By Jeff Eldridge

As we move through fall and winter, several off-season course improvement projects are underway.  

New collars have been established around each of the greens this fall. This will enhance the definition between the green and the approach, as well as help in preventing some of the scalping that has been occurring around the edges of the greens.

We have recently begun utilizing a new system for pin placements, and we are very excited with the results. As you may know, we modified our process this past summer by changing all 18 holes daily. The new system allows for many new hole locations and a more enjoyable golf experience. I have received several positive comments regarding new and different pin placements, and some questions regarding the fairness of a few of them. Maintenance will continue to tweak some of the hole locations so they are fair, and we are confident that the end result will be well worth it.

The over seeded Bermuda tee was opened the last week of November and target greens have been painted. Divots will be reseeded on a daily basis and targets will be painted as it is deemed necessary throughout the off season until the grass breaks dormancy next spring. Fairways were sprayed as part of this application as well.

Several other off-season projects have begun recently as well. These include brush removal, irrigation auditing, tree trimming, bunker sand addition and drainage audit/install. The drainage portion of this project list includes verification of proper drainage under the green’s cavities. This process will include the use of a camera snake to take a close look at the condition of the drains and to locate additional pipe and fittings.

Happy New Year to you and your family from the Golf Course Maintenance Team!

See you on the course,

Jeff Eldridge, CGCS

Jeff Eldridge is the Director of Agronomy at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch. He can be reached at  or 830.336.9179.