May 28, 2024
Rams Hill Golf Club is leading the charge in sustainable golf course management with its recent renovations focused on environmental impact and water conservation. The highlight of this multimillion dollar project is the transition to TifTuf bermudagrass, a hardy, drought-tolerant variety of grass that will reduce water usage by up to 25% annually upon stabilization.
The golf course is undergoing an intensive transformation to thrive in the desert climate. Here’s a step-by-step look at the process:
- Sprinkler Removal: The renovation begins with the removal of all sprinkler heads. This step is essential to allow a large pulverizer machine to penetrate deep into the soil.
- Stripping and Pulverizing: Once the sprinkler heads have been removed, each hole is stripped of its turf and the soil is pulverized. This crucial initial phase has been completed on all fairways, tees, roughs, and surrounds.
- Soil Leveling: With the soil softened, it is then graded to achieve the smoothest possible surface while maintaining the original contours. This step ensures an optimal planting and growing environment for the new grass. This also involves meticulous hand-picking of rocks and debris to ensure a clean surface.
- Sod Installation: While the fairways are being prepped for grassing, workers from American Sod Farms lay sod around all bunker face slopes to maintain their design integrity.
- Hydroseeding and Watering: Each hole will also undergo a hydroseeding process. Hydroseeding is a mixture of TifTuf bermudagrass stolons (stems of the TifTuf bermudagrass), fiber mulch, and fertilizer sprayed across each hole. After the mixture covers the hole, they are rolled into the soil and watered thoroughly. This rigorous care is crucial during the early stages of growth and will continue throughout the summer.
- Growth: Once the stolons are in place, they will be watered daily. Hole 6 was the first to undergo this process and is already seeing growth. The golf course is set to be fully grown in by October!
Listen below to Jimmy Foxx from American Sod Farms as he speaks on the benefits of TifTuf bermudagrass and the process of hydroseeding.
These renovations reflect Rams Hill Golf Club’s commitment to sustainability and in delivering optimum playing conditions to golfers. The Rams Hill team is eagerly anticipating opening the doors in October and to offer year-round golf!
Thinking about a golf trip? Explore our Stay and Play options for October and beyond.
More Golf + Less Water = Win / Win
May 20, 2024:
Rams Hill Golf Club has been busy in the desert with the execution of the multi-million dollar conversion project to convert all fairways, tees, roughs, and surrounds to TifTuf bermudagrass. As of today, thirteen fairways (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18) have been stripped and pulverized in preparation for hydroseeding. Before hydroseeding takes place, each bunker face will be sodded to maintain the shape of each bunker. The process of sodding and hydroseeding has begun on Hole 6.
What is hydroseeding?
Hydroseeding is a mixture of TifTuf bermudagrass stolons, fiber mulch, and fertilizer sprayed through a hose to encompass the entirety of each fairway, tee, rough, and surround. Once the hydroseeding is complete, the area must be watered thoroughly to promote growth.
More Golf + Less Water = Win / Win
May 9, 2024:
The TifTuf bermudagrass conversion at Rams Hill Golf Club is now in full swing, encompassing all fairways, tees, roughs, and surrounding areas. As soon as the golf course was closed to the public, the dedicated teams from Rams Hill and Integrity Golf Co. began their responsibilities to initiate the conversion process.
Every week, selected fairways will undergo thorough excavation using top-of-the-line pulverizers. This step is crucial to prepare the soil beneath, ensuring optimal conditions for the new grass to flourish. Additional equipment will be deployed to refine and smooth the surface, priming it for grassing.
April 10, 2024:
Through meticulous planning, Rams Hill continues to strive for the future. In the summer of 2024, Rams Hill will complete a two-year, multimillion-dollar renovation project, marching toward providing the pinnacle of playing conditions. This transformation process not only elevates our award-winning golf course to its utmost potential but also strengthens our commitment to sustainability.
During the summer of 2023, Phase 1 was completed as every putting green was converted to MiniVerde bermudagrass. We are incredibly proud of the results of the hard work this conversion took. The new putting greens are firm yet responsive, ensuring a true roll with every putt. As the greens mature they will begin to soften, after they are given the opportunity to receive multiple rounds of aerification for the first time this summer.
Pictured below is Hole #5 green during its conversion and the same hole opening weekend, November 2023.
The same can be expected for the rest of the golf course upon its transition. “The fairways will play differently with the new grass. The course should play faster and better allow the use of the contours than when playing on ryegrass. Since ryegrass is a cool season grass, it used much more water which caused the turf conditions to be softer,” said Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Harry Turner.
Phase 2 of the transformative project will commence May 1, 2024, with the conversion of all tees, roughs, fairways, and surroundings to TifTuf bermudagrass. Unlike the ryegrass that golfers have been accustomed to at Rams Hill in years past, the new playing surface will no longer require the process of overseeding, allowing Rams Hill to remain open for 12 months. Those with a keen eye may have noticed that the driving range outfield was converted to TifTuf bermudagrass in the summer of 2023, serving as a successful barometer for this summer’s full conversion. Upon stabilization, this drought-tolerant conversion will represent up to a 25% reduction in water usage.
“The conversion to TifTuf will offer so many benefits to the course, the staff, and our precious water supply. First of all, once the new grass is stable, it will use approximately 25% less water than we currently use. This summer’s turf conversion, when coupled with the greens conversion from last summer, will enable Rams Hill to remain open year-round creating, 12-month employment for our employees,” said Turner.
Integrity Golf Construction has once again been entrusted to aid in this summer’s construction. As the construction company entrusted for last summer’s work as well, their expertise has proven to be integral to the success of each stage of this project.
Upon the completion of this summer’s work, Rams Hill will be welcoming players and guests year-round beginning October 2024. This exciting development reflects our commitment to providing an exceptional golf experience for our valued customers throughout the year.
For those looking to get a jump-start on experiencing the Rams Hill renovation, we are accepting Stay & Play quote requests for now and beyond. Start planning your ultimate destination golf trip today.
