This Puddle Jumping is Getting Old

The golf course is still very wet after 1.5''+ of rain this week. We are still anticipating a Saturday opening but want to be able to have our best foot forward before we make a firm decisions. The grounds crew is working hard at having everything prepped so you can enjoy your first rounds at Briarwood Country Club. Ahead of the rain on Monday, April 4th the grounds team was able to get its second mowing in on fairways as well as a third mowing on both approaches and greens.  We are slowly  inching the height of cuts down on greens to the appropriate level for quality putting surfaces.  Adding light topdressing to the greens early in the season helps by filling in old, unhealed ball marks and uneven depressions on the putting surfaces.  In a short amount of time the greens will be firm and smooth. The crew has done a great job restoring the bunkers back to playing condition by blowing out any debris, removing the unwanted contaminants such as silt, and making sure that we have the proper depth of sand on the faces and floors.  Any bunkers that need extra sand will be addressed accordingly.  We are currently experimenting with a new “two headed rake” fabricated by our equipment technician Matt; which will allow our workers to hand rake bunkers on a consistent basis. Hand Raking bunkers compared to machine raking bunkers can help save a bunker’s life so to speak.  The amount of times the bunker machine enters and exits the trap causes damage to lip and can also drag unwanted materials into the bunker. It also can create fluffy bunkers that allows the ball to sit lower in the sand.  Hand raking allows the top inch or so to be nice and fluffy while the base of the sand stays firm.  This helps eliminate the dreaded “fried egg” lie and instead gives you that nice “thump” sound you should hear when you hit out of the bunker.   Also, take notice of the new split rail fence being put up around the 18th green landscape. The fence will not only add to the aesthetics of the clubhouse area it will also be a nice barrier to the tall grasses in the landscape. In essence the fence will help stand that grass up leaving the cart path clear all the way to the practice range. The little things go a long way and that's what makes the golf course and grounds at Briarwood stand up to any club in the country.