As colder weather approaches, I would like to take a minute to update everyone on the latest happenings with the Stillmeadow Turf and Maintenance team. We have had some unusually warm temperatures during the months of November and December. This has allowed us to make really good progress on dead ash removals on the golf course. This project has been our main focus. We feel that the sooner we can get this off our plate, the sooner we can get back to finding the highest priority projects that improve course playability. I don't predict that we will be able to remove every dead tree this winter, but with a little help from the weather we should be able to get them to a very manageable state. While I am on the topic of the dead ash trees I would like to discuss the impact to the courses layout, hole framing, hole separation, etc. While we hate to loose every one of the trees that improved the course, it was simply a very expensive process that would need to be repeated on a regular basis without guaranteed results. We felt that the financial commitment required to possibly save even a few trees would be better allocated in other ways to benefit the future course conditions at our club. We also hope to make another round of new tree plantings in selected areas around the course.
On days that the weather hasn't permitted us to be outside we have been in the shop working on a variety of different projects. They are as follows:
- Shop cleanliness and organization
- Preventative and curative maintenance on equipment
- Equipment cleaning
- Reel rebuilding and grinding maintenance
- The construction, cleaning and refurbishing of hazard stakes, flagsticks, tee markers and bunker rakes
- Ball washer repair and refurbishment
- Administrative work on general planning, budgets, chemicals and fertilizer planning and preparation for our spring maintenance meeting
- Chemical license recertification
In closing, I would just like to say that I hope everyone was able to spend some good quality time with loved ones over the holiday season. The entire team as well as myself look forward to the challenges that may present themselves in 2015 as we prepare to deliver you with quality course conditions again this year. Thank you for your unwavering support!
Klint Ladd
Golf Course Superintendent
