May 17, 2023 — With spring in full bloom and many people working on their own lawns, it’s the perfect time to share some news about the extensive grassing work going on at the Club.
Last September, we began removing turf on the 18-hole Championship Course to prepare for the redesign of each hole. Now that we’ve reshaped the course and bunkers are complete, fresh turf grass is growing on several holes. Find out more below:
Comparison photos show about two weeks of growth on Hole 6, the first to receive grass sprigs.
The right turf makes for great golf
Turf is an important part of golf course design and has a big impact on playability. As the foundation of the course, the type of grass used affects maintenance, aesthetics and the course’s overall fitness for its location and climate.
Turf is also a factor in strategy, because it can effect ball roll, traction and cushioning. The species and height of turf grass can facilitate a faster or slower roll, influencing the behavior of the ball on greens and fairways and creating another element of strategy on every hole.
Selecting the right turf also helps create a visually stunning landscape and help keep the course in excellent condition long into the future.
New turf variety is on the ground
On the 18-hole Championship Course, fairways are being planted with a special cultivar of Bermuda grass called TifTuf. Bermuda grass is the most popular golf course grass in the Southeast because of its excellent drought and heat resistance.
TifTuf is an especially drought-tolerant Bermuda grass developed by researchers at the University of Georgia in Tifton. Researchers tested the cultivar for years for optimal water efficiency and it’s known for its great performance on golf courses.
Grassing progress throughout the course
The 18-hole Championship Course is increasingly carpeted in young turf grass. If you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll see the landscape envisioned by the course architect and construction team begin to materialize. By the end of this week, sod and sprigs will be complete on at least 8 holes.
Once grass is growing on the entire course, it may appear to be ready to play. However, the turf will take time to mature on each hole. As it grows, we’ll monitor turf health and begin a maintenance regime.
For the turf’s long-term health, it’s important that it has time to become fully established before play can begin. Additionally, during all phases of renovations the Club grounds and course will be an active construction site.
We’re grateful for your patience and hope you enjoy glimpsing the tremendous growth that is starting to show on the course.