When I decided to write this blog, I thought maybe every week would be the correct timing. Last week my computer decided to show me who was the boss. On Friday it sent my green committee agenda into cyberspace never to be seen again as I was trying to print it. Saturday morning as I was going to write this blog, it locked up and I spent all my writing time trying to figure out what went wrong. Hopefully it has accepted my apologies and will be my friend again.
The National Weather Service says we are stuck in this pattern where about twice a week a front comes in and causes abundant rain and some severe weather. According to their predictions this pattern may last two to four weeks. It may get worse as folk lore tells us that if it rains on Easter, it will rain for six weekends in a row. With a better than even chance of rain for Easter this Sunday, I do not want to even contemplate the ramifications.
With the abundant moisture and mostly above normal temperatures, the golf course has blossomed early this year. The tees and fairways are way ahead and look good when we can get them mowed. Herbicide applications are lagging behind on these areas and a few weeds are showing through but not too bad except around the tees. The new collars expansions around the greens are adapting to their new cutting height and losing that "wow, I just got buzzed look". The rough is loving the moisture and is growing like a weed and generally outpacing our best effort to keep it under control. Equipment malfunctions are not helping the matter but Mother Nature has been more of a limiting factor. The bunkers are just not very good right now. The heavy rains wash the sand off the faces, contaminating the sand with soil and debris, and clogging the drainage tiles. Some weeks the cycle is repeated even before we have a chance to move the sand back onto the faces. It is frustrating for the grounds staff but not a new problem. Some years it just doesn't rain heavily but it seems this year every rain is going to be a gully washer. The remedy is to renovate each bunker making sure the drainage functions properly, install a liner/barrier to protect the drainage and the sand from outside contamination, and then refill with fresh, clean sand. In the interim staff removes contaminated sand, fixes the washouts and as time allows adds fresh sand.
The programs for the greens are slowly beginning to come together and produce the quality surfaces desired. It has been hard to keep to the schedules with the weather and staff training, but the greens are starting to respond to the growth regulator application of 10 days ago. It will be time for another application on Monday. As the turf slows its vertical growth and topdressing is added weekly, the surface becomes smoother and less resistant to ball roll. Throw in rolling and mowing and with luck the greens will become the object of much conversation among golfers.
There is much for us to do to catch back up but the weather forecast does not sound promising for this weekend into next week. There are herbicide applications to be made both in the fairways and rough along with fertilizer treatments for the fairways. Our new golf cart policy was unveiled last Tuesday and it promptly stormed overnight and carts have been restricted to paths since. The early feedback on the new policy was positive and I observed good compliance with it that day. (The pro shop is handling the implementation of the new rules.) Hopefully this new idea will help protect the turf and create better playing conditions for you. The sun has come out now as all green side bunkers have been shoveled just in time for the possible severe storms tonight. Maybe the area will catch a break but either way we will cope with whatever Mother Nature throws us as we try to provide you with great playing conditions.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Augusta
Its the end of the first week of April and that can only mean that the Masters is being played and all eyes are upon possibly the most beautiful setting in golf (at least in April). Television does not do it justice, it must be experienced. Every detail has been attended to and even non golfers can appreciate the majesty of Augusta National.
Meanwhile back at the Country Club of Paducah another week has gone by without a frost that could damage the bermudagrass. Unfortunately, because it came out so early, the cool temperatures the end of March have made the plants very cautious and even though the temperatures have been warm for the last week, the bermuda has yet to show much enthusiasm. It is perking up though and hopefully it will decide that the time for growing is now. Next week we hope to further encourage it by fertilizing it. The practice tee was fertilized today and mowed too and the plan is to open the back tee on opening day next weekend. That is also the day we hope to remove the golf car restrictions and start implementing the new golf car control policy. The golf shop will have information for each group detailing the new methodology.
