It has been a very productive two weeks since my last update, and although the region is in desperate need of rain, the weather has been phenomenal for the construction aspect of the Olde Florida renovation! I am pleased to report that the project is on schedule and almost everything is going exactly as planned.
In this update I am going to focus on one component of the project, the bunker renovation. A significant aspect of the project is the renovation of the 89 bunkers, which account for 3.27 acres on the golf course. Just shy of 20% of the total cost of the project will go towards the bunker renovation.
The bunkers at Olde Florida have never been renovated. In the last 29 years we have replaced all of the sand once, but the construction is original. Although the bunkers have played exceptionally well, it was decided to do a complete renovation of the bunkers this summer for two reasons.
First, a significant number of bunkers have lost the Rees Jones design features that were in place when the course opened in 1993. A second, and much more significant reason for the renovation is because of the bunker construction method. Since we built the bunkers almost three decades ago several new construction methods and liners have been developed that significantly reduce maintenance and improve playability. In particular, the bunker sand washing that routinely occurs after heavy rains is almost eliminated with these new construction methods and materials.
Left Greenside Bunker on #4 Prior to Renovation - 3/12/21
Left Greenside Bunker on #4 - 5/14/21
Greenside Bunker on #4 - 5/26/21
Over the last 10 years I have evaluated and performed on site testing of several bunker liners/construction methods. After significant consideration and analyzation of the aspects of each, the Better Billy Bunker Method was selected. The key component to this construction method is the polymer-coated gravel liner in the floor of the bunker which allows water to pass through at a rate that exceeds 1500 inches per hour. When water is properly diverted around bunkers, even during extremely heavy rain events the bunker sand hardly moves.
Bunker washout is a substantial issue for most golf courses and certainly at Olde Florida. Washouts contaminate sand and require staff to spend countless hours repairing bunkers after major rain events. After a heavy rain it’s not uncommon for us to assign as many as 16 employees, each spending 8-12 hours pumping water, removing silt and shoveling sand to repair bunkers. By installing the Better Billy Bunker Method we will almost eliminate washouts allowing us to reallocate a significant amount of labor to other tasks.
Developed in 2009, the Better Billy Bunker Method has been installed on over 1,200 golf courses worldwide. In the YouTube video here and below are testimonials on the method from Golf Course Superintendent’s at; The Country Club of Castle Pines, The Loxahatchee Club, St. George’s Golf and Country Club, Winged Foot Golf Club, The Robert Trent Jones Golf and Country Club and others.
Each facilities needs/desires, time frame and budget for a bunker renovation can be different. Therefore, the renovation process to the Better Billy Bunker Method can be slightly different.
Below is an explanation of the project at Olde Florida.
During our club closure in March (16th & 17th) Greg Muirhead, Senior Vice President / Senior Designer with Rees Jones, Inc., was onsite to define the features that have been lost. Greg and I were both on site in 1992 during construction, so in addition to the photographs I have from the early days, we both have first hand knowledge of the original shape of the bunkers. As Greg painted the outlines of each bunker on March 17th I took photos. The photos from that day are now being used to mark the edges for our construction/renovation.
Greg Muirhead Marking Right Greenside Bunker Hole 4 - 3/16/21
Right Greenside Bunker Hole 4 - 3/16/21
The physical aspect of the bunker renovation process at Olde Florida began with the removal of the existing bunker sand. The removed sand was stockpiled for later use as topdressing in historic wet areas. With the sand removed, the original drainage pipe and limestone gravel was removed from each bunker. Our original thought was we might try to reuse this pipe, but after inspection of the pipe it was determined new pipe would be the safer and wiser choice. After pipe and gravel removal, two crews from Leibold Construction began shaping the floor of the bunkers and moving soil to areas that needed features reestablished.
Sand Removal Greenside Bunker - Hole 4
Existing Drainage Pipe and Limestone Gravel Removal - Hole 7
Existing Drainage Pipe and Limestone Gravel Removal - Hole 7
Bunker Shaping - Hole 5
Adding Soil to Reestablish Bunker Features - Hole 3
The floor in each bunker is being shaped to increase the slope and subsequent rate of water infiltration into the drainage pipes. When the floor is shaped to the proper slope and 10" depth (explanation below), drainage is installed. The elevation and slope of each drain line is carefully inspected prior to new pipe and granite gravel being placed in the drainage trenches.
When drain pipe and gravel installation is complete an exact 3" layer of granite gravel is installed in the entire floor of each bunker and the Better Billy Bunker patented polymer is sprayed to a depth of 3/4". This secures the gavel in place. The gravel layer acts as both a liner between the subgrade and the bunker sand as well as a conduit for water to enter the drain pipe.
