Year in Preview
Design and construction trends to see in 2013
2012 turned out to be a strong year for golf. Golf Datatech reports that rounds played through October were up 7.5% over 2011. It was strong news for the North Central region as they reported a 13.4% increase in rounds. I’m sure most of this was due to the fact that there were few, if any, rain days for the summer. This provided stress on the turf, but allowed golfers to get out and play more. I think this shows that there are golfers ready to play.
With strong rounds and courses finally making money, a few of them were opting to complete projects that they have been putting off for a few years. My workload increased significantly following the good spring weather. Calls came in and I began planning for what turned into a busy fall season. Looking back at the work I completed, I have come up with a list of what could be a trend heading into the new year.
Cost effective designs and construction
Last fall I worked with a least four courses that completed in-house projects. I’m not advocating that in-house construction is the best way to complete a project, but in these cases it was the right method. The key is to know your limitations and bring in the right people to complete the rest of the work.
I come from a construction background. I worked on the grounds crew at a club where we installed drainage, cart paths, and gabion walls. I’ve worked on housing developments providing site layout, and for the past 20+ years in golf design and construction. I don’t know everything about construction, but I know where to find the answers and the right people. In 2012 I helped many of my clients find the right people, for the right price, in order to complete their project. Here’s a quick recap of some projects that were completed.
Countryside Golf Course, Mundelein, IL - Completed a new putting and chipping green complex. Much of the work was completed in-house to reduce the cost by almost 50%. See the process on my case study.
Merrill Hills Country Club, Waukesha, WI - Merrill Hills completed the reconstruction of two tee complexes. MJB, Inc. was brought in to prepare conceptual plans so the members could see the proposed work. Work was completed in combination of using a golf course contractor and in-house labor.
Canyata Golf Club, Marshall, IL - Work at Canyata included modifying the third green. I provide on-site construction management and we brought in a golf course shaper to modify the contours. The course crew completed the rest in over to save about 50% over the contractor price. You can see the entire process on my case study.
A couple other project types that were completed last year that may spread into 2013.
Turf Reduction
Last year I worked with both Canyata and Park Hills Golf Course in reviewing their fairway outlines and unmaintained areas.
At Canyata, the drought that covered Illinois impacted the irrigation system. Since mid-summer, I have been working with the Club to preform an irrigation audit of head locations and their impact on the design. A plan is being formulated to either modify the grassing outlines and reduce fairways, or relocate irrigation heads. The same is being done for the fescue areas in order to minimize the amount of water thrown into these areas. This will also aid in adjusting the irrigation schedule to minimize the amount of water used on the entire golf course.
I visited Park Hills in the spring to tour the the course with the superintendent. During the tour we marked out over 20 acres of turf to be converted to unmaintained areas. This will help in eliminating the need to mow these areas during the season and save money on fuel and time.
Tree Management
At St. Charles, superintendent Chuck Barber saw the decline of many of the Ash trees on the course. In the fall I was brought in to prepare a plan for the elimination of these infected trees, and then review the areas for tree relocation. The Club is working with GRO Horticultural Enterprises who identified over 70 trees on the property that were right for transplanting. My plan incorporated these trees to prepare a cohesive plan for the golf course that put the proper trees in the right location.
Part of the Enhancement Plan I prepared for the CC of Peoria in 2006 included tree management. The course had become overgrown and over the past years over 500 trees have been removed. My involvement still extends to reviewing potential impacts trees have on the course. This fall I was brought in to review a few areas and offer my professional opinion.
The membership has come a long way since 2006 in regards to tree management. The case of “Why are we taking that tree out”, has now turned into, “Why are we NOT taking that tree out”. But occasionally there is a tree that creates discussion. That is when experts like myself, the USGA Green Section, and the Club’s arborist are brought in to explain the reasons. In this case, we explain how the tree is declining and how removal will allow for creating denser turf. In some cases it may also allow for the creation of strategic golf elements, such as mounds, depressions, and bunkers to improve the course. Something that we created in the early implementation of the Enhancement Plan.
