Page 25 - GM spring 2024

CPKC
Open Journey
Brooke Henderson hitting into the 18th Green.
of root-zones and brought on the collapse of bunker faces.
The team spent 2018 and 2019 removing the sand cap and replacing it with material that would retain water. We finished the edges using the burlap bag system and sodded the bunker surrounds. They were ready for the 2020 event. Fast- forward through three more summers of pervasive heat, extended periods of dry conditions – both complicated by water restrictions – and much of the previous bunker work had to be repeated. That happened in early 2023.
Despite all the challenges, the delays brought many benefits. The initial work that the LPGA had requested was completed during the winter of 2019/2020, the first winter after the Open announcement. The
Photo © Stephen Wright, Best Coast Golf Media
5th tee box was extended forward, enabling the hole to be played as a long Par 4. The 14th tee was also extended forward to make this short Par 4 drivable. Fairways were to be narrowed, but in the Pacific Northwest, where everything is a blend of Poa and Ryegrass, it is relatively easy to adjust the rough lines on short notice. Fairways would be brought in coming out of our spring aeration during the event year.
This allowed the team to move on to detailed work. Partnering with a team from Musqueam First Nation, the crew embarked on a program to remove invasive species from the bank of Cutthroat Creek, one of the last open salmon bearing creeks in the City of Vancouver. The following year, 60 coho salmon
were counted moving on-and- through the Shaughnessy property, something that members had not seen in 50+ years. Bat, swallow, and bee programs were implemented; drainage improvement projects continued; cart paths were upgraded.
This period also allowed me to visit Magna Golf Club and Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club while they hosted their events, learning a great deal from Wayne Rath and Eric Ruhs, the respective Superintendents of those clubs. Both Wayne and Eric went above and beyond, in making it a priority to best welcome and prepare me of what to expect during the event.
2023: EVENT YEAR
I like to think that everything we do as Superintendents is done with our daily players in mind. We wanted to have a great 2023 season for our membership. When we looked at the challenges we were going to face during the event, we wanted to make sure that any actions we took would have a lasting benefit to members. We were quick to identify the most significant threat: the potential for drought conditions combined with reduced water- availability.
To give context to those who are not familiar with Vancouver’s climate, the city lies within a coastal rainforest; waterproof clothing is necessary. We receive 1200 mm of annual rainfall but almost all the rain falls in the spring, autumn and winter months. The summers are magnificently sunny and dry, typically with moderate temperatures.
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