#14 Tee, Nursery Green and 5 Tee

It's been a little while since I've updated our blog; oh my have we been busy.  Between building the nursery/chipping green, the championship tee on 14 and re-sodding a few tees on the golf course, we've been really going at it.  Please enjoy the pictures of our work on the projects below.

Nursery Green sprigs

Topdressed sprigs - water runs every 1.5 hrs to keep them growing

#5 Tee before sod cutting - fresh Zoysia is going down today!

#14 tee with 'Zorro' Zoysia grass - an excellent shade tolerant variety

The finished tee box.  We can't wait for this to grow in.

Regarding general course conditions, I am very pleased with how the golf course came through the winter.  Some tree trimming and tarping greens seems to have been successful when compared to the last year.  We are also happy to have had warm weather return much sooner than it did last year.  The greens are filling in nicely; we are working to smooth them out with several practices including grooming, brushing, topdressing and vertical mowing.  We will be doing a 1/4 inch hollow tine aeration with topdressing April 18 and 19 to open the greens up and remove a little organic matter.  I have also been pushing the fertilizer on the tees and green surrounds to get them recovering and growing much quicker and fuller.

We had our mole cricket application last week.  We had 50 acres of a labeled mole cricket insecticide slit injected into the fairways, tee complexes, and green surrounds.  There is some adult mole cricket activity as this is their mating time.  We will be supplementing the insecticide with an additional spray application in areas that were not treated and have a history of problems and turfgrass injury in May.

Fresh Update!

With sincere apologies to the readers, it has been over a month since our last update.  We have been rather busy on the golf course and I wanted to let you all see some of our recent work.

During the very cold spells that we have recently had in the area the staff has been working hard building and painting new tee markers, removing dead or fall hazard trees and enhancing the aesthetics of the golf course.  Attached are a few pictures of some recent work.



Fresh tee markers ready for a spike and paint.



Stabilizing the bank on the left side of #5 tee

 

Tree removal

 Progress is being made on the tee project on #14.  In the most recent mailing from the pro shop there was a nice picture taken from the tee.  The yardage will measure 188 to the center of the green and be a full 165 yd carry.  We have decided to sod the tee with a variety of Zoysiagrass that is very shade tolerant.  That combined with some selective tree removal will give us a very good chance of keeping the grass to enjoy the tee for many years to come.  In addition to the sod on #14, we will be re-sodding some tees with Zoysia or a shade tolerant variety of Bermudagrass.  #5 tee is going to be getting fresh sod as you can see from the picture below the Bermudagrass has failed on the tee due to a lack of prolonged sunlight throughout the year.

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#5 tee before sod.



 We recently had a blowout on #9 fairway.  A "T"ee blew out a fitting and left us a nice sized hole with a mass of water pouring out of the ground.  We were able to repair the fitting and put everything back together.  Unfortunately the blow out happened on a Friday and we couldn't get parts until Tuesday.  Thankfully it happened while we were on site and not in the evening or part of the fairway would have washed into the ditch.

We will continue with tree work and stump grinding as the winter progresses.  Our sod plans for the tees are for March so that we don't have to close usable tees for longer than necessary. 

We are preparing to build a chipping and nursery green near #10 tee and the driving range.  With the dirt work and greens mix expected to be completed in March, we will be sprigging the green in late March or early April and hope to be using it by the end of the summer.  This will be a great addition giving us an extra putting green for tournaments, back 9 starts and lessons or clinics!  Stay tuned for updates!

What's Up(date) 12/16/2010




Iced #3 fairway

 

 Wow, we've had some cold, dry weather the past two weeks!  That cold, dry air can really take a toll on young ryegrass seedlings and I see some damage on a few fairways driving around the golf course.  Thankfully, it's 65 degrees outside today and we are expecting some rain this weekend.  The extremely low temperatures have really hindered our ability to get water on the golf course as we can not run water when the air temperature is below 32 degrees.  Given the fragile nature of our irrigation system, the attached photo is a good example of what happens.  Essentially the head stuck on and then ran all night creating a sheet of ice on the fairway that we had to route traffic around to prevent damage to the turf below.

