What lies ahead this "off-season"?

A previous drainage project on #15 fairway

As the shorter days and slightly cooler temps start to signify the winding down of our peak season, the OV Grounds Team is starting to prepare for some winter projects. While recouping from a long season and taking some needed vacation are on the list for the winter, we also have a few items in mind for the coming months.

• Repairing walk paths around the course is at the top of the list. This work can be conducted in most winter weather conditions and we have stocked up on the required gravel / drainage material to make this happen.
• As mentioned in the bunker post, we will look to fill in 2-3 bunkers this off season. This requires non-saturated conditions so picking windows in the weather will be key to executing these projects.
• Last winter we installed 10 "quick couplers" or easy connection points for hand watering hoses to the irrigation system. These points of connection make hand watering much quicker / more efficient and we will look to add the same amount this winter.
• Continuing replacement of irrigation isolation valves throughout the system will continue this winter. Replacing 30 year old isolation valves is essential in ensuring the continued smooth operation of our irrigation system.
• Drainage upgrades (including new catch basins) on the worst puddles that form on cart paths will also be on the list.

While I am sure that our appetite for improvement is no doubt greater than what we can actually get accomplished through the winter, rest assured we will be continually working to make Olympic View Golf Club even better for the coming 2023 season!

Irrigation System Upgrades

Many of you may have seen the expansive hole dug on #11 over the past week. This project is a continuation of the ongoing irrigation isolation valve replacement program here at Olympic View. 

Isolation valves allow us to turn off the water to sections of the golf course to perform necessary repairs. The original valves installed are over 30 years old on what would usually be a 20 year lifespan. When these valves fail, we can either not shut water off to an area to perform repairs or, if they fail closed, we can not get irrigation water to certain areas. We aim to replace 9 valves this season which will take us to 70% of all valves being replaced over the past 5 years. 

On #11 we replaced 3 valves which feed #11 tee, #11 green and half of #10. This required a substantial hole as you can see in the image below of the old valves / piping.

The replacement valves are a significant upgrade and will provide a functional lifespan of over 50 years! They are also installed with higher quality ductile iron fittings as opposed to glued PVC fittings. We were able to eliminate some noticeable bows in the piping with the new install. This was the main reason the hole became so large.  

You can expect any further holes this season to much smaller as the remaining valves are only one valve per hole. Due to supply chain issues the majority of the valves are 14-16 weeks away which will lead us to installing them in the fall.

Thank you for your patience on the course as we continue to upgrade our infrastructure with the goal of providing improved course conditions.