Great Day for 30th Annual Dave Ellis Pro Am

After a rainy Sunday the sky's cleared for a great day for golf for Monday's 30th Annual Dave Ellis Pro Am.  The temperature was perfect and the wind was a factor on every hole, making for interesting club selection throughout yesterday's round.  The charity event was successful in raising another $30k for the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation.

The winning group who shot an 18 under (pictured above) was Tony Martin (golf pro at Westmount G&CC), Steve Lowden, Paul Feick, and Marco Durante.  Tony accepted the trophy on behalf of his group and spoke of participating in this tournament for 28 years after being invited to join in by the late John Hastings who was one of friends of Dave Ellis who started the tournament 30 years ago.  


Cultural Practices Resume to Prep For Summer Season

Fairway topdressing in action using Tycrop MH-400

With the Pro Am tournament now behind us, the Turf department look at performing some necessary cultural practices to the playing surfaces before the start of the summer season later this month.

Today, sand topdressing will begin applying a moderate sand layer to all the fairways.  The work today will focus on the back 9 to clear the way for the Ladies' Golf Camp later this week on Thursday and Friday.

The repeat application of sand topdressing continues to firm the wet playing surfaces over time for improved playability and maintenance.  Golf carts are able to get out on rainy days with reduced impact.  The fairway topdressing has also been proven to discourage worm castings on the surface and improves rooting for reduced irrigation water requirements, a great environmental benefit.  This practice is the number one contributor to the 'firm and fast' golf playability factor which helps make the game fun and exciting!  Who doesn't like a little extra ball roll?

Scheduled Greens Aeration Next Week

Continuing the essential cultural practices next week, the greens will be core aerated Monday June 13th (front 9) and Tuesday June 14th (back 9).

The tees will also be verticut and topdressed sometime in coming week to relieve thatch and provide a firmer surface to teeing it up.

Fairway Bunkers On No. 5

Last week the bunkers on No. 10 were completed with the final sod being placed on Friday.  This week the new target bunkers on No. 5 should be nearing completion as well.  The bentofix liner will be installed, followed by the bunker board placement and topsoil and sodding.  With a little luck with the weather this project might wrap up this week which includes the sodding of the area where the old bunkers were located.

New fairway bunkers on left side of  No. 5 rough shaped

Regrading Right Side Rough No. 3 Treeline

This week the final touches of sodding along the expanded rough line along the bushline right side of No. 3 will get done.  The area where stumps and bumps are marked 'ground under repair' will get stripped, leveled and sodded to complete the project for summer play.