Forward Tee Construction
Mississaugua Golf & Country Club & The Mad River Golf Club
In recent years, there has been an encouragement through a variety of national golf associations to introduce forward tees to help individuals new to the game or those who could benefit from moving forward due to various factors. I have been fortunate to be involved in two forward tees projects, and both projects were done differently. At Mississaugua Golf & Country Club, in the fall of 2016, we installed twelve new forward tees that were cut into areas in the rough. This project was done by an outside contractor but oversight was required.
While the project in 2016 at Mississaugua had locations for these tees, when we installed the forward tees at Mad River in 2020/2021, we had limited space for the forward tees. With this being said, at Mad River, we installed ten of the tees into the fairways because there weren't suitable areas to incorporate into the rough. The benefit of doing this was a softened area was created for teeing off, and now we can just mow these areas with fairway units rather than have a separate mower mow the forward tees. In both projects, I also ensured that proper establishment and cultivation took place prior to opening.
A total of twelve forward tees were installed at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club in the fall of 2016.
A total of twelve forward tees were installed at Mad River Golf Club in 2020/2021 – many locations were placed right into the fairways.
Bunker Renovation
Mississaugua Golf & Country Club
Bunkers tend to have a short life span, and in recent years many golf courses have been undertaking bunker renovations. In the fall of 2017, I was able to be a part of the bunker renovation at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club.
The club decided to go with the Better Billy Bunker liner system which is a proven bunker liner. All bunkers were re-done including drainage, sod, and bunker sand. The end product was superior to what was there before.
From a management stand point, the rolled bunker edges require attention to detail to maintain, but the bunker faces can be managed with growth regulators and proper fertility practices. The new bunkers also now allow for some different raking methods to be introduced from a playability aspect.
This is the 13th hole at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club with completed bunkers in the fall of 2017.
With the renovated bunkers new raking methods can be introduced to provide firm faces and a consistent bottom “belly” so balls funnel to the bottom.
Irrigation System Replacement
The Mad River Golf Club
The golf course irrigation system at Mad River is now 32 years old and past its expected life. Although the irrigation system is vital infrastructure that most members won't see, it is important for the health of the golf course and the turfgrass systems.
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In 2021 in consultation with the Golf Course Superintendent, we began the process of selecting a preferred consultant to assist with replacement of the irrigation system at Mad River which is scheduled for 2025. Since then, we have moved forward with a detailed master plan and presented a detailed report for the Board of Directors at Mad River on how to proceed in moving forward with the project.
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At the end of the project, our goal is to accomplish the following objectives:
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Water based on turf species: for example, watering just the rough & minimizing water thrown into fescue areas
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Shorten water window times for plant health
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As water restrictions become more prevalent, be more precise with our watering practices
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Minimize damage to areas of the golf course from irrigation breaks
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Continue to improve and exceed members' playability expectations with more control from a watering perspective
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