Closed Week Update #2

On Tuesday, the contractors continued installing the new 10 inch mainline completing about 200 yards of trench and pipe.  The pipe crossed the 18th fairway at a 45 degree angle and now turns towards the connection point near the tee on #1.

While they were busy on #18, the BHCC staff excavated the two green side bunkers on #8.  The front bunker, especially, has been the focus of many complaints, most of which say, "there is no sand in the bunker."  I continue to disagree with this comment, because a lack of sand is not the issue, the age of sand is the problem.  As sand breaks down and gets contaminated with silt and soil from edging, wind, and rain events, the combination of sand plus clay equals concrete.  Adding more sand, the typical recommendation from your average golfer is a huge waste of money.  That sand will only help until the underlying sand gets mixed with the new stuff and it only takes one rain event to do that.

The bunker on #8 had over 3 feet of sand.  We dug this out and moved it to other bunkers that could use a little extra.  Sure, it's not new, fluffy sand, but it will improve playability in our older bunkers until we can renovate them as we did on holes 5, 6 and 7 last year.  #8 is being done in-house this week, #'s 15 and 16 are planned for next year, and we will continue along the priority list from there forward.

Other activities yesterday included the seeding of the driving range tee with ryegrass, punching the par 3 tees to prep for overseeding, finishing all sanding and fertilizing of our greens, and some mulch work around the clubhouse.  Day #3 is off to a great start and I will share those notes with you in our next update.