The final step is the installation of 7" of new, angular bunker sand. As was previously mentioned, since the gravel is an exact 3" depth and the sand is an exact 7" depth, the floor of the bunkers are carefully constructed to an exact 10" depth from the floor to the new grass line. The gravel slope/contour matches the sand slope/contour exactly.
Adding New Drainage and Granite Gravel - Hole 3
Drainage Left Greenside Bunker - Hole 4
Adding 3" of Granite Gravel on the Bunker Floor - Hole 3
Spraying Polymer to Secure Granite Gravel - Hole 4
Gravel Secured with Polymer and New TifTuf Being Installed - 5/26/21
Gravel Secured with Polymer and New TifTuf Being Installed - 5/25/21
Bunker Sand Installation on Hole 3 - 5/26/21
Greg Muirhead returned to Olde Florida this week to inspect the completed bunkers on holes 3-8 and he was extremely pleased.
Note: The first 6 holes to be grassed are 3-8, which is why bunker construction was completed on these holes first.
(L-R) Andy Polzin, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, Greg Muirhead and Darren J. Davis, CGCS Hole 3 - 5/25/21
It's been only two weeks since the golf course was closed for play, but the progress on the renovation has been tremendous!!!
The day after closing a cold front stalled on top of Southwest Florida. The chance for rain and a fair amount of wind delayed our second herbicide application for three days. Although it altered our schedule, it was actually a positive since it provided additional time for bermudagrass regrowth!
My staff was able to complete the second herbicide application Thursday and Friday 4/22 and 4/23.
Second Hebicide Application on Hole 1 - 4/22
Bermudagrass Regrowth Prior to Second Herbicide Application
During the second closed week we had three contractors on site each working on separate aspects of the project. Our main contractor, Leibold Construction is currently working on the bunker renovation.
The first step in the bunker renovation is the removal of existing sand. After the first week the sand was removed from holes 1-10 and some of the bunkers on holes 11 and 18. We are anticipating the sand from all 148,655 square feet of our bunkers will be removed by the end of day on Wednesday 5/5. Leibold will then begin reshaping the bunkers incorporating some the original features that have been lost and begin the installation of the Better Billy Bunker system.
I will provide more information on the Better Billy Bunker system in a future/separate blog entry
Sand Removal 4 Green
Below is a video of sand removal on 4 green:
The contractor that performs our Drill and Fill aerification on the greens was also on site for the first three days of the second week. You may recall that last summer we did a single Drill and Fill aerification. This is a link to a blog entry I previously published on extending the performance of putting greens
This summer, with the golf course being closed and the subsurface in need of continued modification to maintain the functionality of the USGA greens, we performed a "double". The "double" tightened the area impacted from 6" by 7" to 3" by 7". The holes are 1" in diameter and drilled to a depth of 10". Each hole was completly filled in the process with a total of 149 tons of dried, bagged sand.
Drill and Fill on Hole 14 - 4/28
Drill and Fill on Hole 15 - 4/28
Below is a video of the Drill and Fill aerification process on our practice green:
Solitude Lake Management also had a productive week starting the installation of the Sox Erosion System around the greens complexes on holes 1 and 5. The Sox product is a bioengineered control system that halts shoreline erosion.
In the 29 years since being constructed we have experienced a significant amount of erosion in these two areas. This process will restore the original slope and the product will prevent the areas from any future erosion. Once complete, sod is placed on top of the fabric.
I will provide more information on the Sox system in a future/separate blog entry.
Hole 5 - 5/1/21
The third contractor on site was Aeration Technology. They are performing a process known as fraise mowing. Seven days after the second herbicide application we began the fraise mowing. The fraise mowing is removing 1" of material, which not only removes the dead material, it also exposes rhizomes (below ground growing parts) that are still living.
The additional sunlight and oxygen that the living plant material (rhizome) will now be exposed to will allow for increased bermudagrass regrowth prior to the third herbicide application.
Fraise Mowing on Hole 7 - 4/29
A Living Rhizome Exposed 1" Deep After Fraise Mowing - Hole 7
Below is a video of the fraise mowing on hole 8:
My staff who were not involved in the loading of sand into the Drill and Fill machinery were doing our annual, or biennial (depending on the area) trimming of palms and oak trees. This will continue throughout the summer as time permits.
Trimming Palms and Oaks Hole 1/10
Finally, my staff began the eradication of all "off-type" grass in the TifEagle greens. With the golf course closed for play this summer it was a perfect time to remove the small amount of invasive turfgrass. After a week without mowing the areas could be clearly identified by their more aggressive growth habit.
We carefully applied a non-selective herbicide to the small spots. In 30 days the areas will be retreated and a few weeks later will be plugged with TifEagle from our nursery green. The total area affected on the greens is less than 1%.
