The Powder Horn Golf Course Management

November / December Update

2011-12-19T18:20:00.001-07:00

It has been very busyhere at the Horn, as the fall became winter. The greens were topdressed and putto bed just as the first snowflakes fell. Topdressing the greens means spreading a thin layer of sand over the entire surface of the green, this preventsdesiccation or winter damage. It is a process that is done throughout the yearto keep our greens healthy and smooth. Topdressing rids the greens ofimperfections and is the best way to prevent thatch, which can be caused fromorganic residues. If these residues build up, layers can be formed which cancause interruption with soil water and air movement. This will cause reducedroot growth and unhealthy greens. So we topdress as often as possible in thesummer to keep greens not only looking but functioning the best.

John Hathaway getting just enough sand in spreader

E.P.G. nearly topdressed

Topdressing thegreens for winter has been just one of many projects. Snow removal, as you allknow, is time consuming. It seems it has steadily come once a week, and takesall the full-time employees at the maintenance shop and Sam to keep The PowderHorn drivable and safe. Thanks guys!

In between removingsnow, we have been getting Tee’s sanded, branded, stained, and painted for thiscoming season. Taking inventory of irrigation supplies, fertilizer andchemicals, and placing orders for new supplies, are some of the things we aredoing out of the cold.

Our mechanics, Crankyand Bo, have been doing an amazing job keeping our snow removal equipmentrunning at its best. As well as getting our equipment ready for this comingseason. Without their smiling faces, our shop would not function.

Jason has been hardat work, getting recertified with the Audubon Society and his work is greatlyappreciated. It is very time consuming and tedious work that we at the PowderHorn feel is necessary.

Last but not least,tree removal and pruning around the horn is sometimes a sensitive issue. It isnecessary to remove unhealthy or problem trees that may be causing stress onother trees nearby. Sometimes this seems cruel, but it is very necessary whenone or two trees are causing problems for many. Safety is also something wewant to keep in mind; if a tree is rotten on the inside and still looks healthyit is a safety issue more than a aesthetic issue. We want to keep the Hornlooking good as well as playing it safe.

Winter is an awesometime of the year to get out and ski, sled, snowboard, or just walk. Please keepin mind the greens are still there covered in snow and just as delicate now asthey are any other time of year. To keep them looking their best for next year,please enjoy your winter activities off of the greens!

Thanks for checkingout the update, read more in the next few weeks.

October Update

2011-10-13T12:41:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather. It has certainly been nice to see a return to a more normal weather pattern for this time of year! Our staff has been busy preparing the golf course for the upcoming winter. This process has not been without several setbacks. Before the rain last week, our aerator was not able to fully penetrate into the soil. Upon further inspection of the surface, we noticed that this was due to a hardpan layer that has formed over the years as a result of compaction from golf carts and maintenance equipment. This layer is likely responsible for many of the problems that we have been noticing in our fairways. It would be physically impossible for the turf to root into this layer. When allowed to dry, it will not accept water. In fact, any water applied would just run off until it reached an area where there was already sufficient moisture. Coupled with the poor uniformity of our irrigation system, this contributes to the alternating wet and dry areas found on virtually every fairway.

Although, this is a very significant problem, we are in the process of purchasing a deep tine aerator that will help us to address the issue. There are several major advantages to utilizing deep tine aeration. First, we will be able to reach depths up to 16". Our current machine is not even capable of reaching 3.5". Second, the tines "kick" when fully submerged in the soil. This kicking action helps to break up any hard pan layers that may have formed subsurface. The following picture describes the action much better than I can.Alleviating this problem will likely take years, but the result will be firmer more uniform fairways.

Alleviating this problem completely will not happen overnight, and may take several years, but I am excited that the pieces are finally coming together for our fairways. This machine is only one piece in that puzzle. Drainage installation and irrigation updates will also be very important components of our programs.

OK. Enough "turf talk". The golf course is calling your name!

Fall Course Closures (UPDATED)

2011-09-27T14:03:00.002-06:00

Our fall fairway aeration will begin next week, and it will be necessary to close portions of the golf course at this time. The following dates outline our expected closures.

