After many conversations about social distancing and how it has impacted professional sporting events, fans were overjoyed when the Professional Golf Association decided to go forward with the PGA Tour. Although no spectators were allowed to be there in person this year due to health regulations, sports fans around the United States have been waiting with excitement to experience some normalcy in sports. With the delight of watching the PGA tour, we’re excited to announce new updates to the Golden Ocala golf course, keeping in mind best practices for golf course management.

Golf Course Maintenance Standards
While golf courses across the United States temporarily closed to put new health and safety standards in place due to Coronavirus, most if not all have reopened following CDC and sanitation changes. However, due to this temporary break, Golden Ocala took advantage of the time and social distancing standards to renovate the 20-year-old greens. Although the United States Golf Association (USGA) recommends greens be updated at least every 25 years, we knew we would never get this kind of opportunity in the next several years to make such impactful changes.

In addition to renovating the greens themselves, enhancements are being made to modify green slopes to better accommodate for standard green speeds by utilizing modern agronomics. Agronomy is the science and practice of using technology to produce and use plants in agriculture for food, fuel, fiber, and land restoration. Agronomists utilize soil samples to properly analyze environments that will be perfect for healthy growth and maintenance of land, including golf courses. Practicing agronomy is important for the health and longevity of a golf course.

Green speeds play an important role in the construction and maintenance of golf courses and tend to have a high focus in order to build a course that is known for its difficulty and precision. The USGA made a remark on the topic of green speeds saying that they are some of the most sensitive and most debated golf topics. These five things that every golfer should know include:

• Faster does not mean better
• Green speed fluctuates
• Green speed doesn’t travel
• Green speed costs money
• Green speed can kill

Read more about green speeds and the USGA’s five statements above.

We have been working hard to get everything up to par (pun intended) which also means we are modifying the bunker greens to have better sub-surface drainage and consistency. Lastly, new tee complexes will be added, as well as new landscaping plus additional decorative features around the course.

Come Join Us!
We are currently on track to reopen our golf facilities by Labor Day weekend! As we get closer to that date, more information will be sent out so that you can prepare your plans for that long holiday weekend. For more information about the Golden Ocala’s golf course or to book your round of golf in advance, please visit https://www.goldenocala.com/active-living-wellness/golf/ or call 1-800-251-7674.