Spring began last Sunday amidst a beautiful weekend that carried over into outrageously hot days on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday was the swing day that had everything including hail and led into a return to below normal to normal weather for the rest of the month. Despite the wild swing in the weather and the fact that at least half of last year's seasonal staff has decided not to return, it was a productive week.
All fairways and collars have been cut short which will encourage green up that will in turn lead to allowing golf car traffic sooner. The cold night time temperatures will slow this progress but with the winter fluff gone the sun will warm the soil quicker. The majority of the rough was cut for the first time, the rain on Friday was just enough to prevent us from finishing. The bunkers on the front nine with the exception of fairway ones on 8 and 9 were fixed and raked. (This is where we missed those non-returning workers.) The irrigation system is now fully operational after our attempts of bringing it on line last week met with a disasterous leak on #14 where a tree root had grown completely around the pipe and caused it to pull apart.
In a trial run at greens aeration scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday, the practice green was aerated on Monday. The aerator did a credible job but the big news was the demonstration of a new piece of equipment called Sweep N Fill. It was used to brush the sand topdressing back into the aeration holes and did a wonderful job. The company then showed us other uses to fortify the need for its purchase. It was used on a regular green after mowing and it stood the existing turf up so much that we mowed the green a second time and collected almost as many clippings as the first mowing. Additionally, it was used to brush a swath on two fairways to show how it could control the bermuda from thatching up and laying over. It is an impressive piece and could help streamline the aeration process, groom the greens, and possible even the fairways (if labor could be allocated for that time consuming job). I recommended that it go to the top of the list of purchases.
On Monday a contractor will be here to deep tine the greens first with 1/2 inch solid tines on 4 inch centers. This will poke a hole without removing a core. Depth will be 8 to 10 inches that will make channels for water and roots to move through. As soon as he is finished on the first green, our aerator will begin making 1/2 holes 2.5 inches deep on a spacing of 1.4 x 2 inches. It will remove cores from the green that will be cleaned off. Sand will be applied to fill the holes. The Sweep N Fill machine would be utilized (if we had one) to clean after the cores are removed opening the holes for the sand to enter and then after the sand is applied it can move the sand into the holes and remove any excess. We will try to accomplish those tasks with brushes mounted on walking greensmowers, the roller, and a drag mat. After all the greens are finished (two days if weather cooperates and everything goes just right), fertilizer will be applied and then it can rain for a couple of days nice and easy. On Friday the greens may be mowed with old mowers to pick up any trash left on the surface and the first mowing with good mowers usually occurs on the following Monday.
This process worked reasonably well last year and there is no reason to expect otherwise except for Murphy's Law which golf course personnel are always leary of. With luck the greens will return to normal for the Master's weekend. I think most people are ready for warm temperatures. For me a nice slow but steady run up to summer would be just what the doctor ordered.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Last Days of Winter
The groundhog appears to have gotten the forecast correct as spring has arrived early. There has been abundant rainfall though and the area has gone from snow to flooding.
The bermuda continues to amaze me at how fast it is emerging from dormancy just a month after the last snow melted. The fairways are ready to be cut short removing the winter fluff that protects during cold weather. By doing this sunlight will penetrate to the soil warming it quicker and allowing the turf to come on stronger. The downside of starting this process so early is that there is still a possibility of frosts or freezes that could not only set back the bermuda but also kill it in its tender stage of new growth. Keep your fingers crossed for mild weather.
The tees have been cut down in the last two days and will continue to green as the days get longer. Next on the list are the collars and approach areas. The areas have to be blown clean first and the expanded areas may have to be cut twice as those areas all used to be rough.
With luck the majority of the seasonal staff will show up next week as the early spring has overwhelmed the six of us the last couple of weeks. Monday the practice green will be aerated in order for a demonstration of a Sweep N Fill brush to be done. This brush promises to put the sand topdressing into the aeration holes better than everything else. We are hopeful. If rain misses us tonight, fairways may be dry enough to be cut early next week and may be sprayed for poa annua too. Bunkers are high on our priority list especially now that we have gotten another load of sand for them.
The rest of the greens will be aerated starting on the 28th. This is a two day process and this year it will start with a contractor deep tining them with solid 1/2 inch tines to a depth of 8-10 inches. We will follow with our regular aerator and then topdressing. Look for them to be good in about 10 days.
