Congratulations Scott and tees, tees and more tees.

 

Congratulations Scott on your hole in one on #9!!

The I and II tees on 11.

The location for the III tee on 11 but a little more to the left.

The III tee on 8.

Sodding the old III tee on 8.

Left view of the new I and II tee on 8.

The right view of the new I, II tee on 8.

The view from the new II tee on 17 looking at 11 green.

The new II tee on 3.

The new II tee on 2. 

Rolling the sod 4x at least on the II tee on 18.  This is after using a walking plate compactor 4 times too.  They are turning out so nice!

Another view of 18 tee.

Sneaking in a non tee picture.  The fairway expansions have filled in very well this fall.  All we did was scalp the grass down to fairway height all at once.  Which took about 15 passes with our rough mower set at an inch then the fairway mower going over it multiple times.  The blower was there non stop getting rid of all of the material.  Then we aerified it with solid tines when we did our fairways then some granular fertilizer.  I guess it was more than "all we did."

The phase on the new path on 9 is to cut out the existing grade on the sides with the sod cutter and some muscle.  Topsoil, raking and packing is next, then seed and fertilizer.

Focusing on the Tee Construction Phase

Thank you to Peg Johnkoff for sharing this cool sunrise picture!  The oak wilt that hit the east side of the range 8 years ago is still slowly taking out some of the oaks.  We have been on a continuous program for many years to alleviate the spreading of the oak wilt.  We are switching gears this fall with a new strategy developed by one of Michigan State University's top arborists.

  

Building the II tee on 11.

The new 11, II tee finished with rough grass being installed.

The new 18, III tee.

 

The finishing touches on the newly shaped green side bunker on 17 right.  Very happy rough grass and new sand.

The new 18 I tee.  It's bigger than this picture looks and rough sod is being installed today.

The new III and IV tees on three.

The new cart path on nine is fabulous.  We will be working our grounds magic on the sides of the path to blend it into the rough and fescue.

Our new nursery green by 8 tee.  This sod was also brought up and installed from Kalamazoo Country Club.  This grass will be transferred from this nursery to the new 6th green next fall.

11 approach expansion and the new 11th green is looking very good.  Greens 11 and 17 are now open!

The expanded bunker on 11 with rough grass and new sand!

The new back, back, back tee on 4!  We have been using this old tee once a year since the Nightmare on Union event started and what a nightmarish tee shot this will be.  This tee was built during the 1982 Bill Newcomb renovation when greens 1,4,14 and 15 were built.

Pines removed behind four green, not the best picture to see the difference but it is such a different view and feeling to make that shot into the green.

The new fairway bunker on 17.

Maples removed left and right of 12 green plus 3 spruces removed behind the green.

Tuesday morning's view!

New Greens Maintenance - Tee Leveling - Asphalt Prep 9 Tee to 10 Tee

Starting to mow our new greens, this is 17.

Looking back at 18 tee.  The area is stripped, the tee gets expanded if needed, then the surface gets laser leveled.  The architects tie in the corners and landforms then the sod goes back on.

Eight tee, the sod comes off first.

Rolling three green.

We also use a plate compactor to get the sod as smooth as possible, these are the stipes it makes, just like mowing.

Late afternoon dew on 3.

Removing the old and crumbling cart path on 10 tee.  New asphalt gets installed next week from 9 tee all the way to 10.

 

Two plate compactors on 2 in the light fog.

Sodding the fairway expansion right of 3.  

 

Kalamazoo Greens Sod Installation at TCCC Week Four

The first load of Kalamazoo CC sod arrived early on Tuesday morning.

Load number two came in the afternoon and couldn't get in teh clubhouse parking lot with all of the cars so we unloaded on 19th street.

3 green with the greens mix installed in the expansion areas.

Removing the sod on 3 green and moving it to install on 2, 10 and the remainder on 11 later in the week.

The first few rows of sod being installed on 3 green.

3 green and collar sodded by 5:30 pm, now being plate compacted and watered.

3 green with irrigation running and the expanded bunker on the left.

This was the depth we wanted of the sod for Young's Turf Farm to match with their sod cutters at Kalamazoo.

This was their return picture.

New irrigation pipe, fittings and sprinkler heads on the right of 3.

Mowing on to 17 green.  They are stripping the sod to move to 11.  3 and 17 will be all Kalamazoo CC grass.

After removing the sod on 17 green, we aerified each of the renovation greens to help the new sod start growing into the subsurface.  

17 green sodded Wednesday by 5:00 pm.

Irrigation running on 17 green.  This soil area will be sodded next week with bluegrass.

Our architect Brian last week finished up painting the fairway, approach and green side expansions.  We have mowed all of these areas down numerous times, blown off the debris, aerified and fertilized.  

  

With my experience in the past mowing down some of our fairway expansions, I really think these new fairway areas will be very playable by June 1st first next summer.