Course Notes
Here we are in the middle of July and what a strange year it is proving to be! In between the storms, and subsequent tree, limb and debris removal, the golf course is not only surviving, but thriving. Some timely rainfalls and currently cooler conditions have resulted in the golf course being in terrific condition.
Even though our regular maintenance practices have been impacted through necessary storm clean-ups, we have managed to continue with many course improvements throughout the season.
I would like to highlight some of these improvements that may not be noticeable at first glance.
Firstly, and primarily due to the cooler weather conditions, we have been able to take a much more aggressive approach to removing the poa annua (annual bluegrass) from the greens. This has been a problem for many years now, and due to the success we are seeing and continued good health of the bentgrass, we will continue this particular chemical application throughout the season. This is a process that will take multiple repeat applications even over a few seasons to “take out” the poa annua completely. The idea is that the poa annua is suppressed allowing the bent grass to creep over and fill the voids. This process may result in a few thin spots on the greens until the bentgrass has time to recover and fill in these voids.
We’ve had many favorable comments on the drainage work completed at the ponds on holes 12 and 17. You as members had aptly named those areas as the “wheel wash.” We removed the turf from these areas, created a natural spillway to the ponds and relayed the sod. Both areas are now draining effectively.
In early spring we seemed to inherit a huge crop of clover. To date we have treated about 40 acres of the golf course and have been able to kill most of the clover allowing the bermuda grass to be healthier and stronger.
We have had several requests from you to extend the cart path around 17 tee to go all the way up to the tee box itself. While we try to address each of your concerns, I’m not sure that this is financially viable or necessarily feasible. If you must drive up to the tee box, please try to vary your route to avoid wearing a path up to the tee. If we do lose the bermuda grass it will be very difficult to reestablish. I would recommend that you drive beyond the blue tee box area to go up the hill and then turn around.
Men's Invitational
July 25 & 26 will be the weekend for our Men’s Invitational. It’s hard to believe this is the 4th year of this event! I still do need volunteers to help with registration and starting. If this is something you can help with please contact me ASAP. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Senior Cup
The dates are not yet set for the Senior “Geezer” Cup, traditionally played between Miller Memorial, Oaks C.C. and Murray C.C. We have already had a lot of interest this year from you regarding participation. While we want this event to have a high premium on fun, we also want to be competitive and try to claim the trophy back from 2 time defending champion Oaks C.C. As a result we will be using a qualifying format for this year’s event. We will be using the Friday Senior point’s totals to determine the strongest team and invite the top 12 players to play. Spots will be filled accordingly if a player cannot compete. If you would like to play and have not participated on Friday with the seniors, please contact me about how you can establish a point’s total.
Club Championship - Results
We had a record turnout for our Club Championship in June. We had over 30 players and many more guests for the cookout! I know each player enjoyed the weekend’s golf and for those that struggled with their game, the food was a great escape! Congratulations to our repeat Champions, Charles Miles (Club Champion) and Jeremy Snodgrass (Senior Club Champion).
Tuesday Night Scramble
Feel free to join us on Tuesday nights for our scramble. We’ve had excellent support so far this year having as many as 26 golfers last week. The cost for members is just $11 including $5 for the prize fund. This is a great way to introduce a friend to the golf course (the guest fee is just $15). We will be happy to pair you with your guest upon request.
Member Summer Special
We recognize that many of you work later in the day and try to squeeze in a few holes before dark. Now, after 5:00 pm you can get unlimited cart rental for $9. This is a great way to play a few extra holes and save a few dollars! We do ask that the carts be returned by 8:30 pm please.
Feedback Wanted
Contact Information
I am currently negotiating our new equipment lease and golf cart lease. We are strongly considering the use of electric vehicles at Miller Memorial G.C. The main attraction is the noise level, or rather lack of noise, associated with electric vehicles. Electric vehicles could also provide some energy savings for the golf course. Technology has advanced tremendously in electric vehicles in recent years and battery life, normally the biggest concern, has been greatly improved. I plan on having a demo model at the course in the near future for you to try out. The down side to converting to electric would be the cost of equipping our cart shed with necessary power, transformers, wiring and chargers. This will not be cheap. I would like some feedback from you as to how much you would value electric versus gas or vice versa.
• Will Snodgrass - Director of Golf
• Carolyn Parker - Assistant Pro Shop Mgr.
• Mike Bradley - Head Mechanic
• Matthew Kennedy - Assistant Golf Course Superintendent
Other Web Sites of Interest
www.goracers.com
www.murraystate.edu
2814 Pottertown Rd. • Murray, KY 42071 • Phone: 270-809-2238 • Toll Free: 888-313-9862 • Fax: 270-809-6046• Email: millergolf@murraystate.edu