The golf course renovation will begin soon, and with this project begins this blog. A place for you to follow along with our progress and what to expect as we move through the renovation over the next 7 months. This project will address many key components of the golf course over the next 3 years, completing the work described below in three 9-hole phases. Phase 1 will include the renovation of the Practice Facility and the Magnolia golf course. Phase 2 will include the renovation of the Dogwood golf course. The third and final phase will include the renovation of the Palmetto golf course.
The key components of the course that will be addressed:
-Greens: Putting surfaces will have the top 5 inches of existing grass, thatch and organic material removed and restored back to original size. Removing the top 5 inches of material will return the mix layer of soil back to USGA recommended 12-inches deep of greens mix. Once the soil profile is shaped back to original size and shape, the greens will be sprigged with Mini-Verde Bermudagrasses. This is the same variety of grass we currently use and have had tremendous success with over the past 15 years.
-Green Approaches and Surrounds: The top 5-inches of native soil will be removed and backfilled with greens mix. Under the greens mix cap XGD drainage will be installed on 6-foot centers to ensure adequate drainage. Once the approaches and surrounds are shaped these areas will be grassed with Tif-Tuf Bermudagrass. The combination of XGD drainage, sand capping and quality turf will help enhance the playability around the greens.
-Fairways: Fairways will be drained with XGD drainage. Drainpipes will be installed on 10-foot centers throughout the fairways. After the drainage pipes are installed, the fairways will be tilled and prepped for grass. No major reshaping will be done, but the tilling and prep work will remove the small imperfections, dips and bumps from years of water runoff. The fairways will be sprigged with Tif-Tuf Bermudagrass.
-Tees: All tees will be expanded in size, properly aligned and rebuilt in a square shape. Tees will be sand capped and new irrigation installed on the tee tops. The tee tops will be sodded with Zeon Zoysiagrass.
-Tee Complexes: The tee complexes will be reshaped to properly drain water away from Tee tops and grassed with Empire Zoysiagrass.
-Rough: All rough grass will be replaced with Tif-Tuf Bermudagrass. Select areas will be drained and other drainage enhancements will be made to existing drainage.
-Bunkers: All bunkers will be reshaped, reducing the current square footage of sand by 45%. The new bunker shape will be built using the Better Billy Bunker spec to eliminate sand washouts during rain events and to provide uniform playing conditions throughout the golf course.
-Cartpaths: All existing asphalt paths will be removed and replaced with new concrete paths. Curbing will also be installed around tee and green complexes to minimize cart traffic damage.
-Practice Facility: The Practice Facility will be completely redesigned. Main components will be the drainage of the landing area to limit the number of closed days we currently experience. Shaping of target greens in the landing area will provide better positive runoff to new drainage installation, plus provide the golfer better targets to practice different shots. Construction of a new short game area will be completed where the current putting green rests, providing chipping from 1- 75 yards to an expanded chipping green. The putting green will be moved to behind the practice tee, allowing for expanded putting practice and overall, a safer Practice Facility for everyone to practice all aspects of their game.
The project is scheduled to begin on April 4th with the Magnolia 9-hole course and the Practice Facility closing that Monday. TDI Golf, the contractor selected to complete the work, will be arriving onsite March 21st to begin staging equipment, materials, and other reconstruction work. TDI will also begin some out of play drainage work on the Practice Facility and select golf holes during the 2 weeks leading up to April 4th. All golf holes and the Practice Facility will remain open during this time.
We are all extremely excited about this project and look forward to having you all follow along as we go through it together. Check back here every Friday for ongoing project updates.
Thank you for all the support.
Billy Bagwell
Director of Agronomy
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