   Stag: October 3rd - October 16th
   Eagle: October 17th - October 30th
   Mountain: October - 31st - November 13th

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

USGA TAS Report

2011-09-27T12:39:00.000-06:00

Here is a copy of our USGA Turf Advisory Service report. The document provides some very interesting information that may give you more insight into our challenges.

USGA TAS 09-12-11

USGA Turf Advisory Service

2011-09-13T07:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, we were fortunate to host Fred "Derf" Soller of the United States Golf Association for our "annual turf checkup". The agronomists from the USGA are an amazing bunch who provide a lot of wonderful insight into our programs. Each of them sees 100+ golf courses throughout the season. They are also responsible for overseeing maintenance operations during USGA championships such as the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur.

I was relieved to hear that we are not the only ones struggling this season. 2011 has proven to be a very tough golf season for much of the Northwest Region. We spent the majority of the day discussing the condition of our fairways, and brainstorming ways to improve them for upcoming seasons. I will post a full copy of the report on this site as soon as it is available.

I would also like to remind everyone that the Mountain Nine will be closed tomorrow and Thursday (14th & 15th) for aeration.

Lyle Gibbs aka master cameraman

2011-08-27T21:26:00.004-06:00

Nice Photos Lyle Gibbs! These are well worth sharing. We are fortunate to have Lyle this season. He will return to studies at Oregon State University in September.

Mower Grooves

2011-08-23T08:13:00.003-06:00

It is the time of the year when most of our summer staff leaves to head back to school. We managed to go from a labor crew of 14 to 8 this week with most of these being part timers. We are doing the best we can with the resources available to keep the course in tournament like condition. We are now triplex mowing greens instead of the usual walk mowing and rolling as needed to promote smoothness. The greens mowers are new and still being fine tuned to accommodate our greens. We are aware of the grooves in the greens today and are doing our best to fix this problem immediately.

Fertilizing the greens today...We spoon feed the greens with nutrients and growth regulator every 2 weeks to promote consistent conditions.

Internship

2011-08-19T20:46:00.008-06:00

We continue a successful internship program at PH maintenance. Several students from across the nation have completed summer internships. The goal is always a 2 way street - they learn from us and we learn from them. Students from Wyoming, Kansas, Iowa, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Oregon, Tennessee, and Georgia have completed internships recently.

Jory and Aaron may have left a hidden message in the windrowing of aerification cores.

Summer conditioning

2011-08-14T13:09:00.005-06:00

Using the stimpmeter for consistency.

Utilizing the Field Scout TDR 300 moisture meter to check greens.

Grub damage healing.

Punching holes / Rain

2011-08-09T16:50:00.005-06:00

The few rain showers continue to be a blessing as we move into a traditional hot/dry period of the season - pretty sweet for the middle of August. Our dry spots much appreciate it. Tuesday, we battened down the hatches and poked some holes in the Eagle Tees and Green Surrounds/Collars. We will continue this practice across all 27 holes as scheduling and weather allows. The constant stress of maintenance and golf traffic wears on these areas. The holes allow oxygen to penetrate reducing thatch, watering needs, and chemical applications.

Grubs, Topdressing, and More

2011-08-03T13:50:00.005-06:00

Black turfgrass ataenius grubs eating on the Stag approaches. Insecticide has been applied and the areas are slated for overseeding once the heat of the summer backs off.

Wetting agent is applied to fairways/approaches this week to increase irrigation efficiency and eliminate some of the wet/dry areas on the golf course. We are doing our best to actively check over 4000 sprinklers daily to adjust wet/dry areas. With this much infrastructure in the ground and so many sprinklers running together, it is almost impossible to eliminate all wet areas. We are leaning towards keeping the greens/tees/fairways as green as possible and dealing with a few wet areas versus letting the course burn up and be yellow.

Greens were topdressed this week to promote smooth and firm conditions. Topdressing is a beneficial factor to greens health. I believe the USGA hits the nail on the head in regards to topdressing. "Although it does not produce immediate miracles, its long-range benefits are undeniable. But the strange and unbeatable fact is that, as of this moment, no substitute has yet been found for it in the production of high quality turf. And today's golfer expects-yes, deserves-just that! This year, topdress greens and see the difference." This was the recommendation in the 1960's, and it still has not changed.

