Chechessee Creek Club Renovation

[Craig Disher]

The good progress is partly due to the crew starting on at first daylight. Looking across the 7th green from the 8th tee:



Drainage, drainage, drainage. Sump pumps are being installed on two of the areas most in need - 10 and 11. The sump pump on 10:



And the one on 11. The bottom of the bunker on the left of the green is actually below the level of high tide.



French drains are going in all over the 3rd fairway. Some will drain directly into the water hazard, others into the drains already in the fairway.



A completed drain with the green mix added.



The Tifgrand has knitted so well that it's already receiving its first cut. Here's the mower on #2.



The 2nd green after the first mow:



The area to the right of the 1st green:



The 12th green. Note the gorgeous live oak behind the green. There are several of these spectacular trees around the property that have been given special attention - wiring for lightning protection and careful pruning. Some are over 200 years old:

[Craig Disher]

As the drainage work finishes and the fairways are prepped for sprigging the Celebration, here's a last look at the extensive French drains on the right side of #10.



With the completion of the Tifgrand sodding, the sprigging operation is underway. Here is a truckload of the Celebration sprigs ready for spreading.



The sprigging is done by this gigantic contraption behind the tractor - somewhat like a thresher in reverse. The sprigs are loaded into the bin and and the spreader is pulled along the fairway as the sprigs are thrown on the ground and then rolled.



After the sprigs are on the ground, a pass is made with another device which slices the ground and rolls the sprigs again.



A fairway before and after sprigging. Most of the fairway ground will be sprigged with the machines but in the more heavily sloped areas, it will be done by hand.



And after all that, water over and over. The schedule is five minutes of watering, 6 times a day.



The area to the right of the 17th green is being re-worked. Before:



And after some of Jeff Bradley's work:



After sodding. The sod is folded over the edges and pinned with metal staples.



Jeff in action improving the drainage stream below the bunkers.



The long coastal Bermuda above the bunkers has long been an issue. This is one of hte fairway bunkers on #6. But note the view through the trees towards the marsh. Clearing the understory has really opened up some great views.



A weed whacker makes short work of it.



And the result.



Finally, one of the special live oaks receiving special attention, hoping it will last another 200 years. It's the one behind the 6th tee and to the right of the 5th green.

[Eric Smith]

Wonderful account of the progress down there, Craig.

Reminds me of how much I loved living in the lowcountry. I'm sure you're enjoying it!

[BCrosby]

Craig -


Thanks for posting. A story unfolding.


We have been very pleased with TifGrand in ATL on our course. Guessing you will be too. Shade-tolerant, can be cut very short, wear-resistant. The only issue we've had is that 419 can invade it.


Are you raising the faces of some bunkers above their previous heights?


Bob

[Gib_Papazian]

I was blessed to play it with Stettner and Will Ellender right after it opened - the clubhouse was a small house on the property. Over the years, I've played eleven of their original layouts (not Sand Hills, believe it or not) and have always maintained that Chechessee Creek is the single most elegant golf course I have ever had to good fortune to play.

Let us pray these renovations do not alter its near-perfect atmosphere and flowing essence. I recall Will saying - as we walked off - the three of us had just taken an 18 hole doctoral class in the art of golf design. The amazing thing was how Chechessee Creek made an equally strong impression on three golfers with wildly different styles of play.

 

[Craig Disher]

The Tifgrand rooted very quickly and after only a few days the sod pieces couldn't be pulled up from the ground. Because of the aggressive nature of Celebration, all the Tifgrand sod was allowed to grow in before the Celebration sprigging. I don't think there is any 419 left on the course. Several applications of Roundup managed to kill everything except some very hardy nutsedge and a few areas where Celebration had been planted.

I don't believe there are any plans to raise any of the bunker faces. All the bunker work - with the exception of the long waste area on #5 - involved expanding the edges to the original locations and improving their appearance and drainage. It was surprising how much the greens and bunkers had shrunk over just 15 years. The 3 or 4 new bunkers along #5 will have faces visible as you approach the green. Except for the new tees, this is the only significant alteration to the course.

