Aerification

Our fall aerification process is nearly complete.  All 18 greens have been completed and there are only 6 fairways left to finish.  Because of the heavy thatch on the fairways, the aerification has become vitally important to the health and playability of the fairways throughout year.  However the process is long and tedious because the irrigation piping and wiring from years ago was installed so shallow.  So as the saying goes "something is better than nothing", but the fairway aerification is not the deep aerifying that ideally we would like to do.

The start of the long process

A closer look

Here is 2.5 inches of thatch taken from a fairway

Here is a quick video of the fairway aerificiation

Summer time at Lakelands

Whew summer has flown by!  While we had tough weather conditions we are quite proud of course conditioning throughout the summer.  Here are a few of the highlights...

A rare heavy rainfall on 13

                                                                      Ready for practice

                                                                Early morning mist

                                                                Office with a view

Ready for play on 1

                                                               Mid day cooling on 8

                                                                    Mid day cooling on 15

                                                              90 years at LGCC

                                                                    Bunker rebuild on 5

                                                                     Sunrise over 4

                                                                Early morning watering on 2

                                                                    Day 1 Bellringer

                                                                  View of 15 from 14 green

                                                                     Good morning on 15

Stripes on 3

Welcome to the world, Graham

At 11 am on Thursday July 19 I received an emergency call to get to the hospital immediately.  Without delay I was headed out on  an incredibly fast drive from Brighton to Farmington Hills.  Within moments of arriving I was scrubbed up and was taken back to see Lindsay.  Graham Edward was born at 12:15pm.  He weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and is 20 in a half inches long.  While this was nothing like what we expected, Graham is exactly what we hoped for.
He is absolutely perfect and we are all crazy about him already!

HOT HOT HOT in July

Despite record setting temperatures and lack of any rainfall, the maintenance staff is pretty proud of course conditioning.  

Part of the job = having to spend a Saturday afternoon cooling off greens but luckily I had some great company!

Summer Heat !!

Phew, today reached 100 degrees and wow was the maintenance staff feeling it!!  Temperatures are increasing but overall the course is looking really good with the help of our irrigation system remaining operational.  Hand watering greens and hot spots are a daily activity. 

  Despite the temperatures the maintenance staff is continuing to work really hard each day.   Within last few weeks we aerified all the greens.  

We also transplanted a tree on hole number 9

And we repaired a bunker on 13

In the swing of things

I am happy to report that the course is looking and playing great.  The temperatures are increasing and hopefully we are able to maintain course conditions through consistent watering and maybe a little cooperation from Mother Nature.  The maintenance staff is in full swing and working hard everyday to make Lakelands great! I would like to thank Mr. Darrel Sterzinger for his year of service as our Greens Chairman for 2011.  I look forward to working with my new Greens Chairman Steve Sprague.

                                                             Hydrolic oil break on 13 green

                                                       Wind damage to willows on 11

                                                       Pressley has gone to part time status

                                         

Member Help Day!

After having to reschedule last weekends Member Help Day because of storms, today went off without a hitch!  We  had about twenty members join us to help complete tree trimming, stump work, as well as some detail work to the short game practice area, and putting up tee signs.  Thank you so much for those who were able to join us!!

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

  ~Winston Churchill

Warming up and enjoying lunch after our work was complete!

A Busy Maintenance Team

Last week we began a major drainage project on hole #11.  For several years now we have had active springs in the left rough that have hampered maintenance operations and making a negative effect on playability.
We are in the second week of the project.  Weather permitting we look to have it completed by weeks end.

                                                           

 cutting sod before trenching

catch basin near cart path

                                                           

heavy, wet, grey clay

We were lucky enough to have some extra help Monday April 2!!

With this drainage project keeping most of the staff very busy, we are also applying our crab grass applications to the entire rough and fairways, as well as seed-head control on greens.  We are continuing to put out our course amenities (tee signs, garbage cans, spike brushes). As of today April 2, we have also begun tree work.  There are many trees scheduled to come down and many others needing trimmed.
It is a busy time for the maintenance staff.
We are having our spring member help day on the course, Saturday, April 14 at 11 am. Please contact me at gregg@lakelandsgolf.com or Joanne at joanne@lakelandsgolf.com to sign up.

Record Breaking Weather

We have experienced 10 consecutive days of above 70 degrees in March. The record previously set was 145 years ago in 1886 however that was in April.  This unprecedented warm March weather comes after south eastern Michigan's 5'th warmest winter on record, the 12'th warmest autumn and last summer where we experienced the hottest July ever recorded. We even saw temperatures this month in the upper 80's 3 consecutive days this month.
The irrigation system is fully charged and we are irrigating the actively growing turf. We are making applications on the course where normally we make them in the middle to late April. Typically we do not start to see the turf growth until late April. This past week we have cut all areas on the course from greens to the rough. Most of the staff has returned to work and are busy getting the course ready for play. The trees are blooming, the flowers are remerging from the ground, and the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air. Lakelands  90'th Anniversary celebration has started early.

Course is offically open

 On Monday we pulled all the winter covers off and were incredibly pleased with turf conditions.  Tuesday, March 13 the course officially opened.  Today we are rolling the greens followed by the first cut of the season.  The extended forecast is calling for highs in the 70s with plentiful sun. It's a great time to come out and celebrate the 90'th Anniversary of your course, Lakelands Golf and Country Club.

Keeping busy

The winter months are some of our busiest, but of a much different nature.  

Because this winter has been so mild it has allowed us time to get out on the course getting small projects done such as tree trimming. 

Limbing up pines on 17

Some of the most important work which is done in the winter months is preparing all the equipment for the golf season.  Every piece of equipment is inspected, cleaned, and tuned.  All the reels and bed knifes are ground, ready to cut our fine turf.  

Bedknife grinding  

 Toro Triplex overhaul