Pt.1

The winter months on a golf course may seem to some the time to hang up the clubs, grab a bottle of jack, and hunker down for the cold months to come. But in reality during these freezing times it has become some of the best times to reevaluate, re-equip, and take on special projects. For instance this winter at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, KS a special project is being taken on with full force. This project is crucial to any golf course around the nation, and that is of the bunker renovation and construction.

Located in the Kansas State University Men and Women's Golf Practice Area, lays a chipping green along with an approach, and you guess it, a white sand bunker. This bunker has become overgrown with native grasses to Kansas, along with inadequate amounts of sand in certain parts of the bunker. This inequality of sand has led to bunker liner damage, the removal of liner metal staples, and the contamination of the sand and soil within the bunker. Certified Golf Course Superintendent Matt Gourlay has made the call that is bunker must be redone in order for that of the golf teams to have a proper/playable bunker to practice out of.

Before renovations began, a game plan was discussed in order to really focus on the key areas that needed mending. For example the height of the front face of the bunker must be lowered, this will ensure the golfer will be able to see he or shes golf ball land onto the putting surface. Before renovations golfers would loft the ball high into the air and it would disappear behind this overgrown face of the bunker. Other plans were made to have proper drainage to avoid washouts and puddling of water within the bunker. Lastly, a last second idea by Gourlay was to create a sod faced wall on the front bunker face, these sod faced bunkers can be seen at prestigious course across the globe, most notably at the Old Course at St. Andrews. In order to take on such a feat proper equipment must be used. Our skid steer was already capable of removing the older sand, along with leveling of the surface itself, some extra muscle was brought in, in the form of a mini excavator to also remove sand and begin the proper shaping of the new bunker.

With renovations in full swing, it will be only a matter of time before work must be ceased and equipment returned to the renter. Winter is an evil time and can shut down work outside on the golf course for months. But once the permafrost begins to melt more work can be done. This is only the beginning.