Since my previous summer update, our team has continued to make significant progress on several projects designed to improve playing conditions and strengthen the long-term health of the golf course. Much of this work takes place while many of our members are away, so I wanted to provide another look at what has been accomplished, along with an update on rainfall and a developing weather pattern we are monitoring for this winter.
Drill-and-Fill
As in past years, we completed two separate Drill-and-Fill treatments on the greens this summer. The first was performed May 26–28, followed by a second treatment July 20–22.
The Drill-and-Fill process uses a one-inch drill bit to penetrate 10 inches into the greens profile on a 7-by-7-inch pattern. The channels are then filled with kiln-dried, coarse sand, creating pathways that improve water movement, increase oxygen within the root zone and modify the deeper portion of the soil profile.
During the first treatment, we incorporated more than 110 tons of kiln-dried, coarse sand into the greens. The second treatment added more than 114 tons, bringing the summer total to 224 tons, or approximately 448,000 pounds of sand placed into the greens profile.
This is a demanding, labor-intensive process, but it provides important long-term benefits. By addressing compaction and improving the movement of water and air deep within the profile, Drill-and-Fill helps create a healthier growing environment and improves the greens’ ability to withstand periods of heavy rainfall.
The soil profile shown below provides a clear look at the Drill-and-Fill process, with the 10-inch channel completely filled with sand and extending well below the existing thatch and organic layer into the deeper greens profile.
Shoreline Restoration
ShoreSOX has allowed us to reclaim areas of lake bank that had been lost to erosion and provide long-term stabilization. We previously used this approach successfully on the green complexes of holes 1 and 5 in 2021 and the hole 2 green complex in 2025.
This summer, we installed 828 linear feet of ShoreSOX on holes 10, 14 and 16 using 220 tons of a coarse sand known as 250 sand, along with 600 linear feet on hole 17 using 161 tons. In total, this summer’s projects included 1,428 linear feet of ShoreSOX and 381 tons of sand.
The system uses a durable, anchored mesh filled with sand to rebuild and support the shoreline, providing immediate stability while allowing turfgrass to grow through the material. As the turfgrass becomes established, its root system further strengthens the bank and provides added protection against erosion caused by rainfall, water movement and changing lake levels.
In addition to restoring lost ground, this work creates a more stable and maintainable transition between the golf course and the lakes. The finished product looks outstanding, with smooth, clean contours that blend naturally into the golf course.
The photos below show the shoreline on hole 17 before, during and after the ShoreSOX installation, illustrating how the system reclaimed the eroded lake bank and restored a smooth, stable transition to the golf course.
Rainfall Update
Through July, we have received 27.64 inches of rainfall in 2026. Most of that rain has occurred during the past three months, with 7.31 inches in May, 7.73 inches in June and 6.53 inches in July. Combined, those three months accounted for 21.57 inches, or nearly 80% of our year-to-date rainfall.
The consistent summer rainfall has allowed us to emerge from the extreme drought conditions experienced earlier in the year. Although rainfall has improved significantly, our year-to-date total remains below average.
Annual rainfall can vary considerably in Southwest Florida. We recorded 47.82 inches in 2025, 101.65 inches in 2024, 53.86 inches in 2023 and 83.99 inches in 2022, illustrating the significant variation we can experience from one year to the next.
A Potentially Very Strong El Niño Winter
According to NOAA’s July 9 outlook, El Niño is forecast to strengthen through the remainder of 2026, with a 97% chance that it will continue through early spring 2027. More notably, NOAA indicates an 81% chance that it will become a very strong El Niño during October through December, which could make it one of the strongest El Niño events recorded since 1950.
Although seasonal forecasts are not guarantees, El Niño typically shifts the winter storm track farther south, increasing the likelihood of cooler, cloudier, wetter and stormier conditions across Florida. Historically, El Niño winters have produced 40% to 50% more rainfall than normal across the Florida peninsula from December through March.
For the golf course, prolonged rainfall, cloud cover and cooler temperatures can reduce turfgrass growth and recovery while increasing soil moisture, disease pressure and traffic-related wear.
Many of our summer cultural practices are performed to prepare the golf course for these types of conditions. Aerification, Drill-and-Fill, topdressing and other soil-management practices help reduce thatch, improve drainage, increase air movement within the soil and create a healthier growing environment for the turfgrass.
We cannot predict exactly how the winter will unfold, but the possibility of a very strong El Niño reinforces the importance of the work being completed this summer as we prepare the golf course for the upcoming season.
The work completed this summer represents a significant investment in the long-term health, performance and appearance of the golf course. I am extremely pleased with our progress and appreciate the hard work and dedication of our agronomy team.
