June 5

The grass is HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right, holes 6,7,& 8 are completely grassed. Its official, we have a golf course that actually has live grass on it. I know this is a major change in mentality from the recent past, but I'm try to convert. Promise!!!!!!!

Here is the sprigging machine. I looks a lot like a ride in the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocalate Factory." You load it with sprigs, a couple guys sit in the back shuffling the sprigs into a conveyor belt, the sprigs drop out the bottom, some discs cut them in , and then a tow behind roller smushes them into the planting bed. It's kinda wild to watch.

Sprigs get delivered, nothing high tech about this. Good news is the sprig farm is only 1.5 hr away so they show up fresh.


Loading the sprigs, again not rocket science. Scoop, lift, dump



The machine is gear driven depending on ground speed. The conveyor just drops the sprigs on the ground.


Then the business end of the machine roll over the grass. The idea is to "crease" the grass into the soil so it can make good soil contact.


After the grass is pressed into the ground, a roller goes over the gournd the "seal" the sprigs into the soil.


So the idea is to drive over the ground dropping, cutting in, and rolling in the sprigs.



Here's a close up of what the final product looks like


Around the greens, on tees, and on slopes the sprigs are put down by "hand shaking" them. The sprig machine is too heavy and too hard to turn around in the tight areas.


After hand shaking the sprigs, this little sprig cutter is used to "plant" them into the soil.


Once the sprigs are planted, its lots and lots of water to keep them alive


It will take approximately 14 days before the sprigs will show signs of life. Right about the time we all start saying "I don't think it worked," they will start sprouting new green growth.

The sod on the other hand takes off like a bandit. This sod has been down for 1 day. Notice the long white roots already growing down into the soil.


Work still contines on the back. Here a big end dump brings in some fill for the green surounds on 13. The new complex will have a couple of "catches" behind the green to help keep balls from rolling through the green.


Same green, just front right


Here is some work being done to the lake next to 18 tees


This pic is of some irrigation improvements on 11. We had to replace 800 feet of pipe and convert the system to electric controls to match the rest of the system.


Here is what the old nursery green looks like now. This area will be planted in marsh grass and cypress trees to enhance the "wetland" look.


To comply with county code, as well as for lake bank stabilization, I had a subcontractor come in and plant all new aquatics in the lakes. Sometimes, its just better to dive right into your work


Here is a pic of one of the littoral areas, notice the aquatics in the bottom


Here is the crew planting the new plants


Here is a close up of the new vegetation. It was planting up to the anticipated high water level.


Progess update in general...6-8 are completely finished, including grass. Drainage is in on 9-15, & 18; drainage started on 16 today. Finish shaping is done on 9 & 10, they are being box bladed for "planting prep." Holes 13, 14, & 18 are being shaped. Stripping is complete, and spoils still sit on holes 1,2,&3. I was hoping to be done with burying, but we had to haul dirt with the dump trucks to the back side, so we couldn't haul spoils to the bury pits.

Stay tuned, its getting fun now.