The Project at GBGC Update #11

Tomorrow Tuesday 8/6/19 is another milestone day on The Project as sod installation begins on the #17 fairway. While the sod contractor and their crew install the sod we will be supporting the removal contractor as they finish up preparation of the final 5 holes. Today Monday 8/5/19 we completed preparation on #9 and sod around Tilleys as well as stripping sod from #8  green surround. So tomorrow AM we will have #'s 17 & 18 closed again to facilitate big roll sod installation on #17 as well as #1 in the AM for preparation work. In the PM we will have #'s 17 & 18 as well as #11 for afternoon preparation. Below are some more pictures.

Pulverizer fluff up the rootzone fairly well.

Compacting the pulverized soil after rough grading and head leveling

#17 fairway looking backwards almost ready for sod

#9 & Tilleys surround. Tilleys putting green will be closed until new sod is installed

The Project at GBGC Update #10

Progress will continue through the weekend of 8/3-4/19 as we get ready for sod installation to start on Tuesday 8/6/19. Our plan for the weekend is still the same as previously mentioned. Hole's #17 & #10 will be closed Saturday and hole's #17 & #15 will be closed Sunday to prepare for new sod installation. #17 will be closed until we determine it is fully ready to open. Below are some recent progress pictures.

Continued floating after some water was applied last night.

GBGC maintenance staff leveling heads on #17 Fairway

Working on #10 today, Saturday 8/3/19

Back of #14 stripped and ready for sod

#18 stripped and awaiting sod installation

#17 preparation view from afar

The Project at GBGC Update #9

Productivity continued on day three with our contractor working here at Granite Bay and was highlighted by pulverization of  #17 fairway. Below are a several pictures of the process.

Asphalt Grinder showing up for the first time at GBGC to pulverize #17 fairway.
At first sight this machine was admittedly a little intimidating.

Grinder  pulverizing  #17 fairway

Profile of the 50/50 mix if 3-4 inches of sand into 3-4 inches of native soil.

Working around a irrigation head.

The actual pulverizing head

Contractor starting the initial rough grade of #17 fairway.

Weekend Schedule.

Our plan is to finish stripping #14 & #13 today and sod cut #10 for work on Saturday. So on Saturday #17 & #10 will be closed. On Sunday we will be working on #15 so #17 and #15 will be closed. Surrounds on 13, 14, 16 & 18 will be open with drop areas in the approach in front of the green on Saturday. And Surrounds on 10,13, 14, 16 & 18 will be open with drop areas in the approach in front of the green on Sunday barring any setbacks. 

The Project at GBGC Update #8

The contractors second day at Granite Bay was a productive one and has given us a chance to predict a tentative timeline of how the work is going to proceed. Sod installation is confirmed to start next Tuesday 8/6/19 and we will be working through this coming weekend to get and stay ahead of them. There will be several stripped surrounds with no grass on them this weekend with drop areas in front of the greens and since we will be working there will be three holes closed at any given time one of them being #17. 

Drop Area in the approach of #18.

Estimated Timeline

• Thursday 8/1/19 - Pulverize #17 Fairway. Strip Sod #'s 14 & 13.
• Friday 8/2/19 - Float #17 Fairway. Strip Sod #'s 15 & 10.
• Saturday 8/3/19 - Compact #17 Fairway. Strip Sod # 11
• Sunday 8/4/19 - Fine Grade #17 Fairway. Strip Sod # 2.
• Monday 8/5/19 - Final  #17 Fairway. Strip Sod #'s 8 & 9. Tree Pruning #13-14.
• Tuesday 8/6/19  - Sod Install Begins. Strip Sod #'s 1 & 4. Tree Pruning #17
• Wednesday 8/7/19 - Sod Install Continues. Strip Sod #12. Tree Pruning #10
• Thursday 8/8/19 - Friday 8/9/19 Sod Install Continues.
• Monday 8/12/19 - Tuesday 8/11/19 Sod Install Complete.

If we are able to hold to the above timeline, and that is a big if,  this coming weekend 8/3/19 - 8/4/19 we would have 5 to 7 holes that would be stripped with a drop area in the approach and two holes in addition to #17 closed while we are working. The following weekend 8/10/19 - 8/11/19 we would have 17 holes open with some sodded surrounds and some stripped surrounds.  And by the weekend of 8/17/19 - 8/18/19 we should have 17 holes open with drop areas in the approach and new sod in the surrounds.   #17 will remain closed until it is ready and it will not be ready by Mini Mac. Again, the above time table is just an estimate. We'll keep you appraised.             

