Now that the greens are planted and growing, our teams have concentrated their efforts on bunkers and fairways. The weed control applied to the fairways and roughs is obvious, as it turned the fairways a bit of an off-color yellow as anticipated. The chemical applications also allowed our team to begin mowing the turf lower with each pass. Not long ago, the weeds were so high in the fairways that it resembled a ‘corn maze’. However, that look is now gone forever, and our team is plotting out fairway lines, roughs and selective native areas that will give our golf course interesting textures and variations.
Mr. LaFoy did his final work on the bunkers, which are in the process of being sodded as of this writing. This process is to sod the surrounding areas with Zoysia sod which, like all warm season grasses, spreads along the surface. However, Zoysia is a “slower than average” creeping type of grass which is ideal for bunker surrounds. It will help us keep the bunker edges clean and crisp. Look for this process to take up A picture containing grass, outdoor, tree, sky
Description automatically generatedto three weeks to complete. The type of sand is also a critical element in this process. We have chosen a beautiful white sand for our bunkers that will add the contrasting “pop” for photo ops; but remember, bunkers are there for beauty photos. The size of the sand particles is most important when choosing the correct sand for bunkers. We have selected a G-Angle sand that will compact in a short amount of time after installed. We apply the ‘Goldilocks’ principle to our bunkers. We don’t want them to be too firm or too fluffy. We expect them to be just right for all players.
The last ‘big’ nugget on our punch list is the lakes. Both the banks and water will be addressed soon. Like our roughs, you can expect to see some native areas where there is an element of ‘wild’ wispy grass. This not only provides a great look and texture, but also helps with the abundant wildlife found at Cat Island Club. The small nuggets left on the punch list are too numerous to count right now, but I assure you, every detail is being addressed and will eventually be a part of the Cat Island Club brand.
One of the key elements in determining the strength of a private club is the member engagement and involvement. Based on the reservation list for next Thursday’s beer tasting and burger night, our club will be very strong. We have over 70 members on our reservation list already! I’m grateful to all of you for staying involved in our club and engaging in the events. We’re going to have a great night next Thursday evening with live music by Mike Ponder (Steel Rail ExprA picture containing outdoor, sky, road, grass
Description automatically generatedess), our famous gourmet burgers and of course, some great beer from Pawley’s Island Brewing Company. But the best element for the night will be the mingling and socializing of our membership with one another. This is the ultimate reason that clubs like Cat Island Club even exist. We want like-minded people to come together to have a wonderful time. We want Cat Island Club to be your favorite place…period. As our club expands with the clubhouse in early 2023 and our membership continues to grow, imagine how strong our club roots will be and how much fun we’ll have. We want you, our current members, to be our ambassadors to invite your friends, family and neighbors to the club and membership. While we’re building the golf course, we’re also building relationships between all of you and our team. What a great recipe.
Our social events have been so overwhelmingly successful, we’re already planning the next one for Labor Day weekend. While the rest of the country is celebrating the end of the summer, at Cat Island Club, we’re just getting started. We are planning a family friendly party on Sunday, September 4th. The highlights will include great food, fun beverages, games, inflatable fun for our younger members and, of course, music and prizes. Plus, no Labor Day weekend would be complete without the ever-present watermelon eating contest. Start practicing now and mark your calendars for Sunday, September 4th at the Cat Island Club pool. Bring your own bibs for the contest—or better yet, stop by the clubhouse and pick up your official Cat Island Club long sleeve tee. We have plenty of sizes and colors available.
Also please note that while most swimming pools close after Labor Day, your Cat Island Club pool will remain open as long as it stays warm enough (or brave enough) to take a dip. Our Cabana Bar and grille will remain open at the pool and therefore, the pool will remain available to our members as well. We will continue to clean and treat the pool year-round. I’m confident that we will put an exclamation mark on the summer of 2022 with fun social events toward the end of the season. Look for those announcements in the coming weeks.
If you happen to stop by the Cabana grille tomorrow, rumor has it that our own Chef Stephanie has made some incredibly special homemade chili from scratch which will top our hot dogs over the weekend. Don’t delay as there is a limited supply but, like I said earlier, we’re just getting started! Have a great week friends and stay safe.