Trevor Meints shares his sod secrets to get Castle Pines GC ready for the BMW Championship

Trevor Meints is used to change. Every year since he arrived at Castle Pines Golf Club in 2015 as an assistant superintendent, the Nicklaus-designed course has undergone continuous renovations. For example:

• 2015: New greens installation.
• 2016: Renovation of ponds at No. 17 and No. 10.
• 2018: New HDPE irrigation system.
• 2019: New water features on No. 9 and No. 17.
• 2017-2021: Extensive bunker, tee surround and green surround renovations, including redoing the par-5 No. 8 going into the green, and the whole practice range.
• 2022-23: Green surrounds, restarting and reassigning fairway lines.

This year has been no different, as the course has begun addressing drainage issues on specific holes throughout Castle Pines. The course, renowned for its tight fairways and demanding approach shots, will host the BMW Championship this year from Aug. 22-25.

“We have a lot of drainage going in on some of our most troublesome holes,” says Meints, superintendent of grounds and agronomics. He reports directly to Scott Valco, Castle Pines’ director of golf course and grounds. “We’ll do four this season – the practice, No. 2, 10 and 14. And then we’ll continue into next fall with more holes until they’re all done.”

The 10th hole, a downhill par 4, already notorious for its difficulty, is poised to become a real test of nerve at this year’s BMW Championship. Thanks to the recent drainage work, balls will roll further down the slope, potentially flirting with the adjacent pond.

“Drying out (No. 10 green) will increase competition because more balls are going to roll further downhill,” Meints says. “And with the way (tournament players) are hitting the ball as far as they are now, that pond is going to come into play quite a bit. I foresee (No. 10) being a very difficult hole to get down the fairway, especially with us drying it out. The balls are going to roll out a lot longer, and if you can stay to the front before you get to the pond, it will be a big get for the players.”

Maintaining a championship-caliber course while undergoing renovations is no easy feat, admits Meints. His team has faced the daunting task of relaying nearly 40 acres of bentgrass sod over the past five years – a monumental effort to get roots established with Colorado’s arid summer climate.

“Regrowing and re-establishing sod has been very difficult, especially in this type of dry climate throughout the summer and into late summer here in Colorado,” he says of the Castle Rock-based course, which is situated 30 miles south of Denver and 35 miles north of Colorado Springs. “We’re trying to keep (the new sod) watered and keep it growing and get it established really quickly.”

Meints tips his hat to the skills and collective agronomic know-how of his grounds crew, who he says deserves much of the credit for their sodding success.

“Many of the guys have been with us for five to seven years, and they really understand what’s going on (with the course) and what we need to do to get (the turf) to grow,” he says.

The secret stuff

So, what are their sod secrets to get the course into championship-level playing condition?

First and foremost, minimizing foot traffic is paramount to allow the new turf to establish. Irrigation plays a vital role in this process, as well. Meints says this involves meticulous moisture monitoring and hand watering.

“The end of July is usually monsoon season for us. And then in August, it can get really dry, really quick. Two years ago, we went August, September and October with under a tenth of an inch of rain. But then last year, we did get a little bit of rain. So, managing that – especially heading into the late August BMW Championship – can be a big challenge for us.”

Nutrition is critical, as well, and it starts before the sod is even unrolled.

“We throw a little bit of fertilizer down underneath the sod to help it out and to keep it growing,” he says. “We have a special organic fertilizer that we bring in — it’s got a little bit of compost in it — helps the roots establish. We’ve learned getting some organics down early really helps out instead of placing (the sod) on bare ground.”

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