Boots Hollow Golf Club, formerly Adams Golf Course, is still on-track to reopen later this month with a Community Golf Day planned for Aug. 22, and a grand reopening shotgun on Aug. 23.
The reopening will follow a months-long project that saw the complete replacement of all 18 greens, including the nursery, chipping green, and putting greens, and upgrades to the course’s drainage system.
While the greens replacement project has gone well overall, City Director of Engineering Micah Siemers says a couple of areas have been problematic due to an unprecedented amount of rainfall this spring and early summer.
“The overall project has gone very well, but all the rain we had this season did cause some issues, particularly with two of the holes, 1 and 18,” Siemers said. “Those areas are prone to low air flow, making them more susceptible to disease.”
Heckenkemper Golf Course Design founder Randy Heckenkemper, the golf course architect on the project, and design associate Conor Cummings noted that some dollar spot disease has been identified on small areas on the course. The common foliar disease occurs on most types of turf grasses and has appeared in areas where previous heavy rains washed some of the organics into low areas where surface water drains off the greens.
“We have conducted additional applications of fungicides to these areas, however, so we anticipate the minor damage will heal soon,” Cummings said. “The remaining greens look great, particularly at higher points that are exposed to good south winds. No disease is present on those greens. But moving down onto green number 1, it receives much less wind which creates an environment more suitable for disease. Attention to following the program we’ve laid out and patience are needed as we complete the maturation process and get these greens looking their best.”
Cummings said these issues aren’t unique to Boots Hollow, as golf courses throughout the region are dealing with rain and storm-related issues.
“We are seeing these issues at courses throughout the region and other areas that have received an unusually high amount of rainfall into early summer,” he said.
Cummings said it typically takes around 24 months for the greens to fully mature to their full potential and the dollar spot caused by wet conditions has made it even more difficult for the greens to mature.
“As a general rule, we expect 24 months before new greens have reached their full potential, provided the proper grow-in program is followed,” he said. “While the greens are playable before that, and will be really nice, it takes that amount of time to be their best. I think we will be really pleased with how the greens have weathered the adverse conditions we have dealt with on the project with a few more weeks of warmer, drier weather, thanks to a good contractor, solid grow-in plan, and implementation of that plan by all parties involved with the project.”
Heckenkemper advised that the upcoming opening is technically a “soft opening” and green speeds will be slower than golfers will experience in September and through the fall.
“With expected high temperatures in August, we have advised golf course staff to keep the new grass a little taller which helps it survive the heat,” Heckenkemper said. “The greens will get faster throughout September as temperatures cool off.”
In addition to the work put in by contract crews and golf course staff on the greens project, City Public Works Crews have also been helping to ready the course for reopening, recently constructing a new culvert on one of the cart paths, removing trees, and ditch grading.
“It’s truly been a team effort to bring the greens renovation and course improvements to life,” said Assistant City Manager Laura Sanders. “With new carts, upgraded greens, and both new and longtime staff creating a better experience for players, we’re proud of the progress. I’m especially grateful to our team for their hard work and dedication. I know I speak for all of us in saying we’re excited for everyone to come and enjoy Boots Hollow Golf Club.”
The course is set to open later this month. For more information, call 918.331.3900, visit www.bootshollowgc.com or see Boots Hollow soft opening schedule.