USGA topdressing link

Maintenance Action

2011-07-30T09:25:00.003-06:00

Handwatering greens and fairways to promote firm conditions while maintaining color.

Favorite pin to shoot at. Notice the buffer strips of turf around the edge of ponds. This filters any nutrient and pesticide runoff and ensures The Powder Horn is promoting environment friendly practices.

Home Lawn Irrigation Videos

Some solid information regarding home lawn irrigation. Although it's from K-State, the same principles apply to Wyoming.

Championship Week

2011-07-27T12:20:00.004-06:00

The Womens Trans Amateur Championship is in full swing. The crew is working hard arriving at sunrise to prepare greens. Mowing and watering duties are performed at night. Great athletes from across the country make up the field. They really swing the club and move the ball!

The course is dried down to increase playability.

Continual monitoring and handwatering is the only way to keep the greens smooth, firm, and consistent.

Irrigation addition on Mountain 5 Black Tee.

The crew is hard at it just after sunrise.

Staff set hole and tee locations each night.

July Heat

2011-07-21T08:45:00.003-06:00

It's a busy couple weeks for The Powder Horn staff as we prepare the course for The Summer Hummer and The Womens Trans Amateur Championship.

We are working split shifts to keep the course in peak condition. 5AM-8AM: mow greens, roll greens, handwater greens, move cups and tees, rake bunkers. 6PM - 10 PM: check all greens for handwater; mow greens, tees, fairways, approaches, and rough.

This tree behind the green on Mountain 7 was struck by lightening several weeks ago. Notice the splintered trunk. The leaves are still green and it's hanging on. Hopefully it will grow through the damage.

Irrigation addition is complete on Stag 8 rough. After the trenches settle, the area will be leveled and seeded.

Spot spraying weeds along the course. We have the most problems with dandelions and clover in fairways and rough. Noxious weeds such as thistle are targeted in the native areas.

The new scoreboard in the process of construction compliments of Glen Heide.

For a reminder, please keep all carts parked on the path near greens and tees. If we keep wear and tear to a minimum surrounding greens, conditions will be better for all to enjoy!

July Preparations

2011-07-12T19:42:00.003-06:00

The focus on course conditioning continues at TPH. Some photos snapped from today's progress....

Checking bunkers for proper sand depth and adding sand as needed. Green side bunkers are fluffed up.

Applying wetting agent to the fairways to increase irrigation efficiency.

Applying wetting agent to the greens to maintain balanced moisture levels. This also increases firmness of the putting surface.

An electrical solenoid failed last week knocking out a zone of sprinklers on Mountain 9 fairway. This area will be roped off for a few days while the turf recovers. The problem has been repaired, and several hours of handwatering were dedicated to this area.

2011-07-09T12:03:00.004-06:00

Bunker edges were cleaned up last week. The process includes cutting the edges, cleaning up the the edging, weeding, and raking. A crew of 6 - 8 spent about 1 day per 9 holes tidying the bunkers. With daily raking and continual maintenance, bunkers provide a challenge.

An irrigation addition is planned on Stag 8 next week. A new zone of 6 sprinklers will be added to the rough left of the approach. The dry spot next to the green cart shows the lacking of irrigation coverage on this hole.

Fertilizer

2011-07-05T21:30:00.004-06:00

All greens were fertilized today.

We were able to fertilize the Eagle and Stag Fairways/Approaches/Tees today. The fertilizer will boost the turf and add some much needed color heading into a stressful period of the summer.

Mountain is scheduled to be completed Thursday.

Holiday Weekend

2011-07-02T10:36:00.002-06:00

Enjoy the holiday weekend - conditions are looking great for golf! The topdressing sand on the greens is settling in the turf canopy. Putting smoothness and firmness will increase over the next few days after mowing/rolling. The target is to achieve consistency on each hole. Hole 1 should putt the same as Hole 9 and so on.

Applying the topdressing sand.

Triple brooming to work the topdressing sand in the turf canopy.

The cottonwood trees are in full swing on the Stag.

Topdressing

2011-06-29T16:05:00.005-06:00

Why topdress? Topdressing sand on turf dilutes thatch (the sponginess of the grass). In turn, disease pressure lowers. Water and nutrient infiltration increases along with firmness.

We topdressed the Mountain and Practice greens this morning and are scheduled to complete the process on Eagle and Stag Friday. The plan Friday is to have 9 holes open by 7 am and 18 by 10 am. The 3rd nine will remain closed for the majority of the morning and early afternoon to complete topdressing and other intrusive maintenance practices.

The walkway to Eagle 9 teeing area was leveled Tuesday. The process included stripping sod, raising irrigation, hauling/packing fill, and replacing the sod.

Drainage was extended near Mountain 2 tees.

Spreading topdressing sand on greens is vital to turf health.

Brushing in the topdressing sand by hand reduces the compaction and stress of driving heavy equipment on the greens.

USGA video on greens maintenance

Summer is here!

2011-06-23T16:59:00.005-06:00

Summer is finally here. Temperatures are hovering in mid 80's - it almost feels hot. With the continued support of golfers and staff, we've been able to begin and complete several projects benefiting the playability of the golf course. Preparations are underway to ensure the course will be able to handle the stresses of summer traffic and heat.

Irrigation repair and maintenance is a necessity heading into July. Along with repairs, additions were accomplished this week surrounding Mountain 6 tee complex and the bridge on Mountain 1.

Vertical mowing decreases thatch allowing a clean cut. This promotes firm conditions and increases water and nutrient availability. We will verticut greens every other week and topdress sand on the off weeks. Vertical mowing will be implemented on the approaches to promote the same results.

Walk mowing 1 of the 6 practice greens. This one is the largest at 23,000 square feet. Greens are walk mowed 7 days a week at a height of 1/8 inch. 8 crew members accomplish this task each morning in under 3 hours.

A wetting agent and growth regulator application was applied to Eagle and Stag fairways this week. The growth regulator will reduce clipping yield (the clumps of grass on fairways) and enhance density.

Bring on the Sunshine

2011-06-16T17:27:00.006-06:00

Happenings from maintenance this week...

Applying fertilizer to encourage greenup.

The combination of moisture in the soil, fertilizer, and sunshine is starting to green up the course.

Lyle Gibbs, an intern from Oregon State, applies algae control to the irrigation pond.

A new irrigation controller was installed Wednesday on Mountain 5 green complex / Mountain 6 tee complex. Now we will have individual sprinkler control improving efficiency and mitigating wet/dry spots.

Jory Horsley, Sheridan, and Jed Odermann, University of Wyoming, help repair a leak on the Mountain 2 -4 booster station.

Wind and poa debate

2011-06-07T18:35:00.005-06:00

It's great to see some action on the course over the last several days. Mother Nature has cooperated temperature wise and the flooding has subsided. It's good to be on a hose checking hot spots and handwatering greens. Drying areas down promotes a fast and firm surface leading to better shot making and smoother putts. We prefer to live by the adage - if you aren't needing to handwater - you are overwatering with the nightly sprinklers.

The weather station doesn't lie - it clocked 52 mph winds Monday evening. These high winds took down several trees and littered tees and fairways with branches. A large tree fell near Eagle 6 cart path and a smaller tree toppled near Stag 5 green. The crew was able to clear the debris and put the course back together for afternoon play.

You may notice the brown spots spread throughout the fairways. This is not the result of dry soil or the recent spike in temperature. The brown areas are Poa annua or annual bluegrass seedheads. Poa is sometimes considered a weed on golf courses and sometimes managed to be the primary species. Poa is found everywhere - Pebble Beach, Oakmont, St. Andrews.

The brown seedheads are noted in fairways.

We keep poa in check on the greens through the use of growth regulators, but it spreads rapidly through fairways and tees. This is not necessary a bad thing. Poa sustains low mowing heights, produces an excellent lie for the golf ball, is dense, is easy to grow, and has vivid leaf color.

The brown will eventually turn to a lush green after seedhead germination decreases with warmer summer temperatures and summer stresses. A fertilizer application will mask the brown seedheads in the meantime.

Closeup of seedheads.

The Mountain greens are scheduled for topdressing and venting Wednesday morning. This process is similar to the one performed on Eagle and Stag last week - Topdress, aerify with a small pencil tine, and broom the sand into the holes and turf canopy. If all goes as planned, the Mountain will open by noon. Eagle and Stag will be be available for morning play as usual.

