Throughout the next several weeks I will be using this space to discuss the design and implementation of the Phase 1 project for Pinehurst Golf. Since construction, I have fielded a number of questions about the improvements. I will aim to answer them thoroughly in this blog.
The Putting Green: It is no secret that Press Maxwell focused much of his attention in golf design with the putting greens. They are the true bread and butter of the golf course and if one is to master the course, they must require a sound putting game.
Upon looking to make improvements to the "Front Door" of the golf courses, we had an area of land next to the existing putting green that was considered "dead space"it made perfect sense at this time to transform that area into an asset.
After many conversations with architect Jim Urbina, board members and committees we decided that this could be an excellent improvement to our club. The extra space would be used for a putting course. Jim Urbina designed the Punchbowl at Bandon Dunes and if anyone could create this new space, we had the right guy for the job.
Two Greens: The next step was to figure out how all the pieces would fit into this space. The original plan had two different greens. One a putting green, the next a putting course. The putting green was to remain the same poa/bent turf type that existed on the golf course. The new putting course would be all bentgrass. However as we worked through the design phase we noticed some glaring flaws with the plan.
First the putting course was not large enough to create an enjoyable space for a variety of terrain. Even though we could afford to make the putting green smaller, we still were not happy with the amount of space.
Second, on paper it sounds nice to have two different putting surfaces, however with time, poa would creep over to the new green with their close proximity.
The path between the greens was becoming our hang up. It possessed the space we needed to make the greens better and it also ruined the aesthetics of the area. Though a path was nice for traffic management, yet this thoroughfare would compromise the health of the turf with walkers, riders, parking and the heat reflection from the path.
One Green: At this point we decided to look at the one large green option. This gave us another 5-6,000 sq.ft. which is what we wanted for a successful putting course.
This option quickly took off. Having one large greens provides numerous options. With a half acre putting green it would be the largest green in the metro area and certainly provide something that no other club can offer.
There is plenty of space for practice for the golf course. Yet, the putting course can also be as big or as small as it needs to be. There would be no hard line to define each area. Instead it is up to the grounds and golf staff to place holes accordingly to manage traffic and play through the area. When we have special events such as guest days, the putting green can host a myriad of putting games and options to wow members and guests.
Once the green is open we will provide two different indicators for the green. The putting green area will have flagsticks with the club's logo. This area will mainly be located nearest to the driving range tee and the first tee, but it can always vary if desired. The putting course will mainly be focused on the pool side. The flagsticks will be numbered to guide players through the course. A "tee" will be indicated with the a simple beverage stand with a number associated with the hole.
Turf variety: Since the move to one green made so much sense, we had to embrace the the same turf variety. But when building a new green we have to start from the bottom up. Let's start with what you do not see.
The green needed to be constructed as a new build. The old green was built with native soil and did not possess the soil make up to handle what will become the most popular hangout space within the club. This green will require a sand base with adequate drainage. This make up allows for better rooting depth which equals stronger plants to withstand the amount of traffic it will see. You can view earlier blog posts on the process of building the cavity of a green and how it needs to be drained. Due to the size and slope of the green it actually required two drainage systems. Like any construction project, drainage is the most important aspect of golf course management. Once the cavity and drainage system were installed, the greens mix was then incorporated.
The soil for the green is 12 inches of 90% sand and 10% organic compost. This is a standard growing medium for our climate. It creates an excellent seed bed and support for long term growth. As for turf, we wanted to mimic the putting surface of the golf courses. Prior to the demolition of the old green we collected aerification cores and housed them at our maintenance facility. We kept them damp and covered from the hot August sun. Once the green surface was ready to plant we scattered the cores over the entire green surface and mixed in a new bentgrass variety that we have been experimenting with for a number of seasons. We are very excited for the long term success with this mixture.
Take Away Message: Establishing a new putting green takes time to mature. We have to be careful with the new green to ensure long term success. Everyone is excited to use the new green, however it will have its limitations. In 2019, the speed of the green will not match the speed of the golf course. Nor will we push the green to do so.When the green opens, these live plants will be transitioning from the infant stage to the toddler stage. This summer will be critical for keeping the green healthy as it matures into stable plant life and adapt to its new environment. We will have to monitor and limit traffic throughout high stress times of the season. If all goes well, by 2020 we can begin to manage the green closer to the remaining greens on the property. Patience will be required for long term success.
Sodding this green would not contribute to the long term success of this green. Seeding a new green is always best for many reasons. Seed adapts best to the growing environment. Sod is started in one environment and then has to mature in a second environment. It may take years to adapt and may never mature to the desired level. The success rate of seed is well documented over the years in putting green management.
Traffic Management: Since the construction of the green I have received two consistent questions about the putting green.
1. Don't you think the green is too big? Au contrair, we all love the size of the green and if we had the space to make it bigger, we probably would have done so. Once golfers use the space you will quickly see that the green is not too big, but just the right size. It offers many, many features in our greens on the golf course and will provide years and years of enjoyment for members and guests.
2. What about a path to the 13th tee?: We spent a tremendous amount of time discussing traffic management to these areas. First off, we widened the concrete path to allow for more people to move around the new green. The green also moved closer to the clubhouse and we made the path a little more direct toward the 1st and 13th tee. At the end of the day it will require a little more walking to get to the tees, but that was an easy sacrifice to make the green better in the end. This spring a new water fountain station will be installed at the back of the driving range tee to lessen traffic at the golf shop. This will allow golfers to navigate more efficiently through the area. (More on this with future blog posts on the range and the cart staging area). Golfers also have restroom facilities at snack bar next to the 13th tee to avoid needing to go to the clubhouse restrooms.
