Season is in Full Swing

The Lamborghini on Cook

Yesterday on the way home I saw three Ferraris and then a Lamborghini .. I realized season must be in full swing ... and it is.  March and April are the busy time for the golf course and there are so many things all trying to happen at the same time. 

Remember, our goal is to ensure you have the finest time here while you are at Avondale.  So please do not hesitate to contact me, Nik or Mark if there is anything we can do for you.

Spraying & New Nursery

Spraying for Summer Weeds

Once a year we spray for the summer weeds, but last year we skipped this step.  And boy did we pay the price in lost of weed suppression.  In addition, we put in fertilizer and growth regulator.  The should help us in our roughs.

Cutting Out New Nursery

It was determined that we would install a 328 bermudagrass nursery for approach repair and conversion.


Team Clears Old Sod

The prep of this project is a big step.  First, we have to clear the area and over the next month or so kill any of the undesirable coming back in.

Finally, once the weeds have been suppressed we can add soil, level and sprig the 328 stolons.  This nursery will be ready to harvest next year.

Beauty Has a Price

10's Pond

 Beauty isn't free and comes with costs.  But I will tell you we have been blessed with a great year for growing grass.

New Drain Addition to 2's Fairway

Part of that beauty leads to puddling water.  To combat that issue we are installing new drains and repairing old ones.

New 328 Nursery Being Build

On top of that, we are starting work on the new 328 nursery being built on the DR.  This will start the approach and surround issues in the future.

Spiking Greens, Trimming Tree, Killing Poa ... On My

Grass is Looking Great

Even with all the challenges we experienced the season and during overseed everything has come together.  Last week we tilled the bunkers allowing better playability and now are getting the details all touched up.

Green Patch in Back is Poa Annua

With this year not overseeding the driving range floor we discovered just how much Poa Annua we really have.  Over the past couple of weeks we have been spray this areas in an attempt to reduce the population.  Tomorrow we will be spraying 4's nursery which will lead to that out of the normal play area to die including the ryegrass.

2 Minutes of Water - Yuck

The last couple of days we have also been spiking the greens to increase the water movement.  This is a normal process on push up greens such as what we have here at Avondale, but starting soon we also will be needle tining the greens to further improve the percolation.  This is why the greens appear to be wet in the morning even though we have had the irrigation off of them for days.

Trimming Trees to Allow Light Penetration

Also the last couple of days we have trimmed several trees around problematic greens that experience massive shade issues.  This will help now and in transition.

Founder's Cup on the Horizon

Practice Facility at Sunrise

The Founder's Cup, second of the season's events, kicks off tomorrow with the putting contest and events in the dining hall.  Along with the weather warming up you can feel the season going into full swing with the Eclectic last week and the Founder's this week.


7's Fairway on 1-20-14

Today, we are starting the wall-to-wall fertilization of the golf course.  Since this process is quite a large undertaking we will address it in pieces such as today we are only planning to fertilize the DR, 1, 5 - 7 and 9 ... maybe 8 if we can irrigate quickly.

One Down, Many to Go

9's Fairway Looking Towards the Green

The first event of the season is in the books and it seems everything went off without a hitch.  I did not hear one complaint so that in itself is fantastic!!

Sunrise Over 8's Green (1-17-14)

Working along side by side with the Golf Shop we have been able to continue the fertilizations much needed to maintain quality turf.  And over the upcoming week, of course without interfering with the Founder's, we will be performing the wall-to-wall fertilization starting tomorrow.  Since we do want to minimize any interference this will be a multiday project.

1-17-12 (Before) Growing in the Staging Area



1-17-14 (After) Growing in the Staging Area

Over the past couple of years we have been addressing the look of the staging area.  With this year's great weather and persistence we are almost gotten the desired look.

Spring Warm Up

Warm Up Brings Blooms

As the weather warms back up into the eighties from the frost delays we had in December, the flowers begin to bloom.

Lots of Blooms

As the flowers blooms this is the first step in the golf course green up where soon the Bermudagrass will come back into play along with the ryegrass.

Mowing 16's Green

This will improve even more the golf course condition but sadly will at first slow down our greens.  Not a biggie ... we are ready.

Another Beautiful Morning at Avondale

So enjoy!!!!