Native Grass and Straw Bed Improvements

This April I will have completed my 5th year at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club.  This morning as I was writing the prior post I went through some pictures that I had taken my first year at the club and was proud to look back and think about what we have accomplished at this facility.  I wanted to share some of those photos with you.  A lot of the areas are places on the course that we have converted to native grass or straw beds.  It's pretty amazing to look at the improvements.  Keep these photos in your mind next time you play the course.

#17

 

#2- #15

#8 Native, notice the Driving range in the background

#13 

#8

#9

 

#7

#6

 

#11 T- Complex

Between #1-16

Left side rough # 3

This is just one example of the improvement. Same spot # 3 Rough

We are constantly trying to take things to the next step here at Palo Alto C.C. to provide the finest playing conditions possible.  I am hopeful that in another 5 years we will have improved just as much as the last.

Spring Updates

With spring in full swing the maintenance staff is busy recovering from aerification and working to provide superb course conditions.  A practice that we started last year to help improve our bunker consistency was to roto-till all bunkers.  Now that the winter storm systems have subsided we will once again go through all bunkers to “bust up” the sand and provide the most consistent hazard possible.  This is a practice that we will complete twice a year before and after the winter rains.

Here is a picture of the process that will take place in the next few weeks

 

The putting green opened the first week in April and is off to a great start.  I want to remind everyone that this surface is only 6 weeks old and it will take time to mature and produce results that we are looking for.  We have started to slowly lower the mowing heights and I would anticipate that by the middle of May we will be consistent with the rest of our putting surfaces.  Remember that there are two types of bent cultivars on the putting green, see if you can differentiate the two.

 Throughout this winter we have been busy building some new T surfaces.  The tees where built from our Master T- Plan developed by course architect, John Harbottle.  John’s plans show the proposed placement and shape of the new tees.  We started implementing John’s plan this past winter with the construction of three new ladies T’s.  If you have not noticed them by now, they are located on # three (2) tree, # sixteen (1) tree and # seventeen (1) tree.  Having a reputation as one of Nor Cal’s most challenging ladies course the construction of some new tees is going to help level the playing field for our Lady golfers.  Budget permitting throughout the near future we will continue to implement sections of the Master T Plan.  If anyone would like to view the entire Master Plan please feel free to swing by and I would love to go over them with you. 

Getting ready for Sod!