Course closed. Do not enter, War Zone!

Today is the first day of the second closure and right out of the gate all hell is breaking loose...on purpose. Not only do I have my 19 guys going all out, I've also got two contractors in doing separate work as well. 

By dawn's early light the fun begins with heavy vertical mowing of the tees. 

And when I said heavy vertical mowing I meant HEAVY!

This sort of turf organic material / thatch removal is needed to maintain the firm playing surface. All of the short grass areas (tees, approaches, collars & fairways) will be vertical mowed in this fashion. Then aerified and heavy sanded. 

Along with the heavy vertical mowing this morning the greens are being lightly vertical mowed then arrified. 

The fairways are being aerified

The landscape grasses are being trimmed 

And the Royal Poinciana trees are being removed from 14/18. 

The reason for removal is due to the Royal Poinciana's messy nature of dropping limbs and huge seed pods all the time and their being completely deciduous during the golfing season looking dead when everyone is here.  For now, the large Royal Poinciana by 15 green will remain. The Poinciana trees will be replaced with some Oak trees.