The greens continue to recover from aeration just not as quickly as I had hoped. It probably has something to do with the topdressing being a week behind the aeration but separating the two allowed us to not get too much sand on the greens at one time. Sand pickup by the mowers should be almost finished which will allow daily mowing to occur along with daily rolling. Next week will see a growth regulator application made that should improve the stress tolerance of the turf, create a more uniform surface, and increase the ball roll after several applications. While there are no illusions that these greens will ever be like Augusta National's during the Masters, I think we are on the path to creating fun, fast, and firm putting surfaces for your everyday enjoyment.
If you have been on the course you may have noticed some new faces on the staff. They are being trained as quickly as possible but it usually takes a couple of weeks to get new employees up to speed. As greens and tees are usually mowed with these seasonal staff members, our frequency has lagged because while training it takes twice as many people to accomplish said task. Balancing all the plates on the tray can be quite a challenge especially when the rains destroy the bunkers several weeks in a row. They are now all fixed at least until the next storm. We have yet to find the time to add the new improved sand but we have not forgotten it. The rough looks better each day and for the most part the mowers have been able to keep up.
Other little items slowing down our accomplishments have been one of the rough mowers breaking down, the sprayer breaking down, and the irrigation system operating spasmodically. Between these occurrances and training new people and watching The Masters, one can feel totally inadequate. But we will continue to give the college try and I know that it is only a matter of time before all plans will come together and we will present you with a course you will not be able to stay away from.
Meanwhile back at the Country Club of Paducah another week has gone by without a frost that could damage the bermudagrass. Unfortunately, because it came out so early, the cool temperatures the end of March have made the plants very cautious and even though the temperatures have been warm for the last week, the bermuda has yet to show much enthusiasm. It is perking up though and hopefully it will decide that the time for growing is now. Next week we hope to further encourage it by fertilizing it. The practice tee was fertilized today and mowed too and the plan is to open the back tee on opening day next weekend. That is also the day we hope to remove the golf car restrictions and start implementing the new golf car control policy. The golf shop will have information for each group detailing the new methodology.
The greens continue to recover from aeration just not as quickly as I had hoped. It probably has something to do with the topdressing being a week behind the aeration but separating the two allowed us to not get too much sand on the greens at one time. Sand pickup by the mowers should be almost finished which will allow daily mowing to occur along with daily rolling. Next week will see a growth regulator application made that should improve the stress tolerance of the turf, create a more uniform surface, and increase the ball roll after several applications. While there are no illusions that these greens will ever be like Augusta National's during the Masters, I think we are on the path to creating fun, fast, and firm putting surfaces for your everyday enjoyment.
If you have been on the course you may have noticed some new faces on the staff. They are being trained as quickly as possible but it usually takes a couple of weeks to get new employees up to speed. As greens and tees are usually mowed with these seasonal staff members, our frequency has lagged because while training it takes twice as many people to accomplish said task. Balancing all the plates on the tray can be quite a challenge especially when the rains destroy the bunkers several weeks in a row. They are now all fixed at least until the next storm. We have yet to find the time to add the new improved sand but we have not forgotten it. The rough looks better each day and for the most part the mowers have been able to keep up.
Other little items slowing down our accomplishments have been one of the rough mowers breaking down, the sprayer breaking down, and the irrigation system operating spasmodically. Between these occurrances and training new people and watching The Masters, one can feel totally inadequate. But we will continue to give the college try and I know that it is only a matter of time before all plans will come together and we will present you with a course you will not be able to stay away from.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
April Showers?
March has ended like a lion on an eight day cold spell that has sent the bermuda into retreat. What looked promising three weeks ago for early green up has eroded into just being a little ahead of normal. You may notice that some of the bermuda leaves have turned a purplish color in response to the cold and wet weather. Hopefully there will be some sunny days in the next couple of weeks with not so cold nights that will allow the turf to at least come completely out of dormancy. When the weather is right, it will be fertilized with a fast acting nitrogen source to further speed the recovery from winter.
February and March gave us abundant moisture and now we enter the two wettest months of the year. It is a change from the past couple of years but does add complications to bringing the course up to speed. Already it kept us from making a dormant weed control application to bermuda and zoysia and continues to keep us from making an alternate application. Gazing into the crystal weather ball shows that application may get made this coming week around the tees and bunkers where the broadleaf weeds are the thickest. The weather has certainly played havoc with the bunkers and staff is about to get all of them back in shape for the impending storms headed our way on Monday. New sand has arrived and as our staff grows to full strength, it will be added where necessary.
