Course Update 11/21/18

The winter storm that hit us last Thursday and Friday left a considerable amount of damage that we're still cleaning up from.  The worst part of the storm was the freezing rain and subsequent ice accumulation on the trees that brought down a lot of limbs.  Damage was widespread due to many trees that still had leaves, along with the typical white pines that have soft, weak wood.  After getting around all three courses, most of the damaged trees will survive and only require selective pruning to remove the broken branches up in the canopy.  A few trees have been removed because the damage was too severe, and in several cases trees were removed for safety concerns due to their proximity to cart paths and other high traffic areas.

One of the trees that was severely damaged was the American Elm adjacent to the gold tee on Grove 1.  It's one of only a few American Elm trees remaining in this area and we have invested significant resources over the years trying to keep it healthy.  The main trunks are supported by heavy duty cables that connect opposite trunks to offset their weight, and still allow them to move naturally.  Unfortunately, one of the smaller trunks that wasn't cabled couldn't hold up to the extra weight of the ice and broke away from the tree.  A small amount of decomposed heartwood was observed in the crotch where the trunk attached, so we had a certified arborist look at the tree on Monday.  They said the decomposition was common for a tree of this size and age, and it should remain healthy with a little TLC this spring.

Pear trees are routinely damaged from ice storms and there was nothing left of this one.

American Elm on Grove 1 damaged by ice and snow.

Here's a close up of the damaged trunk.  Notice the darker decomposed wood higher up that doesn't offer any structural integrity.  Only the lighter colored, healthy wood towards the bottom kept the limb attached.  Once the limb is removed we will clean up the damaged area to prevent disease and insect infestation.

The staff started cutting up and sorting the branches to make it easier once the chipper arrived.