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32 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, February 10, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classifieds Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 20, 2005 RVCC irrigation project flowing smoothly By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune A number of displaced golfers are looking for places to practice. They don’t seem to mind their vagabond status, however, because their home course, Rogue Valley Country Club, is undergoing a $3 million renovation. The project, overwhelmingly approved by the club’s membership last July, calls for a state-of-the-art, computerized irrigation system to be installed, expansion and refurbishment of the driving range, 25,000 feet of drainage pipe for the driving range and inside nine holes, a 10-million gallon holding pond and assorted tee and green enhancements. The driving range and the inside nine of the 27-hole course, which opened in 1924, were closed a couple of weeks ago. Completion date for the project is April 15, but the driving range will likely reopen sooner. Advertisement Some days, one hole on the outside 18 might be shut down as irrigation lines are put in, but for the most part, there’s been minimal interruption in play. "It’s been pretty easy so far," says club professional Jim Wise. "This is the best time to do it. It’s the time when we have the least amount of play. It’ll be really impressive when it’s all done." Installation of the mainlines and wiring began in October and was completed last week. The next step is the laying of 2-inch lateral pipes and the sprinkler heads, of which there are about 3,400. Christensen Irrigation out of Southern California is handling the project. It also did Eagle Point Golf Course and is "very, very efficient," says RVCC course superintendent Doug Mohler. "They do an excellent job." The most visible sign of the ongoing work is the driving range. Where once there was grass, there’s now a thick dirt floor. Where once there were trees at the far end, there’s now openness. A stand of trees, which is evident in the oldest of club photos, had to be removed to enlarge the facility. "We needed to do something because it was not big enough for our membership," says Wise. There will be tee areas at both ends of the driving range, and five target greens will be installed. A bulldozer operator arrived this week from Arizona to begin shaping the greens. Out on the course, at the 11th hole, there’s another change. A brick wall that once guarded the green on the par-3 hole has been removed and a sand trap put in its place. "People are really liking it," says Mohler. "It turned out well. The contrast with the sand is pretty nice, and there’s less penalty." Part of the master plan for the course, says Wise, was to have four sets of tees on every hole. A handful of tee areas — hole Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 6 — will be redone and expanded during the next couple months. Among the most dramatic changes will be the addition of the 3.4-acre holding pond between the third and seventh holes on the inside nine. The third hole, a long par 4, will be straightened out and will feature a new green. The pond, to be started next month, will provide insurance of water when service from Medford Irrigation District is interrupted. When the project is completed, the irrigation system will reach all corners of the course in less time and will require fewer man hours to hand water certain areas. The system being replaced was continually added to until the stress became too great, leading to an inordinate amount of line breaks. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers Advertisement s