It's That Time of Year!

      2019 has provided some of the best fall golf we've had in years.  In contrast to the beginning of the season, it has been a relatively warm and rain-free couple of months.  September was the firmest we had been all season and October has provided some spectacular colors at the course and the hills around Chautauqua Lake.  I LOVE FALL GOLF!!!!

     But,as is always the case, Mother Nature will soon catch up to us with a reminder that we live in Chautauqua County.  We have been busy preparing the course for winter for a couple weeks now.  Final mowings have been done, irrigation system winterized, leaves are being cleaned up, course accessories are being brought in, and our winter fungicides are being applied.  Always a bittersweet time of year for us on the grounds staff as we love our jobs but also look forward to some well-earned time off to hunt, fish and spend time with our families.

    We do have hopes of tackling some projects this fall/winter if the weather cooperates.  New red and gold tees on #7 and #9 Lake need to be constructed and, of course, tree removal is always on the list of to-do's.  With some luck, we'll be able to get some of this done before to much snow flies.

Enjoy what is left of this fabulous fall weather and get out to play as much as you can!

The soggy start to 2019 has disrupted more than a few days of golf for everyone.  It has also disrupted the ability of the maintenance staff to get on a regular program and get started on projects.  Bunker maintenance, cart path maintenance, repairing bare spots, etc have all been delayed due to the weather.

With a little luck, the drier weather pattern is here to stay and we can begin chipping away at these important tasks, with focus on the Lake Course to get ahead of the NJCAA Championship next week.  Hill Course will be tackled the following week.

One of the few small projects we have been able to tackle was the expansion of several aprons on the Lake Course, with green expansion in mind later on.  These are all part of the master plan developed last season.  Expansions of major significance are on 2, 4, 10, 12 and 17 where we will "regain" several pin positions down the road.  I say "regain" because, looking at existing contours, it is quite likely that these areas started out as part of the greens when the course was constructed 100 years ago.  In the picture below, you can see how far out the apron has been expanded on #10.

The expansion on #12 Lake will remain mostly apron on the upper side and rear of the green to provide golfers with the option of letting a strategically placed shot trickle down to the tricky green rather than hang up in the thick rough.  The picture below shows this expansion.

A Problem for Every Solution

It is said that a negative person has a problem for every solution.  A very true and accurate statement.  Sometimes a well meaning individual can become negative and present a problem for a solution.  And, sometimes, the well meaning negative individual isn't even a person at all.

The evidence to back up this statement is happening right now at the site of our drainage project on #1 of the Lake Course.  Assistant superintendent, Bill Peterson, began exploring the area and found that an existing drain tile had been completely plugged by well intended trees, causing the water to back up the drain line and create a fine mess that has grown to include part of the fairway.  The row of evergreen trees has become a problem for the solution to the wet area that was remedied decades ago. 

Bill is nearing completion of the project, but the well-intending, but negative, trees will have to be removed, bringing the more positive thought of there is a solution to every problem back into the picture.