Winerization of the courses

This time of year I always get many questions about when the course will close for the season. So I figured I would sum things up a little for everyone.

We close the Greywalls course first so we can get it all winterized for our long snowy season and then we move the process over to the Heritage and do the same.
This usually takes place the first to third week of October on Greywalls and the end of October/early November on the Heritage.
BUT it all depends on the weather forecast.
The last thing we want to do is risk running out of time and not getting everything done before the snow falls. If it snows before we finish, there is nothing we can do and conditions the following spring and early summer will not be good. We must play it safe or we will all be sorry!
During this time we winterize the irrigation systems, spray preventative fungicides on the turf, haul in all course supplies, snow fence off wind blown areas, spread organic milorganite on the greens, detail clean and winterize all of our equipment, topdress the greens with a very heavy rate of sand for plant crown protection and rope off all of the greens to prevent damage from human winter activities.
After all of these tasks are complete, the staff is laid off for the winter and my shop work begins. I start the winter long process of grinding all of the reels and rebuilding what needs to be rebuilt. I also get the plow on the work truck to plow the course lots and driveways everytime it snows. I prepare for the next season by setting up supply delivery dates, attend educational seminars and I get all of the paper work prepared for the upcoming season. The most enjoyable part of my winter work schedule is strapping on the snow shoes a couple times a week to monitor winter conditions; so we know what to expect in the spring.

Enjoy the rest of the season as September is the best month for golf in the UP!!