[Craig Disher]

Sprigging of the greens is almost complete while bunker and drainage work continues. I thought the team leading this effort ought to be recognized. In the front, Cory Hall (Super), Bill Kennedy (overall Director of Maintenance) and Nate Stevely (Asst Super); in the foursome at the back, Matt Keller (Facility Maintenance Manager), Anthony Atens (Landscape Super), Jimmy Murray (Head Mechanic), and Victor Campos (2nd Asst Super).



Here's an example of the type of drainage problem that the team faced. When the ground is saturated and there's a real downpour, single drains can't handle the runoff and sometimes get clogged.



A network of French drains should solve the problem. This is on the left of the 14th fairway.



The major bunker renovation on #5 is well underway. Unloading soil for Jeff Bradley to work with:



The preliminary contours are in place along with the cavities for a couple of the bunkers.



Jeff Bradley working closer to the 5th green.



The waste area to the rear of the 5th green has been turned into a bunker.



Jeff finishing the final bunker just left of the 5th green.



The bunkers behind the wetlands on #17 are being expanded to almost double their shrunken size. Old bunker liner is coming out; the orange line shows the new edge.



Expanding the bunker...



and the result...



with sand.



The understory is also receiving a cleaning. Before the bushog and weed whacker...



and after.



A before and after view of sprigging the Tifeagle on a green.

A final cleaning.



Ready for the sprigs.



With the sprigs, ready for watering.



If you're interested in seeing the actual process, here's a link to a short video taken as the 4th green was sprigged. A very efficient operation.

https://youtu.be/3LcYlzxyxnI

Mowing of the Tifgrand is continuing. The cut is at 1" until the grass becomes firmly established. Here's a view of the left side of the 18th green.



And from the back of the clubhouse.








 

[BCrosby]

Craig -


Will there be a net increase in the number of bunkers? I note a new one is being built behind the 5th green.


What was the reasoning for TifEagle vs. other ultradwarfs? Curious because a lot of clubs in the SE are thinking about changing their greens turf. I'd love to hear the reasons for Chechesee's choice.


Bob 

[Bill Crane]

Craig;

Thanks for taking the time to post progress.

I have really enjoyed getting to know C3 over the past four years, and at this point have probably played over two dozen rounds.  In some respects the course is subtle, but so well designed and constructed that I find myself enjoying it ever more with additional play.  It has made me a fan of C and Cs work and I made a trek down to Hidden Creek just to compare.

One of the caddies we had this year noted that drainage is impeded during a high tide since it essentially raises the water table.  Do you know if this is true?

Wm Flynnfan
ps - say hello to Bernie for me!

[Craig Disher]

Craig -


Will there be a net increase in the number of bunkers? I note a new one is being built behind the 5th green.


What was the reasoning for TifEagle vs. other ultradwarfs? Curious because a lot of clubs in the SE are thinking about changing their greens turf. I'd love to hear the reasons for Chechesee's choice.


Bob

Technically the number of bunkers will increase. However that's a result only of the bunkers that will replace the long waste area on the left of the 5th fairway.  The rest of the bunkers on the course will remain in their same locations but will have been increased in size. Certainly the bunker acreage will increase dramatically.

I recall that Tifeagle was selected because of its cold tolerance and wear resistance. The course gets a few days each year in the low 40s and a day or two near freezing. The greens have always been overseeded during the winter and perhaps the new grass will make that unnecessary.

Bill - I don't know if the high tides affect drainage. The area does get incredible downpours so combining that with the overall flatness of the course, it's not surprising that water can stick around for a while. There are low areas on the course - most not near the marsh - that don't drain well. The hazard on the right of #4 has contributed to poor drainage there and there is discussion on lowering the water level in it so the fairway drains better. The extensive network of French drains will certainly help. I drove around the course with Bill Kennedy the day after an overnight rain of over 1" and it was remarkable how much the new drains had helped vacate the water.

I'll pass on your greetings to Bernie.

[David Royer]

Craig, I've really enjoyed your photo updates on the progress. The size and scope of the sump program is especially interesting.  Did members receive costing by function or phasing?  Thanks, Dave

[Craig Disher]

With most of the sprigging complete and the drainage finished, the Billy Bunker crew arrived and is working on the bunkers next to the fourth green.

The bunker ready for work.



The first step in the process is to place rods in the bunkers a few feet apart and mark them 2" above the bunker floor. This will act as a guide to keep the gravel at a constant depth.



