The Master Plan
The 2025 winter maintenance plan is in full swing at Oakwood. Improvement in drainage and tree removals are the main tasks to be completed. The changes are based on comments from members, USGA consultants, and golf course architects. Each tree removal and pruning has been carefully thought through with the ever-present goal to improve the golf experience at Oakwood.
The following hole-by-hole descriptions will explain the scope of work to be done this winter.
Hole 1
Drainage improvements are slated to improve the turf conditioning of hole 1. More drainage will be added at the beginning of the fairway to improve cart access after rain. Drainage will also be completed before the green to firm the wet approach. 1 dead hackberry tree on the left of the hole and 1 pin oak by the ladies' tee is being removed for safety, turf health, and better playability of the hole.
Hole 2
Trees near the fairway will be pruned to improve sunlight for the fairway. The trees behind the green will be pruned as well. One tree will be removed on the right in the middle of the hole to allow sunlight and air movement improving drainage and turf quality. The dead Ash tree on the right of the fairway will be removed for safety.
Hole 3
Trees by the tee will be pruned and one tree will be removed. The tree removal and pruning will open the tee shot up a little to allow for better turf growth.
Hole 4
The tree stump left over from storm damage will be removed. Some smaller and dead trees will be removed as well. Improvements to the native behind the green has been completed for better native grasses.
Hole 5
Small dead trees on the right are to be removed to clean up the look of the hole. Pruning down the left side of the hole will open up the left of the hole for improved shot-making.
Hole 6
Two dead trees on the right corner will be removed for safety. Pruning will be done on trees about 150 yards out to allow better shot-making from the fairway.
Hole 8
Two trees will be removed at the right of the hole. The goal is to improve shot-making and to bring the bunkers by the green more into play. Tree pruning will allow more sunlight for better turf on the right of the fairway. Two dead trees on the left of the hole will be removed for safety.
Hole 9
Drainage will be completed about 120 yards out to improve turf quality and playability after a ran event.
Hole 10
The dead sycamore on the left of the hole will be removed. The large Pin Oak on the left of the fairway about 50 yards out will be removed to improve shot-making into the green. Some pruning on the right of the hole will improve the look of the tee shot and improve turf health.
Hole 13
Trees will be pruned to improve turf quality. One dead elm tree will be removed for safety.
Hole 14
Two dead trees to the left of the hole will be removed for safety.
Hole
15
Three trees will be removed for player safety and turf health.
Hole 16
The cool season turf by the pond in front of the green will be changed to zoysia. The short cut zoysia grass will allow shots that are short of the ridge in front of the green to roll back into the water hazard.
Hole 17
Two trees at the beginning of the fairway will be pruned to improve playability on the left side of the hole. One tree back right of the green will be removed to make the clubhouse visible from the fairway.
Hole 18
The dying Ash tree to the left of the ladies tee will be removed for safety. The first oak on the right of the fairway will be removed to improve tee shots into the fairway. Trees to the left of the fairway will be pruned and removed to allow for a better shot-making and improve the view to the clubhouse.
Oakwood Country Club