The Director of Golf and Golf Course Maintenance staff post regular updates on golf course maintenance, such as over-seeding, watering, closures, and other issues. All maintenance is performed in accordance with the golf course maintenance standards.
This month’s course schedules, one for Eagle’s Nest golf course and one for Tuscany Falls golf course, display each day’s plan for maintenance closures, as well as for shotgun and tee times, and for tournaments.
After the builder and architect are gone,
a golf course needs constant and attentive care. Golf course
maintenance staff help enhance both the playability and the visual
appearance of a golf course. Professionals who work on golf courses
understand and respond to the unique needs of the particular golf
courses and work to ensure that the needs are met daily. Our golf course superintendents, Joe Miller and Jeff Lebo, ensure that
our staff is well trained and up to date on the latest in golf course
maintenance technology and expertise.
Joe and Jeff oversees the labor, time,
materials and finances in a manner that protects the courses, preserves
their visual appeal and enhances the enjoyment of the game. They manage
40 employees and the
budget for Golf Course Maintenance, which is $2.2 million per year. Using a
broad base of facility management skills, they must meet financial
goals while protecting these living, breathing assets which require
daily care and attention. Every day, the superintendents communicate with the
maintenance staff to assign tasks and plan for the day’s assignments.
What’s involved in maintaining our golf courses?
The total turf acreage is 350 acres of grass that are mowed 364 days a year which includes 10 acres of greens
Over 170 acres of desert landscaping is maintained on a rotating schedule
40
acres of lakes are maintained by a lake maintenance company on a
continual basis and closely monitored between March and November. Crews
look for insects and algae infestations and stock the lakes with algae
and larvae (mosquito and midge fly) eating fish
82 sand traps are raked at least 6 times a week and sand is replaced on a rotating 5-year schedule
80,000
pounds of perennial rye grass, 2,000 pounds of seaside bent and over
2,000 pounds of poa trivialis are spread in the annual October overseed
Aerifying
greens– The greens are double aerified once a year with a special
machine that removes 5/8” round/4 ½” deep plugs. This process improves
air and water access to the grass roots and improve s drainage and
removes thatch (dried, dead grass)
Aerifying
fairways – one employee is dedicated to this all summer on a continuous
rotation, removing thatch to improve percolation and drainage
Verticutting
or vertical cutting is mowing to remove thatch. This is performed in
late spring and summer and lightly thins the grass on the greens and
helps smooth out the greens
Fertilization
– a granular form is applied year round on the fairways by a spreader
and greens are done by hand. The type of fertilizer applied depends on
the season and the weather. Iron is sprayed on in winter to keep the
grass darker.
Integrated
Pest Management – key maintenance staff are licensed by the state to
apply pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides; continuing
education is required annually to maintain licenses; applications are
made year round as required
Tree
trimming and care – Over 4,000 palm trees are trimmed annually in
July/August after they have gone to seed so the seed pods can be
removed. Over 2000 other species of trees are trimmed by staff. Palm
trees and larger trees are trimmed by outside tree trimming
specialists. Shrubs are trimmed on a continual rotating schedule by
staff.
Watering and
Irrigation Maintenance – Amount of watering depends on the season and
weather. Information is obtained daily from a weather station and
computer recommendation. Watering is done at 80% of recommended amount.
Water usage is in line with strict state water use guidelines. Eagle’s
Nest uses well water exclusively drawing from two 800’ deep wells.
Tuscany Falls has five 800’ wells which are supplemented by effluent
water purchased from Liberty Utilities. The state requires
non-irrigation lakes be filled with effluent water. There is one
irrigation lake on Eagle’s Nest and two on Tuscany Falls, the rest are
non-irrigation.
Cleaning – eight sets of restrooms are cleaned throughout the day.
In
addition to the above, the Golf Course Maintenance staff must
supervise yearly improvement and/or renovation projects, work closely
with other management team members, the Director of Golf, the HOA Golf
Committee, as well as, golfers, vendors, suppliers, golf professionals,
golf course architects and others in the golf industry. Additionally, they is called upon to educate community groups and especially golfers
about golf course and turf grass management through updates
posted on the HOA website, at meetings and in the PebbleCreek Post.
Although
it is an overwhelming responsibility, it is one of significant
importance. And it has been noted that avid golfers rank well-maintained
greens and bunkers as the most important aspect to their enjoyment and
satisfaction in playing golf. Spending money on golf course maintenance
saves money in the long run by protecting this valuable community
asset.
The Director of Golf and Golf Course Maintenance staff post regular updates on golf course maintenance, such as over-seeding, watering, closures, and other issues. All maintenance is performed in accordance with the 
