It’s June 1, 2019, and it’s another beau ful day at Bidermann. While condi ons on the golf course are excellent, we are aware that challenges are lurking within our infrastructure and know that they will only increase if we are unable to address them in the next few years.
· Our irriga on system is failing at a far more accelerated rate than in the past. Electronic repair parts are difficult to source and budge ng for repairs is nearly impossible. We now must dedicate at least one full- me person to fixing the system and our members are ge ng a li le red of seeing open holes while we repair valves and pipes.
· Our bunkers con nue to fail and a er most thunderstorms we must dedicate the en re team to bunker repair for 1 or 2 days. Our ability to present acceptable and consistent playing condi ons from our bunkers is growing more difficult by the day.
· Many of our tees have se led, are misaligned, and our available tee space is shrinking. The result is far greater wear and tear on our teeing space and course set up op ons are limited – especially for the forward tee player.
· Our pond banks con nue to erode, and we are rapidly losing cri cal water capacity for our irriga on system. Our pump sta on con nues to age and our ability to adequately water the golf course has diminished.
· Our agronomy team con nues to work relessly to present great playing condi ons, but mo va on becomes difficult a er tough weather events or irriga on breakdowns. They realize that without change, it will be difficult to con nue to provide the membership the condi ons they deserve.
In December of 2019, our Superintendent, Patrick Michener, contacted C-Tech Services to commence the design of a new irriga on system, conduct a water study and prepare a detailed design that would be used to solicit bids from irriga on contractors. His vision was to prepare Bidermann for a future that would use state-of-the-art technology and modern equipment to ensure we placed ourselves in a posi on for success for the next 30 years.
The bunkers built during the renovations in 2006 were at the end of their useful life. The fabric liner was torn in many areas causing issues with contamination and playability. This sight was common after a heavy rain storm.
2021 An irrigation blow out near the 18th green. Pipe failures were becoming common and serious risk to turf conditions was apparent.
A er conferring with Golf Course Architect, Andrew Green, it was also viewed as an opportunity to complete our golf course master plan with tee renova ons, bunker restora on, fairway realignment and other improvements before the irriga on project began. The ming and sequence of the projects was impera ve to achieve the best final product while mi ga ng mobilizaon costs. The Club was also presented with opportuni es to purchase various project materials in advance and in bulk to avoid the cost increases that were on the horizon at that me. The demand
for golf course construc on materials and contractors was about to ramp up in the post-Covid era and there was no me to waste in pursuit of this unique opportunity. Armed with a solid Master Plan from Andrew Green and a detailed irriga on plan from C-Tech Design Services we approached the Board and asked for their support for a significant investment to preserve the future of our golf course. What follows is a summary of the transforma on of the Golf Course.
“it is the smartest renova on I have known in recent memory and is a testament to the membership and your pledge to protect this amazing place for the future.”
-Andrew Green
The Golf Course Project
· All exis ng teeing space was leveled, aligned with play, and grassed to an improved species of bentgrass. Drainage was added where necessary.
· 13 new tees were constructed to provide course set up flexibility. The course can now play over 7,000 yards and as li le as 5,100 yards. The emphasis on new teeing space was directed toward enhancing the green and white tees.
· Approximately 92,000 square feet of bunker area was renovated with the foremost in construc on methods to improve playability and consistency throughout the golf course. Construc on included improved drainage, the applica on of Capillary Concrete to reduce contamina on, and installa on of the country’s most premier sand.
· 3 bunkers were completely reconstructed, as recommended by Andrew Green, on holes 3 and 10.
· Fairway and approach grass lines were adjusted on a number of holes to restore Dick Wilson characteris cs and restore prominent hi ng areas near bunkers or greens.
· All green intermediates were replaced with a high performing bluegrass that is tolerant to heat and diseases. The former grass mixture was inconsistent and suffered during the summer heat.
· The pond banks on the 1st, 11th, and 15th holes were reinforced and recreated with an HDPE liner. The project aimed to reduce sediment, reclaim lost bank area, increase water storage capacity, and improve the appearance of our ponds.
