Please try to avoid driving around the front 9 during the project. We have a lot of things going on out there and we don't have areas roped and staked off. These areas are freshly sculpted, maybe soft, watered, and have no root systems... We ask for your patience as we work on the front 9!
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Bunker Update
Course Updates:
Back 9: The back nine is growing nicely as of right now. The only reason we are keeping the ropes and stakes up is to control traffic on the newly sodded areas. Traffic on these areas will not produce great root systems. We will plan to update some of these areas in the next coming week or so. Regardless, ALL of these areas can be played normally and ARE NOT Ground Under Repair anymore. We will be pulling all of the ground under repair signs this week. This picture below shows us where NOT to put bunker rakes. We should be entering and exiting the bunkers on the low sides!!!
Front 9 Bunkers: As we sit here on 5/7, the front 9 is taking shape. Hollembeak construction has worked on holes #2 thru #8 so far. Most of the bluegrass sodding has taken place around the newly constructed bunkers and soon they will plan to start relocating bentgrass to these same holes from #2 through #8. The front 9 definitely has had a lot of irrigation work done to it for these bunkers. At the end of the project, I'll post some crazy stats on the number of feet of irrigation pipe we've used!
Architect: Rich Mandell has made 2 site visits so far this Spring while the project is underway. He is expected to be here early next week too for his 3rd visit. Here he is painting the bunker line for hole #3!
All in a days work: Here are two photos of #8 in just a days work with Hollembeak. The bottom photo is the start of the bunker and then a day later we have a new bunker built. Yes, it will be nasty and all one bunker so don't plan to hit into it!
Rocks!!! - And you said it was just in the bunkers.... No, we have boulders in the fairways just 3.5" down from the surface. This leads to major equipment breakdowns and not being able to manicure these fairways to the next level! We've also found a buried dead tree in one of the banks as they have been shaping a bunker on #8.
This one is from the bunker on #2. Yes, we could shut down and be a Crary, i mean quarry at this point...
Maintaining: This project has definitely pushed our limits on maintaining the course and also working on the project. I give for credit for our staff in working tirelessly on the course to give the membership a great product. This spring has been even more challenging as we don't have our peak staff until mid-June. Which means everything will be already done when we finally get our full staff in. This is also a big learning curve for us here at the G&G department, and also something that will take us time to mow. Here is Adam trying out a demo unit but as you can see, these new bunkers will not be exciting to maintain on our end!
Shaping on #3 a week ago...
Shaping on #5 a few weeks ago...
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Rain, Rain, Storm, Rain, Storm Repeat
Update: 4/18 Yet another batch of storms raced through Southeast Wisconsin last night. We received another 1.04" of rainfall and wind. The course has held up well except #13/#14. Please follow the cart rules!!! It's now rained 12 out of 18 days in April...
Update: 4/16 In five straight days, we have had around 5" of rainfall, storms, wind, and straight line winds. The course overall did well but please take your time when your out here. Please don't drive in low areas (not like people leaving the Brewer game and getting stuck in rivers of water). There is still lots of things to work on and fix but we are also trying not to damage things as well out there. We are trying to mow these steep hillsides today so it will be a learning curve for us. The course is all staked off like before, but remind you all to follow the signage out there, especially after these rains we've had.
The biggest impact has been a tree on the right side of #18. This completely de-rooted itself and we have at least cut up the bulk of the tree. There are a few others out on the course that we will attend to as we catch up on some mowing areas. What is Spring so far. Yikes!
The last four days have been interesting for the state. Thankfully, we had some damage but not like some of our counterparts that have flooded courses right now. Some have received over 10" of rain. We have had 2.95" in 4 days with the storms. Stretches like these, remind me of the countless hours grounds crew members push through tough circumstances to make golf courses what they are each and every day. As a whole, I'm honored to be included with such a network of peers that push through these tough times in our industry. It's not what we signed up for, but always do it for the betterment of the golf courses we work at. When we all have to respond to what Mother Nature gives us each day is a testament to the people that work on courses!
Last night, the storms came through and took out 5 trees on the course. Here is one on #18...
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Who's That?
Get to know Zach Roth
Hello members of Oconomowoc Golf Club, I’m Zach, and I’m beyond thrilled for the opportunity of being the assistant superintendent here at OGC. I’ve heard nothing but phenomenal things about your golf course, and I can’t wait to see what this summer brings.
