Better Billy Bunkers are Coming!!

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

We just got word that on Tuesday, September 18, a construction team will be arriving to launch our Bunker renovation project. This process will renovate the remaining bunkers with the Better Billy Bunker System, a process which has already been done on holes 3, 18, as well as the practice bunker.

The project schedule is currently being discussed. Timing will be based upon several factors including the scope of the work, the location of the bunker and the materials needed. Please contact the Golf Shop for the latest updates to the construction schedule. We encourage you to follow the process by visiting this blog for real-time updates, photos and schedules. http://www.bluegrassgcm.com/

It is important to note that the process of renovating each bunker has several steps, not all of which occur simultaneously. Here is a brief overview of the process, in layman’s terms:

  1. Remove the sand and material within each bunker
  2. Test the drainage outflows
  3. Reshape and form the bunker’s edge
  4. Install the liner
  5. Fill the bunker with angular, white quartz sand
  6. Replace the sod and repair the bunker surround

You can also view more detailed information including pictures and videos of the process from a previous post in February. Access this post in the February archive area on the home page.

ClubCorp’s agronomy experts have determined the Better Billy Bunker System to be the best choice for our bunkers. This system involves the process of spraying the foundation of the bunker with a gravel-based layer held together with a polymer, in lieu of a mesh or fiber-netting based foundation. This porous gravel-based layer drains extremely well with a percolation rate of over 400 inches per hour, and prevents contamination of soil, ensuring our bunkers remain white and free of debris, such as rocks and staples. This spraying application is performed by a contracted company that will be on location in waves, therefore it is expected that several holes will have bunkers awaiting this process while the renovation team moves on to another hole.

Note: We will adopt a temporary local rule of Free Relief from the bunkers that are awaiting the spraying application. A small green/white stake around each location will allow a free drop, without penalty, within (2) club lengths of the stake.

 

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Fall Aerification

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

Our Fall aerification has come and gone. On September 10th and 11th the final aerification for the year was completed.  We began in the afternoon following in behind the Susan G. Komen outing and finished the front nine in the evening. Everything went as planned and we expect to heal in about 2 weeks.

Fun Facts From Aerification:

  • 12.27 cubic feet of green remove per 1000 square feet
  • 1104.3 cubic feet of green removed over all greens
  • 9.82% of the putting surface affected
  • 72 holes per square foot
  • 6,480,000 holes over all greens

Many wonder why aerification is so important. Greens aerifications are a necessary practice to ensure the green’s health for the future. Normally aerification on bentgrass takes place when the plants are at their optimum time for growth and when golfers view the greens are at their best.  Performing this cultural practice during this time will provide a speedy recovery and allow adequate amounts of oxygen and applied nutrients to the soil for healing and growth.

When selecting a tine size, tine spacing, and amount of organic matter to remove  is a lot more than just a guess or how much you want to make the golfers mad. The USGA provides guidelines for the amount of organic matter removed from a green every year (15-20% OM/Year). These guidelines help to prolong the life of a green and ensure the root zone will stay functioning as it should. Typically 3-4 aerifications a year, similar to this fall aerification,  will comply with the USGA guidelines.  We plan our tine sizes and spacing to remove 3-8% organic matter per aerification for the year using different tine sizes for different periods of the season. Early Spring and summer aerifications use smaller tines on a closer tine spacing to achieve the correct OM% removed.  A smaller tine in a closer pattern will be less disruptive to golfers than the larger tines in Summer and Fall.

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Fall Aerification

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

We will begin aerifying greens Monday afternoon, the 10th, following an outing. Our goal is to work into the evening completing the aerification process on the front nine greens. Tuesday, the 11th, our staff will touch up the front nine greens in preparation to open 1-9 around 11am on Tuesday. The remainder of that day we will continue with aerification on the back nine greens and have all 18 greens open for play on Wednesday the 12th.

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Bunker Renovations

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

The Better Billy Bunker renovations are complete. The chipping green bunker and #3 bunkers are open for play.  These bunkers were sprayed by the Better Billy Bunker applicator staff on Monday evening of last week and after a 24 hour drying period and a quality control check on Wednesday, we were able to install 4″ of sand throughout these bunkers on Wednesday and Thursday.

#3 Better Billy Bunkers

As mentioned previously with the renovation on #18 bunkers, we will have a period of allowing the bunkers edge of grass to grow over the sand. This process required by the Better Billy Bunker staff provides a new barrier edge to protect the sprayed gravel and prevent any contamination to the sand. Our staff will edge these bunker periodically, but will allow as much growth over the gravel layer as possible before fall approaches.

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Bunker Renovations

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

Chipping Green Bunker

Tuesday we began the renovation of the Chipping Green Bunker at the short game facility. Recently a couple of boulders were found under the surface of the bunker measuring up to 6 feet across. Unable to remove these rocks, 2 1/2 feet of clay soil was used to raise the bunker floor above the rocks and establish a new subsurface. This procedure was beneficial, not only to solve the boulder issue, but also make this practice bunker more characteristic of the bunkers on the course. The on course bunkers are not deep bunkers, as the chipping green bunker was. The new chipping green bunker allows members the ability to now see over the bunker face and watch the ball as it rolls out.

Chipping Green Bunker

Chipping Green Bunker Drainage

New drainage has been installed and we are scheduled to have the Better Billy Bunker Company out on Monday, weather permitting, to spray the installed gravel layer and add the new sand on Tuesday.  This bunker will be the same as the bunkers on #18 we previously did this year.

Chipping Green Bunker Gravel Layer

#3 Bunkers

During the renovation of the Chipping Green Bunker, we took the opportunity to also renovate the two bunkers on #3. Similar to the chipping green bunker, the right side bunker needed 1 foot of clay soil to raise the subsurface of the bunker and allow the green to be more visible while playing a shot. These bunkers are also on schedule with Better Billy Bunker Company to spray on Monday.

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Feel the Breeze

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

The new fans have arrived at Bluegrass!!  Fans have been installed on greens 4, 5, 8, and 10. Currently #8 is operational and the other three are wired ready to go. Early next week wer are looking for NES to install the meters for power and then everything can be turned on.

These fans have been a major success in managing bentgrass in the south during the stressful months of the summer. We will continue to evaluate other greens sites on property, like #12, to conclude if it would be a candidate for a fan as well.

#8 Fan

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Wow it’s Hot!!!

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Tyler Ingram

With the recent heat wave that has been on us and the new record high of 109F, our staff has been out in full force hand watering greens everyday. During these stressful times every second counts when hand watering greens. Each staff member is trained to look for stressed areas on the green and apply water accordingly. Over the past week the staff has steadily mist the greens with water to give a temporary cooling, just as humans sweat. A misted green’s temperature can drop by 10 degrees for a short period of time providing some aid from the heat.  

There will be some changes you will be able to notice during this time. To help relieve stress, a couple of argonimic practices will be used. First off, green’s heights are raised slightly to allow more leaf tissue to generate for photosynthesis (production of food from sunlight), frequency of mowing greens is reduced and rolling greens is more often. Another practice is venting, which was performed recently. Venting greens is opening small holes across the greens to allow gas exchange through the root zone. During this process carbon dioxide in the green escapes and oxygen enters the root zone to allow roots to function. These are just a few of the major practices used to reduce stress on bentgrass during the heat.

Please be patient as our staff works through the heat hand watering greens. Each staff member is trained with time factors in mind for bentgrass survival. Allowing the staff to get on the green in a timely manner could be the difference in survival.

Recent Heat

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