Water Shortage

The dry weather has been great for golf rounds but we are running out of water in our irrigation reservoir. This week we began transferring water from ponds on the golf course through the irrigation system backwards to the reservoir. Eventually we may need to buy water from the village, but if we can hold out, until the rain replenishes our supply, the water savings will be applied to better use.

trash pump #1 connected to pond feed

trash pump #2 to pond feed

getting dry but hanging in there

starting to aerify fairways and hand water to conserve water

Wetlands Burn Photos

Opening Up The Left Side of 17 Tee

The left side of the 17th tee is very densely shaded with invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle underbrush. This tee has always struggled for lack of air circulation.

The nice warm winter days have allowed us to get in to this area and remove the invasive underbrush. This will create a more open feel for the golfers.



KEITH HAS RIGGED A STIHL WEEDEATER WITH BLADE ATTACHMENT



It will also reduce lost balls from errant shots on the adjacent 16th hole.

Left side of 16

We have also cleared brush on the right side of the 16th hole. The back nine has a much more open feel to it now.

Right side of 16

 I can't remember a winter with more opportunity to get work done outside!

Conservation Work Near 11 Tee

Keith and I have been working on clearing willow and buckthorn saplings that have grown up around the pond between 11 and 16. 



Brad



In the spring we will plant grass here and maintain the pond banks as turf grass. The turf grass will provide a much more effective filter for keeping silt and sediment erosion out of the pond than the sparse cover of reed canary grass that grows in the shade of the willow and buckthorn plants.

And now the golfers will be able to actually see the fairway landing area from the tee. Our championship flight golfers will even be able to draw the ball after we have finished the work.

Before Clearing of Right Side



After Clearing the Right Side

 

Whenever you present more options to the golfer from the tee you make the game more interesting and rewarding.



Opening Up View of 16th Hole



The warm winter days have allowed us to spend most our time outdoors performing forestry and conservation work.  We have now completed removal of invasive Buckthorn and Honeysuckle between holes 11 and 12. This spring we expect to see a proliferation of native wildflowers and ground cover.

Before

After

Conservation of Illinois hardwood forests involves identifying the invasive species, getting after them with chainsaws and burning.

Brad

Rich & Keith

The pond between 11 and 12 has now been cleared of Willow and Cottonwood saplings that were compromising the ecosystem.

11 Pond Before

After

When Willow and Cottonwood saplings are allowed to take over the embankments of a pond, the shade and root competition compromise the density of the turf grass buffer, now silt and sediment erosion enter the pond for lack of an adequate grass buffer and filter. 

When the percentage of silt increases in surface water the invertebrate populations decrease to the detriment of the fish population. So we are working this winter to reestablish sunlight on our pond perimeters for a healthier turf system. 

In addition to providing recreational benefits, turf grass protects surface water from silt and sediment erosion - the number one source of pollution in the world today.

Excellent Video

This link - Golf Course Ecology in England -  will take you to an excellent video on the conservation work of greenkeepers in England.

Alwoody Golf Club, Leeds, Yorkshire

At Bittersweet we are undertaking many of the same goals and methods that are shown in the video.

Enjoy!

What do you do in the winter?

One of my favorite winter jobs is forestry work.

Between the 11^th and 12^th hole of Bittersweet we have a native forest area that has been overrun by non-native species, namely buckthorn and honeysuckle. A close-up shot of these plants shows that they form a dense growth that out-competes native plants for nutrients, light and moisture. 

By removing these plants.…..

…..we are restoring wildlife habitat.....

…..and as an added benefit we are making the golf course much easier to play - a ball that was formerly hit in this area was lost, but now you will have a good chance of finding the ball and keeping it in play.

In the spring we hope to see a proliferation of wildflowers and a return of native ground cover here.

In the edges and swales where water moves through this forest we will plant fescue grass to control erosion. Soil conservation is another reason why the control of non-native trees and shrubs is good ecology – as we eliminate these invasive plants we allow more sunlight to reach the floor of the forest and the environment can now sustain soil conserving plant life. The invasive plants such as Buckthorn do not conserve soil as well as native plants. 

The Black Cherry trees are going to be left in this woodland, even though many are not particularly attractive trees, for as you can see below Black Cherry trees provide great habitat for several species of birds that are trunk-nesters.