Homeowner Guest tournament has Black Butte Ranch reaching for near-perfect conditions

Black Butte Ranch’s golf course conditioning works sort of like an arch. It builds all season long, hitting a high point before fading into the winter.

That high point is upon us.

The change in seasons obviously dictates much of the conditioning schedule. But Black Butte Ranch’s golf course maintenance staff has an added incentive to get Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow in peak shape by August: The annual Homeowner Guest Classic Invitational, which will be held Aug. 28-30.

“To me, the homeowners are the most important segment of golfers that we see,” says Phil Lagao, superintendent at Black Butte Ranch. “We always want to put our best foot forward for the Homeowner Guest.”

Evidence of the upcoming tournament, Black Butte Ranch’s longest-running tournament, is beginning to show.

To prepare, Black Butte Ranch has already applied a summer round of fertilizer on both golf courses. That has already fostered the lush emerald green color at both Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow.

And the crew has added supplemental irrigation and performed some repair work on the irrigation system at Big Meadow, mostly replacing sprinklers and valve.

“It’s a 35-plus year-old system, so it needs maintenance,” Lagao says. “But I am pretty happy where we are at with it. We have been pretty responsive and proactive with the repairs that we have had to make.”

This is just the start.

Over the next few weeks, both courses will gradually reach near-perfect condition.

The crew will double cut and stripe the fairways. Then the greens will be double cut and rolled to “get the greens as quick and smooth and possible,” Lagao says.

“We work split shifts to try to get everything dialed in,” Lagao adds. “We want both golf courses in as good a shape as they can possibly be, because we want to take care of our homeowners and really show off both golf courses to their guests. We want homeowners and their guests to be proud of what they have.”

The work is not easy, but it is what the crew has been working toward all summer long. And Black Butte Ranch is getting close.

The result will be two golf courses fit for a championship.

“It’s a good test for my crew, especially all my new people who have been trained all year,” Lagao says. “We build toward that as that everybody is trained up. So it’s nice to see that all come to fruition at the end of the season.”

The crew even got a little help this week from Mother Nature, receiving about a quarter inch of rain. It was the first measurable precipitation in more than a month at Black Butte Ranch, Lagao says.

Of course, this is good news whether a golfer is a homeowner or not.

Before the golf season gives way to fall, Black Butte Ranch will be in the best shape of the year, sending us into golf’s offseason with fond memories of our favorite game.

Before then though, there is plenty of excellent golf still to be played at Black Butte Ranch. In fact, some of the best of the year.

“Things are actually in real good shape,” Lagao says. “I’m really happy with where we are at.”

Homeowners can get more information about the Homeowner Guest, one of Black Butte Ranch’s longest-lasting traditions, by calling 541-595-1292 or download a registration form.

But golfers need not be homeowners to enjoy the conditions. Book a tee time online, or call 855-210-5305 or the Golf Shop at 541-595-1545.

2019-07-23T17:13:56+00:00

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