FYI 10/18/19

10/18/19

Golf Maintenance FYI

·         The golf course continues to look very good and is receiving many compliments from both year-round and returning members. Thankfully we did receive a half inch of rain at the beginning of October; however, September was the lowest accumulated rain total for the history of the Club. I am hopeful that we receive some rain this Saturday from the Tropical Depression currently in the Gulf of Mexico. Our lake level is currently at 12 feet 6 inches which is over 1 foot below the same time last year.

Hole 7 October 2019

·         The Muhly grass throughout the golf course is beginning to bloom with its beautiful purple florescence. The flowers typically last 6 to 8 weeks which makes this time of year particularly enjoyable. With “feel like” temperatures still approaching 100 degrees it remains very hot during the day. Thankfully the morning and evening temperatures are beginning to be a lot more enjoyable.

Hole 2 Muhly Grass and Thryallis in full bloom

·         Common ground plant material has been trimmed around the Clubhouse and Common Grounds in preparation for the annual mulch pine straw application scheduled for mid-November. The golf course will have pine straw applied the first week of December.

·         We are currently sanding and repainting the tennis court benches and sunshades. The canvas covers were removed for Hurricane season so before reinstalling, the benches are receiving some needed attention. Compliments to Ricardo Gomez, Mathias Andres and David Forrey for their work.

·         The Verdin clock was installed on Wednesday and has already received many compliments. Overall the project was a great success and I can’t thank Ricardo Gomez, Mathias Andres, Luis Altuzar and David Forrey for their efforts.

The finished Verdin clock located at the Practice Facility

·         Our Osprey has become very active high up on her perch located near the bathrooms on Hole 4. She remains there most of the time watching the golfers drive by and dines on at least one fish every day. I remain hopeful that this is the year she lays eggs.

Single white female looking for mate – enjoys flying and fishing – text 555-BIRD

·         Fire hydrants are beginning to be repainted by Bonita Springs Utilities throughout the Community. This is an arduous task as each hydrant is having new hardware installed, sand blasted, primed and then painted with an epoxy paint. It will take several weeks for this to be completed. The new appearance is wonderful and compliments the neighborhoods.

A primed fire hydrant ready for painting

·         Compliments to David Forrey and the Leadership group for their efforts during my vacation. I am fortunate to have such a strong team that continues to present the golf course to a high standard daily. They simply know what to do.

A beautiful sunrise on Hole 18 as the green and fairway get mowed for the days play

FYI 10/4/19

10/4/19

Golf Maintenance FYI

·         The golf course continues to look great with the greens in superb condition. The weather has been very surprising for this time of year with the lack of rain. We only experienced a ½ inch of rain for the month! That is by far the driest September on record for Copperleaf. Thankfully our lakes have been full since May and so our water supply is satisfactory at the moment. That being said, it is possible that we will not see substantial rain for many months of which ‘will’ be of great concern. Hopefully by me writing this, the rain gods will surprise us and deliver rain when needed – at night!

·         Plant and tree trimming continued this week throughout the golf course and will be completed next week. Several trees throughout the Community have had branches removed to improve their appearance and structural strength.

·         Common ground plant material will start to be trimmed on Tuesday around the Clubhouse and Common Grounds in preparation for the annual mulch pine straw application scheduled for mid-November.

·         The tennis courts had over 2 tons of new clay added to their surface in preparation for increased tennis play and to replenish the material that gets washed away during heavy rain events. The courts are scheduled to be completely resurfaced in September of 2020.

·         The golf course bathrooms had the irrigation improved around the surrounding garden beds this week. New plant material will soon be ordered and installed to enhance these areas. Thank you to Luis Altuzar and Silvestre Flores for their tireless work digging through the soil and tree roots to add new pipe and sprinklers.

·         The paver installation around the decorative clock was completed this week as well as the plant bed for the annual flowers. The clock is scheduled to be installed on Wednesday, October 16 and will complete the project.

Retaining wall and pavers installed around the clock foundation

Not the clock I was hoping for??

·         The Royal Palms at the front entrance were trimmed this week not only to clean them up but to prepare them for the decorative Christmas lights that will soon be installed. Compliments to Ricardo Gomez and David Forrey for their work high up on the tree lift.

   

Ricardo high up in the Royal Palms at the front entrance

·         Thanks to David Forrey and Luis Altuzar for helping with the security scanner at the front entrance. A new wire was installed that has eliminated the issue with the scanner not reading bar codes. Thanks to Ray Houle for identifying the problem and coming up with the fix.

David Forrey cutting a thin line through the concrete

·         All fire hydrant reflectors were replaced throughout the community this week. Thanks to Estero Fire Rescue for following through from our communication a month ago. I am now waiting on BSU to refurbish the fire hydrants by the end of the year.

·         I was able to receive a $4,000 credit from BSU after following up with them regarding water leaks experienced at the golf course bathrooms. Just goes to show you never know until you ask!

·         I will be enjoying some time off next week. David Forrey and the leadership group have everything scheduled in my absence and I look forward to not worrying about Copperleaf for the next 7 days 😊

FYI 9/27/19

9/27/19

Golf Maintenance FYI

·       The golf course is looking great as we approach the weekend. Without question, the weather over the past 10 days has been spectacular with lower temperatures and humidity. Interestingly there has been very little rain over the past 4 weeks which is extremely surprising for September. There is rain forecast next week which will be welcomed.

·       Areas of raised turf along the cart path edges preventing water to enter the drainage system has all been lowered this week. This will be a great improvement in alleviating puddles that form on the cart paths.

·       Plant and tree trimming continued this week throughout the golf course and will be completed next week. Several trees throughout the Community have had branches removed to improve their appearance and structural strength.

·       All common ground plant material will be trimmed over the next 2 weeks in preparation for the annual pine straw application scheduled for mid-November.

·       Tina Fry enjoyed a 3-day seminar revolving around the success of women in golf maintenance. It was a great experience for her and around 30 other women across the country. Copperleaf is fortunate to have Tina working with us as she brings great experience, knowledge and attention to detail – thank you Tina.

·       The golf course bathrooms were pressure washed and cleaned this week. Thank you to Mark and Silvestre for their efforts. Adjustments to the irrigation will be completed next week followed by improvements to the surrounding landscaping. It will be a great improvement to these areas once completed.

Mark and Silvestre at Hole 4 bathroom

·       The retaining wall around the decorative clock was completed this week. Next week a ring of pavers will be installed along with annual flowers in the garden bed. The clock is scheduled to be installed on Tuesday, October 15 and will complete the project.

·       The practice tee will be open for play from the turf on Tuesday, October 1. It is currently in great condition due to not being played on for the past month. The mats will still be utilized on weekends and shotgun events throughout the golfing season to help preserve the turf and allow for new grass to grow. I encourage all golfers to be respectful and follow the guidelines on how to properly hit their shots.

·       We continue to battle Moles on the golf course. These small animals can be quite destructive when they reach the fairways, tees and approaches. We are constantly setting traps and applying baits to remove the animals from the turf. I believe it will be an arduous battle!

Hole 9 Approach on Friday, September 27, 2019

Hole 9 Approach on Saturday, September 28, 2019