Bull's Eye Branding.

Last spring I replaced your badly soiled practice putting green marking flags with a style that has been around since the sixties?  Decals that I had in inventory and trust me I forget what they were purchased for originally (Cart fleet?) found a new home decorating the new markers.  Waste not want not.

Practice Green Marker.

Director of Golf, Mike Terch asked me where the logo came from and its origins.  I cannot pin point the exact date its creation, but know that it was before Dave Andrews time.  (Gib Kizer, Bob Ness?)  I do know the logo without the crown was refined and marketed to you on sweaters, jackets etc., by Tim Marks sometime after his arrival in 1989.

This retro logo appeared on the clubs letter head and greeted members arriving at the club by way of the entrance sign. 

The Old Entrance Way Sign.

I know I used it in 1986 on "modern" custom made tee blocks made in a special trial to see if there was interest in having all eighteen holes out fitted with them.  (One was stolen and I felt too costly to replace constantly if they were going to be the target of thieves that decided to forgo the project all together.

The white tee block on #4 was stolen days after its debut!

Here is a picture of the logo decal being used to "tag" your cart fleet.

The Superintendents cart wears the brand too!

I personally like the fresh look of the "throwback" logo.  With that said, I have my eyes on some new shirts and windbreakers with the "old" new look.  My advice, get them before they are gone!

_Mk

Course Closed due to Winter!

The Winter of April 2011 has left the course unplayable and closed for the short term.

Hole #1 looking back towards the clubhouse.

Hole #2.

We will keep everyone posted when the course reopens for play.  With the weathermen forecasting 6" to 12" of snow that would be anyone's guess.  It's not so much the snow, but the moisture.  The course will need some time to dry out before cart traffic is allowed.

Shucks, I forgot to make my Spring Snow Mold plant protectant application!   That would be a budget buster!  _Mk

Twice in six months!

This is my 26th season serving you as your golf course superintendent.  In those years I have never once seen the water over the river banks due to flooding but now witnessed this feat twice in just the past six months.

Too close for comfort!

The rivers edge is within feet of the foundation.

This springs snow melt and subsequent run off is now being classified as the 4th highest flood water level of 63,900 CFM on record directly on the heels of last Septembers record 100 year flood water level of 78,850 CFM. 

Mike Zurfluh's dock is missing and so is his house.

The old par 3 river hole.

The "old river hole" today.

I've now seen water in areas I've never seen it before.  Maybe this is the reason previous generations of members abandoned the old par three down by the river. _Mk

What dahell happened over there?

The practice putting green collar at the Tri-City Golf Course was removed last fall after the course closed for the season just before the snow came.  So it came as quite a surprised to most golfers reappearing for the first this spring to see all the sod missing.  More than once did we hear, "What da hell.....from several of the "old timers."

Over time the constant working of topdressing into aerification holes created a man made "berm" in the adjacent bluegrass bank.  This curb created a bathtub greatly iimpeding surface drainage of the putting surface subjecting the green to winter injury.

With the sod removed to promote surface drainage, the annual Annual Bluegrass was injured. 

Nice definition!

As this green was constructed with out a greens collar, it will now match her nine other sisters on the course.  The sod was a "low mow" variety of bluegrass sod that we grew in our own sod nursery.  Low mow blue grass survives low heights of cut down to .375".  Try scalping your home lawn at that height of cut and you will kill the variety of bluegrass you have in your lawn.

Great Job Men!

Enjoy!  _Mk

Ready Golf?



"Ready" when used as an adjective is defined as "prepared for use or action."
Well ready or not, Tri-City Golf Course opened for the season (Walkers Only!) on Saturday April 9th with partial snow covering the first fairway.


This "Glacier" was over 6" thick!

 "If you can cup it, you can play it!"

Bull's Eye front nine opened on Tuesday April 12th and the back nine was declared open for play on the 14th.  Both courses "wintered" very well but did experience typical winter kill die back in low pockets and heavily shaded areas. 

Standard fare for #11 Fairway

Typical of the 2nd green.  Hurry up Poa!  We'll interseed but my money is on the Poa!

Thankfully, we in Wisconsin Rapids were very fortunate to have been spared by all the tornado activity that hammered much of central Wisconsin on Sunday April 10th.  For once I was glad to see the storms intensity split to the north and south sparing us of related storm damage from the likes of hail or downed trees.  Thanks be to God!

Enjoy!  _Mk



Typical Winter

A quick peek of putting surfaces open for viewing revealed some "Poa" loss on putting greens which is typical and expected after the long winter we've experienced this year.  Note the straw colored turf in the picture below.

Tri Cities #1 green.

For the most part, the turf appearing from beneath the receeding snows appears to have wintered very well.  BUT, I haven't seen your 16th fairway since Thanksgiving!  Mk.

Apirl Fools?

It is Friday April 1st and I just returned from a walk on the course and this is what I found;

1st and 2nd holes.

These are not "Doctored" photo's for some April fools prank.  With the amount of snow on the ground and snow in the forecast possible Sunday, stubborn old man winter is placing us on pace for the latest opening in my tenure here.  Jeez, I need some sun and fresh air.

Mk

PS: Speaking of Sun, I was fortunate to have spent a week on the Riviera Maya in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.  My mother biennially spends my inheritance by taking the family on a trip to Mexico.  While in Mexico I was worried sick that the golf course would open in my absence and that I wasn't there to help.  When I learned that Wisconsin was under a Winter Storm Warning on the 22nd of March, I laughed and was finally able to relax with out worry because I wasn't up north shoveling snow.  That laugh lasted until I found 18" of rock hard frozen snow plow bank blocking my drive.  After 90 minutes of "chipping" my way past this barrier I was able to park my car in the garage and off load our luggage.  See Mother Nature found yet another means to prove she's the boss!