Golf Course Closing

We will be covering the greens for winter beginning today, November 28.  Temperatures have dropped significantly  and the covers must be stapled down before the ground freezes.  We will also be topdressing and fertilizing the greens ahead of the covers.

We were able to drain and blow out the irrigation system on Monday November 21st.  We then applied fungicides to tees, greens, and fairways Tuesday and Wednesday the 22nd and 23rd.  We have the golf course prepared to overwinter.

SNOW GOLF

Course Closing Procedures

Monday was a beautiful day with very little wind and the grounds crew took advantage.  We successfully removed the driving range net and were able to blow and mulch leaves.  We were able to clean holes 1,2,3,4, and 18- areas which were in desperate need of attention. 

Tuesday and Wednesday we will be experiencing foul weather- there is SNOW all around!  With the weather rapidly declining we have been preparing for the golf course to close and thought we would outline the major tasks that must be accomplished before winter arrives for good.

13 green - 8 AM 11/9

 1. The driving range net has already been taken down.
2. The irrigation system must be blown out.  We use a huge air compressor to blow all the water out of the pipes.  If water is allowed to freeze in the lines and sprinkler heads, pipes would freeze and burst with disastrous consequences.
3. We must spray fungicides to all greens, tees, and fairways throughout the course to protect against snow mold.
4. There are several measures taken to prepare the greens for winter.  First, all greens are topdressed with sand to add an extra layer of insulation  We then fertilize the greens with an organic fertilizer to provide the plant with ample nutrition for good root building through the fall and early spring.  Finally, we will cover the greens with our breathable tarps.  The tarps protect the greens from harsh winter extremes which can cause dessication and turf decline. The covers must be installed before the ground freezes so that we can drive 6 inch staples into the ground which hold the covers in place during blustery winter days.  

We have pulled our green covers down from storage- ready and waiting for Old Man Winter!

We will likely blow out the irrigation system and spray our snow mold protection during the week of November 14.  You will also see us positioning tarps near the greens Thanksgiving week.  Weather will ultimately determine the final closing day when the greens are covered.

Practice Tee to Close Tomorrow

The grounds crew will be taking down the net along the south and west sides of the driving range on Monday November 7th.  Once the net is down all practice will take place from the west end of the range at the indoor practice facility.  This is the first major procedure in winter preparations for the grounds crew.

2011 Season Ending

We have enjoyed a mild, dry autumn at Wakonda Club.  Conditions for golf have been very favorable and we have observed greater than average play on the course. Our staff now consists of a mere 6 personnel and it has been a struggle to keep up with mowing and leaf cleanup.   Crew number peaks in May with 23 people and decreases in size beginning in August when our interns return to college  On October 14th our seasonal employees worked their final day for 2011.  Please be patient and recognize that our maintenance schedules must change when we have fewer staff members.  Greens, tees, fairways, approaches, and collars will all be mowed less frequently through the remainder of the season.  We will also change hole locations less often. 

November is typically a very busy month as we prepare to close the course for winter.  Course closing is obviously weather dependent but usually occurs toward the end of the month.  We will outline the course closure procedures in a later post.  We thank you for your understanding and hope you are taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy your golf course this fall!