They won’t see much difference in the contours on the greens because extreme care was taken preserve them.
The appearance is slightly different because — in addition to the regular bentgrass collars — bluegrass collars 30-inches wide and 1 1/4-inch deep surround each green. They were added so balls that trickle off the putting surface won’t have to be chipped out of rough grass that is 2 1/2 – 3 inches deep.
The contrast between the surfaces that had been invaded by all sorts of grasses in the last 60 years and the pure new bentgrass was remarkable last year when NCR sodded one of its two putting greens near the pro shop and left the other as it was.
After an inspection of the course on Tuesday, Keith Happ of the United States Golf Association’s Green Section, said the playing surface “is going to be super.”
Happ acknowledged that the greens aren’t as good yet as they would have been if Kettering had enjoyed a warmer spring. He said they will be perfect in mid-summer when the grass thickens and provides smooth and consistent surfaces.
“This new variety (of bentgrass) is more dense and upright for the game of golf,” he said, “and it will be more tolerant of the heat and cold.”
Eric Eby, NCR’s head golf professional, noted that the newly sodded greens were snow covered for much of the winter and didn’t sustain much damage. With fewer trees to protect the North course from the cold winds, its greens were not always snow covered and did lose some grass.
NCR green superientendent Jim Campion said 165,000 square feet of sod – enough to cover NCR’s giant parking lot – and 300 tons of a sand/soil mixture were required to replace the surfaces on the South’s 18 greens and two practice putting areas.
Work on the greens began last Sept. 24 – two days after completion of the USGA State Team Championship — on the South course.
Built in 1952 and 1953, the NCR greens have clay bases, which did not drain well from heavy rain. The USGA has a formula for the construction of new greens, but NCR chose to avoid the time and expense of digging out its greens and layering the sub-surface with stone and a peat/soil mixtures.
Instead, two years ago, NCR began installing strands of micro-perforated, two-inch drain tile six feet apart in 14-18-inch trenches on each green.
That drainage network, which worked well, did not have to be disturbed during the sod project.
Tom Topp of Kettering, who is widely known for his skill with a bulldozer, skimmed a thin layer of sod from each green, then NCR crew members laid some soil mix and rolled it so it would not disturb the contours when the sod was laid.
The huge rolls of sod, supplied by Boyd Colin Turf Farms of New Wilmington, Pa., were trucked in at night, as needed, and applied by a machine provided by the turf company.
The project cost in excess of $500,000, but NCR general manager Steve Bolerjack said there was no assessment of members.
Chip Shots: Monday is the last day to register for the first of four Masters (seniors) tournaments staged by the Miami Valley Golf Association. It will be held May 12 at Piqua Country Club.
The Men’s City Amateur Match Play Championship is scheduled for June 12-15 at Madden Golf Course and the Senior Match Play competition will be held July 10-13 at Community Golf Course. The men’s stroke play event will be held Aug. 7-10 at Kittyhawk and the senior stroke play will be Aug. 7-8 at Kittyhawk.
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