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  Out with the old, in with the new

The old, worn and poor-conditioned grass on four greens at the Texas Woman’s University Pioneer Golf Course was recently replaced and is expected to be ready for play as early as August.

The Bermuda 328 sod on the greens of the seventh, eighth, 16th and 17th holes was removed early Monday and replaced the same day with Premier Bermuda turf from Trinity Turf Nursery, Inc., a commercial-turf grass farm in Pilot Point.

DRC/Barry Vermillion

Al Canterbury trims the new Premier Bermuda sod on the eighth green at the Texas Woman’s University Pioneer Golf Course on Monday.

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The course maintenance staff and Al Canterbury’s Lewisville company, Green Side Up, removed the old sod. Canterbury’s crew prepared and installed the new turf. Tom Roese, Pioneer Golf Course superintendent, said the work was finished around 9 p.m. Monday.

“We rolled and watered in the new sod on all four greens before we left,” he said.

Bermuda grass varieties are some of the most commonly used grasses on golf courses in warmer areas of the United States and Texas, primarily because of their tolerance to drought, heat and traffic.

“Some of the old sod on No. 17 is still in good shape,” Roese said. “We’ll use it to repair spots on some of the other greens.”

DRC/Barry Vermillion

Green Side Up landscaping workers, including company owner Al Canterbury, kneeling, remove sod from the seventh green at the course.

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The old sod from the other three greens has been used to fill in low areas around the course, particularly behind the fifth green, Roese said.

Temporary greens have been cut and are in place for the four holes. The new greens should be ready for play in about a month, he said, depending on how the turf responds to maintenance and the weather.

“We’re going to take our time with the new sod,” Roese said. “Our golfers won’t mind using temporaries for a while when they see the new turf begin to green up.”

BARRY VERMILLION can be reached at 940-566-6890. His e-mail address is bvermillion@dentonrc.com .

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