Week 13

 Putting green construction on Magnolia 8 and 9 is moving along.  The past two weeks the team from TDI has taken these two green complexes and transformed them into two much improved putting greens.  Below are step by step photos of this transformation and the USGA putting green construction process.  These greens will be built to USGA spec matching the other greens on the course.  This process includes mirroring the putting surface contours in the sub-grade 16 inches deep.  Once sub-grade is established, drain lines are installed throughout the sub-grade and back filled with drain rock.  A blanket of gravel is spread throughout the putting green cavity 4 inches deep.  Extra care is taken to ensure the 4 inches of gravel reflects the sub grade contours.  The gravel layer should mirror the desired putting surface.  Once the gravel is complete, 12 inches of greens mix is spread throughout the green over the gravel.  Special testing was completed prior too construction to ensure the greens mix used "bridges" over the gravel layer.  This bridging prevents the greens mix from migrating down into the gravel and clogging the drainage.  Once the 12 inches of greens mix is installed, the team from TDI "floats" the green to ensure the final product is a reflection of the sub-grade and ultimately approved by the architect. 

Magnolia 8 green complex before reshaping

Magnolia 8 putting green cavity and sub-grade prep

Magnolia 8 putting green drainage installation

Magnolia 8 putting green gravel layer installation

Magnolia 8 greens mix installation

New Magnolia 8 green complex

Old Magnolia 9 green complex

Demolition of old Magnolia 9 green complex

New Magnolia 9 green sub-grade

Billy Fuller site visit to approve sub-grade contours

Magnolia 9 green sub-grade complete and ready for drainage

Magnolia 9 drainage installation

Magnolia 9 drainage complete and ready for gravel

Magnolia 9 green ready for greens mix

Week 12

 Grassing and grow in is now in full swing.  With Magnolia 3-7 well into grow in focus has shifted to grooming these holes to the correct mowing heights and pushing lateral growth to fill in the voids in the sprigged areas.  With the grass on these holes well established, we can now back off the water a little and dry the soil enough to allow equipment to perform routine maintenance.  The Tif-Tif sprigs have really begun to go sideways now that routine mowing and fertilizer applications are being made.  Successful sprig grow in's require routine mowing to be successful.  Mowing the grass forces the the growth sideways, thus filling in the voids.  Without mowing, too much vertical growth occurs which can lead to a thin turf stand.  We have made one topdressing application and will be making several more over the coming months to help smooth the surface and fill the voids left behind from the sprigging operation, rain fall, etc.  So far the sprigged areas on Magnolia 3-7 are looking great.  The sodded tee complexes have also firmed up enough on these holes that weekly mowing is now part of the routine.  The Zeon zoysia is really impressive and will provide a great playing surface for golf.  The tee tops themselves have been cut down to the playing height we will maintain once open.  Sand topdressing and some light aerificaiton of the tee tops will be required to level out the tees and fill in the sod lines.  Now with Magnolia 3-7 mostly complete, focus has shifted to Magnolia 1,2,8 and 9.  Magnolia 2 fairway has been sprigged and sod laid down the left hand side rough and around the green complex.  The tee complex will be completed next week before TDI moves across the road to Magnolia 1,8 and 9.  Shaping and drainage work is ongoing on those holes and the should be ready for grassing beginning next week and into the the following week.  

Magnolia 4 Tif Tuf sprigs

Magnolia 4 Tif Tuf Sprigs

Magnolia 5 Tif Tuf grow in while green sprigs being spread

Team laying Tif Tuf sod left side rough Magnolia 2 

Nearly completed sod work left side Magnolia 2 rough 

Putting Surfaces:

Wednesday was an exciting day at the maintenance facility, as the Team from Modern Turf showing up to sprig the first set of greens.  Magnolia 2-7 were ready for grass and following some last minute adjustments to the mix to ensure the putting greens were back to the original design, these greens were sprigged with our new Mini-verde turf. We will sprig Magnolia 1 green this week and Magnolia 8 and 9 greens soon once they have been built.  We expect the sprigs on the greens to take 8-10 weeks to grow in and several more weeks after that to "tighten up" to be ready to open.  

Mini-verde sprigs come in burlap bags in back of refrigerated truck

Bags of Mini-verde sprigs

Hand spreading sprigs on Magnolia 3 green

Magnolia 3 completed

Sprigs are cut in following spreading to ensure soil contact

Greens are rolled following cutting in process to smooth surface

Continuous water during daylight hours to keep sprigs hydrated is required.  

Week 11

This week was the biggest yet.  We are now in the timeline of the project where we have every step in the process taking place at the same time somewhere on the golf course.  TDI and the Callawassie Agronomy Team are working hard to pull off this hectic phase in the project as we push to July 6.  Next week we have plans to sprig the putting surfaces on Magnolia 1 - 7 and get the final process started.  Hopefully the weather holds off this week to allow us to finish Magnolia 1 and 2 green complexes.

Magnolia 7 golf hole is nearly complete with grass.  The green complex will be sodded today and the tee complex is nearly finished.  From Mag 7, the crews will move to Magnolia 2 to begin the final prep-work required before grassing. 

Sprigging Magnolia 7 fairway

Final touches on tees before grassing

Magnolia 7 green surrounds ready for sod

Wrapping Magnolia 7 green with Tif Tuf

The grassing completed on Magnolia 3-6 has come in well.  We have cut the sodded areas multiple times now and have begun mowing in the tee tops, approaches and collars around the greens.  This week we have also put our first cut on the sprigged areas to help the grass continue to move laterally and further fill in.  Routine mowing and topdressing will take place on these areas over the coming months to help ensure a smooth surface for play when we open in November.  

