Tye Heidbreder – Superintendent

Greens Aerification – This work was completed in full last week. The greens are recovering very well and should be back to “near normal” in another week.
Crabgrass – We don’t like it so, we are chemically treating all tees and the roughs, as conditions allow.
Holes #10 & #18 – We have revised the fairway lines in front of our new red tees on these holes. The old fairway will be seeded over the top with cool-season grasses. Our preference is a mixture of bluegrass and fescue. This will turn these areas that were previously fairway into rough.
Hole #14 Gold Tee – We will be installing irrigation for this tee soon. As that work is completed we will complete finish grading in preparation for sod.

The Missouri State Men’s Amateur – The club has the honor of hosting this event in June. In preparation for this we have been instructed by the Missouri Golf Association to have the following work completed by the date of the tournament.

1. Fairways – will be narrowed a minimum of 12 feet each side (total of 24’ narrower) excluding par threes. Fairways will be mowed in an alternating “zig-zag” pattern – as players begin to focus on their tee shots, the thought is they will become periodically disoriented and confused from these random patterns.
2. Rough – 2nd cut will be set at 3” and primary rough will be set at 5”. (they will lose golf balls – we don’t care)
3. Bunkers – New sand will be placed in all bunkers, fairway and greenside, to ensure tough fluffy lies and to create a nice play area on each hole for players that bring their children.
4. Hole two – Although this hole was the second most difficult hole during the last State Amateur, installation of miniature beads of silicon on the entire putting surface will ensure that putting will assimilate “downhill on glass.”
5. Hole three – a new fairway bunker will be placed on the left side of the fairway running the entire length of the landing area (around 75’ in length and 20’ in width). This bunker will be un-tended and random weeds will hopefully grow to varying heights. Any player unable to play a fade will most likely stray into this wonderful wasteland (we don’t care).
6. Holes ten and one – A new tee will be placed on the extreme southwest corner of the practice green (elevated to the height of one tee), this allowing added distance for both holes. Hole one will become a dog-leg left from this tee playing approximately 30 yards longer but remaining a par four. Hole ten will play approximately 80 yards longer giving the club its first 600 yard hole. As participants tee off on hole ten, those players practicing putting will simply be asked to lay flat on the putting surface to avoid injury. The MGA originally asked that this new tee be placed on top the roof of Mulligans. The Grounds Committee declined this request.
7. Hole fifteen – The MGA has asked that a swimsuit contest be held in the middle of the lake during each day of competition. Any player that has a good round going through fourteen holes (or not) will be thankful for this mental rejuvenation (or not).
8. Hole eighteen – Although this hole played the hardest during the prior State Amateur, the MGA feels that a new fifteen foot mound running down the right middle of the fairway will facilitate many contestants’ golf balls careening hard left into the new water feature. Contouring of the fairway from the end of the mound towards the water feature will ensure that this occurs. To keep players from playing down the right side of the mounding this entire area will be converted to prairie grass. The MGA has confidently told club officials that the Audubon Society will look favorably on this.

NOTE: Regarding the MGA course changes listed above APRIL FOOLS from the grounds staff!