Quite a bit has happened since the last website update – feel free to check out our Instagram page @7milegolf for regular site photos and musings.
The seeding and grassing program has continued and we have now established grass on holes 1,2,13,14,16,17 and 18.
The final burn was concluded right before the fire permit season began, it has been a huge operation and the contractors from Ground Proof Mapping and Tinning Earthworks put in many long nights to get the job done in time. We have all learned a lot of invaluable lessons that can be applied to our next project – Five Mile Beach, more on that later…
Mike DeVries from CDP and Michael Henderson (local Australian shaper – Holes in the Ground) have been diligently shaping and clearing 15, 10, 11, 12 and part of 6. Most of the shaping has been completed with the 5th hole being the only one untouched.
Even though Hobart has a lot less wind than the West coast or places like Barnbougle and Cape Whickham, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have our own set of challenges.
Due to the pine trees and their constant allelopathy on any vegetation below, there is a lot of exposed sand. Ideally, there would be some native coastal grasses to help stabilize the sand. In our case, the sand is subject to quite a bit of blow. Anthony and the team have to immediately hydroseed after DeVries and Co. have finished the final float. It’s amazing how quickly a green contour can be changed with a decent Southerly wind. We always like to refer back to the sage advice of Bob Ross – “there are no mistakes, just happy accidents”.
We took a break over the Christmas period while Mike D headed back for his white Christmas in Michigan and we will get back to grassing when he returns at the end of January. When I say “we” took a break I really mean Mike, as the crew has been continuing to install irrigation and keep everything ticking along. I guess after putting in 12 hr days, 6 days a week for the best part of 12 months. Mike has earned a little time off the dozer…
One of the great advantages and contributing factors as to why Clayton DeVries and Pont were hired is because Mike D and Clayts were willing to spend so much time on-site and in the field.
We started 2022 with 400 burn piles, a superintendent, one D5, and Mike D itching to push some sand.
We finish 2022 with 11 staff, 7 holes grassed, a practice fairway grassed, water storage built, water infrastructure (in progress, don’t get me started #iykyk) built, way too much construction equipment (if the course doesn’t work then we are starting a plant hire company) and millions of dollars invested into the local community.
The year ahead will be the culmination of decades of dreaming, 4 years of planning, 6 years of unsuccessfully trying to attract investment, and 3 years of getting on with it.
The nature of the beast is to be constantly forecasting everything that can go wrong and being blindsided by the things you couldn’t or didn’t forecast.
Let’s hope that in 12 months’ time, we can all save a date for when the inaugural tee shot is hit and everyone gets a chance to enjoy the passion, creativity, artistry, and serenity this beautiful little part of the world has to offer.
