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Golf Course Update....






We the recent weather trend (almost 2 weeks without rain!) our department has been very busy and productive. We were able to complete our Vertidrain/Deeptine aeration and topdressing on Greens, Tees and Approaches. Again, this process creates deep channels for air, water and sand to reach into the rootzone. We will be Vertidraining the Greens again prior to closing in attempt to create more drainage channels for water build up throughout the winter. We will not be topdressing this time, as the covers will be installed in the coming weeks.

The drier weather has allowed us to complete a final mowing in the rough as it has been a couple of weeks since we were last able to get the mowers out. Leaf blowing and mulching has been running at full tilt and the golf course is looking cleaner every day. With all of the rain soaked weather that we have experienced, we have noticed a few drainage issues. Clogged tiles have been found in a few instances. This is common in a year like this one with a high volume of water running through these systems. We have been working away at cleaning out and repairing some of these areas.

Our Green surrounds at HCC have been plagued with some washboarding resulting from some sod work done during the bunker project in 2003/04. In certain areas that were cut for bunker mounds, less than ideal amounts of topsoil were left for the sod to grow in. We are experimenting with some different techniques in repairing a couple of these areas. On #4 we have stripped the area left of the green and amended the area with old bunker sand and topsoil. The theory is that the sand will provide a better growing medium and the sod will experience reduced compaction. In the surrounds at #18 Green the topsoil was of higher quality than that on #4 so we amended it with straight topsoil. These areas will be sodded and rolled today.

As for our plans for the next week, we will be winterizing the irrigation system, pump house and course washrooms on Monday/Tuesday. We will also be deep slicing the fairways and rough with our Superject aerifier. If the weather holds, we will complete this prior to our winter/snow mould fungicide application. Course closing is set for November 13th as the last day of play...we hope to see our members out enjoying the golf course over the next week or so.

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