Contrary to the temperatures we are experiencing, fall has arrived, and with that, I’d like to highlight a few important notes and reminders in this week’s blog.

Driving Range Tee Decks

With days becoming shorter and fewer hours of sunlight to help turf growth and seed germination, the turf will be closed for the remainder of the season effective tomorrow, Wednesday, October 13.

We will be aerifying and topdressing the range to ensure proper turf health as we move into winter and next season. We must complete these practices with enough recovery time before the turf stops growing, similar to the golf course.

This decision is imperative to ensure that we can have excellent turf conditions on the range tees again all through the golf season in 2022.

Safety on the Course

Fall is a beautiful time of year on the golf course, with the leaves changing to the incredible colours they deliver. However, the leaves and other materials can create numerous safety concerns while on the golf course.

Please be mindful of sand buildup and other debris on your golf shoes while on the course. There are a few spots where this can create a significant hazard.

• The path down from 5 green/6 upper tees into the valley
• The bridge crossings
• The walk up to the halfway house

To mitigate the risk in these areas, please note the addition of spike brushes mounted to the ball washer posts on 3, 6, 8, 9, 13 and 17.

When you cross over the bridges with matting, please walk on the mat as much as possible. The greens department cleans all bridge crossings and inclined paths each morning; however, leaves and other debris may cover the way through the day.

The largest bridge on the golf course is 8/17—this bridge made of hemlock is durable and rough to withstand walking directly on the surface.

This winter, all the boards on this bridge will be replaced to free it of wobble for years to come. The work is expected to take a week and will be completed after the course is closed.

Left of Hole 17

This fall, we will be performing some cultural practices to the left of hole 17. This will help improve the area aesthetically, making the entire area fescue.

Over the next week, we are mowing down all of the weeds and thin brush; this area has not been touched since we moved the dump to 13.

Following this process, we are bringing in a meri crusher to turn the entire area over. This machine is a heavy tilling device that mulches everything in its path, including roots and branches. This will help to improve the soil condition and create a suitable growing environment for the fescue seed.

Seed and fertility practices will take place in the fall and spring to germinate as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions about these topics or anything else on the course, please contact me at your convenience.

Chris Bouwers
Course and Property Manager
cbouwers@creditvalleygolf.com