Aeration of greens is done but the process is not finished. Once again the weather slowed us down. That coupled with the fact that staff is short, caused a change in the process to occur. We concentrated on the aeration and the cleanup of cores pulled and then worked at brushing the material that fell off the cores back into the holes. No new topdressing has been added yet leaving many holes unfilled. Topdressing will be added this week and worked in. Doing it this way actually may work better as we do not have equipment that does a good job of incorporating alot of material at one time (hence why we wanted to demo the Sweep N Fill machine). Separating the topdressing from the aeration will allow our equipment to better incorporate the topdressing. It may slow the healing process slightly but the weather has already slowed the whole operation down with the rain and lack of sun last week. Another distressing factor was the malfunction of the irrigation system that inexpliciably ran on #16 green when it was covered with cores delaying the cleaning by a full day.
April is a busy month with not only bringing the course back but readying the outdoor tennis courts for usuage and training the new staff members that have been hired. In addition a new work schedule is being implemented and the bugs have to be worked out of it. Am I hoping for a dry April? No, but normal would suit me just fine. Anyway, the challenges are before us and now it is time to get cracking and produce. See you in the sun on the course.
February and March gave us abundant moisture and now we enter the two wettest months of the year. It is a change from the past couple of years but does add complications to bringing the course up to speed. Already it kept us from making a dormant weed control application to bermuda and zoysia and continues to keep us from making an alternate application. Gazing into the crystal weather ball shows that application may get made this coming week around the tees and bunkers where the broadleaf weeds are the thickest. The weather has certainly played havoc with the bunkers and staff is about to get all of them back in shape for the impending storms headed our way on Monday. New sand has arrived and as our staff grows to full strength, it will be added where necessary.
Aeration of greens is done but the process is not finished. Once again the weather slowed us down. That coupled with the fact that staff is short, caused a change in the process to occur. We concentrated on the aeration and the cleanup of cores pulled and then worked at brushing the material that fell off the cores back into the holes. No new topdressing has been added yet leaving many holes unfilled. Topdressing will be added this week and worked in. Doing it this way actually may work better as we do not have equipment that does a good job of incorporating alot of material at one time (hence why we wanted to demo the Sweep N Fill machine). Separating the topdressing from the aeration will allow our equipment to better incorporate the topdressing. It may slow the healing process slightly but the weather has already slowed the whole operation down with the rain and lack of sun last week. Another distressing factor was the malfunction of the irrigation system that inexpliciably ran on #16 green when it was covered with cores delaying the cleaning by a full day.
April is a busy month with not only bringing the course back but readying the outdoor tennis courts for usuage and training the new staff members that have been hired. In addition a new work schedule is being implemented and the bugs have to be worked out of it. Am I hoping for a dry April? No, but normal would suit me just fine. Anyway, the challenges are before us and now it is time to get cracking and produce. See you in the sun on the course.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Spring has sprung a leak
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.
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 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.
Friday, February 25, 2011
TGIF
Its the end of the second week since I returned from the Golf Industry Show. Last week Florida weather followed me home and we were able to accomplish alot on the course. Greens were mowed and rolled, holes changed, and the biggie was that the bunkers were fixed and raked. I hope you took the time to enjoy the course last weekend.
This week has been rainy and seasonally tempered and most of the time has been spent back in the shop working on equipment maintenance where we have been since early December. Although there is still much to do inside before everything will be ready to go, last week was a welcome respite. If you were out last week, you may have noticed the blue paint around the tees, greens and fairways. These are my markings to guide the application of Roundup and preemergent herbicides and also to denote the new mowing patterns that I have talked about in the newsletter.
