New Sand in Bunker #3

We've just added some fresh sand to the bunker adjacent to #3 green. The bunker liner was becoming exposed and interfering with play.

Please be aware that a few plugged lies may result in the next few weeks until the new sand settles.

Please Welcome New Employee Bobby Kempainen!

Please welcome Robert "Bobby" Kempainen as the new Assistant Superintendent in Training at the Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex. Bobby is a native of Minnesota and comes to us from the University of Wisconsin -Stout. Bobby has worked at Hazletine National GC and for the PGA of America in preparation of the 2009 PGA Championship. I hope you will join me in welcoming Bobby to Stanford!

Losing Big Branches on Oak Trees

The heat of the summer has finally arrived. It has been a long, wet, and mild winter where our oak trees have put on a lot of new growth. This new growth adds weight to the ends of the limbs especially when the weather heats up. When it is hot, the trees take up a lot of water. This additional weight often causes large limbs to drop from the oaks. We have experienced this on quite a few oaks this year. Below are photos from the large limbs that recently fell from trees along #7 fairway and #9 tee. Unfortunately, the tree alongside #9 tee will have to be removed for safety concerns.

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Blue Stakes = Irrigation Valve Markings

(Click Photo to Enlarge)

We've started marking our irrigation valves in the native grass areas with blue plastic stakes. We formerly used small irrigation flags but had trouble with the plastic flags detaching. It is important that we mark the valves in the high grass so we can find them when needed. Oftentimes the valves get covered over by gopher mounds or become obscured by the long grass. The blue stakes just signify where there is an irrigation component.

If you happen to need to remove a blue stake to play a golf shot, please replace it. Thanks!!!

Path Replacement at #10 Tee

(Click photos to enlarge)

The asphalt path from the lower clubhouse parking lot to #10 tee is being replaced this week. The old path had deteriorated and was crumbling following the water line installation/construction over the winter. The new path has 6" of compacted base material and redwood headers. This should be a good path for many years to come.

High Grass!

The early and abundant rainfall this year has resulted in some extreme growth in our naturalized areas. This photo was shot right of #6. We've worked really hard trying to keep the naturalized areas weed free. Hopefully this will pay dividends in the upcoming years as the soil gets slowly depleted of weed seeds.


Pirate, one of the luckiest dogs anywhere.

Rainbow from Last Weekend

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One of the best parts of my job is getting to see the golf course in many different lights. This is a picture from last weekend, shot from #3 tee.