Trees and Turf

While OCGC has several nice, well kept mature trees, a few things need to be noted.  Trees and shrubs DO have sertain life spans.  Some of the trees have exceeded their useful lifespan.  The pictures are a few examples: picture 1 is of a dead Scrub Pine and a leaning pine.  Picture 2 shows an oak tree with a mossy scale disease and is in the process of declining.  Picture 3 is a canker beginning to split on a gum tree.  Picture 4 is of the dead pine at the corner of the dogleg on Seaside #17.

Trees can have an effect on turf quality.  The turf thinning on 14 green Seaside and 5 Newport are perfect examples.  Trees are an enemy to older varieties of bermudagrass (like our Midlawn).  Examples can easily be seen on 5, 8 and 11 Newport.  Some thinning will be required to bring these fairways up to the standard of the others.  Every tree will be analyzed as to its health and how it affects playability.  I had a professional arborist in last week and he brought a lot of these maladies to my attention.  Right now Dogwoods and Pines are really susceptibe to diseases. 

As the USGA so nicely puts it "if there is competition between a small (grass) and large plant (tree)...the larger plant wins everytime!"

Bunker Drainage!

I have discovered that many bunkers at OCGC do not drain well, or at all.  It took two men and a large pump to pump water out of the bunkers after a rain event.  Then the bunker has to dry out and firm up before it can be power raked.  I also purchased a Honda pump which can be handled by one man.  This seemed like a waste of efficiency and manpower.  It was decided we would correct the worst offenders.  What I discovered was drains installed that "drained" uphill, crushed pipe, drains that were contaminated. The first picture was crushed pipe from 11 Newport fairway bunker.  The second picture is the repaired couping.  The third picture is a crushed drain from 3 green Newport.  The last picture is a project we completed on 15 Newport.  The front of the green suffered from wet wilt last summer, along with the approach.  As we hand dug into the gravel laver of the green, water seeped out and down the trench.  We tied the new drain intothe existing bunker drain that runs into 16's pond.  The result will be improved, consistent conditions.  My hope is the bunkers will become more consistent and better playability.