2020 has been a peculiar year, to say the least. For both the golf course, and everyone else. This is the second consecutive year where some of our fairways didn't fare well over the winter. There was lots of ice damage and we've been trying to recover them since spring. However, that has been more challenging this year due to the pandemic.
When the pandemic first happened, there were restrictions on what we could do at the golf course and how many employees we could have on-site. It's one of the many barriers we faced while trying to get the fairways to the conditions we would like them to be.
There has also been a significant increase in cart traffic compared to previous years and that makes it harder for the grass to grow back in the damaged areas. Prior to the pandemic, two people could ride in carts together and that's no longer the case. The increase in cart traffic comes at a cost.
However we can offset some of those costs by making an effort to be more conscious to avoid driving on the damaged areas of the fairway. The turf department has been making an effort to drive around areas that are damaged on the golf course. When fairways are cut, the staff are also instructed to drive around the damaged areas.
We are hoping to get the same cooperation from members who are riding in carts. Yes, it can be inconvenient and it can make your game go a little longer. However, if everyone pitched in and did their part I'm confident there will be better and faster results for the golf course.
5th fairway, where it's cart path only
Cart etiquette goes a long way. The 5th fairway didn't fare well over the long and brutal winter and recovery takes time. We've gone and seeded the damaged areas a couple of times this year and some spots are responding well to the treatment. There are signs of turf growth, however some areas aren't doing as well. With your help, we can speed up the recovery time and get the desired results.
The grass will struggle to grow back if it is repeatedly driven over by carts and mowers, along with other vehicles. That's why it's important to follow the signs and try and stay on the cart path as much as possible. Even if your ball is on the other side of the fairway, park the cart on the cart path, grab your golf club and then take a little stroll to ball.
Newly seeded area on the 7th fairway
We have also put up stakes and ropes around some of the newly seeded and damaged areas on the fairway, but not every area has been roped off. If you do see a spot like the picture above, please go around that area and give the chance for the grass to grow. Another thing to keep in mind is to respect the par 3s and not drive in the rough or onto the fairways and approaches. Your cart should stay on the cart path for all of the par 3s.
You may also have noticed a white line that has been painted by the approaches and greens. Please do your best to stay outside of that white line. Those high traffic areas are susceptible to damage when everyone drives to that same spot. We understand this has been a year with new rules, new challenges, and new circumstances that we're not familiar with. But we're all in this together and if we take the time to change and adapt to this new reality, we will come out of this better than before.
The 10th fairway/approach with the newly painted line
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