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.  

  

First Test

The First Test 

Early yesterday afternoon, the new XGD drainage system got its first test with a rain storm that dumped nearly two inches of rain with most of that coming down over an hour.  The system performed exceptionally well in all areas that it has been installed.  During the storm all of the 4” lateral pipes that the XGD drain lines tie into were inspected for proper water flow.  It was great to see just how fast that water was draining and flowing through the pipes.  It was also nice to be able to drive completed fairways without leaving a single tire track.  Holes that have not had new drainage installed on them were leaving muddy tire tracks when driving across them.

Puddling Around Basins

For those of you that live on Magnolia or that drive by you will notice some pretty large areas of standing water next to basin pipes.  Do not be alarmed, the basin have yet to be cut down to allow water to flow into it.  This is done on purpose because the final grading around these basins has yet to be completed.  Once all grading is completed the pipes will be lowered and a 12” grate will be place on top.  This will allow the water to flow into the pipe. 

With the amount of drainage yet to be done around the course it is very reassuring to see what has already been done is working.  Hopefully, these rain storms will be few and far between.

Ryan Watson

Golf Course Superintendent

Week 3

 XGD fairway drainage continues to move along at a great pace.  As of this weekend, Magnolia 3,4,5,6 and half of 7 have been completed.  The crew expects to complete Magnolia 7, then move to Magnolia 1 on Monday.  We hope to have all of the fairway drainage installation completed over the next 3 weeks.  The drainage crew will then fall back and begin to install the drainage on the approaches and green surrounds following the green complex shaping.  Speaking of green complex shaping, Magnolia 4 complex, including the bunkers have been shaped in and are ready for the the approaches to be drained.  This is an exciting part of the process to see, as the surface runoff issues that have plagued us for years have been solved with the reshaping of the green surrounds and you can now really see how bad it was.  The XGD crew has laid out the drainage and has begun installing pipe. All of the approaches and short grass areas around greens will be capped with 2-3 inches of the same sand mix used on the greens.  To recap the complete scope of work on and around the putting greens, the work will flow in this order.  Greens surfaces will have 5 inches of turf, thatch, and organic matter removed.  This 5 inch removal takes the sand mix cavity down to 10 inches deep on a desired USGA spec 12 inches deep.  The collars and approaches will also have this 5 inches of material removed and tied in to the reshaped green surrounds, bunkers, and overall greens complex.  Once the shaping of the bunkers and green surrounds are approved by Billy Fuller, XGD drainage is installed in the approaches and short grass areas around the greens.  The bunkers are also drained following Better Billy Bunker spec (more to come on this process later in the project).  Once all the drainage is installed on the approaches, 2 inches of greensmix sand will be installed over the XGD drainage on the approaches and over the entire putting surface.  The putting surface will be checked to ensure proper 12 inches of depth and reshaped back to the original contours of the putting green using the GPS maps taken prior to renovation work beginning.  The greens mix on the collars and approaches will be shaped to ensure proper surface water runoff off and away from the putting surfaces down to new drainage.  Grassing and bunker sand installation will be the next steps but won't happen for several more weeks.  All of this work will result in a great playing surface for all golfers that will provide firm conditions around the greens allowing a variety of different shot options for players to use.  

Magnolia 4 back left bunker shaped in ready for drainage

Magnolia 4 front left bunker edge being cut in

Magnolia 4 approach XGD drainage installed on 6 foot centers

Week 2

 TDI continues to make excellent progress with the installation of the new drainage system.  Over 15,000 linear feet of 2 inch XGD pipe has been installed over the first 2 weeks of the project.  Magnolia 4 and 5 fairways are now complete and the crew will be moving to Magnolia 3 next week.  This week, the drainage team worked on Magnolia 5 fairway and was able to drain the right hand side rough area where carts enter the fairway and around the bases of the many mounds between the cart path and fairway.  This area has been a notorious wet area and we are excited about having this drainage problem area addressed.

Magnolia 5 righthand side XGD drainage installation

Magnolia 5 fairway XGD drainage installation

Shaping of Magnolia 4 green complex began Monday after a visit from Billy Fuller.  Ron, the shaper on our project, has spent the last several days moving dirt around to rough in the new bunkers and lower the runoff areas to provide better surface water flow to the drain basins along the perimeter of the green complex.  The green surface has also been stripped of the buildup of organic matter and years of topdressing sand.  On average, 5 inches of material has been removed bringing the green surface down to 2 inches below original grade from 2008.  Over the next several weeks, 2 inches of fresh mix will be installed and the greens surfaces will be shaped back to original grades from 2008 prior to grassing.  Billy Fuller will be back onsite early next week to approve rough shaping and finalize bunker shaping.

Billy Fuller discussing Magnolia 4 shaping with shapers and GC Superintendent Ryan Watson

Pushing dirt into old forward bunker for re-shaping

Magnolia 4 left side green side bunkers roughed in

Magnolia 4 right side green side bunker rough in

Practice Facility work continues as the main drainage trunk line running from the chipping green area down to the back outfall by Magnolia 1 green has been installed.  This 8-inch pipe run will support all the new basins and XGD drainage that will be installed at a later date.  

Practice Facility 8-inch main drain line installation

Next week we look forward to shaping in the fairway bunker complex on Magnolia 4 before moving to Magnolia green complex.  We also expect to have Magnolia 3 fairway drained, then moving to Magnolia 2.  Cart path removal will continue along with Practice Facility drainage.  

Week 1

Week 2 of the project is off to a great start.  Many processes are now in motion throughout Magnolia, along with some drainage work on the Practice Facility. 

 

Bermudagrass Eradication:

The Team has made our initial application to all turf surfaces with great success.  We are now in the process of scalping down and removing all the dying turf tissue.  The goal is to get as much sunlight to the soil surface as possible to help the grass regenerate new growth prior to our second herbicide application.  We have already seen some regrowth on the greens and fairways and expect more to occur with the warm weather we are finally experiencing.  We will make our second application beginning of next week to further kill off the existing bermudagrass.  TDI will begin the fraze mowing process in the coming weeks to physically remove the dead bermudagrass.  Following the fraze mowing process, the ground will be smoothed and prepped for the new grass to be planted. 

 

XGD Drainage:

The drainpipe installation on Magnolia 4 fairway has been completed and drainage team has moved to Magnolia 5.  TDI has been installing roughly 2,000 linear feet of drainpipe a day so far, which is just incredible to see.  Once Magnolia 5 is complete, they plan to fall back to Magnolia 3.  We have already seen how well this drainage works with the rain we had last week.  Magnolia 4 fairway was in great shape despite almost 1 inch of rain.  We are excited about how this drainage process is going to improve our overall playability.  The Agronomy Team has also been busy with drainage installation around the course.  So far, my team has replaced 10 drain basins with new pipes, tie-ins, and basin lids with plans to do many more.  Our crew has also begun a several hundred-foot run of 6-inch drainpipe on Magnolia 3 to replace the compromised green outfall pipe.  This new run will not only improve the greens drainage outfall, but also give TDI a better outfall for bunker drainage and 2 new basins to capture surface water.

 

Cart path removal:

Asphalt removal continues around the course. Mag 1,3,4,5,6 and 7 have been completed and the crew has begun on Magnolia 8.  TDI should have all the asphalt removed by the first part of next week.  Our local asphalt company has been hauling away the asphalt to be recycled.  Trucks will be back on property next week to continue removing the asphalt piles off site. 

 

Bunker Shaping:

Billy Fuller, our architect, was onsite all-day Monday and Tuesday to discuss shaping with the TDI crew. Shaping of the new bunkers and green surrounds on Magnolia 4 has begun following the visit from Mr. Fuller.  The goal on number 4 is to improve to overall surface water run off around the green and enhance the surrounds to provide better playability around the green.  The greenside bunkers will also be rough shaped in over the next 2 days.  Billy Fuller will return next week to finalize the shaping before final grades and shapes are put in.  This process will occur on each green complex along with all tee complexes and fairway bunker complexes throughout the duration of the project.

 

 

As you can see, the project has really ramped up and will continue to do so as we move into the coming weeks.  I would like to express again for your safety, the importance of staying off the Magnolia course during this project.  With most of the paths removed, it is now unsafe for bikers, walkers and really golf carts as well to get around.  Pictures of our progress will continue to be posted on social media and the blog throughout the project.  Thank you in advance for your help.

 

Billy Bagwell

Director of Agronomy

No Turning Back...

 This week was a big week as we are set to officially begin the renovation on Monday, April 4.  The Agronomy Team made our initial non-selective herbicide application to the tees, fairways and greens surfaces on the Magnolia 9.  We expect the turf to begin turning brown over the coming days.  Subsequent applications will be made over the coming weeks as we aim for total removal of the existing grass prior to re-grassing of the golf course.  Turf research has shown, in order to properly kill off existing bermudagrass, multiple applications spread over a several week period is required.  Between these application the Agronomy Team will be scalping the existing turf to remove the leaf tissue that has begun to die.  By exposing the crown of the plant at the soil level, we can get the roots of the grass to regenerate new growth before the next application of herbicide is applied.  Repeating this process multiple times will allow us to have better success in removing the existing grass prior to planting of new turf.

Non-selective herbicide application on Magnolia 4 fairway

The TDI crews continued with the installation of additional drainage main line runs on Magnolia 2 and 7 this week. They have also begun installing the main drain line on the Practice Facility to support the landing area drainage that will be installed later in the project.  TDI plans to begin the fairway drainage installation on Magnolia 4 fairway Monday once the golf course is officially closed.