End of year snow blankets WVCC

Saturdays snow storm put a 2" blanket of snow on the golf course. But as you can see it has been melting a bit since then.  Happy New Year to everyone!

I THOUGHT THE BIG DRAINAGE PROJECT LAST YEAR WAS SUPPOSE TO STOP ALL FLOODING!

     The drainage project that was completed in the spring has been a great success for the golf course. Since the spring, many of the improvements have paid dividends many times during our 2012 golf season. I am am hard pressed to remember any days this year that the golf course was actually closed to play. Between the greens drainage installation and the low hole grading changes, we were able to have the property available to the membership.
     But, does this mean we will never flood again? As the pictures show from Friday we will flood from time to time. As the lowest topographic area for miles WVCC will bear the burden of the Wissahickons wrath.
     The following are improvements that we can count on:

1) Excess water will drain off the golf course faster.
2) Water drains off the 13th, 14th and 15th fairways now rather than  draining on to them.
3) The golf course will open back up for play  sooner.

Happy Holidays!

Same look from the 16th green Saturday morning.

Saturday morning.

View from the back of the 16th green facing the 13th green. Friday afternoon.

Wow, 2 3/4 inches of rain later! They were just calling for 1".

Sod installed around the left greenside bunker at #2.

Right greenside bunker on hole #2. Ready to install pipe and stone.

Sand installed at the left greenside bunker at the second hole.

Frost delays, WHY?

     
It has been a concern of some members over frost and the subsequent delays causes by frost. There is a great video at USGA.org that explains what happens to grass when frost effected turf is walked on or driven across.
     The management at WVCC makes every effort to get our members on the golf course as quick as possible. A couple of suggestions have come up like....Why don't we shotgun players off when the frost is melted? When a decision is made to allow players to go off the 1st hole because at that moment the 1st and 2nd holes are frost free (the greens at 4,8 and 11 are still in full shade and may not see the sun for an addition half hour) and when the golfers reach number three it is also frost free. It may take an hour or so before all the holes can be deemed frost free.   
     So please be patient on those frosty mornings knowing that we have your golfing enjoyment as our top priority.

This is the left fairway bunker on hole #2 with sand added and sod installed.

Bunker work being done at the 2nd hole, left side.

Removal of irrigation around #2 green.

     The grounds staff is near completion of irrigation removal at the 2nd green. This work needs to be done not only to update the 26 year old pipe and sprinklers, but also to refine the irrigation coverage of the green and surround. All the work is being done in house on both the removal and new installation after the area is graded.

Phase I on the fall project has started!

Work has started on the second hole at WVCC. We ask that all players yield to the workers on holes 2 and 3. Please move your ball to a spot that will not endanger people working.

WVCC grounds staff replacing damaged sod on #18 green.

The repair work on the 18th green is nearly complete. By next weekend there should be 100% turf cover on the green, collar and rough. Since Hurricane " Sandy " the following work has occurred.

     -Removal of a 120 year old "Red Oak" weighing up to 80,000 lbs + or -.

     -Complete replacement of the pipe, sprinklers and wires for the green irrigation.

     -Rough sod replacement of 8,000 square feet of turf.

     -Green sod replacement of 750 square feet of turf.

     -Approach sod replacement of 1200 square feet of turf.

     -40+ man hours of small sod piece repairs to the green surface. 

"THE MEAN 18"

Get prepared for the "MEAN 18" tournament on Saturday.

Saturday will be the annual playing of the "MEAN 18 " golf tournament.

Pin locations will be in the "might I say" challenging areas of the green.

It will take solid strategy and a deft touch to keep the ball near the hole.

Dress warm and have fun tommorrow.

Look who is trying to get in on the act!

General manager Kent Silhanek volunteers to help out with the irrigation installation......... Now, we all know that 5 seconds after the picture was taken that he was running into the men's lockerhouse to see Merv or John(lockerhouse attendant's). And you guessed it,to get his shoes cleaned!

Installing new irrigation around the 18th green.

With damage to the irrigation caused by Hurricane Sandy we felt it was wise to replace the entire 26 year old loop of pipe, wire and sprinklers around the 18th green. This work is completely done "in house" by Senior Asst. Jerry Stockmal and John Fleming.

Sunday AM FROST DELAY

SAT AM FROST DELAY!

Drainage work near completion on the 17th green. This green should be open for the weekend.

