Plans for 2011

2011 will be an even bigger year for Apostle Highlands Golf Course.

We will continue to work on tree removal in key areas. Also, as we speak all of the drainage work that was completed in the fall, will be ready for us when we tee it up in the Spring.

Currently, we are working on the clubhouse grounds and the parking lot. We will have a new and improved parking lot and golf cart parking which will improve curb appeal, improve the function of the parking lot and increase the flow so lot owners and visitors can drive uninhibited to their destination.

Adjacent to the clubhouse, we will have a new patio area with a gazebo and extensive landscaping. This will be a great area for tournaments, large outings, holidays and weddings.

The best part of 2011 is that it is our 20th Anniversary. We have plans this year to unveil a new logo which we are really excited about.

2010 Year in Review

As of now, we have finalized our underbrush and tree removal. Also, our second aeration of the year is complete.

We still have to work on drainage which NCI will continue to do this fall.

At this time, we are finishing off the installation of our new irrigation system which will allow us to water the course in less time as well as control our irrigation system more easily.

We are excited to see what will come of our improvements come spring.

Undoubtedly, there is more to come for next year, since we do have a 5 year plan to make Apostle Highlands even better.

Aerification/ Verticutting

This year we are introducing deep tining to our aerification process as well as regular verticutting and top dressing. This process will make the greens firmer to allow for better playability, faster and smoother greens.

Golf Course Redesign/ Renovation

This Spring we began consultation with Garrett Gill, a golf course architect, who provided us with his expertise on possible solutions to improving Apostle Highlands. Since then, our team of Rob Ganson, Bruce Kalmon, Don Bush, Mike Boris and Ken Boris with the assistance of John Ganske (Greenkeeper CBGC) and Northern Clearing Inc., have made great strides in improving your experience at Apostle Highlands.

So far we have made small and large improvements to the golf course. We have updated our flags and flagsticks. Our flags have been changed to a nautical pennant flag with numbers denoting each hole. The flagsticks are black and white striped as well as an inch thick to provide better depth perception as well as a more traditional look.

We now have barber poles at the 150 yd marker to provide a target off the tee as well as a quick distance reference.

We have updated our hole markers to match the aesthetics of the clubhouse. We have also updated the plaques on the hole markers and added a few new ones for people who have meant so much to Apostle Highlands.

Since we are "Apostle Highlands", this year we have tried to emulate more of a links course. In doing this we have increased the visual contrast of the golf course as well as provided a more significant habitat for local wildlife. We are a certified Travel Green facility and we hope one day to add an Audubon National Certification to that.

It is undecided at this point as to when we will break ground, but there are plans in the works to redesign the layout of the golf course and renovate a few choice greens as well as all of our bunker complexes. This is an exciting prospect that will bring Apostle Highlands to the next level.

Tree Clearing

We are continuing with the tree clearing on the golf course. This is going to provide more sunlight to tees and greens as well as an increase in airflow. These are vital components to good turf health and development. The tree clearing will also provide aesthetic qualities to the golf course and it will be much easier to locate an errant shot.

Driving Range

This year we updated our driving range. We have 9 hitting stations as well as 9 target flags. All distances to targets have been measured. Most recently we have just added Pampas grass along the perimeter of the range to eventually provide a border as well as privacy.

Welcome

This is the official Apostle Highlands Golf Course blog. 2010 is an important year for the golf course. We have been making changes to the golf course and this is where we will keep you informed about what we have done and what we are going to do.