Mowing sprigs on Magnolia 5

Topdressing sprigs on Magnolia 3

Finished product following mowing and topdressing.

Shaping of the second landing area on Magnolia 8 fairway has been completed up to the green.  This area was one of our worst drainage problems and some shape to the ground was needed to help move water to newly installed basins down both the left and right sides of the hole.  These basins will also be supported by the XGD drainage that will be installed from the left side lagoon across to the right side OB line.  The shaping changes were very subtle, but will be extremely effective in moving water off the golf hole.

So far through the Magnolia renovation, the putting surfaces have not been changed.  TDI has been stripping off the top 5 inches on organic buildup and restoring the greens back to the original design from 2008.  This process will be different for Magnolia 8 and 9 putting surfaces and green complexes.  The greens before were extremely narrow with a lot of movement through the middle of the greens.  This led to few pinable areas in the front of both Magnolia 8 and 9.  The middle pin locations were unfair, leaving just a few areas in the back of the greens that provided suitable hole locations. The drawings above are the plans for these two greens.  A wider putting surface with more pinable areas will be built that will provide the golfer more variety and better playability options.

Magnolia 8 green sub-grade

TDI has begun work on shaping the sub-grade of Magnolia 8 and will soon begin on Magnolia 9.  Billy Fuller will be back onsite later this week for his site visit and will make any necessary adjustments before TDI moves forward with installing the new irrigation loop, subsurface drainage and ultimately the USGA gravel and greens mix.  

Week 10

 We continue to make great progress on Magnolia with the renovation.  Grassing has now been completed on Magnolia 3-5 with 6 being worked on today.  Next week, Magnolia 7 will be grassed before moving over to Magnolia 2.  TDI shapers are out in front of the grassing crews finalizing the shaping on Magnolia 2 and now have begun on Magnolia 1 green complex.  Our goal is to have Magnolia 1 -7 green complexes completed by the end of June.  The first week of July, the putting surfaces on those holes will be sprigged with Mini-verde.  Magnolia 8 and 9 greens along with the new putting greens on the Practice Facility will be grass later in July.  

The Tif Tuf sprigs are coming in very well on Magnolia 3-5.  They have all established and have turned green, a great sign for sprigs.  Now the Agronomy Team will take over and begin to "grow the sprigs in".  We expect the Tif Tuf to take 6-8 weeks to fully cover the soil.  Next week the Team will begin to roll, fertilize and top dress the sprigs on a routine schedule.  These processes will help the grass fill in and provide a smooth playing surface for golf.  The sodded areas around tee, greens and bunkers has also taken very well.  Once fully established, routine mowing will begin and the team will slowly lower the heights on tee tops, approaches and collars.  The same rolling and topdressing processes will be completed on these areas to help smooth the sodded surfaces and prepare for play later this year.  All in all the grassing of the first 4 holes has gone extremely smooth.  These hot dry days are exactly what we need.  We are very thankful for our reliable irrigation system.  A grassing project of this magnitude would be impossible without a well designed functional system.  The irrigation system that was installed in 2008, is working very well and is keeping up the the high water demand very well.  

Magnolia 2 second landing area. Two new fairway bunkers rough shaped in.
The puddles on the left will be drained next week.

Magnolia 3 Tee complex

Magnolia 3 

Magnolia 3 green and bunker complex

Magnolia 4 Tee

Magnolia 4 first landing area

Magnolia 4 green complex

Magnolia 5 Tee complex

Magnolia 5 landing area

Magnolia 6 green complex

Magnolia 7 Fairway

Magnolia 7 fairway landing area and green complex

Week 9

A milestone has been reached.  Grass has officially hit the ground on Magnolia.  To refresh everyones memories from our town hall meetings last year, two different grasses were chosen to blanket the golf course.  The tee tops and tee complexes will be grassed with a Zeon Zoysiagrass.  This fine textured zoysia is great for shady areas while providing a similar texture to the main grass of choice on the course Tif Tuf Bermuda.  Many of our tee complexes are very shady and Zeon will do very well in these areas as well as the full sun tee complexes around the golf course.  This grass can me cut to tee height up to rough height and will provide great definition around the tees. From the tees forward through the rough, fairways and around the greens, Tif Tuf Bermudagrass was chosen.  This varity of Bermuda has excellent drought tolerance, great texture and a deep green color that will thrive in our soils.  Trials we have conducted over the past several years and university research has shown Tif Tuf to be the superior Bermuda of choice in our climate.  Over the next week and a half, the tee and green complexes on Magnolia 3 and 4 will be  sodded.  The bunkers and other sloped features on these holes will also be sodded to protect these areas during rain events.  The flatter rough areas and all the fairways will be sprigged with Tif Tuf Bermuda.  The sprigging process will begin tomorrow.  Look for day by day updates on our twitter feed @CI_Agronomy  

First truck load of Tif Tuf Bermuda

Wrapping bunkers on Magnolia 4

Green complex on Magnolia 4

Magnolia 4 green complex half way sodded

Magnolia 4 tee complex sodded with Zeon Zoysia

Magnolia 3 Green complex

Magnolia 4 Green complex completed and irrigation running