Thursday, March 5, 2015

Winter's End

 Winter is finally coming to an end and we look forward to 2015 golf season that is just around the corner.  This past winter has been a productive one taking care of our equipment and preparing the course for the 2015 golf season. 

Equipment Repair and Maintenance

In winter all of our equipment is gone over to ensure that it is running correctly when we need it to perform at its best.   All of our reels are ground to ensure that they are cutting well.  Oil changes and preventative maintenance is done to each piece of equipment to help avoid future problems.  Hydraulic hoses, bearings, and seals are evaluated and replaced if necessary.  Preparing the equipment for the season is a 2 month process that will provide quality when we need it in the golf season. 

 Image result for reel grinding

Painting

Another aspect of our winter work is painting and caring for our benches, ball washers and hole signs. The tee equipment is taken apart, prepped, and painted so it looks great for the beginning of the season.  This winter we decided to paint the hole signs which have not been painted in many years.  Tony is just wrapping up painting the signs and will be a nice added touch once we open the golf course.

Tree Care and Maintenance

Earlier in winter we pruned up a majority of the trees on the golf course.  This allows for ease of maintenance so our mowers can work efficiently around them without being a hazard to the operator.  The other benefit is greater playability for the golfer who is now afforded an easier shot from the trees. 

We also had a few dead and dying trees that were removed back in December.  Most of these trees selected for removal were ash trees that had little to any life left in them. This will be a continuing problem in the years to come as the Emerald ash borer has moved into the area.  It is only a matter of time before all of the ash trees will need to be removed.  The greens and grounds committee is looking at future tree additions to help manage the forest. 

What’s Ahead

The golf course was put to rest last fall in outstanding condition.  The winter has been kind as we have very little snow or more importantly no ice.  We can expect the golf course to be in good shape once we open. 

In 2015 we have a few things planned that will greatly improve the facilities at Ridgeway.  Once warmer weather is upon us we plan to have maintenance facility paved along with some arborvitaes to help hide the road left of #11 fairway.  Also we plan to do some repairs and seal coating of the clubhouse parking lot.  We also have a few tree transplants that need to go in once the ground firms up this spring.

We look forward to an early 2015 golf season and we will provide weekly updates so stay tuned …