The irrigation of the driving range is currently being discussed. The original plans did not call for installation of irrigation at this time, but provisions were made to make future installation easily accomplished. The main piping that feeds holes 9-15 pass through this area so connections at a later time are simple.
The reasons for neglecting to add it at this time are the future plans for the range are under development. The five year plan includes the driving range redevelopment in 2015 and it made sense to not perform work and install piping that more than likely would be demolished in this work.
The range requires a substantial amount of work to make it a more enjoyable area for use. The landing areas needs better targets and currently filled with gullies from washouts due to poor drainage. Large areas have been overrun with weed grasses, and the lower range structure has a poor hitting area.
All this is being reviewed under the new planning, but in the meantime we are debating the need to irrigate range at this time. The facts are that irrigation can help the turf on the range in the short term, but cannot overcome all the issues we face. The drainage and the rutting that is present will continiue to be major issues in having a presentable range. The targets will not become better with irrigation and the sloping hitting area does not change. We most likely will lose about 2/3 of the cost involved when we reshape the landing area. The sprinkler heads themselves will be saved but little else. It is just too costly and time consuming to work around existing underground wiring and piping.
We have the resources on site to make this a easily doable at this time, the costs are yet to be determined, and of course the range planning and funding are always variable. Short term gain or long term vision is the debate and both have merit and accomplish something for everyone. Right now the new irrigation is going well and we hope to move foreward before winter sets in.
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