St Martins Artificial Putting Green

Our in-house project team constructing the mini-golf inspired artificial putting green at St Martins.

Review of fine grade prior to setting in slight undulations and the brick border.

When the plants leaf out in the Spring, this putting green will feel intimate and tucked-in among the Magnolia Trees

View from the back corner facing toward the Great Lawn.

Starting to pick out possible hole locations

St Martins Golf Course Cart Path Repairs

We recently replaced the deteriorating asphalt cart path entries on the golf course with brick.  This improvement has immediately provided a clean, classic look and visually ties together both sides of our property intersected by Harwell Lane.

Putting the curb in ahead of putting down the sand and laying the brick 

 Laying brick on path behind #6 green

 Laying brick on path on #9

Pushing sand and laying the last few bricks on the cart path behind 6 green

The before view of the cart path on 9 from the club house side of Hartwell

 The after view of the cart path on 9 from the club house side of Hartwell

  The before view of the cart path on 1 from the club house side of Hartwell

The after view of the cart path on 1 from the club house side of Hartwell

The before view of the cart path behind 3 green

  

The after view of the cart path behind 3 green

The before view of the cart path leading to #7 

The after view of the cart path leading to #7

St Martins Hardwood Floors

Late in 2018, the hardwood floor between the Cricket Room and the Ballroom was replaced.  We will be continuing with improvements at St Martins clubhouse in 2019.  We will be replacing the carpet in the Blue Room, Cricket Room, and the women's locker room.

Old wood floor

Old floor removed and preparing for new hardwood floor

New hardwood floor installed

 Old hardwood in front of fireplace

Old hardwood in front of fireplace getting removed 

Old hardwood being removed and floor prepared for new hardwood flooring

New hardwood in front of fireplace 

New hardwood transitioning to carpet that will soon be replaced

Resodding of Lower Practice Tee

It's that time of the year again when we shut down our grass practice tees at the range and move to mats. Fortunately, it gives us a chance to re-sod our entire lower practice tee with sod grown from the nursery on Militia Hill. This move will provide our membership a brand new, divot free, 100% bentgrass tee for next year's golf season without the waiting time of seeding.

Once stripped, we begin regrading using our laser leveling box blade 

Meanwhile, the crew begins harvesting our sod from the nursery on Militia Hill

Halfway there!

Sod ready to go!

The crew begins laying the sod

Once laid, we top-dress seams to keep edges from drying out, then tarp it to ensure quick root establishment in the colder weather

Tarps are periodically removed for mowing which helps the turf 'knit' its seams faster

All the spoils stripped off the lower practice are recycled and used as a medium for the next year's grow in

Thanks for a Great Season

Hope to see you on The Range in 2018!

Wissahickon #9 Hole Adjustment

During our closed period for aerification on Wissahickon, we worked on the changes on 9 Wissahickon. The dead elm was cut down and removed. The new layout to 9 would consist of native fine fescue along the right side of 9 fairway and tying into the fairway bunkers. Rather than waste the rough sod on the right side of 9 we flopped it over to the left of 6 fairway.

The view from 9 tee with the fescue native as it will look next year

The view of 9 from the fairway with the fescue native as it will look next year

View from behind 6 green of aerification processes continuing while sod work is under way

Sod from 9 being laid on 6 in the foreground along with fairway mowers.  In the background, is our crew cutting the rough sod for 6 as well as a crew laying fescue native sod at the same time

Once stripped we began sod swapping 9 rough to the left of 6

The fine fescue will tie into the right side of the fairway bunkers for a natural look

Fine fescue installed

St. Martins #1 Fairway Adjustment & Bunker Addition

At St Martins we shifted the fairway to the left and added a fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway.  Below are some photos of the work being done.

Removing Zoysia sod from the right side which will be moved to the left side in order to shift the fairway.  Bunker being constructed at the same time.

Zoysia Sod laid on the left side where there used to be rough.

Rough sod going in on the right side and drainage being added to the new bunker.

Bunker Matrix being added to the bunker.

Bunker sand being added to the new bunker and compacted.

Finished Bunker

New view from the 1st tee with the fairway shifted to the left and newly added bunker.

The First Green at Philadelphia Cricket Club!

Yesterday we were excited to work alongside The First Green in hosting Whitemarsh Elementary 3rd graders to discover the wonderful game of golf and the behind the scenes science that goes into making a golf course. The field trip was successful due to our collaboration of local environmental groups including Temple University, Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, Morris Arboretum, USGA, GCSAA, The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia Section of the PGA, Montgomery County Conservation District, The Golf Association of Philadelphia, and PAGCS.

Dr. Vergare welcoming the students of White Marsh Elementary to PCC!

The children were assigned into groups that visited 5 different labs which included

Turfgrass

 Explanation of cutting heights, mowers, use of moisture meters, stimps, and cutting cups.

Soils    

  Learning the different soil types that go into making a golf course and how we build USGA sand based greens.

Golf Lab

 Many of the children walked away with a new love for the game, some who had never touched a golf club before!  They got to chip at Bullseyes, "Golfzilla", and Skeeball targets while they learned how to swing a golf club.

Water Lab

They learned how testing and monitoring our local water ways is important to the environment. Students checked pH levels of water, tested conductivity.  They also learned about watersheds and how to preserve our waterways to protect the wild life that lives in our local streams.  They had to chance to study and look at some of the wild life from our creek.

Tree Lab

The children enjoyed examining and passing around different branches and leaves of the various species of trees we enjoy on our property with the help of Jason Lubar from Morris Arboretum and our landscape superintendent  Alexander Reynolds.

Putting Lab

Kids learned how to putt and participated in putting contests with their partners to see who could make the longest putt.  They also putted toward SNAG golf bullseyes.