Opening: We are planning to have all of the facilities open by Memorial Day weekend, weather depending. We understand that everyone is chomping at the bit to use the areas, but we have to be careful not to open too early so these new areas do not suffer long term consequences.
It is yet to be determined who and when the putting course will be available. Most likely the course will be closed in the morning for maintenance each day. We expect the course to be busy in the afternoon and evenings and will require a proper amount of rest for recovery. Night golf will not be allowed on the green.
The Putting Green: It is no secret that Press Maxwell focused much of his attention in golf design with the putting greens. They are the true bread and butter of the golf course and if one is to master the course, they must require a sound putting game.
Upon looking to make improvements to the "Front Door" of the golf courses, we had an area of land next to the existing putting green that was considered "dead space"it made perfect sense at this time to transform that area into an asset.After many conversations with architect Jim Urbina, board members and committees we decided that this could be an excellent improvement to our club. The extra space would be used for a putting course. Jim Urbina designed the Punchbowl at Bandon Dunes and if anyone could create this new space, we had the right guy for the job.
Two Greens: The next step was to figure out how all the pieces would fit into this space. The original plan had two different greens. One a putting green, the next a putting course. The putting green was to remain the same poa/bent turf type that existed on the golf course. The new putting course would be all bentgrass. However as we worked through the design phase we noticed some glaring flaws with the plan.
First the putting course was not large enough to create an enjoyable space for a variety of terrain. Even though we could afford to make the putting green smaller, we still were not happy with the amount of space.Second, on paper it sounds nice to have two different putting surfaces, however with time, poa would creep over to the new green with their close proximity.
The path between the greens was becoming our hang up. It possessed the space we needed to make the greens better and it also ruined the aesthetics of the area. Though a path was nice for traffic management, yet this thoroughfare would compromise the health of the turf with walkers, riders, parking and the heat reflection from the path.
One Green: At this point we decided to look at the one large green option. This gave us another 5-6,000 sq.ft. which is what we wanted for a successful putting course.
This option quickly took off. Having one large greens provides numerous options. With a half acre putting green it would be the largest green in the metro area and certainly provide something that no other club can offer.
Once the green is open we will provide two different indicators for the green. The putting green area will have flagsticks with the club's logo. This area will mainly be located nearest to the driving range tee and the first tee, but it can always vary if desired. The putting course will mainly be focused on the pool side. The flagsticks will be numbered to guide players through the course. A "tee" will be indicated with the a simple beverage stand with a number associated with the hole.
Turf variety: Since the move to one green made so much sense, we had to embrace the the same turf variety. But when building a new green we have to start from the bottom up. Let's start with what you do not see.
The green needed to be constructed as a new build. The old green was built with native soil and did not possess the soil make up to handle what will become the most popular hangout space within the club. This green will require a sand base with adequate drainage. This make up allows for better rooting depth which equals stronger plants to withstand the amount of traffic it will see. You can view earlier blog posts on the process of building the cavity of a green and how it needs to be drained. Due to the size and slope of the green it actually required two drainage systems. Like any construction project, drainage is the most important aspect of golf course management. Once the cavity and drainage system were installed, the greens mix was then incorporated.
The soil for the green is 12 inches of 90% sand and 10% organic compost. This is a standard growing medium for our climate. It creates an excellent seed bed and support for long term growth. As for turf, we wanted to mimic the putting surface of the golf courses. Prior to the demolition of the old green we collected aerification cores and housed them at our maintenance facility. We kept them damp and covered from the hot August sun. Once the green surface was ready to plant we scattered the cores over the entire green surface and mixed in a new bentgrass variety that we have been experimenting with for a number of seasons. We are very excited for the long term success with this mixture.
Take Away Message: Establishing a new putting green takes time to mature. We have to be careful with the new green to ensure long term success. Everyone is excited to use the new green, however it will have its limitations. In 2019, the speed of the green will not match the speed of the golf course. Nor will we push the green to do so.When the green opens, these live plants will be transitioning from the infant stage to the toddler stage. This summer will be critical for keeping the green healthy as it matures into stable plant life and adapt to its new environment. We will have to monitor and limit traffic throughout high stress times of the season. If all goes well, by 2020 we can begin to manage the green closer to the remaining greens on the property. Patience will be required for long term success.
Sodding this green would not contribute to the long term success of this green. Seeding a new green is always best for many reasons. Seed adapts best to the growing environment. Sod is started in one environment and then has to mature in a second environment. It may take years to adapt and may never mature to the desired level. The success rate of seed is well documented over the years in putting green management.
Traffic Management: Since the construction of the green I have received two consistent questions about the putting green.
1. Don't you think the green is too big? Au contrair, we all love the size of the green and if we had the space to make it bigger, we probably would have done so. Once golfers use the space you will quickly see that the green is not too big, but just the right size. It offers many, many features in our greens on the golf course and will provide years and years of enjoyment for members and guests.
Opening: We are planning to have all of the facilities open by Memorial Day weekend, weather depending. We understand that everyone is chomping at the bit to use the areas, but we have to be careful not to open too early so these new areas do not suffer long term consequences.
It is yet to be determined who and when the putting course will be available. Most likely the course will be closed in the morning for maintenance each day. We expect the course to be busy in the afternoon and evenings and will require a proper amount of rest for recovery. Night golf will not be allowed on the green.
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