Course Improvements

[Dirk]

Among the many ongoing improvements at Shawnee Mission you will now find that a new location for hole 6 will soon been placed.

Old Hole 4 has been completely removed to alleviate walking across the road 2 times to play one hole. This also tightens up the walk between holes, all around improvement, everybody wins.

The new hole 4 is the previous hole 5. In other words after hole 3 proceed directly north across the road bypassing old 4.

The new hole 6 Tee is located just to the north side of the path after hole 5 basket, and is shooting towards the basket by the administration building.  You will notice a path not far behind hole 6, this path is O.B. 

The hole 7 tee is now located just north of 6 pin towards the parking lot.

Everything else stays the same. We are going to be putting in tee box markers and working up signs here in the next few weeks.

I will update the map online shortly.

[Timko]

Dirk, could this be done before next Monday?  Bushwhackers will be playing there, so you'll get some test subjects on the new holes.

[Dirk]

The baskets have been moved to their new homes and I believe they will settle here for quite some time.

I will be placing tee markers in the next week or two.


My biggest concern is the fact that we are not getting adequate support for mowing, but I will address that in a separate thread. This thread should  be about what the club has control of and what we can do to improve the course.

[Timko]

Distance on the two changed holes?  They look in the 330 range based on the other distances.

[The Can tankerous A.N.G]

I played that yesterday, and, thankfully, the person I was with had read this post and knew about the 2 hole changes. It sure was windy out there. It also looks so much different in the spring than last fall and winter when the trees weren't covered in leaves and there wasn't tall grass everywhere.

[Timko]

The new 6 was eh, the new 7 has some SERIOUS potential if you keep pushing that tee back.  The long pad on that guy is going to be a sick 3; the problem is a lot of people could try to take the lefty route out into #6's fairway.

[Dirk]

We have the Tee markers ready to place this weekend.

Its me,  18 planks, 36 pieces of rebar and a sledge hammer.

Who wants to help Sunday? call me 816.678.4468

...

the problem is a lot of people could try to take the lefty route out into #6's fairway.

Its a tribute to Swope.

Ahh I kid , I kid

Dick has volunteered to clear out the tunnel fairway that will be another placement on 6, that will eliminate any crossed discs, but I think there is plenty O room regardless. Placement of 7 tee is not set in concrete yet, so to speak, so try variations on a theme.

[dogundertheporch]

i was just wandering when the course will get mowed i got some friends coming from out of town and i would hate for them to see the way it looks now and i kinda liked #7 tee box where it was now two fairways #6 and #7 almost go over each other but no matter what i am glad to have a course so close to me

[Timko]

Dirk said there are plans for #6 with some of the woods on the right.  Should turn into a pretty good shot.  #7, as I said above, has serious potential.  Nasty par 3 with a low ceiling and OB on the right with a protected green.

[john theiss]

Dirk, i would be glad to help you eradicate some the ivy at SMP.  There is so much out there.  i played it on Sunday and was becoming very frustrated.  It is freaking everywhere.  By the end of the summer if nothing gets done, it is going to be very mature.  If you can get some spray, i will start hitting it up this summer when i am off.   i will be glad to do it, especially since it is the closest course to where i live know.  If anyone lives near there and is interested, we can hit up together.

John Theiss

[Dirk]

I have asked the parks dept for herbicide so that the club  volunteers can clear out the ivy for the public use of the park.

I will be very grateful for any help getting this done, thanks for offering help, as I am very allergic to the stuff. Anyone else out their not terribly allergic able to come and help??

Holes its really bad on are 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, so keep aware.

[gusgotts]

I can help with some of the ivy eradication--I think bringing a pump sprayer with some broadleaf herbicide would do wonders.  The parks staff would probably appreciate the effort if anyone whacked and sprayed the musk thistle (looks kind of like dandelion, but has much gnarlier leaves and can grow to 6'--if you have it on your property, KS law requires that you eliminate it as a noxious weed).  Anyway, a few people showing up with pump sprayer, and perhaps an idiot stick, could make a big dent in the ivy and musk thistle festations.  If there's an organized effort, I'm in.

Tom

[Dirk]

Tom and I spent the day out at SMP spraying herbicide on the poison ivy about the course and got a good handle on eradication. We will check back in several weeks and see how its dying off and hit it again.

I highly doubt we got all of it and it will take persistence to mostly eradicate it.

Holes 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18 are fairly heavy and where we did the most work. Big thanks to Tom who had obviously done this before. Having people like step up and help goes a long ways in making this course better faster.

Dirk

[dogundertheporch]

if the parks and rec can't mow this course any better why even mess with ever getting tee pads put in??the kite flyers need to stay off #8 fairway also. everytime i go up there they are in the way and thats one of the only nice open holes up there. also its said to be more of a family course? how can it be that when the grass is almost taller then my kids. we come out of there with ticks and bug bites everytime.

[Kevin Montgomery]

if the parks and rec can't mow this course any better why even mess with ever getting tee pads put in??the kite flyers need to stay off #8 fairway also. everytime i go up there they are in the way and thats one of the only nice open holes up there. also its said to be more of a family course? how can it be that when the grass is almost taller then my kids. we come out of there with ticks and bug bites everytime.

Seems to me that these types of complaints should go directly to the parks department so that they know people want to use the course but can't. That may prompt them to pay more attention to it for their patrons.