Pump Replacement

  Every piece of equipment needs replaced at some point no matter how well you take care of it.  Such was the case with the main pump station.  After nearly 19 years of trouble free service, it was finally to the point of needing replacement.  The pump shafts were bowed and the impellers were worn and no longer efficient.  Additionally, the computer that runs the station was not running the pumps properly anymore.  We solicited several bids to replace the pumps and the computer and eventually contracted with the company that originally installed the station. 

The roof at the pump station being prepped for removal.

Roof removal.

Old pump being removed.

  While overly simplified, we replaced the two main pumps, two 60hp electric motors, and the computer system that runs the pumps.  Technicians first replaced the computer and display which actually took two days.  In order to replace the pumps, a crane had to first remove the roof of the pump house and then remove each pump and motor.  Next, the new pumps, motors, and roof were installed in the same manner as the removal only in reverse.   After the crane left, the technicians made all the necessary mechanical and electrical connections.  Lastly, the pumps were run to fine tune their operation.

One pump removed.

The new pumps and motors waiting to be lifted into place.

   Every year we have preventative maintenance performed by professional pump technicians on all three of our pump stations.  We are regularly told that we have some of the best maintained pump stations that they see.  With continued care and maintenance, I expect our new pumps to last as long as the old ones did.

Croquet Expansion

  On October 16th we officially closed the croquet lawns so that we could begin the long anticipated expansion of the facility.  As many of you know, we will be more than doubling the lawn size so that we can accommodate two full lawns or three 3/4 size lawns.  In addition to the lawns, we will be doubling the size of the pavilion so that members have more covered space while waiting to play. 

New croquet complex.

Top layer of soil needed to be removed before the drilling could begin.

  In order for either one of the two projects to get started we must first blast a good portion of granite.  This has already begun with the drilling of holes into the rock.  The contractor will then fill the holes with water and set of a charge which will then fracture the rock.  This method is slower than traditional blasting with dynamite but far more controlled.  This is crucial since we do not want do disturb the foundation on the pavilion.  With good weather, I anticipate the blasting to be completed this week.

Hole locations are marked prior to drilling.

The drilling machine.

Holes were drilled 8' deep and about a 1.5' apart.

Other work to prepare for the project was removing the old irrigation heads.

  As the second largest croquet club in America, this is an exciting project that continues to show HFCC's commitment to the sport.  Please come back for updates as we work on this through the winter.

The Foundation Beneath

  As most people know, a key to success is to have a sound foundation and on a golf course that starts with the soil.  Without at least decent soil, turfgrass cannot be regularly maintained to typical golf course standards.  Even with decent soil, most courses do not benefit from uniform soil throughout the property either because of construction disturbance or just through nature.

The different colors in this field are all different soil types.

  Highlands Falls has a smorgasbord of different soil types.  While most of our soils are conducive to growing decent turf, some cannot even be classified as soil as they are mostly rock.  Such is the case on a few areas on the 6th fairway where we recently replaced several areas of dead turf.

Granite with a small amount of soil is very representative of the soil substructure on several holes at HFCC.

  These areas could be classified as concrete quicker than they could be classified as soil.  They do not drain, roots cannot penetrate, and the areas are as hard as a rock.  Short of digging up the fairway and hauling in at least a foot of decent soil there has not been much we could do other than re-sod the areas after the turf died.

  We have decided to try a technique that an arborist once showed me to improve the rooting of trees and that is to drill into the soil and fill the holes with compost and sand.  The filled holes hold moisture and provide a good medium for turf to grow.  Additionally, during the winter, the moisture holding holes will freeze and thaw and fracture the adjoining soil allowing the turf to penetrate the bad soil.

4" holes are drilled into the soil on the 6th fairway.

The holes are approximately 6" - 8" deep.

Each hole is filled with compost and sand.

  While we do not yet know long term if this process will work, I feel it will have a positive affect as it is just another way of aerating the soil, and we do know that aerating the soil works!