Gravel is then added and spread evenly.



And the final result. The next step will be to spray a water permeable polymer to hold the gravel in place.



The same treatment will be given to the lion's mouth bunker on #12, among others. Here's the bunker prior to it receiving a trim.



and after.



Cleaning up the understory continues. Behind the 4th green before...



and after.



Some of the last drainage work completed was on #12. It's barely visible.



After sprigging, the sprinklers on full display.



#10 fairway, along with #4, received the most drainage has been sprigged. Watering has started.



As the greens are sprigged, they receive the same heavy watering schedule as the fairways. This is #13. The unusual specimen tree behind the green is another spotted by C&C during construction and brought into view.



After 10 days, the sprigs are starting to grow into an actual fairway. This is on #1.



The border between the Tifgrand and the Celebration. Remember, the Tifgrand was sodded to give it a headstart on the more aggressive Celebration.



This spread of Tifgrand shows how well it's grown in. Perhaps it's ready to be cut to a height lower than 1"



The stream in front of the 7th tee needed to be widened to improve drainage and to make it look more like a stream. Here's how it looked before...



and after. The banks will receive a landscaping treatment.



With the bunkers on the left of the 7th green expanded and the hedge removed, the green now looks like it sits on the edge of the marsh and Chechessee Creek.

[David Lott]

Thanks Craig. A wonderful chronicle of events. Keep the pics and commentary coming.

What kind of turtle eggs are they?

Bob

Rumor has it they are Velociraptors.

[David Lott]

My gosh Craig, that's an incredible about of work.


Was the membership tagged for big assessment?


Bob

Chechessee is owned by David Proctor, who has done an exemplary job of improving just about everything. As I recall, we members can not be assessed. In any event we were not.


David Proctor listens to members and staff but in the end he has the only vote.


Initiation fees have increased somewhat since the early super great deal when David took over, but Chechessee is still a great value. Check it out.

[BCrosby]

David -


Yes, I was sure they were Velociraptor eggs. Just wanted it confirmed by an eyewitness. Do you have a problem keeping them out of trash bins?


Craig -


Your photos and commentary are a model for how a course should record important moments in its history.


Please keep on keepin' on.


Bob

[Douglas Kelley]

What was the reasoning for TifEagle vs. other ultradwarfs? Curious because a lot of clubs in the SE are thinking about changing their greens turf. I'd love to hear the reasons for Chechesee's choice.

My understanding is that the Chechessee team considered TifEagle, Miniverde, and Champion, and spoke to most of the superintendents of the 20+ courses in the area that have changed grasses.  All three strains were viewed to have various downsides in terms of genetic stability, grain, root depth, and disease/fungus resistance, but that TifEagle seemed to be more genetically consistent and in the middle of the pack on the other factors.

[Bill_McBride]

I was blessed to play it with Stettner and Will Ellender right after it opened - the clubhouse was a small house on the property. Over the years, I've played eleven of their original layouts (not Sand Hills, believe it or not) and have always maintained that Chechessee Creek is the single most elegant golf course I have ever had to good fortune to play.

Let us pray these renovations do not alter its near-perfect atmosphere and flowing essence. I recall Will saying - as we walked off - the three of us had just taken an 18 hole doctoral class in the art of golf design. The amazing thing was how Chechessee Creek made an equally strong impression on three golfers with wildly different styles of play.

Gib, I agree with you completely.  I was struck by how much the course felt like a London area heathland course, the same very low key feeling. 

[Jeff Taylor]

Why wasn't this drainage work called for when the course was constructed?
Was original bunker shaping and construction inferior?


The work does look superb.

[Craig Disher]

Why wasn't this drainage work called for when the course was constructed?
Was original bunker shaping and construction inferior?


The work does look superb.

I can't say much about the original plans. Although the course was always playable there were a few areas that were noticeably wetter than others, particularly after a few rainy days. The drainage work aims to make the turf consistent throughout the course at all times.

The bunkers are being enlarged to their original sizes after shrinking over the past 15 years. They too were always playable but after 15 years, a renovation shouldn't be surprising. I should point out that the membership is very fortunate to have an owner willing to raise the standard on what was an already excellent course.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Craig,thanks for the glorious updates,great stuff.
Love to seeC3 getting so much attention,great course great club in surreal surroundings.
I will be back in the area for The Devlin hopefully nip over for a look?

