Swope Memorial Golf Course: Springing into the May

Friday, May 1, 2020

Springing into the May

Fast times at Swope Memorial Golf Course

(Drone photo taken by Dimitry Lash)

Corona season, golf season, what's the difference?

First and foremost, I hope everyone has stayed healthy and happy over these last months. As society has changed its every day routine, so have we. Our clubhouse is only open for use of the restrooms, booking is online, our course is open for walkers only, and our cups are fitted to allow ball retrieval without touching the cup surround or flag. In itself, golf can be an easy outlet for activity with limited social interaction. Although walking Swope may be a challenge for the average player, our course is as healthy as it has ever been. The removal of golf carts has allowed our high traffic, enter/exit, areas to grow back in with healthy grass. Our fairways have some erosion damage from the wet winter and spring, but they don't have that all too familiar tracks of carts zig-zagging every way.

While the rest of the city was shut down, operations were going on as normal here since winter let up. The spring is a perfect time for us to be able to keep up with course maintenance, as well as take on little projects along the way. The drive up to our facility is lined with a stone wall, installed by the City of KC in 1934. Over the years, honeysuckle and small saplings have turned into a forest of underbrush and trees, taking over the wall. The superintendent and I love returning the original designs and aspects of the past to the present day course. The rock wall is one of those aspects.

(Returning the rock wall view.)

There were two large dead trees to the left of #1 Tee, or on the left side of #18 fiarway. Every windy day these trees would drop bark and limbs, making for constant cleanup. We sharpened our chainsaws and made sure that they would never need cleaned up again. We plan to plant new trees in the gap to protect golfers from wild golf balls.