HIGHLAND CC GROUNDS

This past week proved to be rather productive. We completed our greens topdressing and solid tining on schedule. We also managed to install the burlap bags in the fairway bunker on #17, again to create a bullnosed edge that will hold up to the test of time. The wet weather has made mowing difficult, we are trying to get a couple last mowings on our fairways and tees before we apply our snow mould protection and late fall fertilizer. This week looks promising to complete the last mowings of all the short stuff. Greens will be mowed today (Saturday) and again on Monday. Following the mowing on Monday, we will be applying another healthy application of topdressing sand on greens and approaches. Once the sand settles into the turf canopy we will be applying our snow mould protection to greens as well as some late season magnesium and manganese fertilizers. Once we close the golf course, we will be applying our dormant fertilizer to greens. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will be winterizing th...

Just a reminder...we will be closing both the Practice Range and the Short Game Area for the season as of November 1st. Therefore the last day to use either of these areas is Sunday, October 31st. Following closing we will be solid tining, topdressing and fertilizing the practice tee and short game area. We will also be installing some drainage in both areas as well.

We have been working on some of our bunker surrounds. Between mowing grass and blowing leaves, this time of year has left little time for project work. We focused our energy on the greenside bunker on #5. The grass was thin and weak due to drought stress and sand accumulation from bunker play. As you will see from the pictures, we stripped the sod and began to rebuild the edges. This bunker had lost its original shape from edging, trimming and wear and tear of mowers, etc. To restablish the size and shape we dug back as far as the sand was into the surrounds, where the grass had grown through the sand into the bunker. Once we found the soil edge, we used soil filled burlap bags to establish a rolled over lip, to create the old style look that our golf course deserves. This method will eliminate the soil lip that creates issues with contamination and an unnatural look. In some cases we will not need to use the bags, for example on the back sides we can usually just dig out the soil and...