If conditions allow, we will fertilize several Mountain tees and fairways Wednesday to help the green up process. Greens will be sprayed with fertilizer and growth regulator this week followed by a wetting agent application.

Work continues to keep the course in tip top shape. Get the clubs out and enjoy the greens!

Flooding

2011-05-25T12:29:00.008-06:00

1.5 inches of rain in under 1 hour was too much for the already high creek levels

Severe washouts in bunkers will need several days of repairs and conditioning

Water collecting on the driving range

Water flowing from the creek across Stag 1 Fairway

Eagle 4 Green sustained flooding

1.5 inches of rain dumped in under 1 hour Tuesday evening causing flash flooding throughout the property and golf course. The heavy rain on top of already saturated conditions and high water levels in the creek prompted severe runoff.

The golf course will be closed until flood water recedes. Several areas remain impassable throughout the Eagle and Stag courses. It is not safe to enter or cross these areas until the water level declines.

We are doing everything in our power to keep drains and grates clear promoting the movement and drainage of water off the property and golf course. Pumps are being utilized to evacuate excess water from Stag 4 pond and other areas throughout the course. Water has been diverted from Eagle 4 ponds to drain into the holding pond near the gravel pile.

Our first priority is keeping the people and homes of The Powder Horn safe. The next priority is getting the golf course put back together. The plan, as of now, is to bring in a crew Thursday and Friday to begin the cleanup process in areas that are accessible. Over the next few days, we will continue to focus on pumping low areas and evacuating the the excess water off the property and golf course.

High Water

2011-05-22T09:40:00.007-06:00

We received 3-4 inches of rain over the last week. The creek rose significantly overflowing into low areas and flooding bowls/drains in fairways. Currently, the course is open to walkers only on Eagle and Mountain. The Stag will be closed Sunday and the majority of Monday allowing us to work on clearing flooded areas. We will incorporate bridges on Stag 2 and Stag 7 to pass high water areas overflowing cart paths. We will be working diligently to condition the course to allow carts as soon as some flood water recedes.

Low areas throughout the course collect water. We pump and squeegee as many of these areas as possible to allow the turf to breathe.

Stag 1 fairway collecting flood water.

Eagle 6 bunkering will need to be cleaned and replenished with sand after the creek subsides.

Wetting agent

2011-05-18T16:38:00.004-06:00

Cody Self, an intern from University of Tennessee Martin, is applying wetting agent in anticipation of rainfall this week. Wetting agents are used to alleviate soil water repellency and increase infiltration.

Windy Wind

2011-05-16T17:59:00.017-06:00

It made for a long Sunday as high winds swept through the valley. Damage on the course included a small tree near Stag 1 green (see photo) and a flagstick on Eagle 2. Monday morning was spent clearing the course of debris along with the regular maintenance of mowing and course set up. Also, all 27 greens were checked for dry spots and handwatered. Although the temperature is mild, sustained winds may deplete moisture reserves in as little as a few hours. Continual monitoring and handwatering keeps playing surfaces consistent and healthy.

Tuesday, we are scheduled to close the Stag for maintenance. Throughout the season, nine holes will be closed 1 day per week, usually on Tuesday, to allow for course improvements and projects. The goal is to accomplish intrusive practices while staying out of the way of golfers. Tasks scheduled these days include chemical applications, topdressing, venting, vertical mowing, bunker repair, and irrigation improvement. The scheduled closings benefit the course allowing for continual improvement rather than falling behind with daily maintenance.
On the board this week is a fertilizer and growth regulator application to greens followed by a wetting agent application later in the week. The fertilizer is scheduled biweekly for plant health and color. The growth regulator knocks back annual bluegrass (a weedy species in our bentgrass greens) and slows vertical growth promoting density. Weather permitting, we will be spraying weeds as many are popping up along bunker faces and throughout the rough.We appreciate cooperation as we strive to provide the best playing conditions possible.

Stag 6 Tee Update

2011-05-09T12:54:00.000-06:00

The new tees on Stag 6 are filling in nicely. If they continue to show good progress, we should be able to have them open by late this week or early next week. Thanks for bearing with us while we take steps to improve the golf course. Minor inconveniences such as this will provide long term benefits for our golfers to enjoy!

Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling

2011-05-07T12:17:00.003-06:00

Rolling smooths the putting surface and improves putting quality. Rolling generally increases ball roll distance by 10-12 inches. Greens are rolled daily during regular summer play. Recent studies show frequent rolling and less frequent mowing (or raising the mowing height) is one option to keep greens healthy and smooth during stressful periods. Rolling continues to be a vital tool in our greens management program. The roller seen here is a light weight sidewinder style. It is towed from green to green with a self contained hitch.

Early May Update

2011-05-06T17:37:00.003-06:00

The sod on Stag 6 tee is installed and beginning to grow. With frequent rolling, topdressing, and mowing, the surface should be ready for play in a couple of weeks.

Spring projects are underway. After completing bunker edging/weeding on the Eagle earlier in the week, the crew was able to tidy several bunkers on the Mountain course Friday.

Mountain 3 tee is overseeeded and covered. The protective cover promotes germination by holding moisture and heat.

Aeration Update / Lawn History

2011-05-01T12:10:00.006-06:00

The duties of a greenkeeper continually change as weather, labor, equipment, scheduling, and material issues arise. Decisions need to made in a timely manner focusing on the best interest of customers and the longevity of the facility.

Due to weather and complications with our topdressing material, we were unable to aerate all the greens last week. We did core aerate Stag 5 and 6 greens along with the upper driving range public chipping green. These greens will roll slower and be uneven until the turf recovers. Currently, we are evaluating our aeration scheduling to best coincide with material availability. The plan, as of this week, is to vent all greens with a smaller aeration tine this spring and summer. A more aggressive hollow tine aeration will be scheduled for September.

We are keeping fingers crossed for the wind and sleet to move out this weekend. I wasn't surprised to find 2 flagsticks splintered in pieces after the wave of wind we've experienced. Favorably, the forecast is setting up for the nice week of golf with temperatures looking to be in the 50's and 60's. Upcoming items on agenda include edging/weeding bunkers, overseeding Mountain 3 blue tee, drainage and sod work near Eagle 9 approach, sod work on removed tree stumps, and irrigation maintenance throughout the golf course. Daily conditioning including course setup, mowing, rolling, and raking bunkers continues to be a priority.

Ever wonder how turfgrass set roots in the United States? This link from Scots explains the history of lawn turf in the US: Where Does Your Grass Come From?

Greens Aeration

2011-04-27T18:40:00.005-06:00

We are scheduled to aerate the greens beginning Thursday. We will start on the Stag greens and move to Mountain and Eagle either Friday/Monday or Monday/Tuesday weather permitting. The process includes removing plugs of turf from the putting surface, cleaning up the cores, applying sand topdressing, and brooming to fill in the holes.

Why implement this aggressive practice to the greens? The main reason is to establish a healthy putting surface with a strong root zone going into the busy summer season. Aeration promotes root growth, gas exchange, and water infiltration. It also eliminates excess dead shoots and roots, relieves compaction, and encourages a firm and smooth putting surface.

We realize this process is intrusive, but it is necessary to maintain a quality putting surface. The long term benefits outweigh the short term disruption. We appreciate patience and cooperation during this intensive maintenance practice. 18 holes of golf will be open for enjoyment during aeration.

Included is a link of a USGA video explaining aeration on greens and photos of previous aerations.

USGA Greens Aeration

This doesn't feel like spring!

2011-04-19T12:12:00.008-06:00

A dusting of snow on the golf course this morning

Brrrrr…The cold temperatures and rain/snow mixture have put a damper on golf activities so far this week. We will drain the irrigation system today as the lows are expected near 20F tonight. Although we could do without the cold, the moisture is welcome. With the wind last week, greens started to dry out and were in need of irrigation.

To go along with irrigation, troubleshooting sprinklers and repairs are an ongoing process. Over 4,000 sprinklers are utilized on the golf course to apply water when needed. With this much infrastructure in the ground combined with the freeze/thaw cycles of spring, several sprinklers are in need of repair/adjustment. We generally replace over 100 sprinklers each season and repair just as many. Continued irrigation work over the next several weeks will set us up for a successful summer ensuring water is applied to the right place at the right time.

