Inaugural 2019 Junior Summer League

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What a great first week! We had 17 junior golfers, most “competing” for the first time.

Coach Char, Coach Will and Coach Nate did an outstanding job making sure the kids were ready!
There was a “Rules Assessment” done online before the league started, to ensure everyone had a good grasp of the rules. They went over some of the tougher questions and then it was off to the tee!

We saw a ton of great shots, some misses and a boatload of smiles and high fives!

The coaches made sure everyone thanked their playing partners, then we went back to the clubhouse for scoring.

A lot of parents watch their little ones play in a fun, educational, competitive environment filled with fun!

Enjoy some of the pictures below!

Aerification

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Monday & Tuesday we finished Aerifying the greens on the course. This process is never “fun” and obviously no one wants to have bumpy, sandy greens! If we had a choice, we wouldn’t do it, but we have to. It is imperative to the health of the greens and allows us to have healthier, fuller, softer greens. They will be more receptive and give a more true roll when they are healthy.

Basically, we remove a 1.25 inch “core” of dirt, every 3 inches, cover the holes with sand to help create an oxygen rich soil, as air and water can now get deeper into the roots, making for a more healthy plant. We then apply fertilizer so it can reach these same roots and stimulate the growth process. This also allows us to reduce the “compaction” of the soil. When the soil is compacted, the grass roots struggle to breathe. Think about how many footsteps are on any given green at a golf course. The average golfer will take about 45 steps on any green. So to get a number of steps on a green any given day, we need to multiply 45 times the foursome that is playing in that group. That makes 180 steps per foursome. Now, multiply 180 times the number of foursomes that play on that course per day (about 72 foursomes). That is 12,960 steps per day on each green. To the extreme, multiply that, times the days in the year, 365. That’s equals over 4.7 million steps! Now think about all of the equipment that is used in maintaining the greens throughout the year. Some of these pieces of machinery can weigh over a half ton. Run a mower over a green 180 times a year and that is an additional 180,000 pounds of compression per year. Compacted? I would say so.

As ironic as it could be, the best time for aeration is when the grasses are at their strongest. This is also when we, the golfers, love the greens the most. When the grasses are at their strongest is also when they are able to heal at the fastest they can. This only makes sense. If you could not heal a broken leg in the winter, then why break it in the winter?
            This is just one of the many maintenance practices employed by the course superintendent to improve the quality of a golf course. It is also the most despised by golfers. While this activity of maintenance is undertaken at times to cause the least possible delay, it is nonetheless crucial to protecting the golf course. 

So thank you for your understanding and patience during the “healing” process. We run some extra water, fertilize and roll them daily so they can be back and to rolling true and quick in the shortest amount of time possible!

Most beautiful May ever?

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Wow, what an AMAZING May it has been. I have lived here nearly 12 years and I do not remember such an awesome string of temperatures. It has been nothing short of remarkable. The mornings have had a nice crisp feel, most folks choosing to wear a jacket before 9am, IN MAY?? Feels more like February.

Now, I don’t want to sound the least bit negative, it has been incredible…

But it’s not ALL roses…this temperature isn’t great for the Bermuda grass trying to wake up from it’s winter slumber! (Think bears waking up, going outside their caves and seeing more snow??? Back to bed they go). It is not the end of the world, but it does make for a lot more work for the grounds crew…Josh and his team are working diligently to make sure the Rye that is hanging around stays healthy, while still promoting as much Bermuda growth as possible. It’s a big balancing act, but they are doing a great job so far.

But if you see some areas that look like they “aren’t being watered” just know, the Bermuda just hasn’t gotten strong enough to cover some areas yet. It will, it just takes more time than usual when we have temperatures in the 40’s & 50’s in the evenings. (You know how slow you are when you leave the windows open at night and it hits 50 degrees, in the house, when you wake up? ) That’s how the Bermuda feels…

That said, the course is still in great shape and we are spreading fertilize every other week to promote the growth, but we wouldn’t mind seeing some warmer temps in the near future!

Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Great first season!

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As the spring starts to heat up, we wanted to take a minute to say thank you to all the players, residents, parents, employees, staff and visitors of Springfield for their support and kind words of encouragement over the past few months!

Our reviews have been outstanding, the great things you all have said to our owners and staff have been so supportive! Obviously we still have things to work on and we will continue to work on all aspects of our operation. But the reassurance that what we have been doing so far, has been noticed and appreciated is very rewarding to the entire team, so THANK YOU!

