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2004 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Golf irrigation completed soon

 

The installation of the new irrigation system at Everglades Country Club is on schedule, according to men's golf president Mr Ian Elliott.

The only significant difficulty being with some members who have interfered with the operation of the system because it inconvenienced with their game

Mr Elliott said the installation was on time and, barring unforeseen circumstances or prolonged wet periods the system, it would be fully operational this month.

He said there would be some cleaning up to be completed and some trenches to be grassed.

There was no evidence that there are any leaks, he said.

Mr Elliott said there was a failure of some pipe unions in the first and 18th fairways when tests were carried out but that they had been replaced.

As a precaution, other fairways such as the 11th and 12th, which were completed with unions from the same batch, had their unions replaced.

Mr Elliott said the only additional cost incurred for the irrigation was for sinking the bores.

The method intended to be utilized provided for the digging of a substantial trench at each site which would have slowed the installation and also required extensive restoration works.

An alternative method was used which removed the need for the trenches and which added a further $1000 per bore, for a total additional cost of $6000.

"Unfortunately, because we have not been able to deliver water to the course consistently since last October, the damage has been considerable," Mr Elliott said.

"The first, 17th and 18th fairways have all had an application of wetting agent, have been fertilized and with the water being delivered are showing some improvement.

"As the system becomes more usable, the same process will be used on each hole.

"Naturally a project such as ours is expensive and in the initial stages the method of funding had to be reviewed."

Mr Elliott said the club had some difficulties with members interfering with the operation of the system because it inconvenienced with their game.

"In one instance, a sprinkler head was forced back into the ground, probably with a foot, which caused all the gears to be stripped. Cost $300," Mr Elliott said.

"The new heads are gear driven, not impulse driven like the old ones, and although they might be forced back underground continue to operate building up pressure until the gears strip or the head explodes out of the ground. This can be quite dangerous."

In another instance, a member decided to turn a bank of sprinklers off at the valve box and did it incorrectly.

Had a member of the green staff not been able to relieve the pressure build-up, Mr Elliott said it was likely there would have been a major blow-out of the main line which would have caused enormous cost both in dollars and delays.

Mr Elliott said areas of the course had been marked for returfing as soon as water was available and this would start soon. These areas are substantial in size.

The 10th tee is to be levelled and returfed with couch grass.

"This will be a maintenance project similar to that undertaken on the first tee," Mr Elliott said.

The mounds along the sides of the seventh fairway are to be "softened" in order to make them more maintenance friendly.

A number of rope barriers have been installed to direct traffic away from sensitive areas.

Such a barrier is in place on the 11th hole stretching from the front bunker to the pathway on the 12th hole.

Signs have also been installed in that area directing cart traffic to the rear of the right side bunker and to the 12th tee via the pathway alongside the sixth tee.

"On numerous occasions staff, and members of the committee, have been required to reinstall these barriers because players, both members and social, simply remove them rather than walk around them," Mr Elliott said.

Bulletin, February 2 Ian Elliott, Everglades Country Club