I grew up in Reedsburg, WI, a small-ish farming town a few miles west of the Dells. I received a degree in Biology from UW-Madison in 2014 and completed my Turfgrass Management certificate through the Turfgrass Apprenticeship Program at UW-Madison in 2024, alongside our class president Adam Lois. This is my sixth year on an agronomy team, and my 13th year working at a golf course, between my role here and my time spent as a cart attendant at Wild Rock Golf Club in the Dells and Reedsburg Country Club.
I’m an avid golfer, and have been playing since I was eight. I love to be outdoors (hence the career choice), and to explore new hiking trails and nature areas with my dog Ziggy. I’m a big Wisconsin sports fan, especially Badger football and hockey, and try to get to as many games as I can. If I'm not doing something outside, you can probably find me with my nose in the latest sci-fi or fantasy epic novel, or listening to the latest Goose concert.
.jpg)
What to Expect when you're Expecting!
The OGC Agronomy Team has published a few videos about what to expect out there...
- Course updates and a new naturalized area
- How to play the course
- Front of fairway areas
If you have any additional questions, please let us know @ steve@ocongolfclub.org
Friday, April 3, 2026
OGC Foreman - Bryan Beaudoin
My Name is Bryan Beaudoin, this is my third year but fourth season working at OGC. I started as a grounds team member working between my college semesters at Northern Michigan University where I studied Indoor Agriculture. There I was able to strengthen my knowledge and experience in horticulture and water cultural practices. I find a lot of joy in nature and hands-on working environments, at OGC I was able to find a great interest in the care and expertise it takes to maintain such a course. In my personal life I am a musician (saxophone, guitar, and piano), a hobby mechanic, an outdoorsman, and an aquarist. Most of my time outside of work I spend maintaining aquariums that I have set up as well as scraping new ones for my never ending projects. However, any day that I can get out on the water and snag some fish or turn a wrench on my truck is a good day in my book. Now, that I have accepted a foreman position on the agronomy team, I am truly excited to compound my experience with different cultural practices used here at OGC.
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Poll Results - limited to first 25 votes
What do you look forward to in 2026 at OGC?
| Label | Value | % |
|---|---|---|
Fast Greens | 11 | 44% |
A Manicured Property | 1 | 4% |
The Completed Bunker Renovation | 9 | 36% |
Playing Golf | 3 | 12% |
Meeting the Grounds Crew | 1 | 4% |
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
April Update
Welcome to April! The back nine will open for play starting April 8th while the front 9 will remain closed for the bunker project. We have gone through the back nine and have worked on roping and staking off the new bunker complexes. We are trusting each of you to help us this season and abiding by the course markings out there is huge. We frankly, don't have enough stakes and signage for every nook and cranny out here. But, we are hopeful that each of you will help us out with minimal stakes out there (don't get me wrong, there's still a lot out there). You'll notice when you get out here, some of the bunker faces had some animal damage done to them through the winter season and we will look at options to work on these areas as the weather improves and maybe even sodding may occur if areas don't fully bounce back.
As this week began, Hollembeak construction brought in some equipment and a few guys to start work on the front 9, specifically Hole #2 green and #6 green bunkers. The processes include: removing the old sod around the bunker, taking out the old sand, moving irrigation water lines, and shaping the new bunker complexes are underway. Hollembeak will continue to work this week and next provided Mother Nature does her part. Below is a picture of #2 green bunker being worked on... We are already seeing the front 9 take on a new identity!
Adam didn't even know I was recording him. But here he is explaining what is happening at OGC! The first site of large equipment on the course in 2026! Videos will be better, this is just a free throw in. Adam consented, aka volun-told :)
Puppy news. In February, the Houlihan's welcomed someone new to the family. Meet Remi Rose (mini-long haired Dachshund). She was born December 2nd, 2025. Today, Remi is a whomping 7.5 lbs, has sharp baby teeth, loves everyone, and is a big time cuddler. Lately, she loves the outdoors, and is even helping picking up sticks and chasing after leaves so far for a few late night walks here at the course. It's been really nice to come back in the late evenings and walk the perimeter with her. We've seen a pack of 19 deer, and I've been able to see how the course is truly getting better for you as each day comes to a close. Spring cleanup does take time, but by next week, we will be ready to go!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
It's Invitational Week... Here's a (quick) note... What's different about this picture? a. the fountains are not on b. n...
