Too Much Sand

Although Steve Nelke and his fine team at Hangman have offered lessons on how to hit shots from the new sand (delivered from Clayton, north on 395), there is just too much of it. Yes, it will settle down eventually, but it drains so well, that that might be a while. Like a couple of years.

In order to get good footing (so your body does not move up and down during the swing) you have to fill your shoes with sand. A high shot dropped into the new sugary stuff makes its own crater with two-inch walls. It’s a fried egg in a deep hole. Do not try to hit that ball more than ten yards. Which means, on #14, you can’t go for the green if you hit into the former waste bunker on the right. Fly one in there off the tee and you get bogey… IF you can get it out of the trap.

Plus, raking it is a headache and kind of a back strain. Yes, you should walk in from the shallow side, but that all takes time, etc.

Solution? Take some out or bring in a turf packer? Not being a superintendent, I do not know, but in my opinion, the penalty is too severe right now.

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That said, the tee boxes and new bunker placement locations are wonderful, and the newly opened area near the fourth green should help preserve that through the tough winters.