[Jeff Taylor]

Thank you Craig. As someone who has been an advocate for renovation and improvement at my own course, I appreciate your efforts. Too many times we end up fighting over beautification before infrastructure. You seem to have achieved both, in the right order.

[Craig Disher]

With the green sprigging complete, growth is starting to appear. A view of #1 after 8 days.



The irrigation system is being used for fertilizing the course. The fertilizer...



It's dumped into this vat and then mixed with the irrigation water - "Fertigation".



As the Billy Bunker process nears commpletion of each bunker, the gravel will need to dry out before the polymer layer is sprayed on. They look almost finished.



The bunker in front of the 12th green...



And the second bunker on the right of #10



Some bunkers already had decent drainage characteristics so they were renovated more traditionally with matting and new sand. Finishing work on #1...



The best plans can be interrupted by persistent moles. With all the property available, why do they aim for the most sensitive?



The new bunkers along #5 will be sodded with Celebration rather than sprigged.



All the shaping was completed on #5 and now it's ready for the sod.





...and by the green.



At this point, some careful hand placement is needed.



This, from about 145 yards from the green...



A little closer to the green...



Work on #7 is nearly complete. Some touch-up around the bunker right of the green.



A roller on the green to smooth out the sprigs. There's nothing between the green, bunkers, and the marsh now.



A completed renovation of the right bunker on #7...

[Craig Disher]

The sod around the bunkers on #5 is in place and except for an occasional repair of washouts from heavy rains it's now just water and wait.



The large bunker on the left of the green extends around the back.





The bunkers on the right of the 17th green are receiving the Billy Bunker treatment.



After the gravel...



The other bunker on 17 - note the enlarged drainage stream behind it. The understory on the right side of the fairway has also been cut back so that these bunkers will be visible from the tee.



Before the polymer can be added, the gravel needs to have a moisture content that doesn't exceed 15%. It's measured daily and has reached about 21%. With some luck with the rain, the polymer can be added this week.



This area near the marsh at beginning of the fairway on #12 will be sodded with seaside paspalum which can tolerate the salt spray.



The paspalum sod...



...in place.



The Tifeagle has grown enough on some greens that it's receiving its first cut - at .2"



Here the before and after comparison can be seen.



On the left is the Tifgrand turf, on the right Celebration. It will be interesting to see how these coexist.



From the #12 tee box. It appears that some of the growth on the right was cleared. I don't recall the green and fairway bunkers being this visible before.

[David Lott]

"I should point out that the membership is very fortunate to have an owner willing to raise the standard on what was an already excellent course."
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[Craig Disher]

Some rainless days allowed the gravel in the Better Billy Bunkers dry out so now the spraying begins. Here on #2...



After spraying, the polymer dries and is checked for any areas of loose gravel which are marked with orange and resprayed.



Now ready for sand...



The bunker on #12 is filled with sand...



which is spread to a depth of 4-6".



On #4, stakes are used in the same way as the gravel. They are marked at 6" to help keep the sand at the same depth.



The same process on #17:



#17 with sand added:



The finished bunkers on #4:



And the finished bunker on #12. The life span of a Better Billy Bunker is a minimum of 10 years which should be 10 years of no washouts or flooding.



Matting is being added to the floors of the new bunkers on #5. The back bunker...



and one of the fairway bunkers:



A host of soil amendments are being added through the fertigation - Rx Fairway, Penecal, Turf Rx CA, Turf Rx Magnesium, Agri Rouse, and Potassium Carbonate.



The results on the ground are becoming more obvious. Greens are being cut, some for the second time. #4:



On Monday, the mowers will be lowered from .2" to .18". #1. After mowing, more top dressing, here on #1:



In order to train the Celebration to grow horizontally, the fairways are receiving a regular cut starting at .75"



Mowed fairway vs. not mowed:



The fairways are filling in. #1:



And #6. The deep green of the Celebration is striking.



Finally, some clever engineering. The sump on #10 needed to be drained during wet times so a small pump was seated in a bucket to prevent it from contamination by the soil. It's lowered into the cavity and operated as needed.



It appears to work fine. The water will be drained across the 11th fairway and into the marsh.