Changes at Old Works

[Craig Sweet]

Old Works is now managed by Course Co , and the superintendent that came with the new management has begun over seeding the fescue fairways with Kentucky Blue Grass.  Right now he is being selective where he's over seeding but the plan is to eventually have blue grass fairways and no fescue.


There is NOTHING wrong with the fescue fairways!  However, management does all the aerification at the end of October so they don't lose any play in August (typical time for aerating out here). This means the course is in bad shape until late July when the soils warm and the grass grows. 


I wonder how Jack feels about having his course changed like this? 

[Matt_Cohn]

I know nothing about this, but it seems contradictory to say that there’s nothing wrong with the fairways and also they’re in bad shape until mid-July. Am I missing something?

[Tom Bacsanyi]

Is Old Works a sandy site with little to no cart traffic? Because those are the only situations where fescue fairways work in North America. Bandon, Sand Valley, Ballyneal, etc.


We would love for fescue to work outside of that narrow band, but it just doesn't. The good news is with the short season up there in Montana it'll probably take 2 years minimum to see much bluegrass. It's very slow to establish.


If the fescue is slow to recover in July, why aerify it at all?


If Wild Horse and Sand Hills gave up on fescue fairways (incidentally for bluegrass), perhaps you should be more open to the change. What would really be clever is bluegrass fairways and fescue approaches, as that's where you can have success in keeping the cart traffic away.


Anyway, I've seen bluegrass fairways play firm as hell, huge bounces with puffs of dust. As with any grass it comes down to how its managed.

[Craig Sweet]

To be clear the fairways are punched along with greens and tees AFTER the course is closed for winter.  Last year the course closed on the last Sunday in October and they started aerifying the next day. That night it snowed 15 inches.  A week later they finished the job.


At 5400 ft. elevation the soils can take a long while to warm up in the spring. The damage from aerification does not fully heal until late July.

[Brett Hochstein]

This is a shame.


I saw the course in early June, and I thought the fairways looked outstanding and super fun to play.  I really regretted not having more time to actually play, much moreso because of the fescue fairways than the actual course design.  Seems like a mistake.

[Joel_Stewart]

I wonder how Jack feels about having his course changed like this?

I don't know why Jack would be upset? Its 30 years old and probably needs a refresh.


Old Greenwood in Lake Tahoe has Kentucky blue grass and its in great condition. It's incredibly hardy which would be appropriate for Montana.


I'm more surprised that Courseco is managing Old Works and even more surprised anyone at Courseco knows anything about agronomy.


 

[Wayne_Kozun]

Were other grasses taking over from the fescue?  I have seen that on some courses, like a few of the fairways at Cabot Links, especially in wetter areas.

[Craig Sweet]

Joel, I made a similar comment about Course Co last year to a board member and was told "shut up, for $850 a season you're getting a good deal".  That's the county resident, early bird rate.  Apparently he wasn't embarrassed that we played lift and place during the State Am in July because the fairways hadn't healed from the October aerification. 


If I knew how to post photos here I would...it was/is ugly.


The fairways are pretty much pure fescue except for where bad agronomy has gotten in the way.  The bent grass greens were pretty bad last spring and the poa (like knapweed) has been very opportunistic and several greens have aerifier wide stripes of poa across them.

[Jason Thurman]

I'm bullish on bluegrass spot-seeding.