You know the golf season is just days away when March Madness is in full swing and Jim Nance is eloquently announcing The Masters. Many of you have already planned for your Easter vacation in a warmer climate, and any of our snowbirds heading home in April be sure to bring back some of that warm weather with you. We’ve managed to get jump on projects slated for the 2023 golf season going back to last fall. With warmer weather hanging on longer into the fall, Nick and Dylan managed to round up the crew to strip and sod the fairway extension on hole number six. Next on the list is the fairway extension on hole two. No sooner had I released our seasonal help last fall, Nick and Dylan proceeded to get started on the tree work slated for this season. The Lads sharpened up the saws and threw on the Carhartts and headed to the ridge behind eleven green overlooking twelve tee and sixteen green. They managed to drop selected trees to not only open up the view but to allow much needed light as well as air movement behind eleven green. We will take another look at this area after the trees fill in with this year’s foliage to determine if more need to be removed. We will use the wood chips stock piled in this area as ground cover on the hillside facing the cartpath on twelve tee. Also, on the agenda is the removal of the cartpath behind eleven green. Much like we did on hole number three, the cartpath will be removed, topsoil added, and then sod placed over the area. Once the lads finished the tree work in this area of the golf course, they headed back into the shop. After stoking the fire and back in the comfort of the shop, they managed to clean out all the old junk and clutter throughout the work shop and cold storage and put a fresh coat of paint throughout the entire shop. Strong work, lads. When the ground finally froze back in December, I called on our tree contractor to continue with the tree work on holes six through ten. Focusing behind six, eight, and ten green, we’ve removed dead and dying pines and fir opening up the opportunity to replant some deciduous trees. We will start off the new season, much like we always have with clean-up of branches and debris left over front winter storms and wind. Much of that work will include removing wood chips and branches in areas where trees have been removed. When temperature and weather is agreeable, all the locations where trees have been removed, topsoil, and sod will be placed. Thanks to you, our members, and the board, we in golf maintenance are given the tools we need to get these jobs done. With the approval of new utility vehicles as well as mowing equipment, I’ve been able to replace equipment going back to Roger’s tenure as superintendent of this amazing golf course. New flags and sticks have been ordered, and this year, we will reintroduce a three segment pin position on greens. Cards showing each green and position ( front – middle – back ) will be available at the proshop and placed on the carts. For walkers, make sure you pick up a card at the proshop before heading out on your round. Each days position will be posted at the proshop. We hope to have all this in place by May. Until then, we will start the season in April with last year’s flags and sticks as well as the yellow pindicator indicating pin position. Once the new flags, sticks, and cups have arrived, they will be put into play. Thank you for your patience. Please mark April 10th and 11th on your calendars as we will be aerifying greens and vert-cutting fairways these two days. Please look for further updates as we approach these dates. With all the crew coming back this season and a few new faces added to our team, we look forward to what will prove to be another amazing golf season at Springville Country Club. See you soon.
