Week of June 12
- matthewbehl
- Jun 17, 2023
- 2 min read
Range Update:
The range was seeded this week. We seeded the range on Wednesday with our seeder in 2 directions. Heavy rain moved in Wednesday afternoon and caused some of the range floor and seed to wash. Thursday the range was too wet to work on. This was actually a minor blessing as it allowed me and my assistant to focus our time and energy on member guest prep. Friday my staff and I raked out the entire 1.3 acre floor fixing the washout areas and applying more seed with our seeder and also broadcast seeding ahead of the hydroseeding work. We also designed a "scarifier" to help work the seed into the range floor. This was done to try to maximize soil to seed contact as the range floor is very compacted. Hydroseed was then applied on top of our work. The hydroseed work was part of the contract with the contractor. The contractor chose the hydroseed company and unfortunately their work left a lot to be desired. Either way the Ipswich Agronomy Team did all they could to incorporate seed and fast germinating varieties into the range floor.
As I write this week's blog, heavy rain is predicted. We will just have to wait and see what happens with the seed work to the range floor. Best case scenario is obviously little to no wash. If minimal wash occurs we will let what is going to germinate come up and start to establish. We would then go back in and fix the areas that washed. If major wash occurs, I will be coming up with another plan. I suspect seeding the range floor will be an ongoing project through this summer and fall in order to get the desired appearance we are all looking for.
Other then growing in the range, all we have left is some irrigation work to the quick couplers for hand watering, some irrigation programming, and work to the drain exits. My staff and I should be wrapping this up next week.
Currently, I have no time line at all to give on when the range might be open. I will keep updating in the weekly blog or through member email communications if needed.
My hope now that the contractor is gone, more of the agronomy's team's focus can shift from the range and back to the golf course and the projects we have going on the course.
Pictures of some of the range work:
Course work completed this week:
Greens were sprayed with fungicide, plant growth regulator specific to poa control, wetting agent, and fertility.
Tees were sprayed with fungicide, fertility, and plant growth regulator.
Rough was sprayed with fungicide and ferility
Numerous rough areas were sprayed for clover
Greens were groomed twice this week
More of the rough areas on the right of 4 were prepped for loam.
All waterways through the course had maintenance done to them
A good deal of general bunker work was completed as well
An additional area was prepped for seed on 3 and will be seeded this coming week
Daily grind of bunker maintenance:
