We are in full winter project mode now that the ground has become too wet for routine course maintenance. Tree work is once again our biggest focus. It is something that doesn’t require a great deal of money and we can do it safely now that play has slowed down. We have identified a great number of trees that need to be removed for the sake of saving cart paths, safety, and/or turf health. We don’t have the manpower to accomplish this entire list in one season so it’s possible we end up getting some outside help to assist.
TREES BREAK CONCRETE (must remove trees close to cart paths)
The course is 20 years old and the trees are much bigger now than they were in the beginning. Trees, as most of you are aware, have damaged cart paths in a number of areas. We have been working on this issue for several seasons and will continue to do more this year. It is important for members to realize that a section of cart path costs over $800 to tear out, haul away, and replace. Tree removals are a proactive approach to preserve cart paths and improve turf.
TREES KILL GRASS (must remove trees that are killing grass)
Shade issues are another headache caused by trees. The most critical shade issues are on holes 8 and 12 where the east side of each green is surrounded by trees. Morning sun is non-existent in both cases and we are seeing clear signs of trouble as a result. The trees that need to come down will not change the hole in any way other than make the greens better. A number of other areas are being impacted by shade, but greens are obviously the most important part of the course and therefore we plan to start our shade related tree work on holes 8 and 12.