Progress Pictures from Today

Enrique restoring left hand fairway bunker on #17

Restored bunker fingers on #17

Stripping sod on #16

Stripped sod around #18 green

The Project at GBGC Update #7

Everything went according to plan today, Tuesday 7/30/19 as the contractor arrived and got started and we moved most of the sand we needed for #17 fairway (see pictures below). We had holes 16 through 18 closed primarily to accommodate moving sand into #17, but our contractor got started on stripping sod from #18 as well.

#18 surround sod removal in process with approach sod not being replace in this 2019 phase.
This will be where we have drop zones while area is awaiting sodding as well as new sod establishment.

Our goal is to not have any more then three holes closed at any one time during this process and #17 will always be one of them. We are not replacing approaches like we did last year on #'s 3, 5-7 so there will always be a drop area with grass to hit into the green when a surround has been stripped but not sodded yet. Therefore hole #'s 16-18 will be closed again tomorrow as the contractor will be preparing these holes for sod. There is a chance we will start stripping #14 as well tomorrow but will have a drop area open on #18 if that is the case. 

We will communicate  all hole closures during the this 2019 phase of The Project 
through morning email, this course update and on course signs.

Sod is not scheduled to start being installed until next Tuesday 8/6/19 so there will be several holes with drop areas in the approach waiting for sod installation over the next couple of weeks. Below are pictures of today's progress on #17.

#17 Progress

Piles of sand being deposited and spread on #17 FW.

Sand being graded to the proper depth on #17

Contractor working on stripping sod from #17 surround.

Contractor working on stripping sod on #18.

The Project at GBGC Update #6

As a reminder today Tuesday 7/30/19 we will be closing hole #'s 16 through 18 to accommodate moving  all of the sand in the north end of the parking lot onto #17 fairway. We should be able to open holes back up tomorrow barring any mechanical difficulties. Pulverization of #17 fairway is scheduled for the morning of Thursday 8/1/19. Additionally we are have some tree pruning done by Arborwell in conjunction with The Project to create a better light environment for turf and we they are working on hole #2. We  have cart traffic detoured in front of the green and to the left to accommodate this work as well. Below are some pictures of yesterday's progress on The Project.

Routing cart traffic around #2 green to the left to accommodate tree pruning

Newly trimmed tree behind #2 green

Trenching new sprinkler wires on #17 fairway

The Project at GBGC Update #5

Next week we will start the 2019 phase of our turf conversion so want to provide a update for interested members. I'll start by apologizing for unexpected closure to hole #17 again today, 7/25/19. We are doing some vertical mowing work on #17 (see below pictures) that we thought would wrap up before anyone got there. Unfortunately that was not the case so we had to close the hole until 1:30 PM at which time it will re-open to both cart traffic and play through Sunday 7/28/19. After that it will be closed for turf renovation until it is ready to be opened.

Apologies for the unexpected closure on Thursday 7/25/19. 

Below are some pictures of the work we are doing prior to the contractors arrival this coming Monday 7/29/19. We'll have a better timeline when they arrive and we have a chance strategize. As promised we'll share dates and times of processes that might be of interest to our members through this course update. 

The project is more than just the right turf for GBGC. It also includes irrigation
modifications that allow us to control the water on the fairway and rough
edges independently. This allows for less irrigation on the fairways which 
hybrid bermuda likes, resulting in a firmer surface with more ball roll

Here is an example of the "in  & out" irrigation head modification in process.

Vertical mowing this morning Thursday 7/25/19 to remove much of the organic on 
#17 FW prior to pulverization. We plan to repeat the process depicted 3 to 4 times.

Sweepers picking up the mess created by the vertical mower

Sand being stockpiled in the parking lot for incorporation into the #17 fairway 
profile. We have to move all of that sand onto the fairway on Tuesday 7/30/19.
Members will play holes on #'s 1-15 on that day and exit back to the CH on #10
cart path that day so we can complete that work uninterrupted.

Monday 7/29/19 -  Mobilization and  Strategy Session with Contractor. 

Tuesday 7/30/19 - Move Sand Cap Sand onto #17. Prepare #17 for Pulverization.

Member play will be on holes 1-15 on this day, skipping #16, #17, #18 so this work can be completed uninterrupted. Hole HDCP on #16 is 6 so players with HDCP's 6 & above score a bogey, 5 & below a par. Hole HDCP #18 is 8 so player HDCP's 8 & above score a bogey, 7 & below a par.

Wednesday 7/31/19 - Complete Irrigation Modifications on #17. 

Thursday 8/2/19 - Pulverization #17.  Tentative