Superintendent's Construction Log

Mike and Chris 

Superintendent: Michael Brownlee

1st Assistant Superintendent: Chris Young 
2nd Assistant Superintendent: Heather Brunk

Agronomy Staff: Ben Thompson, Hunter Jamison, Blake Rittenbery, Robert Kuhn, Alec Chartier, David Sweezen, Nick Montgomery, Chase Johnson, Joel Frerking

Stones River Country Club is a members only club. The front nine holes were built 1948 and the back nine were built in 1969.  The front nine hole were later renovated in 1979. In 2008, we completed a greens resurfacing with miniverde ultra dwarf bermuda. The current system irrigation we are replacing is Rainbird Nimbus software and Rainbird impact rotors that were installed in 1991. The new Rainbird IC system will eliminate satellite boxes on the course since each head carries its own integrated control.  This system was chosen because it is the most advanced technology and offers the greatest ability to expand in the future considering that our current system was already dated when it was installed in '91.

MIM, ICI, and Freedom Sandwich

(Week 1) November 27th 2012

Brian Burns and Keeling installed our new computer software along with putting the box in place for central control behind the shop.  Nutt Construction was also on site with equipment for pulling wire. 

Chris chowing down

(Week 2) December 3rd 2012

On Monday, upon pulling wire, our contractor hit two water mains and a natural gas line in the first three hours. We were on site until dark with the gas company and city water mending the breaks.  Our contractor moved to another leg to continue progress.  On Tuesday we arrived at work with a beautiful double rainbow and we knew this was an omen for a better day. Installation of our new heads began!  Robert and Nick are opening the holes.  Ben is removing old heads, adding adapters and installing new heads.  Chris is wiring and splicing all heads and fuses. I am mapping and logging all station identification numbers. Hunter and Blake are burying new heads and cleaning up debris. So far we are averaging one hole completion in two days.

Ray modifying the plow blade to run 12" instead of 18"

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

(Week 3) December 10th 2012

We have wrapped up our third week and have installed over 100 heads!  We are averaging 15 heads installed per day. That's too many splices for Chris to count. As with any renovation, necessary changes are made daily regarding the wiring route which means our finished As-Built will look quite different from the current one. The weather has been relatively cooperative although cold.  We received our awesome I Pads from Keeling and are tinkering with them and the software.  Currently they are being used mostly for local sports talk radio.  This week the only major challenge has been dodging missile golf balls. 

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

Digging up Old Heads

Install the New Fwy Rain Bird Gear Drive Sprinklers

Wiring up 

Re-Packing the Head

Minimal Turf Damage

David from Keeling lending a hand with earmuffs

(Week 4) December 17, 2012

Nutt Irrigation is finished plowing over 40,000 feet of Maxi Cable.  Stones River Crew gearing up for colder weather and Christmas Week.  Over 200 Sprinklers installed.

(Week 5) December 24, 2012

Extreme weather, vacation and basically enjoying Christmas.

(Week 6) December 31, 2012

Stones River Crew has installed over half the total sprinklers for the job.  Wire splices at the shop and installation of the Rain Can that will enable the course to use Rain Watch software.

Irrigation Salesman Praying

Pulse Decoder sends a signal each time the Rain Bucket tips.

Rain Can tipping every 100th of an inch of rain.

Mounted Decoder in the top of valve box lid.

Central Ground ties ground plate/rod and building ground in to one single ground point

All 4 legs from the field come together to go into one surge arrestor  at central ground

Used Paige Fuseable Splice Kits to give us increased isolation if we need to troubleshoot

Turf still dormant damage from plow minimal

(Week 7) January 7, 2013

We've experienced a lot of rain this week so install has been relatively slow. We removed our greens covers after experiencing a cold snap.  Now temps are unseasonably high but with that comes rain.

(Week 7) January 10, 2013

Despite periodic rain, I'm excited to report that 40...yes 40... heads were installed today!  That doubles our past record. Now that Ben is also installing heads and splicing they are moving at a record pace.  Robert and Nick dug up almost 50 heads today. Back filling is going much slower as it should. Hunter and Blake are taking great care that the new irrigation heads are level. The greens loop on 11 is all we lack to complete the back nine and we are well on our way on the front nine.

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

(Week 8)  January 18, 2013

We've had continuous precipitation this week ranging from rain to ice so progress has been slow. We've only filled in a few holes but the course is completely saturated so its a muddy mess.  If the forecast doesn't change, we will most likely be covering greens this weekend and hoping for dry weather.

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

(Week 9) January 25, 2013

This week Brian Burns from Rainbird Irrigation stopped by and began the process of making our new irrigation heads communicate with the computer. Basically the computer sends a signal to each individual head telling it what to do. This gives us the ability to irrigate different areas for different amounts of time, thus eliminating wet areas.  One really cool feature of the system diagnostics is that instead of finding a hot spot on a green or fairway in the morning where irrigation didn't run, we now have the ability of running a systems diagnostics check. This test will detect a problem within the system. 

