Week 8

 Progress continues as we approach our first grassing date.  TDI still has plans to grass Magnolia 3-6 over the next couple weeks, so focus has been placed on final prep work on these holes for grass.  We received some rain overnight, but we don't anticipate that having any impact on plans to begin grass installation on Magnolia 4 middle of next week.  Below are phots of Mag 3-5 tee complexes ready for grass.  Some minor machine and hand rake work is all that is left before grass will hit the ground.  Prior to grass going down the Agronomy Team will apply replant fertilizers and soil amendments under the grass.  This process will help ensure healthy soil conditions for optimum growth through the rest of the summer.  Photos of this process will be posted next week.

Magnolia 3

Magnolia 4

Magnolia 5

Week 7

 TDI continues to move swiftly through the golf course.  And as June 1 quickly approaches, holes Magnolia 3,4,5 and 6 are really starting to take shape.  With 1 week to go before our first loads of grass arrive, the final processes are being completed on these holes.  This week the bunkers on these holes have been shaped, drained and prepped for the Better Billy Bunker gravel layer and polymer.  Today Magnolia 3 and 4 will be sprayed with polymer and ready for sand and grass to be installed.  Other processes that are wrapping up on these holes is the irrigation work around tee tops and bunkers.  The tees and bunkers will be the biggest change throughout this project and they are all shaping up to be really good for everyone to enjoy.  

Tee construction:

Magnolia 3 tee tops were originally 8,000 sq ft and will be increased to 13,000 sq ft

Magnolia 4 tee tops were originally 4,700 sq ft and will be increases to 10,000 sq ft

Magnolia 5 tee tops were originally 4,500 sq ft and will be increased to 8,700 sq ft 

Magnolia 6 tee tops were originally 3,764 sq ft and will be increased to 7,200 sq ft

This overall increase of teeing ground will better allow the Agronomy Team to spread our wear from play, but more importantly give the golfer more yardage variety and different angles to play from off the tee.  All the new tees will be drained with XGD drainage, backfilled with 6 inches of greens mix and irrigation installed around each individual tee allowing great water savings and the ability to water each tee with the water requirement necessary given each tees micro climate.

Layout and installation of XGD drain pipe

XGD drain pipe installed

XGD drain pipe installed ready for greens mix

Greensmix installed on tee top of Magnolia 4

Bunkers:

All bunkers have been reshaped on Magnolia 3-6.  These bunkers have been reduced in size and more strategically placed on the golf hole.  New drain lines and outfalls have been installed and will properly move water out of the bunkers and into the larger drainage system on each golf hole.  Careful shaping has been done within each bunker to ensure they can be seen from the tee or fairway while minimizing the size and shape of them. Careful consideration has also been done to ensure surface water does not run off a grass surface into a bunker.  This surface water runoff is what leads to most bunker washouts we have fought over the past 20+ years.  Eliminating this issue combined with the new drainage and better billy bunker construction method will virtually eliminate bunker sand erosion that has plagued the golf course for years.  Bunker mister irrigation is also being installed around each individual bunker to allow the agronomy team the ability to maintain adequate moisture levels of the bunker sand and keep the grass on the bunker faces hydrated without the need for the large overhead watering with the main irrigation system.  These improvements will help make bunker play around the course much more consistent and enjoyable.

Final shaping on bunkers on Mag 6

Magnolia 3 bunker ready for drainage

Magnolia 6  left bunkers ready for drainage

Installation of drainage on Magnolia 4 left green side bunker

Magnolia 3 bunker drainage installation

Bunker drainage gravel installed on Magnolia 4 greenside

Magnolia 4 greenside bunker ready for
Better Billy Bunker polymer

Better Billy Bunker polymer application

Magnolia 4 greenside bunker ready for grass and sand

Bunker mister heads will be installed around each bunker

As Magnolia 3-6 get the final processes completed, the XGD drainage crew has continued work on Magnolia 8,9,1 and 2 with the fairway drainage installation.  this work is only being completed in fairways that shaping is not needed.  Shaping of second landing area of Magnolia 8 fairway and the second landing area of Magnolia 2 fairway are still to be done before drainage can be installed.  Shaping of the greens and tee complexes is ongoing on Magnolia 7 and will move the Magnolia 2 next week.  

Magnolia 2 fairway first landing area drainage installation

Starting to take shape

 Magnolia 3,4, 5 and 6 are beginning to look like golf holes again as we get closer to the point of grassing.  TDI's goal from the beginning was to work from the inside, out with the construction process so access to golf holes isn't limited by completion.  So starting on Magnolia 3-6 made the most sense, and now one month in, these holes are nearly ready to have grass start hitting the ground.  We anticipate by the end of May, these holes will be ready to have the greens complexes grassed, along with the other feature slopes on Magnolia 3-6.  Feature slopes being bunkers and tee surrounds.  Below are several photos showing progress on these holes.

Magnolia 4 Tee cavity drained and read for greensmix

Installing greensmix on Magnolia 4 Tee complex

Magnolia 4 Tee cavity filled with greens mix and
 ready for irrigation installation.

Magnolia 4 greenside bunkers ready for drainage

Aerial photo of Magnolia 4 green complex.  Bunkers were wrapped
with plastic to protect edges from rain.

Fraze mowing process on Magnolia 4 fairway.

Fraze mower process removing top 1.5 inches of
dead grass and organic matter.

Magnolia 5 Tee complex shaping

Magnolia 5 green complex

One Month In...

 Well that went fast.  It has been 1 month since Magnolia was closed to begin the 2022 golf course renovation of Magnolia and the Practice Facility.  I can safely say, after 27 days of work, I am blown away by the progress both my Team and TDI has made.  Below is are snapshots of work completed, work to come.

XGD drainage installation:

   Fairways 1,3,4,5,6 and 9 have been all but completed with the installation of the 2 inch drain pipe.  We anticipate the need to install more pipe in select areas as the green complexes get shaped in.  But for now, these holes are complete with 2 inch drainage installation.  Fairways 7 and 8 have been mostly completed with only areas where re-shaping is required left to be drained.  Magnolia 2 will be the last hole to have drainage installed and we plan to begin this hole next week.  As of this writing 34,380 linear feet of 2 inch pipe has been installed on the golf course.  Please remember, there still is a lot of fine tuning to be done to the ground to ensure proper flow of surface water to drains.  Also, water flows differently on dead grass and dirt,  once the new grass is installed, water will drain different that what you may see during rain events at this stage.    As we see where water flows now, we can evaluate the need for adjustments before final grading and grass installation begins. 

Magnolia #7

The landing area on Magnolia 7 leading up to the green will be re-shaped to fill in the long ribbon bunker that follows the water around to the green side.  The large mounds on the right side of the hole will be lowered and softened to provide a better landing area for players who want to challenge the large Live Oak on the right side of the fairway.  Accurate shots will now be rewarded with a landing area that allows you to see the green and provide players with a comfortable stance to make your second shot.  The approach area leading up to the green and to the right side of the green will also be widened to provide more bailout area for players that don't care to challenge the water down the left side.  Once shaped, the XGD drainage team will install the 2 inch pipe throughout this area up to the green.  The large diameter storm drain pipe that was exposed has been removed and replaced with a deeper pipe that runs all the way to the roadside terminating into a basin.  The two new basins will now capture water at the road and move safely to the pond rather than having the open ended pipe that was a accident waiting to happen.  

Magnolia #8:

The second shot landing area between the pond and cartpath, along with the rough up the right OB line leading up the green side bunker will be reshaped to provide better drainage of this notorious wet area that holds water following rain events.  Once the shaping has been completed, 2 inch pipe will be installed in the fairways and rough areas along with several drain basins along the property line to help move surface water off the golf hole and into the pond.  The large green side bunker will be reduced providing players a fair shot for those that come up short of the green when trying to reach the putting surface in two. 

Green complex shaping:

Magnolia 3, 4 and 5 green complexes have been rough shaped in, along with bunker reshaping. The green surrounds will be the most noticeable change throughout this project.  Our goal to move water off the putting surfaces, away from bunkers and into drain basins has been accomplished on 3, 4 and 5 with great success.  I am excited to see how the complexes improve on the remaining holes as we move through the project.  The bunkers on 3 and 4 have been reduced in size and located in strategic areas that properly penalize an arrant golf shot.  The remaining areas around the greens will be shaped in such a way to move water off the putting surface and down to new basins installed well off the immediate green surrounds.  These runoff areas will provide golfers great shot options from turf cut at fairway height.  The option to putt, chip, flop, and bump-n-run will all be feasible within these areas.  As these areas get shaped in, the short cut portions around greens will have 2 inch drain pipe installed and capped with greens mix to provide firm conditions that further add shot options to players.

Tee complex shaping:

New larger square tees have been shaped on Magnolia 3,4,5 and 6.  A total of 6 tee boxes from various yardages will be available for players to enjoy.  The new forward tees will be a great addition to the golf course.  The new tees are much larger to provide better yardage variety and allow the Agronomy Team options to spread wear.  Tee cavities have been prepped for drainage and greensmix on Magnolia 3-6.  Once the 2 inch drain pipe is installed on the sub grade of the tees, 6 inches on greens mix will be installed.

Cart Path Removal:

Over 12,000 linear feet of asphalt cart paths have been removed.  The base material under the asphalt has been left in place and will provide a great base for the new concrete.  Some small sections of asphalt have been left in tight areas that have a lot of traffic for now.  These areas will be removed once we get closer to time to install the new concrete.  

Irrigation work:

With the bunker reduction some areas that were sand will now be grass.  These areas will require additional irrigation coverage to properly grow the turf.  The Callawassie Agronomy Team, lead by Second Assistant Superintendent Welfrie Lopez, has been following the shaping crew making the necessary irrigation adjustments and repairs.  The bunker on Magnolia 3 has be drastically changed and the need for 5 new irrigation heads has been addressed by Welfrie and the Team.