Hole 14 Tree Project

We removed two large oak tree's on the left side of #14 to open up the hole from the back tee boxes.  In doing so, we hope to give the golfer a much more playable shot from the back tee and also will help speed up play on this hole.  Doing this will also help us on the maintenance side because we will be able to utilize the entire tee boxes. You can see the before and after pictures below!

BEFORE

AFTER

2020 Fall Fun Scramble

 One of, if not the most, popular tournaments we have here every season.  It sells out a month in advance and this year had a waiting list of nearly 20 teams.  One of my biggest peeves in the world of golf is the old school stuffiness of the ways of golf.  Gimmick golf is usually frowned upon and looked down on.  That is one of the many reasons I love my golf course.  If you can't have fun, than what are we really doing here? This tournament has turned into an event that people look forward to all year.  My GM Chris Buescher and Assistant Pro Karter Mills and I have created a layout that we and the people that play just rave about.  We try to add something new each year which isn't easy to do.  The setup of the course takes between 2 and 3 hours to do on the morning of the tournament.  It does involve some stress and the weather conditions in late October do create some issues.  Through this series of pictures I will outline some of the holes we set up for this event.  Yes, I know not every hole is on here, we have to leave some stuff for the imagination!  Do yourself a favor, sign up and play in this event next season.  You will have a great time!!

Hole #1 - Grim Reaper

Hit your tee shot around this 20 foot obstruction. (Yes, it gets hit)

Hole #2 - Range balls all over the Green

Hit your tee shot close on this Par 3 or your putting could be a struggle!

Hole #3 - Scarecrow's

This Par 4 plays a bit tougher with the scarecrows guarding a flag-less hole location!

Hole #4 - Extra long Par 3

Tee box behind the pond playing 220 yards into a hard green with a tricky pin location!

Hole #5 - Lots-O-Holes

This Par 4 green is a treat with 6 cups...putt to the closest hole to your ball!

Hole #6 - Don't Get Hosed

A hose surrounding the hole makes for a strategic approach shot with only one way in!

Hole #7 - Risk/Reward

A shortened Par 4 with water lurking in front of the green...GO FOR IT!

Hole #8 - Big Cup

An 8 inch cup to putt to on this green!

Hole #9 - The Graveyard

A few head stones and some bones laying around makes putting a challenge!

Hole #11 - Playing Through

The green is blocked with an aged groups carts and the hole location is difficult!

Hole #13 - Make It In The Boat

This short Par 4 has a different type of hole...you must make your ball in the boat to hole out!

Hole #15 - Tire Hole

Putting is a bit tougher with only 3 ways into the hole and the tire coving your view!

Hole #17 - Bigger Cup

A 15 inch cup to putt to...like putting into the ocean!

Hole #18 - Crime Scene

Plenty of obstacles here, beware of weapons and some left over blood(ketchup)!!

Front Entrance Sign

 Our front entrance sign was broke and blown down by a storm back in March. We aren't sure how many people actually noticed that the sign was no longer there, so that got me thinking. The old sign had not been touched or updated in my time here at MP (9 years). So, I thought it was time to refurbish the old sign and try to make it more noticeable! Though a series of pictures, we will show you our process. Also, would like to give a shout out to my assistant Mike for the ideas and help on this project. 

I forgot to take a picture of the old sign before we started the refurbishment.  Luckily I remembered at this point of the process so you can somewhat see the before. First, we power washed the whole sign to get old chipping paint off and have some good wood grain showing.

After the power wash had dried, we chose to paint the base color Black. Our thought was that with a dark background that the wording would stick out and pop more.

Once the base paint dried, we began painting the letters. We chose to paint the words "Minor Park Golf Course" in bright white paint.

We then chose to paint the words "Open to Public" in a metallic silver color.  The picture does not do the wording colors justice, in the sunlight they really pop!

I had an idea as we were going though the process to add something to the sign to draw peoples attention. The idea was to add these cut flag sticks to the top of the sign so we could put some of our flags on top to help draw attention.

Once all the paint was dry and the glue had dried on the new addition of the flag sticks, we put new side posts on and put it all back together. The two long posts on each side were what broke when the wind blew it down.

We put the orange flags on the sign for now to help draw attention to the sign.  We dug new holes and set the sign in concrete. The buckets on each side of the poles were filled with sand and helped support the sign until the concrete set up. 

Finished product!! Same old sign...refurbished and updated!!

We can do a few things more things than just grow and mow grass, Haha!

Lesson Tee Protection

Due to a high volume of golfers hitting horrible errant shots off the Driving Range Tee, we decided the Lesson Tee needed more safety protection after a few close calls of students almost being hit while getting a lesson from one of the Pro's.  After a few ideas were thrown out, I decided to do the project in house. The results came out better than expected.  Our new protective netting gives 99.9% safety to our students and the Pro's teaching them on the Lesson Tee. The pictures will show from installing 4 posts in concrete, to framing and painting, and finishing with hanging the netting. 

4 posts setting in concrete

View from Lesson Tee - Framed up

View from Public Tee - Framed up

Freshly painted - Roll of netting next to be put up

Finished product - Netting hung

Sinkhole Repair Part 2

Near the end of the 2019 season we had a new sinkhole occur due to a collapsed culvert on the overflow in the pond near 4 tee box. The sinkhole was about 10 feet wide by 15 feet deep. A new concrete culvert was put in to fix the issue. The pictures in this post will tell the story....

Collapsed cart path into sinkhole

View of how deep the washout was

5 new 72" concrete culverts

Creek cleared out where new culvert will sit

Connecting to the overflow

You can see how deep this was 

New concrete culvert connected to overflow

View from backside

All the culverts installed and fused together

#9 Bridge / Sinkhole Repair

We were fortunate to receive an emergency grant from the city to have our sinkhole issue on #9 bridge repaired.  As you saw in my previous blog post, the sinkhole did quite a bit of damage and was a safety issue. We are very glad to have this fixed and back to normal.  As you will see in the pictures below, the fix was done right and there should be no issues going forward!

Looking south toward #8 - The runways up to the bridge are smooth and the sinkhole is filled

Looking north up #9 - A nice transition going over the repaired bridge

Under the west side of the bridge at the repaired footings

Looking west - The bridge will no longer be able to be washed out under the footings

Looking east - Completed footing repairs 

World Famous Minor Park Sinkhole!

As all of you know, the weather this year has been crazy! This month we broke the record in KC for the most rain ever in May.  We have received over 15 inches at the golf course. Flooding and water, in general, can be one of nature's most destructive powers. We experienced what water can do as we developed a sinkhole on the bridge on hole #9. The powerful rushing waters in the creek washed out underneath the north side footing of the bridge creating a large sinkhole.  As a result, we were forced to shut down hole #8 because of not being able to cross the bridge safely with golf carts. We worked with the Parks & Rec and the Water departments and came up with a temporary solution with a large 11x7ft steel plate. Hopefully just a temporary fix, but for now all holes are open and the bridge is serviceable.

Sinkhole just on the north side of #9 bridge

Another view looking north

At the bottom of the picture, you can see the rock washed away under the concrete footing

Steel plate installed and bridge back open for use

Another view looking north