Wet, Wet, Dry, Wet

I hope you all are enjoying May as much as we are at Swope Memorial. While you wait for our reopening we do encourage you to support our other Kansas City facilities including Shoal Creek, Hodge Park, Minor Park, Heart of America, Adams Pointe, Winterstone, and Sycamore Ridge. As the title of this blog suggests May has been a very wet month for us here at Swope. We start and end this month with lower than average temperatures as well as ample rainfall. This has been a blessing to us as we currently have our irrigation system down for the renovation. This has also allowed us to continue our sodding of new fairways edges discussed in our previous blog.

Widening of old #7 new #3 Fairway

Transporting Sod from #12 to new #3

New Sod on #3

While the majority of the month has been wet we did experience a dry spell towards the middle of the month that tested our ability to keep our new sod hydrated without active irrigation. Our staff came up with several ingenious ways to water this sod, including converting our spray rig typically used for chemical applications into a watering unit. We were also able to convert an old 1250 gallon water tank typically used by the city for snow melt applications into a hydraulic pump supplied watering rig.

Converted Spray Rig at direct filling station from Fire Hydrant

Renovation Update and In House Projects

As you all know Swope is under a very extensive renovation. While this process in underway by Mid America Golf Construction there are many in-house projects we have our Maintenance team tackling. One of our primary focus points from the past several months has been to reshape fairway lines as well as repairing any low or high areas in fairways that struggle to maintain quality turf grass. This process involves stripping any existing turf, leveling the new areas, and finally laying zoysia sod back into the area. One major cost savings during this process has been the use of existing zoysia on the course to replenish these new fairway edges.

Closing Time

 And just like that the 2024 golf season has come to an end. This year has been one to remember for many reasons. During the heat of the season it always seems like the summer is never ending but as we sit here at the beginning of a new year I look back and wonder where did the time really go. It seems like just last month we were taking off teebox covers and opening the course back fully after a long cold winter.

We as a staff are very excited about the changes to come as we begin the renovation process. One bittersweet change however will be the lack of patrons we will see on a day to day basis. Many of these interactions are reminders of why we work so hard to make Swope the best it can be. As we close this chapter in the history of Swope Memorial we would like to share some or our favorite memories from this year pictured below.

Superintendent Josh Linn Venting Greens

View from #14 green during a morning Spray

Removing trees from area between 5/6/9

A look back at #14 green and Fairway

Construction of new Pole Barn December 2024

Delivery of New Progator and Topdresser

Shop Renovation 2024

Face Lift

 During the month of November we were able to do a much needed facelift to the Swope Memorial Maintenance Facility. Phase one of this project consisted of rearranging the inside of our shop as well as demolishing the outdated workbench to make room for a updated streamlined workbench/tool storage combination. 

Along with the new organization strategy we were also able to paint the inside of the shop. Our new three teared color scheme allows for the mitigation of multiple problems we faced with the last paint job of the shop. Thus allowing for a much brighter and cleaner look when it was all said and done.

Out with the Old in With the New

                                                         

There is nothing quite like the feeling of climbing into the brand new car you have worked so hard for. The fresh smell of leather hits your nose as you take a seat onto a soft yet firm drivers seat. You grip the wheel with excitement as you que up your favorite playlist. You reverse out of your drive as you head to your 8am tee time with hopes of shooting your best round to date. All is right with the world.

This feeling you are imagining however is about only half the joy as we experienced this month as our Brand new equipment has started to arrive. Swope as well as the other city of Kansas City golf facilities have  put together a equipment package to update many of our aging pieces and fill in any gapes in equipment that will be required to maintain the course in years to come. Some of you I'm sure have noticed some of these new pieces this month that include a new John Deere ProGator and Top Dresser. We also received our new Toro Sidewinder for mowing rough including tee and green banks. Our Superintendent Josh has been especially fond of our new John Deere 4066R Tractor which replaces one of our oldest pieces of equipment.