic!  And we are heading in the right direction.  With the good Lord's help this will not only be a dawn of a new day but the start of a better one.

Veteran's Day

Palm Springs Veteran Parade

Me - Tyndale AFB FL 

Veteran's Day is a day that holds special meaning to me on many levels.  First, my family has served in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and now Afghanistan.  This includes grandparents, nephews, cousins, and daughter.

I take pride in our men and women in uniform and I hope that you do too.  The American flags will be pulled today from the golf course but never from our hearts.

Victoria Comer - My Daughter on the USS G. Washington

Granddaddy & My Grandmother

 My Uncle Bruce

 My Nephew and His New Lovely Wife Meaghan

My Grandfather

 



Ball Marks - Yuck

Unrepaired Ball Marks

If a ball mark is repaired with 20 minutes after caused it most likely will heal within one day.  If not it can take up to three weeks to heal.  The choice is up to our members.

Looking Down 11

Opening is Past

Google Map of 2's Green May 2013

I heard overall everyone was quite happy about the golf course but I did have a couple ask "did we shrink the greens?"  No I expanded the green surrounds but the greens remain the same.  Trying to add to and improve the playability of the green surround I increase the playing area ... I never thought that it would give the illusion that the greens shrunk ... which they have not.

16's Fairway is Ready

The course is ready as it can be for now.  We will be addressing the details that were put on hold until the golf course was opened.

Opening Day

The members were excited yesterday and hugs and smiles were quite plentiful.  I love opening day and seeing everyone.

Someone Drove on 11's Green

But sadly at night someone drove across one of the greens ... so please keep a eye out for people trying to damage our hard work.

Range Is Open, Course Tomorrow

Overspray - Heads Adjusted Correctly But Mist Comes In

This time of year I get numerous phone calls because the irrigation is running during the day and many feel that the irrigation is aimed at their homes.  In some cases this is true, however, in most cases it is the mist created from the high pressure used to transport the water over miles of pipe.  Since the irrigation is during the day it is noticed and with the output it seems like their homes are getting soaked.  But please never stop informing us potential issues.


17 Is About Ready

Yesterday we started prepping the bunkers for the opening and getting all the items we pulled back out to the golf course.  Details, details details.

First Day on Range

Range is open and the first divots need to be filled.  Tomorrow the course will be opened for play.

Driving Range & Practice Open This Morning

6's Fairway

The driving range opened today and we are working extremely hard to get the golf course open by Thursday morning.


2's Approach

The ropes and stakes are one of the most difficult things to get done in time but as members you can help by scattering.  Which means drive any where, and I mean anywhere that no one else has driven.  This will greatly reduce the impact of the cart damage to the golf course since we do not have wall-to-wall cart paths.

There are some change you will notice on the driving range such as the rotation being changed from back to front, to front to back ... and the colored flags have returned.  The pro shop and the head pro are adding these changes to aid in improving the customer relations.

Less Than a Week

1's Hole

We have less than a week to get everything ready and of course have three weeks worth of work to get there.  This is the part of overseeding I hate but a necessary evil.

Getting There Day by Day

Pythium?  Really??

Every time you think the weather could not be more perfect ... well Mother Nature has her own views on what should happen.  Last nights we had howling winds which is taking our already stretched resources and challenging them even further.

1's Fairway Growing In

Today we are putting down extra seed and tomorrow we start the wall-to-wall fertilization.  Are hands are full but we will pull it together before opening.

Even with the fantastic weather pythium still raises its ugly head.  We will be spraying a preventative this morning.

Working the Details

7's Fairway

I love the triplex line look in the fairways but sadly it is so time consuming that we cannot continue the process.  It takes five guys seven hours to complete all of our fairways here at Avondale.

Edging 9's Fairway Bunker

Some ask me what is the hardest part of the overseeding and the answer depending on the weather is always the details.  You can never do enough of them but you always will have more.  That is why I look forward to opening the golf course because after that what is ... is.

The Rough of 8

Slowly but surely the grass seed I s germinating and we are getting there.  Still lots to do before we open.

Working Towards Opening

New Flower Bed Added - Clock to Follow

On Monday the flowers were planted and they look great.  Today the remainder of the flats will be plants behind 18's green.  With the expansion of the clubhouse flower bed and the new flower bed at the chipping green you will be happy to know we have added the over 50 new flat of flowers.

Flowers Mostly are In - Finish Today

Lots of fertilization due, lots of detail work needed but slowly we are getting there.  Now comes the hard parts of getting the small details ready.

18's Fairway

Mowing in Full Force

18's Primary Fairway Cut

Strips!!

Short and sweet ... we are extremely busy and slightly behind.  That is the norm but as always we will get there.

Stripping!!

First Rough Mow on 4

I love it when we do the first mow ... wonderful strips.  If I could keep the golfers off of it it would always look great ... just kidding.

Mowing is Ramping Up

6's Approach First Mowing

We are mowing more and more everyday as we germinate.  The greens are filling in nicely and we have even started fertilizations and chemical applications.

No Overseeding on DR - To the Right

This upcoming Monday the flowers are getting planted and we will be starting the list of those details - that is the biggie.

Germination!!!

11's Green is Ready for the First Mow

 All of the greens have been mowed at least once.

So is 17

 And the fairways will start there mowing today.

4's Green Has Had It's Second Mowing

It is fun to watch all of the hard work the team has done come to life!  I could not be more proud of my team to step up and make everything happen.

Mowing Has Begun

First Mowing on 4's Green

Yesterday we started mowing the first greens that were seeded and today we mowed them all.  Additionally, we mowed the first tee and fairway.

Tag Team 4's Nursery

There is still lots and lots to get done and currently we are behind ... but we will as we always do get caught back up soon.

Hole 6 is still Growing In

Germination & First Mow

On Sunday 4's Green Started Germination - First Mowing Today

Today we will start the mowing of the greens on 4 - 1 and the large nursery.  I project that by this Friday that we should see the mowing of the first seeded fairways.

Prepped Flower Beds for Planting Next Monday

This upcoming Monday the flowers for the clubhouse will arrive and the planting will begin.  Since last year's major success with the flowers we continued using Armstrong Nursery and their planting team for this year's success.

Still Waiting Behind 9's Green

We overall are still waiting for the germination to start on the remaining parts of the golf course, but it is so nice to start the mowing up as soon as we can.

Snow on the Mountains

Can You Believe It?

We have survive the light rain only to find that once the clouds cleared that there was snow on the mountain - in October.  Unbelievable.

Now it is a waiting game until the grass seed pops.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you see any issues with our irrigation ... we do not always catch them all.

Just in Time

Rain Loomed Over the Mountain

Finishing the Last Holes as the Weather Moved In



Team was Working Hard

The rains threaten to come in and finally did in the afternoon and luckily we got the last of the seed down and finished the product.  We have only two areas (one on 9 and one on 5's Tee) that we have to wait until the grass piles are removed before we can turn on the irrigation.  Those piles will be moved on Friday.