Screen Shot of Diagnostics Easy to Read Pass  or Fail For each Station

Laminated asbuilt with all changes spelled out in permanent marker

On a side note, how many pitchers of beer and Hooters wings does it take to install the Rinbird IC System?  365 wings and 10 pitchers to be exact. The guys entered an all you can eat wing contest. Mike and Robert tied with 56 wings a piece and Chris came in at a close third with an even 50. Good times.

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

(Weeks 10 & 11) February 8, 2013

We're moving right along with the install.  We only have two holes left to complete and all the front nine greens loops to install.  That's 344 heads installed to date! Once we complete the head installation we will move to installing isolation valves. And our pump station will get an overhaul as well. 

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

(Week 12) February 16,2013

The guys from our local Keeling store have been checking ground rods. Copper plated steel rods were driven into the ground every 500 feet or so with the maxi wire that Nutt Construction trenched into the ground.  With each rod is an integrated control surge device which provides surge protection for a particular wire path.  At each of these locations, the maximum resistance to ground is 45 Ohms.  If  a particular rod megs higher than 45 Ohms, then a copper ground plate must be used to ensure protection of our new maxi wire and rotors.  Seeing as how our golf course is rocky, we are looking at installing several copper plates.

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

Brian's Messy Office Where the Magic Happens
This is where the asbuilt get's digitized

David From Keeling Office getting ready to Megg the grounds

Chris verifying ground locations

Ground points have a surge device tied into the com wire

(Week 13) February 22, 2013

This week our focus has been on installing the greens loop rotors.  We are replacing old full circle Rainbird impact 51s with Rainbird Eagle 950s and 751s.  The 950 series rotor is the "out", watering our surrounds and approaches. The 751 series rotor is the "in", watering our greens.  This gives us more control allowing us to water the greens without overwatering our surrounds and approaches.


OLD IMPACT ROTOR'S

DIG DOWN TO SERVICE TEE

ACME SWING JOINTS INSTALLED

950 SURROUND & 751 GREEN HEAD INSTALLED

FINISHED PRODUCT

(Week 14) March 1, 2013

All sprinklers are installed and all electrical splices are good.  The system diagnostics shows all 485 sprinklers communicating and locked in with the central control.

We have to improve a dozen rocky locations with a small ground plate and read the values once more to ensure we maintain the Rain Bird specification for ground resistance.

TYING IN THE GROUND PLATE LEAD AT THE SURGE DEVICE

SMALL TRENCHER PUTTING COPPER PLATE IN

DESIGN NOTES:
Throughout the IC wire path the ICSD' (Integrated Control Surge Devices) are located at every 500' or 15 IC Modules.  At these points we install a ground rod.  If the ground rod alone will not Meg to 50 MOhms or less a 4' x 4" copper ground plate is added.  The ground conditions cannot typically be predetermined until construction.  Stones River like it's name implies has some rock and shallow soil conditions. We found 12 locations on the course where the ground rods were not sufficient and copper plates were added.

Chris installing the very last irrigation head

 

(Week 15) March 11, 2013














 Chris finishing up all grounding plates.  Scheduled to have Keeling Reps out to re-check ground points in order to verify they meet specifications. Getting ready for Tournament patching everything up....

(Week 16) March 19, 2013
We charged our existing pumps to find any breaks in the pipe.  We found two large breaks the first day. Pumps were shut down and the pipe was repaired.  The pumps were recharged the next day and we found six more breaks; mostly 2 inch pipe and a 6 inch mainline.  Nutt Construction sent us two guys and repaired most of those breaks.

 

Decent break on 12 tee

 

(Week 17 ) March 28, 2013

More breaks.  Chris repaired another 2 inch pipe with several holes in a 10 foot section where the trencher plowed next to it punched several holes.  Nutt Construction will be here tomorrow to repair more pipe.

 

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

 

 

(Week 18) April 5, 3013

Well the good news is we have most of the breaks repaired but now have several leaking greens heads. We are hoping it is only debris in the lines that have clogged foot valves.  Our new jockey pump, electric panel and other parts arrived Wednesday to our excitement. Watertronics will be installing them April 22nd which is a huge disappointment considering our original install date was February 28th.  This part of the project have been pushed back several times and we are anxious to get the pump house updated.

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent

 

(Week 19 & 20) April 19, 2013

Spring is officially here and we are swamped with normal golf course duties. We also overseeded our rough last fall with fescue and its growing in beautifully. Our new Eagle 900 heads in the fairways have the farthest throwing nozzles so a large portion of our fescue in the rough should get irrigation. We have little rough irrigation by the way.  Watertronics should be arriving next week to install the electric panel in the pump house. 

Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent