SEPTEMBER 2026 REPORT
Staying the Course: New Tools & Fall Preparations
This month’s update introduces the newest equipment to join our Turf Team and how it’s helping us keep the course moving through changing weather. After going from drought to more than 12” of rain in just three weeks, the added capability has been especially valuable as we navigate slower drainage and rapid grass growth. With the course recovering and fall ahead, we’re putting the new equipment to work where it matters most.
STEINER ROUGH MOWER
Last season brought ideal growing conditions late in the season, which resulted in a significant increase in mowing requirements, particularly in the rough. Through that experience, it became clear that investing in a dedicated rough trim unit would add real value to our operation. The Steiner Rough Mower allows us to more effectively maintain the detailed areas around tees, greens, and the tighter spaces surrounding the many trees across the property, where precision is especially important.
Our course also presents a unique challenge with its varied terrain. Several hills and sloped areas are not easily or safely accessible with our larger 4700 rough unit, including the greenside areas on Holes 7 & 8 and the 9th tee block. This new unit allows us to properly maintain these areas while significantly improving safety for our team.
In addition to improving both quality and safety, the Steiner Rough Mower also provides valuable operational flexibility. It serves as a reliable backup when one of our primary rough units is down for maintenance or repair, helping us keep mowing operations moving without interruption. This proved especially valuable last season, when our primary units were down twice.
CUSHMAN HAULERS
This season, we added three Cushman Haulers to our work fleet, acquired from Brantford Golf & Country Club, to replace the retrofitted EZ-Go carts we had been using. While those carts served as a temporary solution, they were not designed for hauling materials and resulted in ongoing maintenance challenges. It became clear that a more reliable option was needed to support the day-to-day demands of our operation.
Equipped with electric dump beds that make unloading materials easier and more efficient, the Cushman Haulers provide our Turf Team with a purpose-built fleet designed to better handle the volume and variety of materials moved across the property. This upgrade will improve efficiency and reduce downtime, helping to streamline the team’s day-to-day operations.
NEW RANGE PICKER
Our previous range picker had been in service since Cameron was born and had reached the end of its useful life. Over the past two seasons, we experienced frequent breakdowns, which at times forced us to close the driving range or rely on our Cart Attendants to manually collect balls when possible. In addition to the operational challenges, replacement parts for the unit had become obsolete, and it was ultimately unrepairable over the offseason.
This equipment upgrade will significantly reduce downtime and help ensure the practice facility remains open and accessible to golfers The new unit also has readily available replacement parts, allowing us to respond quickly to future maintenance needs and keep operations running smoothly.
CREATING CONSISTENT GREENS
The greens have held up well throughout the season and will continue to improve year over year as we increase the frequency of our agronomic practices. As we head into fall, we plan to vertimow the greens one to two more times before completing a full aeration of each green. More information on the timing and process will be shared in our October report.
UPCOMING TEE & FAIRWAY AERATION
We have begun core aerating all tees, removing organic matter with a ½" tine, followed by overseeding, topdressing, and spiking the surfaces to incorporate the seed and sand. We are completing a few tees at a time to minimize disruption to play. As this work continues, we will also focus on maximizing the available teeing areas and cutting the surfaces back as much as possible. This may result in some initial scalping as we bring the tees back to their desired size, but the long-term goal is healthier, more consistent playing surfaces.
Holes 4, 6, and 8 have bounced back well from the disease pressure and other turf challenges caused by previous flooding. We are taking a more proactive approach to these areas to help prevent similar issues in the future. In the coming weeks, we will continue to spike, overseed, and topdress these fairways. In late October, we will core aerate all front-nine fairways to remove organic matter and strengthen the turf by improving oxygen movement to the roots. This work will also help flush accumulated silt from holes 4, 6, and 8, supporting healthier and more resilient turf over the long term.
With continual improvements underway across the property, stay tuned for next month’s update (our final of the season), as we turn our focus to preparing the course for the winter season ahead.
See you on the course!