CCH Greens and Grounds Committee Update August 21st, 2025

The Country Club of Hudson

Greens & Grounds Committee

Update August 21, 2025

Dear Members,

We are finally seeing dryer and more moderate temperatures. This follows what has been a very challenging agronomical season starting with a prolonged winter then a couple of months of cooler and well above-average rainfall quickly transitioning to near triple digit temperatures. This all had a significant impact upon completion of the landscaping and rebuilding of the practice area surrounding the construction of the new cart barn. The irrigation and drainage, including two bioswales, have been installed. The remaining areas, including lower green have been prepared and will be slit seeded in September in time for the fall growing season. The practice area should be ready for play next spring.

The grounds crew is working hard to prepare the course for the upcoming Green Coat Championship (Men’s Member/Member tournament). This includes mowing all areas of the golf course, installing additional sand in many of the bunkers which have washed out ten (10) times this season and preparing greens (fertilized, watered, cut and rolled).

We also held a successful Divot Filling & Ball Mark Repair Party on August 13, 2025. A big thank you goes to out to Craig, Nick and the grounds crew along with Sr. & Jr. and the pro shop staff in preparation for and conducting the event. Of course, we could not have done this without the twenty (20) members who volunteered for and showed up to do the work. Finally, thanks for all the suggestions on how to conduct this work next season.

We continue to struggle with our well-over-useful life irrigation system. We have repaired thirty (30) leaks thus far this season. Also, one of our two (2) pumps failed along with repairs to one (1) of our three (3) wells. This results in wet spots out on the course until we can find the source of the leak and complete the needed repair. Your patience is appreciated as we strive to keep up with the volume of required repairs. That means you may run into an unexpected soft spot on the course. This is not due to our irrigation schedule to keep the grass healthy.

Now let’s talk about what you will be seeing on the course over the next couple of months. First, believe it or not it is already time for our fall aeration. The golf course will be closed Tuesday, September 2^nd through Thursday, September 4^th.   The aerification starts with greens followed by approach areas, tees and then fairways. Weather permitting the course will be playable by the weekend. One thing that will be done differently than last year is less fertilization will be applied to the greens prior to aeration to diminish the impact on the greens speed on the Fall Classic and Labor Day Shamble. This may result in delayed recovery speed of the greens post aeration.

We are still working on coordination of the dates with the asphalt company to complete cart path repairs on the sections in the worst condition (holes 3,6,12,13,16,17 & 18). It will take another couple of days to complete this work. We will notify you once these dates are locked in. Also to reinforce communication/awareness a special email announcement will be sent from the Pro Shop along with a notification on the Whoosh Tee Sheet. We will also have spotters out on the golf course on the day of work to remind golfers to stay off the newly laid asphalt.

Thanks to a majority of our members for abiding by black & white striped poles near the approach to our greens and the green & white stripe “scatter poles” after our tees on all par 4s and 5s. As a reminder, stay on the path until after the green & white pole and return to the cart path before the black & while pole. You will see the position of these poles adjusted to alleviate wear marks.

As fall arrives, you will see the beginning of our muti-year rough renovation effort to create consistency in the variety of grass composing our rough. This involves chemical and mechanical rough treatment/removal followed by slit seeding with the desired variety of grass. As stated, this will take several years that will result in better playability of our rough.

Finally, you will see selective removal of trees this fall. Once again this is selective/strategic removal of trees. This is NOT wholesale removal of trees like some of our neighboring golf courses. The tree removal is to deal with dying/dead trees, turf health (morning shade) or key species encroachment.

One correction from a prior Update. The bunker on hole # 1 that is being removed and not replaced is on the right side as you approach the green and NOT the LEFT side near the landing area for tee shots. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please reach out to Craig, Nick or me. 

Bob Healey Jr.

Greens and Grounds Committee Chairman