Annual Report to the Membership
April 4, 2025
Prepared by:
Darren J. Davis, CGCS
Golf Course Superintendent
darrenjdavis@oldefloridagolfclub.com
(239) 860-3920 - Cell
(239) 353-4441 - Office
Weather
We have been blessed with phenomenal weather in the 2025 winter golf season allowing my team to provide the membership with terrific golf course conditioning. This is a very welcome change from the previous year.
Without a doubt 2024 was the most challenging year I have faced in my nearly 40 years in the industry. Last winter we experienced an extremely strong El Niño weather pattern. Due to the El Niño pattern, we experienced the cloudiest two months (December 2023 and January 2024) in over 100 years. We were additionally challenged with above average rainfall and below average temperatures in a time when our growth is the slowest and our golf play the highest.
When sunlight and temperatures returned to normal levels in mid-February our hard work was rewarded and we finished the 2024 winter golf season extremely strong!
The weather pattern reversed as we entered summer and we experienced a strong La Niña weather pattern. This resulted in impacts from three named storms, Debby, Helene and Milton. In the four month period of June - September we received 73.65” of rain. The total rainfall received at Olde Florida in 2024 was 101.65”, which is close to double the historical average.
Of the three named storms Milton created the greatest challenge. Milton did not provide the beneficial flushing rain that reduces impacts from salt. After Milton moved through our area on October 9th, we went 21 days without rain and then only received .15” on October 30th. Then we only received .10” for the entire month of November.
TifTuf
The 2021 renovation and re-grassing to TifTuf was extremely successful. When the turfgrass is receiving the climatical conditions it needs to grow, it has provided an exceptional playing surface! The goal of the 2021 renovation was 99% eradication of the existing grass, and we achieved that. However, as reported in previous annual reports, the level of purity will drop slowly each year. I would estimate that we remain approximately 94% - 95% pure TifTuf.
Summer
This summer we will continue similar work performed in previous years. This includes the crucial cultural practices of aerification, vertical mowing and topdressing.
In 2023 we expanded our topdressing of tees and greens to include fairways. All 25 acres of fairways receive 1/4” of sand annually, with wetter fairways receiving additional 1/4” topdressing applications. It is a significant investment, but it results in firmer, better draining fairways. This practice will continue this summer.
Since 2019 we have performed a minimum of two aggressive soil modification processes annually on our 33-year old greens. This summer we will once again utilize the Drill and Fill process on all greens. The Drill and Fill machine creates a 1” by 10” channel that is completely filled with sand to provide effective channels through the root zone.
This summer we’ll perform a reclamation project of the lake bank adjacent to 2 green with the SOX Erosion System. In 2021 we installed the product adjacent to greens 1 and 5. The SOX product is a geotextile based system with a patented anchoring design that is used to stabilize shorelines and prevent future erosion. For more on the system you can read my blog entry on the process.
https://darrenjdavisgcs.blogspot.com/2021/08/2021-renovation-update-6-lake-banks.html
Drainage, tree trimming and underbrush maintenance are also routine summer projects.
All of the cultural practices we perform in the summer months, when the turfgrass is most actively growing, greatly assist in winter conditioning. They are crucial to surviving challenging weather patterns. For a report on what we accomplished during the summer of 2024 visit my June 2024 blog entry:
https://darrenjdaviscgcs.substack.com/p/its-summer-in-southwest-florida
Golf Cart Usage
I would like to thank the majority of the membership who are driving golf carts responsibly and according to club policy. As a reminder, we ask that all members and guests keep golf carts off turfgrass around tees (exiting the path after the last green and white post) and keep carts outside the green and white posts around putting greens. Your adherence to this policy will benefit your fellow member and provide the highest quality turfgrass for everyone to enjoy.
Vanderbilt Beach Road Extension Update
The Vanderbilt Beach Road Extension project is a 7-mile extension of the existing six lane road. The extension begins at Collier Boulevard and it will end at 16th St.
The project began in the fall of 2022 and at that time the county estimated the project will take approximately three years to complete. Due to the same weather challenges we faced at Olde Florida in 2024, progress was slowed. The estimated completion date has shifted from fall 2025 to spring 2026.
The contractor, Sacyr is working hard to finish earlier, but the summer weather pattern is unpredictable. Currently, approximately 60% of the roadway is paved and Sacyr is focussed on installing all underground components of the project before the upcoming rainy season to minimize weather impacts.
While there have been some challenges for us throughout the project, due to the responsiveness of the project manager for the county and the contractor Sacyr, all issues have been addressed and handled promptly.
It’s anticipated in June of 2025 we will be re-routed to the new east bound lane section of road just east of Collier Boulevard. This will allow for the construction of the west bound lanes in this section. The timing is dependent on work being performed by FPL.
Our connection to the new canal has temporarily been made enabling is to utilize the new canal as water source as well as discharge if needed. The final connection will take place in a few weeks.
The 8’ chain link fence that will border our entire property line and subsequent landscape planting can not occur until the end of the project. We are fortunate that we had the foresight to plant hundreds of cabbage palms in the narrow strip of our property to the south the berm on number 9.
Furthermore, through negotiations with the county we are fortunate to have obtained the ability to plant and subsequently maintain a landscape barrier on county property at road elevation. This is significantly (approximately 10’) above the elevation of #9 fairway. In time this will provide a sound and visual barrier.
For more information on the Vanderbilt Beach Road Extension project you can click here:
Additional Information/Year-Round Updates
Please feel free to reach out at anytime if I can assist with anything, and if you are not already doing so, please follow the Olde Florida Facebook page and subscribe to my blog for more frequent updates on the golf course. Links to these can be found on my website: www.DarrenJDavisGCS.com