In an effort to combat the freezing conditions some facilities use tarps to cover greens during excessively cold spells.  Knowing there are a few greens on the golf course that freeze when the temperatures get low we purchased a large tarp to trap some heat and keep the green a little warmer.  We are testing this out on the back side of #6 green this year.  This is the section of the green that gave us so much trouble this past winter/spring due to excessive tree shading and the frozen surface. 

I am hoping that by tarping the back of the green during multiple cold days, we will keep the plant warmer and keep it from going into a dormant state so that it will come out of winter stronger than last year.  Should you be playing on a day that we have deemed it necessary to leave the tarp on the green, please consider it ground under repair if your ball comes to rest on the tarp.  Generally we expect to completely remove the tarp during warmer spells, but we will leave the tarp rolled off the back of the green on days where the night time lows will be excessively low for consecutive nights.  There was a very distinct line of where the tarp was when we removed it this past week.

As the trees behind the green continue to grow taller, this green will continue to have shade issues and frozen conditions unless we can remove or thin the the trees behind the green.

I am sometimes asked during these days when the temperatures are excessively cold,  "What are you guys doing today?"  I wanted to take a few minutes to elaborate on cold weather maintenance and what we do when it is just too cold for grass to grow and the golf course is not busy.  As some of you may have noticed, we have begun adding pine straw to the beds at tee boxes and cleaning up some of the larger landscaping beds.  This is work that unfortunately gets pushed to the winter time because we simply do not have the staff to keep up with these periphery projects during the growing season. 

However, we also have an entire fleet of turf equipment that gets annual maintenance inspections, oil changes and lubes, cutting units sharpened, and equipment parts replaced. 

In our fleet there are:

• 2 heavy duty utility carts
• 8 general use utility carts
• 2 greens mowers
• 1 tee mower
• 12 cutting reels to be sharpened
• 2 fairway mowers each with 5 cutting units
• 1 slopes/surrounds mower
• 1 30 hp tractor
• 1 45 hp tractor
• 1 60 hp tractor
• 1 pull behind rough mower
• 2 pine straw sweeping machines
• 1 3-wheeled bunker machine
• 2 dedicated sprayers
• 1 dedicated greens roller
• 1 topdresser
• small attachment items that we use occasionally throughout the year. 

The winter time is the best time to do fluid changes and larger preventive maintenance on these pieces of equipment as the frequency of use is much less than during the growing season and we can really take our time to keep the equipment in top shape.  Most of the equipment that we use on the golf course is between 4 and 6 years old.  To put a number on this, our greens mowers have about 2000 hours on them.  A good equation to car miles is 100 miles per hour of use.  That would be the equivalent of having over 200,000 miles on a car!

Wrapping up, have a safe holiday during these upcoming weeks.  We look forward to seeing you out enjoying this warm weather!

Update for December 6

Lighting up lasers on 15 fairway!

I had to start with a fun picture because I move on to the not fun topic of frost and cold.

WOW, IT'S COLD!

We're expecting some very cold temperatures overnight this week and I wanted to take the time to insert an excerpt on frost and why it's so important to stay off frost covered turf.  Yes, it's frustrating to show up early and hear the infamous "frost delay" radio communication, but it's equally frustrating for us on the turf management side because we want to be out of the way and let you enjoy your round without being asked for the ump-teenth time, "When do you think we can go?"  All joking aside, I want you to understand that we do everything that we can to help you get on the golf course as early as possible.  On the positive side, it will definitely be warmer when you do get out there than it was during the frost delay!

• How can a footprint be a killer?
  
  When it's a footprint made on a grass surface that's covered with frost. It's hard to believe that simply walking across a golf green covered with frost can cause so much damage, but the proof will be there in a few days as the turfgrass dies and leaves a trail of brown footprints. That's why most courses will delay starting times until the frost has melted.
• Why does frost cause problems?
  
