Bunker Work & Aerification

This morning we will be continuing with the removal of one of the bunkers on 2 and the reshaping of another.  Depending if more soil is needed we may start work on the other bunker - left greenside bunker.  The back bunker on 4's greenside will be finished today with the sod and then both of the bunkers on 4 will be in recovery through next week.

I was asked yesterday if we were going to address all of the "humps" around these bunkers and how many bunkers are we going to repair?  To the first part of the question the answer is no ... to completely reshape the bunkers requires equipment we do not have, shutting down of the hole to be reshaped and sod to repair the damage caused during the process.  Our goal is to make some of the bunkers more visible and playable only -- more than that would be a capital project and discussion for a later date.  The part of "how many" well as many as we can without taking away from the general maintenance of the golf course.  Exact number I do not know.

Removing the "Hump" Caused By Years of Sand Pro Use on Left Side of 2's Green

Starting this upcoming Monday we will start the aerification of the roughs.  After testing last August we will be "chopping the plugs" using our rough units.  This is not an exact process but we will try our best to keep up given that we lost one of our rough units.  We are in the process of getting this rough unit back but it hasn't happened so far and aerification is here now.

Jesus Ortiz Testing New Rake

Testing out a new rake that was recommended by the USGA ... it seems to work quite nicely in the bunkers with our sand.  We will purchase more.

Removing Pines on 5

View From 5's Right Fairway Bunker

Today, as per request of the Green Committee and the Board under recommendation of the USGA and the designer we removed two trees that were blocking the shot out of the right fairway bunker on 5.  As you can see by the picture there is now a clear view of the green.  These trees have been for years causing issues with the fairway due to their roots.

Couple of the Newly Planted Pines

The good news is that we planted 8 new pine trees along the left side of the fairway on 6.  These too are part of the design changes to improve Avondale.