Sprinklers are continually monitored and repaired daily.

Several projects are currently underway. Cart path edging continues on the Mountain Course as Stag was finished last week. Sod work will be completed on Stag 6 tees and Stag 9 fairway bunker as soon as the areas dry. Once the sod is down, driving range mats will be utilized for teeing ground until the turf is rooted and mowed at tee height. Mountain 3 blue tee and Stag 8 blue tee will be interseeded and topdressed to encourage bare areas to fill in.

We are patiently awaiting warm weather. Although it has been a slow spring, the property is finally starting to green up and looks like a golf course again. We will continue to work diligently to prepare and provide the best playing conditions.

Turkeys hanging around the Operations Center

Sod awaiting dry weather for installation

Stag 6 Tee

2011-04-12T15:24:00.000-06:00

The final grading was completed today on Stag 6 tee box. This new tee configuration will allow us to utilize about 10 extra yards of teeing ground that were previously unusable. Surface drainage was also addressed which will help the tee shed water during large rain events. We plan on installing one internal drain before the end of the season. Until sod is available, we will continue to use the forward tee on this hole.

Spring projects

2011-04-06T16:43:00.008-06:00

We have been blessed with a few days of fair weather. Eagle and Mountain are open for play weather allowing. The plan is have Stag ready for play on Monday, April 11. Included are photos of spring projects.

Drainage is routed along the right side of Eagle 9 green complex. This spot is problematic due to storm runoff and rinsate from cart washing. The improved drainage will move water away from the area and allow contaminates to settle.

Stag 6 Tee Box is in the process of leveling. Once the area dries, dirt work will be completed allowing the surface to be compacted and leveled in preparation for new sod. We are planning to install sod as soon as the sod farm allows. The new surface will promote a level area to play from along with provide more teeing ground.

Today is the first mowing of the year on the Stag greens. The process includes light verticutting, brushing, and mowing. The verticutting and brushing encourages winter topdressing to settle in the canopy. The Stag greens seem to wake up from winter faster than Eagle and Mountain due to being protected, having sufficient moisture, and the type of cultivar of bentgrass.

Eagle and Mountain Open

2011-04-01T13:46:00.005-06:00

Eagle and Mountain courses are now open for play. We were able to clean greens and tees this morning and put out flags. Bunkers are on the agenda this afternoon - repairing washouts and tidying will continue today and tomorrow morning.

Although the weather looks promising through Saturday, the course is extremely wet. We've received over 1 inch of rain this week with 3/10 falling last night. We will limit golfers to walking until we get a solid few days to dry out.

Cart traffic on wet areas leads to soil compaction and rutting. Compaction limits growth and water/air movement. Damaged areas may take several weeks or even months to recuperate. Included is a picture of the wet conditions on Eagle 5 fairway this morning. These low areas collect rainfall and require frequent maintenance to evacuate the excess water.

Despite the saturated conditions, it is nice to see temperatures lingering above 50 degrees for the first time in several days. Enjoy the course this weekend!

Here we go!

2011-03-26T13:23:00.001-06:00

The snow storm that was supposed to hit last night was not near as potent as advertised. We only received a half inch of snow that was melting fast by about noon. I put in the pins this morning to get ready for the dedicated few who wanted to kick off the golf season at The Powder Horn. We will probably limit the course to walkers only until next week, but we are officially open nonetheless. ENJOY!

Opening Schedule

2011-03-25T13:58:00.000-06:00

We were hoping to get the Mountain nine open today, but it looks like the weather had another idea about the start to our golfing season. It has been very cold and overcast all day with 3 inches of snow in the forecast for tonight. Most of the work has already been completed, so we will be able to open on the next nice day.

Weather dependent, we will open another nine by next Friday April 1st, and have all 27 holes open by April 15th. I hope everyone is ready for another great season!

Blogging: Round 2

2011-03-25T13:47:00.000-06:00

After our poor attempt at joining the blogging world last season, we are going to give this blogging business another shot. We will be posting as much information as possible in this space to keep you up to date on the work being done on this fantastic golf course. Please check back frequently for the latest golf course news!