  Greens are fragile. The putting surface, or green, is an extremely fragile environment that must be managed carefully and professionally. Remember that every green is a collection of millions of individual grass plants, each of which is a delicate living thing. Obviously, Mother Nature never meant for these plants to be maintained at 3/16 or even 1/8 of an inch for prolonged periods. This stress makes greens constantly vulnerable to attacks from insects, disease, heat, drought, cold -- and frost.
  
  
  Frost is essentially frozen dew. It can form when the temperature (or wind chill) is near or below the freezing point. The ice crystals that form on the outside of the plant can also harden or even freeze the cell structure of the plant. When frosted, the normally resilient plant cells become brittle and are easily crushed. When the cell membranes are damaged, the plant loses its ability to function normally. It's not much different than cracking an egg. Once the shell is broken, you can't put it back together.
  
  
  
• The proof is in the prints
  
  
  Although you won't see any immediate damage if you walk on frosted turf, the proof will emerge within 48 to 72 hours as the leaves die and turn brown. And, since just one foursome can leave several hundred footprints on each green, the damage can be very extensive.
  
  The damage isn't just unsightly -- putting quality will also be reduced until repairs are made. Those repairs are expensive and, in some cases, the green may have to be kept out of play for days or weeks until the new turfgrass is established. A short delay while the frost melts can preserve the quality of the greens, prevent needless repairs and may even save you a few strokes the next time you play.



#5 Fairway

Outside of the impressive frost delays, the golf course is looking great!  The overseed is really striping up beautifully and the greens are rolling well.  We have been working on getting the new pine straw into the beds throughout the golf course as well as sweeping up more straw as it falls to the ground.



We have a few herbicide sprays to finish up in the next week as the winds die back down to catch some Poa annua that has shown up and winter weeds in the roughs and greens surrounds.

I'm hoping that we will be able to do a micro solid tine aeration to the greens this winter a few times.  I have seen a little algae in some of the lower spots and have adjusted the water accordingly, but the roots still need to breathe.  The micro tines will allow the gas exchange to occur without disrupting ball roll in the least bit.





Weekly Update....gobble gobble

With the wonder of mobile technology, I am posting this week's update on my trip to see family in southwest Florida. This past week we have been busy with the beginning of winter maintenance.

Pine straw sweeping began as did pine straw bed replenishment. We are starting at the clubhouse and will be working the golf course beds throughout the months of December and January as time allows.

Work continues on 14 championship tee. We have begun removing the stumps and underbrush around the tee to allow sunlight and air flow through that small section of the golf course. In addition, we have been removing the stumps between 1 & 2. We have several (many) dead and dying trees to remove still and will continue through the winter.

The first fairway fertilizer application went great! We applied a nice slow release fertilizer at just under 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 sqft to feed the new grass for about ten weeks. This takes us well into late winter and helps us prepare for a good transition. We will be working on adjusting irrigation run times the next week to provide a firmer fairway and prevent some of the ball plugging that is too common with the overseeded conditions.

Have a great Thanksgiving! Dugan and I will see you again in December....sorry no pictures this week, the iPhone does have it's limits.

Adding Photos from Last Week



Gravel pathway for cart access.

I mentioned some of the work that had been done last week in regards to the championship tee on #14 and wanted to add some photos for you to see the work in progress.

Spooky looking tee shot, not for the faint of heart!

  

Also I wanted to address the pink flags and tape that have turned up on the back 9 holes 16 through 18.  These are marking the wetland boundaries throughout the golf course for the Army Corps of Engineers and the state of Florida.  The last survey was from the late '90s and out of date.  These flags do not have any bearing on the golf course as it has been marked for play, but we are working with our Civil Engineering Squadron to replace the flags with something a little more appropriate for the golf course.  Please do not move the flags or tape nor enter into these wetland areas should your ball go into them.

What's Up(date) for November 8-12



#16 fairway striping nicely!



It's great to be out of the early cold spell we had at the end of last week.  Unfortunately, even though perennial ryegrass is a cool-season turf it still needs some warmer nights to get it going.  Night time temps last weekend were in the lower 30s and we ideally wanted to be in the upper 40s and 50s for good germination and emergence.  The low temperatures simply slowed the growth a bit and we are now seeing good emergence on the majority of the seed.  There are a few dry areas where the seed may be slow, but I am confident that it will come up nicely as we get back into the night time temperatures in the 50s and a little supplemental irrigation.



