Resurfaced cart bridges

The bridge at Dairy Creek's 14th hole

Dairy Creek Golf Course celebrated its 16 birthday this past June!  In that time we have provided nearly 700,000 (~670,000 rounds of golf) great recreational opportunities for golfers.  The rounds of golf we have put through the facility in this time has taken its toll on our 5 bridges that are provide golfers and my staff access throughout the course each and every day.  Obviously it is not only the traffic, but also the weather and irrigation that have helped to degrade the quality of the wooden surfaces over time.  Many of the wooden boards had lost the ability to be screwed back down to the base structure over time as staff constantly mended the bridges over the time of their existence to keep these access ways safe for use.  The wood simply will not hold screws and longer and it is time to refurbish these areas.

The completed bridge on the 10th hole at Dairy Creek

I work with an extremely talented staff of horticulturists, masons, framers, builders, and general problem solvers so this task was simple for such craftsmen.  The wood was stripped off and carts were allowed to cross the bridges while the work was being performed by using the understructure which is amazingly in like new condition.  They removed the old wood and screwed down new treated redwood timbers.  In the past the bridges were never treated with a protectant and that will be a new task that we will perform each year in the future to help sustain the life of this new wood.

If a tree falls and no one is around...

I was not around to hear the sound when this monster Oak tree fell at Chalk Mountain, but I am certain that it made quite a commotion.  

Large fallen Oak tree between the 15th and 12th holes

This tree contains at least 4 cords of wood and is a sad loss to the course as it has guarded the left side of the 12th hole since the course has existed and was probably home to many squirrels long before the course was even dreamed up 35 years ago.  As you can see from the photo, the tree was completely hollow at the base and the sheer weight of the tree was finally too much for it structure.  All of the branches and smaller wood from the tree have already been cleaned up, but the massive trunk and base will be left in place to decompose over time and provide habitat for insects and other wildlife that will call this tree skeleton home.

The photo to the left provides a better perspective of the size of the tree with the yamaha cart parked beside its base.  The base of the tree had a diameter that was nearly as wide as the golf cart is long!