The main reason for the changes that actually began last spring is economical. Even before the downturn, I was looking for ways to improve and simplify the care of the golf course. In other words, spend the money allocated on the most important parts. Those parts are obviously greens first, then tees and fairways, and ending with bunkers and rough. Throughout the last 17 years the programs have been tailored to improve all areas usually responding to membership assessment of the area. For instance, when bunkers were drawing the most criticism, a new way of raking was embarked upon that alleviated most of the objections. However, that way of raking was too time consuming in the intervening years and had to be changed as labor was reduced sometimes causing more criticism.
Mowing is the largest task the staff does and some areas require more time and intensity than others. The intermediate rough around the tees, down to the fairways, around the fairways, and then around the greens and bunkers used to take 20-25 man hours twice per week using three mowers and men. Last year we moved the strip around the fairway to primary rough and cut 2-4 hours per mowing. This did increase the primary rough mowers but they run faster and the machines need less maintenance. This year we will be allowing the intermediate between the tees and fairways to be primary rough and also moving the areas around the greens to either collar cut or rough cut. The hope is to cut the intermediate time to around 10 man hours per mowing and only have to use 2 staff instead of three. Time to mow collars will increase as will rough mowing. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of different height of cuts to three; a. green, b. tee, collar, and fairway, c. rough. This would allow us to trade in our three expensive to maintain intermediate rough mowers and only require us to add only one more rough mower. We can not get there this year unless a new rough mower is purchased that can handle the slopes that the current mowers do and that does not appear to be economically feasible. The rough mowers are rotary cut, generally wider, and less to maintain than the reel mowers. The labor is really a small savings and will be reallocated to triming and hopefully better bunker care.
Anyway, last week let me get out and mark many of the holes with the new patterns that I have been studying on all winter and made me ready to try them out. Usually I can do a pretty fair job of visualizing in my mind how it will look and play but there is always that uncertainty. Just like writing this blog. Time to go, hope you are considering using the course more this year. Stay warm and dry.
This week has been rainy and seasonally tempered and most of the time has been spent back in the shop working on equipment maintenance where we have been since early December. Although there is still much to do inside before everything will be ready to go, last week was a welcome respite. If you were out last week, you may have noticed the blue paint around the tees, greens and fairways. These are my markings to guide the application of Roundup and preemergent herbicides and also to denote the new mowing patterns that I have talked about in the newsletter.
The main reason for the changes that actually began last spring is economical. Even before the downturn, I was looking for ways to improve and simplify the care of the golf course. In other words, spend the money allocated on the most important parts. Those parts are obviously greens first, then tees and fairways, and ending with bunkers and rough. Throughout the last 17 years the programs have been tailored to improve all areas usually responding to membership assessment of the area. For instance, when bunkers were drawing the most criticism, a new way of raking was embarked upon that alleviated most of the objections. However, that way of raking was too time consuming in the intervening years and had to be changed as labor was reduced sometimes causing more criticism.
Mowing is the largest task the staff does and some areas require more time and intensity than others. The intermediate rough around the tees, down to the fairways, around the fairways, and then around the greens and bunkers used to take 20-25 man hours twice per week using three mowers and men. Last year we moved the strip around the fairway to primary rough and cut 2-4 hours per mowing. This did increase the primary rough mowers but they run faster and the machines need less maintenance. This year we will be allowing the intermediate between the tees and fairways to be primary rough and also moving the areas around the greens to either collar cut or rough cut. The hope is to cut the intermediate time to around 10 man hours per mowing and only have to use 2 staff instead of three. Time to mow collars will increase as will rough mowing. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of different height of cuts to three; a. green, b. tee, collar, and fairway, c. rough. This would allow us to trade in our three expensive to maintain intermediate rough mowers and only require us to add only one more rough mower. We can not get there this year unless a new rough mower is purchased that can handle the slopes that the current mowers do and that does not appear to be economically feasible. The rough mowers are rotary cut, generally wider, and less to maintain than the reel mowers. The labor is really a small savings and will be reallocated to triming and hopefully better bunker care.
Anyway, last week let me get out and mark many of the holes with the new patterns that I have been studying on all winter and made me ready to try them out. Usually I can do a pretty fair job of visualizing in my mind how it will look and play but there is always that uncertainty. Just like writing this blog. Time to go, hope you are considering using the course more this year. Stay warm and dry.
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