The crew from Golf Preservations in the final stages on the 17th green. Project manager "Joe" in the front left kneeling is demonstrating to his staff "the proper method" of sod placement.

Sub -surface greens drainage is being installed on the 6th green today.

Staff from Golf Preservations trenching drainage channel on the 6th green in preparation for installing 2" drain pipe. The 6th green should be complete on Thursday. The 17th green will be the next and last green for drainage installation this year. 

The trunk of the tree has weighed in at.........15,000 lbs.

Large crane needed to remove trunk of Red Oak behind the 18 green.

     If you ever wondered how much a trunk of a tree like this weighs, well today is your lucky day. After the logging truck in previous pictures was unable to lift this piece, a crane truck was called in to take care of this task. These crane trucks have scales on them to acurately weigh what they are lifting.

     Does this piece weigh a)500 lbs b)5,000 lbs c)15,000 lbs d)25,000 lbs or e) 40,000 lbs ? Reply with your guess and on Monday I will post the weight. 

If you were counting the rings......This tree was 118 years old!

View of #18 green after most of the logs have been placed on the other side of the hedges. This will make it easier for removal.

How old am I ?

After a full day of clean-up on Friday. Does anyone need firewood?

Larger logs are being cut into small pieces for easy removal.

The clean-up at #18 continues.

After the large branches were removed from the green, our work is cut out for us.

6" diameter branch embedded into the 18th green.

Hurricane Sandy came through and knocked down trees but fortunately no flooding.

  

Maple tree along Thomas Road snaps and takes down wires.

View of downed Maple tree on hole #9.

100 year old Red Oak behind the 18th green uproots and falls on to the green.

This tree was along the driveway leading to the George C.Thomas home.

Oak tree on the 18th green.

Looking from Thomas Road across #10 after Sandy.

The morning after Hurricane Sandy, water running down the dry creek.

Wissahickon holding its own at 10:45 am Monday.

Preparing for Sandy!

We have gone through our pre-storm checklist to bring in, re-locate and secure any golf course items that may be damaged during the storm. Keep your fingers crossed!

Tree fund shoot out final putts on the 18th hole.

"2012 Belcher Tree Fund Shoot Out" winner... Don Logan

Tree fund shoot out ....putting on #17

Don Logan in a chip off at #17

"Belcher Tree Fund Shoot Out" runner-up Bob Murphy in a chip off at the 17th green.

Tree fund shoot out on hole #17

Please be carefull driving up hills the day after it rains!

If you are driving up a hill like #2 approach and your cart is spinning wheels.......please stop, back up and drive at less of a slope. 

Does aerification work?

The lower sample has an aerification hole which allows roots to grow as deep as possible. The upper sample's roots are not as long since there isn't a channel for root growth.

Weather for Saturday morning!

Caution: There may be a frost delay Saturday morning. Check with the golf shop for estimated golf course opening.

Why is the rough being stripped on the left side of #6 fairways?

The negative effect of our Bermudagrass eradication program is the thinning of the rough surrounding the fairway. We will be removing the thin turf and replacing with sod that is tolerant of chemical applications.

Painted areas on #4 fairway.

All the painted areas on #4 fairway have been treated with a non-selective herbicide. This should eliminate the Bermudagrass in those areas. In a few weeks, after a second application the area will be sodded.

A blast from the past.

This is a picture from 1998 of the WVCC grounds department. Of the 9 people in the picture, 5 are still at the club. Front row left to right: Jerry Stockmal -Sr. Assistant superintendent, Tony Gustaitis CGCS - Superintendent (skinnier with a lot more hair), John Connor- Superintendent Plymouth CC. Back row left to right: Joe Danner- US postal service, Mark Greer - past mechanic, Gary Farrer -23 years with WVCC, John Fleming 24 years with WVCC, Doug Miller - 22 years with WVCC and ?????. And of course "Nestle" the Lab.

Jerry Stockmal raising sprinkler heads on #5 fairway.

This is a greenside bunker on hole #1 at 3:00pm on Thursday. Mostly member play!

Two things wrong here, the first is that the golfer did NOT rake himself out of the bunker and the second is he or she walked up the face of the bunker to get out. Remember this is your golf course!

Two Bermudagrass plants. The one on the right is untreated and the one on the left have been treated (notice the white leaves at the end). The trick is to knock back the targeted plants without effecting the desirable plants (Bentgrass).