We are beginning our transition from winter Rye to summer Bermuda, so you will see some extra water, some small aerification holes and a few sections of the facility with a little added attention over the next month or so. We look forward to a smooth, successful transition as Josh and his team are doing some great work! If you see them out there, don’t be afraid to give them a “thumbs up” or an “atta boy”, they love the encouragement and everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done!

For those of you traveling home to cooler climates, travel safe and thank you for making our first season a fun and successful one!

New Golf Carts!

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We are so excited! The new fleet of EZ-GO Elite Carts are here! These have the new lithium battery, which is much lighter and easier to maintain. The new, lighter weight is better for the course (less compaction of the fairways and rough). The new batteries also take much less time to charge, so we are reducing electricity costs and our carbon footprint!

We hope you all enjoy the quieter, smoother ride.

They also have USB ports to charge your phone! So pick up a Phone Caddy, install the 18birdies app using the promo code “Springfield” and get the pro plan for 90 days free!

Lulu’s Toys for Tots 2-Person Scramble

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Rich and I have known Lulu for years! If you don’t know her, she is the sweetest, most awesome individual in the world! So, when she called to see if she could host a Toys for Tots Golf Tournament, we jumped at the chance! (One of the other things you need to know, Lulu throws THEE best golf tournaments!

Here is the flyer…sign-up in the Pro-Shop, Call us at 480.895.0916 or register online by booking a tee-time in the event!

Overseeding 2018 is over!

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We are finally back open!
The entire crew did an amazing job, working through tough climate changes, ever-changing schedules and some narrow windows of sunshine and low winds. But they did so with a smile on their faces and a joy in the hearts!

Tropical storm Rosa and the “Seattle like” weather was not something any of us had really seen before, it changed the best laid plans of courses across the valley. But we are thankful for the natural fertilizer (Rain water is so much better for growth than the irrigation systems) and cooler temps!

We will be the “dreaded” Cart Path Only through November 2nd, 2018. But as an executive course, it is easier to get around on the paths than the “big boy courses”.

Many of the winter residents and visitors are heading down or arriving now and we look forward to meeting all of you

We hope you come see the things we have been doing!

2018 Inaugural Junior – Parent Golf Classic

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Well, the first Junior Parent event is in the books! We had a great turnout, with 25 teams! Everyone had a blast. Thank you to all the parents, grandparents and important people in the kids lives that brought them out to have a wonderful day enjoying a sport we all love!

 

Course Updates

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As we prepare for overseed, we have been busy doing some projects that might not be the “most visible”, but crucial to the health and well being of the golf course during this transition.

We are about halfway through our rough aeration. This is the second time we are working on this this summer, mainly because it hasn’t been done in a few years and because we were very encouraged by the growth and grass coverage we have seen since the first go-around. As we talked a bit about in previous posts, this allows air and nutrients to get deeper in the soil and root structure of the Bermuda grass. Bermuda gross “outwards” or horizontally. So, if you make soften the soil, strengthen the root and growing process and allow some time, it will spread quickly. Just in time for it to go dormant!

We also did a second aerification of the greens, but don’t fret, they were solid “tines” and only about a 1/4″ in diameter. (About the size of a nail) With out pulling any earth out of the ground, the holes close quickly and the process just allows for more nutrients, water and air to get to the roots, allowing for healthier greens.

For those who have noticed, in full disclosure, we had an error in one of our mowers calibrators and cut 2 greens a bit lower than we meant to. We caught the error early, but we may have “lucked out” a little as the green had two types of Bermuda grass. We stressed the strand that wasn’t as “good” and are seeing the “better strand” taking over. These greens may be a bit faster than the rest, but we assure you, we know about them and they will be fine in another few days.

All in all, we are loving the course conditions, and we hope you do too! We will continue to improve heading into overseed.

From all of us here, p;ease have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend! We have some cool specials if you are looking to get out and swing the sticks without taking a large portion of your day!

New Instructor!

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Springfield Golf Resort is proud to have Char Carson, LPGA Teaching Professional, joining the team!

Both of the new owners have known Char for years and were eager to have her skills and energy at the facility in any capacity they could.  When we found out she was willing to be at the facility full-time, we were ecstatic!
Char is one of thee best teachers in the valley and we are lucky to have her. Although she specializes in juniors and women, she can teach anyone how to get better and enjoy the game. To say her enthusiasm is contagious is an understatement, she LOVES this game and LOVES when her students get better and enjoy it as well.

She is also starting her quest to play in the Women’s Senior US Open! We will be blogging about what it takes to accomplish this goal, from diet, to practice and exercise and everything in between. So keep an eye out. Char is open to having a few select students practice with her and go through the schedule, so plan on seeing some invitations if you would consider it!

 

For more info on Char and her outstanding resume: Click Here