First hole pond banks were very eroded which created safety and sediment issues.
Renovated bunkers now consist of new drainage and Capillary Concrete. This allows water to pass through while keeping sand in place and minimizing contamination.
Sediment in the old bunkers a er a storm.
New bunkers are easily prepared for play a er a storm
Pond banks are reinforced with a durable HDPE liner.
The Irrigation Project
· Design, bid, and contractor selec on phases were completed from 2019 through early 2022. All teams and partners of our Club poured over the details to ensure the project’s success.
· To mi gate material cost increases, all purchase agreements were completed in August of 2022 or 1 year in advance of the project start date. All materials were handled and stored on site by the Agronomy Team.
· A state-of-the-art pump sta on, designed specifically for our new system, was installed in February of 2023, ahead of construc on, to replace the exis ng 18 year old pla orm.
· The system replacement began with installa on of the new HDPE mainline in August of 2023. While this phase of the project began, it was impera ve to keep the old system opera onal, which required crea vity, un l the end of the growing season.
· Over 21 miles of pipe and wire were installed from August 2023 to March 2024.
· Rock presented challenges early in the project, but with a contractor that was dedicated to overcoming challenges, we were able to find reasonable solu ons to con nue progress.
· 1,423 irriga on heads were installed on the golf course and club house areas with an emphasis on playing surfaces and green surrounds.
· Cu ng edge technology for water conserva on is now u lized throughout the golf course to include weather data, rain sensors, automated well usage, automated pump sta on monitoring, and soil moisture data.
On the le : The old intermediates that were suscep ble to summer stress and disease.
On the right: A display of the quality of turf in the new intermediates combined with the addi onal irriga on coverage in the green surrounds.
Overall, it enhances the experience around the most important parts of the golf course
Before the irriga on system was replaced, it was difficult to maintain quality rough condi ons near the green surrounds as shown in the picture above.
The new irrigation system allows us to support the growth of rough around the green and the ability to restore playability even under dry conditions.
An example of improved irriga on coverage and turf selec on can easily be found near the green in the intermediate.
Today we all can enjoy outstanding playing condi ons at Bidermann and experience the results of these projects. As Andrew Green exclaimed in his le er to the Board regarding the recent work, “it is the smartest renova on I have known in recent memory and is a testament to the membership and your pledge to protect this amazing place for the future.”
The new tee on 11, the pond bank project, and new cart path on the 11th hole worked together seamlessly during this project.
While we s ll have work to do, like complete and repair our cart paths, the projects completed over the last two years have put us in an incredible posi on. We now have state-of-the-art technology that allows us to manage our resources very effecvely. Our infrastructure has been rebuilt and our investments will pay dividends for years to come by crea ng an a rac ve environment for current and future members.
The success we’ve had has been driven by the passion of our Agronomy Team who worked very hard to leverage every dollar we invested. The planning that went into the projects allowed us to get the most out of every aspect of our large-scale undertaking. Our selec on of the right partners, our architect, construc on contractor, irriga on design team and irriga on contractor ensured we delivered outstanding results. Importantly, the ming and planning of the projects has saved us a considerable amount of money. Given current market condi ons, if we commenced work on this project today, our costs would conserva vely be 40% to 50% higher and we would not likely be able to fund the project.
The work that was accomplished is absolutely the largest project in the history of the golf course, perhaps since its original construc on, and it was delivered on me and on budget with a slight cost overrun for rock that was encountered during the irriga on installa on.
The success of this project was grounded in some very careful planning by our Superintendent Patrick Michener. Pat helped select the right partners and effec vely mobilized his team to leverage every aspect of our investment. In addi on, the trust and support that the Board extended to the en re team allowed us to deliver exactly what we promised. The project is a testament to what is possible when we have the courage to invest in doing something that will have a las ng impact for decades to come.
We have come a very long way since June 1, 2019, and the future of Bidermann has never been brighter.