I hope you are getting the itch for golf. There still isn't much roll in the fairways but the greens are rolling pretty smoothly. The new hole location guide is being implemented with some different looks. Last Friday was our debut and it did not go as well as planned with the location on #17 being unplayable. That situation was rectified and last Monday staff spent 90 minutes in training to make sure all staff are on the same page with knowlege and expectations and hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on. The shelters are open and the water coolers were put out late this afternoon. Carts are still restricted to the paths as we wait for the bermuda to green up and the ground to dry up.
The bermuda continues to amaze me at how fast it is emerging from dormancy just a month after the last snow melted. The fairways are ready to be cut short removing the winter fluff that protects during cold weather. By doing this sunlight will penetrate to the soil warming it quicker and allowing the turf to come on stronger. The downside of starting this process so early is that there is still a possibility of frosts or freezes that could not only set back the bermuda but also kill it in its tender stage of new growth. Keep your fingers crossed for mild weather.
The tees have been cut down in the last two days and will continue to green as the days get longer. Next on the list are the collars and approach areas. The areas have to be blown clean first and the expanded areas may have to be cut twice as those areas all used to be rough.
With luck the majority of the seasonal staff will show up next week as the early spring has overwhelmed the six of us the last couple of weeks. Monday the practice green will be aerated in order for a demonstration of a Sweep N Fill brush to be done. This brush promises to put the sand topdressing into the aeration holes better than everything else. We are hopeful. If rain misses us tonight, fairways may be dry enough to be cut early next week and may be sprayed for poa annua too. Bunkers are high on our priority list especially now that we have gotten another load of sand for them.
The rest of the greens will be aerated starting on the 28th. This is a two day process and this year it will start with a contractor deep tining them with solid 1/2 inch tines to a depth of 8-10 inches. We will follow with our regular aerator and then topdressing. Look for them to be good in about 10 days.
I hope you are getting the itch for golf. There still isn't much roll in the fairways but the greens are rolling pretty smoothly. The new hole location guide is being implemented with some different looks. Last Friday was our debut and it did not go as well as planned with the location on #17 being unplayable. That situation was rectified and last Monday staff spent 90 minutes in training to make sure all staff are on the same page with knowlege and expectations and hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on. The shelters are open and the water coolers were put out late this afternoon. Carts are still restricted to the paths as we wait for the bermuda to green up and the ground to dry up.
Friday, March 4, 2011
March Lambs
We are finally rid of February, and March has arrived like a lamb with the first days being above normal. Does this mean that it will end like a lion? Who knows? The abundant moisture last month has left the course wet in the drainage ways and is keeping (along with the wind) staff from spraying the poa in the warm season turf with Roundup. With the bermuda starting to send up new shoots even though they are still covered with the dormant fluff, the window of opportunity has probably passed. Especially since the forecast tonight is for 1-3 inches of more rainfall. Plans are in the works to spot spray some of these areas with a selective herbicide to kill the poa. The chemical will be more expensive than Roundup but by targeting the worst areas the cost will stay under control.
The greens are leaving dormancy and it is amazing to notice the differences in the varieties. Some are bright green while the worst are still purple from the cold. None are growing much yet (two frosts this week probably did not help) but our once a week mowing has smoothed them. They are still a little bumpy but that will go away with topdressing and rolling. The first of the seasonal staff will return next week and activity will pick up on the course. A load of bunker sand is on the way and will be used to get them back in playable condition (assuming it does not rain every other day). There are many limbs to collect and some trees to trim and we hope to finish measuring the greens next week.
My plans are to post to this blog weekly and now I have set up a Twitter account to post small snippets of information on course conditions. Whether it will be daily remains to be seen. You can follow me on Twitter at lhantlecgcs. I will also post these blogs on Twitter (that is supposed to make it easier for you). I am still learning the technology but this hopefully this will be informational for the membership and fun for me.
The greens are leaving dormancy and it is amazing to notice the differences in the varieties. Some are bright green while the worst are still purple from the cold. None are growing much yet (two frosts this week probably did not help) but our once a week mowing has smoothed them. They are still a little bumpy but that will go away with topdressing and rolling. The first of the seasonal staff will return next week and activity will pick up on the course. A load of bunker sand is on the way and will be used to get them back in playable condition (assuming it does not rain every other day). There are many limbs to collect and some trees to trim and we hope to finish measuring the greens next week.
My plans are to post to this blog weekly and now I have set up a Twitter account to post small snippets of information on course conditions. Whether it will be daily remains to be seen. You can follow me on Twitter at lhantlecgcs. I will also post these blogs on Twitter (that is supposed to make it easier for you). I am still learning the technology but this hopefully this will be informational for the membership and fun for me.
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