Fall 2021 Projects

It has been awhile since we have posted... We can assure you that is not because there has been a lack of topics to talk about or improvements to the golf course!  The Greens & Grounds team at Illini has been hard at work maintaining the golf course to the standards the membership expects.  Over the past few months a handful of projects and cultural practices have been completed.

Earlier this fall, the Club continued to invest and move forward with teeing ground improvements.  With guidance from the Greens & Golf committee's, the Greens & Grounds team directed a contractor on tee enhancements on holes 8, 9, and 13.  On hole 8, a new forward tee was added to improve the playing experience for the shorter hitters.  On holes 9 and 13, completely new tee complex's were constructed while adhering to the yardages set forth in the master plan. Below are a couple of photo's of the finished renovation process on hole 13.

Teeing surface's sodded with 007 bentgrass.

Finished project - rough surrounds sodded with tall fescue.

Another large scale process that took place was a cultural practice known as DryJect.  DryJect was the aerification process utilized this fall on greens.  This process requires one machine that creates holes 3" deep and 3" apart using highly pressurized water and simultaneously fills the hole created with sand.  This process is highly efficient and decreases the risk of plant injury than standard core aerification, especially coming out of a prolonged stressful period such as the summer months of July and August.  A couple other added benefits to the DryJect process are while creating the sand channels, the process hydrates the soil and the turf recovery time is significantly increased.  The contractor utilized was Heartland Golf and Turf from Kansas City, MO.

DryJect machine

Recovery 4 days post DryJect

A handful of other tasks have been taking place.  As time has allowed, the Greens & Grounds team has been diligently renovating the exterior walls of the maintenance building.  Over the years, the mismanagement of rain and drainage water have rotted the walls and insulation throughout the building.  New insulation and rotted wall studs are being replaced as well as water management, such as a waterproof membrane around the base of the building and gutters are much needed improvements.  Other improvements throughout the golf course include slit seeding the driving range tee to aid in divot recovery and promote a denser turf stand.  The utilization of a 1.2 ton vibratory asphalt roller to smooth the playing surface on tees also took place, the tees will be rolled with the same machine again in the spring after the winter freeze/thaw.  Finally, the pumphouse lost all power at the beginning of October due to a transformer on Chatham Rd malfunctioning.  Luckily, we were provided timely rains from Mother Nature because we were without a functioning irrigation system for 3 weeks!!!!! Next on the agenda for the Greens & Grounds team is the battle against leaves and frost.  Below are photo's from the above mentioned items.

Rotted baseboard in the maintenance building allowing water (& rodents) to freely enter

1.2 ton roller smoothing out tees

Club mascot (Millie) rolling tees

Slit seeding driving range tee

Electrical conduit repair for pumphouse power left of 12 tee

Electrical conduit trench connecting power from Chatham Rd to pumphouse

Fall and leaf clean-up have officially arrived

The Greens & Grounds team would like to thank the Club and membership for the unwavering support during the 2021 golfing season!

- Illini Greens & Grounds Team