Weekend Update

The forecast is calling for some heavy rain this weekend so the golf course will remain walking only. Carts are scheduled to be allowed on Tuesday weather permitting. The 9th hole remains with a temporary green. This week the cedar benches and cedar tee markers that were refurbished have been placed back out on the course. The crew also continued course clean-up and pick-up from the wind storm on Wednesday where we saw gusts up to 40 mph.

The construction company finalized the drainage in the bunkers on 9 and began to install the bunker liner. We should be sodding by the middle of next week leaving us 3 good weeks of rooting weather before the opening day scramble.

Bunker Liner being Installed

New Jersey remains the nation's most densely populated state but golf courses provide a haven for many different creatures including fox, deer, and birds. In an effort to be more sustainable we are installing bluebird nesting boxes on the golf course this spring. Our hope is to increase our bluebird population for the enjoyment of our members while at the same time reducing the amount of problem insects. I had the New Jersey Audubon visit the golf course and show us where we can place these boxes including trees and posts as prime locations. We will then monitor the houses to see what kind of birds we attract, some will be bluebirds but I was told to expect other species to also make a home at Madison. These nesting boxes were made using New Jersey grown white cedar and were dressed up with the Audubon and Madison logos. I am really looking forward to this experiment to see what we can attract to the golf course.