WINTER PREPARATION

DRAINAGE PREPARATION

In spring when bunker sand is frozen no standing water can move within the drainage system. In bunkers that are prone to large amounts of standing water over long periods of time, we install riser pipe out of the drain tile network at the lowest point in the bunker. The first step is to locate the drain tile location with a drainge tracing tool and then install the "periscope" or riser pipe. Note the pipe rising above the grade of the sand which will help move standing water out of the bunker. This saves significantly on labor to continually use pumps and fuel to move the surface water during spring golf course preparation.

WINTER PREPARATION

TOPDRESSING

After final turf protectants are applied to the greens turf, a sand layer is applied to the surface. This further bit of protection, in addition to the placement of a permeable turf cover, safeguards the turf from the harshness of winter. Here we are covering #17 green and below is the finished product on #6 green. Note the permeable cover in the foreground in place ready to be laid on the green. This process, including equipment travel time takes 1 staff member 16 manhours to topdress 19 greens.

WINTER PREPARATION

GREENS PROTECTIVE FENCING

On the first day the course closes to play we begin to install protective fencing around all the greens. T-bar steel posts are located at 15' spacings around the green and 6' page wire fencing is attached to the posts. This fencing protects the greens from wildlife traffic that causes significant damage. The fencing is placed at a distance away from the green that still allows us to aerate, topdress, spray or mow the greens within the fenced area. This process takes 4 staff members 128 man hours to complete. The fencing will remain in place the entire winter until just days prior to the golf course opening the next spring.

WINTER PREPARATION

AERATION

Tee and fairway aeration has begun now that the course has adequate time to dry out from the rains of September. Tees are aerated and topdressed prior to commencing on fairway aeration. Here we are testing out our settings on #2 Tee. The tine used is a 5/8" side eject tine set to a depth of 4". Note the windrow kit attachment to the John Deere 1500 aerator. This allows the pulled cores to be easily cleaned up with a sweeper or manually shovelled. Following the cleanup of the cores we blow the tee decks clean of the final bits of debris and mow one last time.