This season is coming to a close...
During the week of September 18th we were able to get the greens aerified and start the preparation for their long winter sleep. The scars from the aerification are well on their way to healing and the with our upgrades in equipment this season the recovery seems to be quicker than in years past. Have to go off of feel on this one for we have no data :) This week we are blowing out the irrigation and preparing the system for the winter. Its another sign that things are winding down.
The past week has been a long time coming with this long run of sunny days. This summer turned out the most days of measurable rainfall since such stats have been recorded. As of September 15, the Anchorage field office for the National Weather Service informed us that we have had 102 days of such weather. If we only count from June 1 to September 15 which their is 106 possible days we had 62 days of measurable precipitation. Needless to say the rainfall amounts are well above average, we are running close to 4" above normal here at Settlers. What does this all mean? For starters the challenge is real. Getting the front 9 holes 6, 7, 8, & 9 able to play consistently no matter the weather is a top priority of ours. We started on fixing the drain tile and ran into too much water to make it a feasible task without making too much of a mess. Till next season on that one.
As fall moves along and you still find yourself frequenting the facility you will see the grounds crew diligently working to keep the leaves up and out of the way to limit the leaf rule being deployed in your round.
With this tranquil weather if they continue their slow drop out of the forest canopy we should be able to maintain the pace and keep the grounds relatively clear for the most part. A good windy day will change that, however.
We are currently planning to shut our greens down, on Monday Oct 9 with the closure of the front 9. Play will be limited to the back 9 that day and we will close for good on Tuesday Oct 10. Greens will be covered, tucked in, and ready for their long winter hibernation at that point. It can be said without question that the weather did not deliver the summer we wished, however, your resilience to participate no matter what the weather was second to none.
Thank you for your patronage during our 2023 Season!! Don't let the last few days pass you up, get yourself on the course one last time in 2023.
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