#5 Fairway



We've been working on re-establishing the championship tee on #14 and it is very exciting to see the work that has been done with the white rock pathway and tree removal.  We're going to be running an irrigation line to the tee and installing small irrigation heads to only water the tee and minimize wasting water in that area.  Our plan is to seed the tee for some late winter usage and sod with a shade-tolerant variety of bermudagrass called 'Celebration'.  We will also be adding this sod to some of the tees on the course that have declined due to excess shade and traffic.



A late week greens spray app included the second pre-emergent application to minimize Poa annua on the putting surfaces this year.  Also in the mix was a fungicide, some fertilizers and a wetting agent to get the spray mixture into the soil where it will be most effective.



#15 fairway

I'm attaching a few pictures of the fairways as Luke Survis and I went around the golf course this afternoon for an enjoyable round of golf.  We're looking forward to the rest of winter and this weekend's Retiree Chammpionship!



'What's Up'Date for the week of November 1st - OVERSEEDING!!!

This week we made the jump into winter with our overseeding of the fairways, par 3 tees, and driving range.  We had the same company apply the seed that does our spring time application for mole cricket control.  Instead of a rotary broadcast spreader, they use a blower system that applies the seed very evenly and consistently.  They are using a similar controller that we use on our chemical sprayer to monitor and control the seeding rate, quantity, and acreage covered.  A single applicator started seeding fairways around 7:30 and was finished by 1:30-2pm.  We spread the tie-ins to the approaches and tees and called it a day by 5pm.  The full overseed operation was completed by Tuesday afternoon with a few little touchups.

Then came the rain.  I was happy to see rainfall in the forecast this week to help with seed establishment.  Initially the rain started Wednesday as a nice, slow rain.  All was good.  Then the cells and system continued to grow and we got a few heavy showers.  As the rain slowed in the afternoon, Jeff and I toured the golf course to see how much, if any, seed had washed away or floated to higher ground.  To our surprise we saw little wash out except in a few spots and less floating seed than we had expected.  We actually saw in some select areas seed that had already sprouted and had put up first leaves on certain fairways.  I fully anticipate having some loss of density in a few areas and will be planning on spreading more seed to those areas, but I am very happy with the amount of seed we still found in the fairways after the rain.  As of 4:15pm November 3, we have recorded almost 2" of rain since the day started.

I'm attaching a video of the seeding operation to give everyone a better understanding of the speed and consistency that the application offers.

I was thinking this past month about how dry it had been compared to last year and pulled the records from Wunderground.com - Last October, the average temperature high was 78 degrees.  The average temperature minimum was 63 degrees.  The total rainfall was 5.8 inches.

This year we averaged 80 degrees high temperature, and 57 degrees minimum.  Total rainfall.............0.02"!!!!  What a drastic difference!  

Week of 10/25/2010

Looks like we are in for a nice spell of weather this week with a potential cold front rolling through the latter half of the week. 

We're taking the opportunity to do a light verti-cutting on the greens to remove a little thatch and stand the plants up a bit.  We are also trying to cut some of the runners that have shown up on some greens that have grown above the plants instead of staying in the canopy.

The whole process turned out nicely and we may do it one more time if the warm weather returns and stays around.  We are still working on removing sick and dead trees throughout the golf course as well as adding sand to bunkers, edging cart paths, late season weed control, and getting ready for the overseed next month. 

  

Overseed is coming!

Overseed is scheduled for the golf course on Monday, November 1.  The golf course will be closed that day.  In addition we will restrict cart traffic to the path only for several days following overseeding to prevent tracking the seed into the roughs.  We will be overseeding the fairways, par 3 tees, and the driving range this year.  Our watering schedule is yet to be determined, but should not affect you as you play the golf course.

We have lots of work planned this winter including tree removals, re-opening a tee on #14, edging paths, and hopefully building a nursery green.

I hope to do a better job keeping this up to date for you this year and will work to make a more consistent update throughout the winter.