Frost

It is that time of year we have to start watching out for Frost.  Please obey the signs.  If you are not sure please ask in the Pro Shop.  They will give you a start time as soon as the Maintenance staff has a handle on when it is o.k. to be on the course.  When the course is closed that means the putting green is off limits.  Some members think it is o.k. to putt when there is a frost delay.

Here is a video from the USGA that explains frost issues.  I could not explain it any better.

A Skunky Job

     We have been trying to capture the animal living on the west end of the clubhouse for about a week now.  We finally know what it is.  We have caught 2 skunks so far.  I hope 2 is all we have.  The first skunk was very docile we laid a tarp over the trap and away we went but the second one did not cooperate.  He let his presents be known.  No one was sprayed but the Clubhouse smells like skunk.  Hopefully the smell will be gone very soon.

The Den was off the patio outside the kitchen

Rob drew the short straw.  He is holding a tarp to keep from getting sprayed.

Once the tarp covers the live trap we can haul the skunk away.  Notice Shane is behind the glass he did not want to participate.

13 and 14 cart path

We have finally fixed the bad cart path on holes 13 and 14.  It will be a much smoother ride now.  This job was a lot of work.  I had everyone on staff helping.  We mixed the concrete on site.  For every 94 lbs. bag of Portland cement we needed 22 scoops of sand, 33 scoops of 1 inch clean rock and about 8 gallons of water.  Some of the paths we had to haul concrete in wheel barrows.  We used a total of 45 bags of Portland cement.  My entire staff was exhausted when we finished. We still have to do some grading and sod work around the path.  Below are  a few pic's of the job

 #14 before

 Taking out old path

 Old path is gone

 Mixer

 Duane, Nick and Rob pouring concrete

 Nick and Rob finishing concrete

# 14 done

 

 

# 13 was a little easier.  We were able to use the bucket of the skid loader to haul the concrete.  No wheel barrows.  We could dump the entire mixer in the bucket.

 # 13 before

 Laying forms out

 Duane, Kyle, and Rob finishing

# 13 complete



Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds on our putting greens is becoming a problem again.  Please do not spit your seeds out on the greens.  If a golf ball hits a seed it will alter its path.  This is not good golf etiquette to spit or throw debris on the greens.  You might think  the mower will mow it up next time maintenance staff mows greens.  No the mower will not pick up the seed it rolls over it leaving it were it was placed.  The only way to remove the seed is to pick it up and remove it. That is something I do not enjoy, picking up nasty sunflower seed shells spit out on the greens. I know only a  few  people are doing this.  It does not take a lot of seeds to impact someone's game. Thank you for your cooperation.

Bermuda control

If you have been out to the course in the last 2 weeks you have noticed some white turf around greens on holes 5, 6, 7, and 15.  I am using a herbicide call Pylex to kill Bermuda grass out of cool season turf.  All white grass blades you see is the Bermuda grass.  We have a bad problem of Bermuda grass encroaching into our greens.  This herbicide is selective and only targets warm season grasses.  I will need 2 to 3 more applications to completely kill the Bermuda grass.  We will be targeting our collar also.

All white leaves are Bermuda grass.  All green is Fescue and Bluegrass

 

Close up of same pic. 

Fall Aerification Completed

     I am a bit late reporting our Fall Green aerification is complete.  If you have been out in the last week you would know that.  We were able to get all greens done by Wednesday.  The weather man said it was going to rain we did not hardly see any rain just a few drops.  I was concerned back nine would be delayed.  Mother Nature was on our side and kept rain away.  I would like to thank my staff for a job well done.  This is a hard job.  We were done by 3:00 p.m. each day.

Dan aerating green.  Box on back is a core collector.  Rob made it for less than $60.  If we would have purchased one it would have cost $1200

Collector makes cleaning core up much easier.  Dumps cores at end of greens

 We pick up and place in truckster.

Sand goes down next.  We use 35 tons of sand

 We then brush sand into holes

holes before we brush.

Green after we brush all holes fill in.

Fall Green Aerifacation

   

Green aerification will take place 9/8/15 and 9/9/15

 

      It is that time of the year for our fall aerification.  I know this is not a popular cultural practice.  It is not popular with my staff.  It is hard work for everyone on staff.  It is one of the most important cultural practices we do.  With out aerification greens would slowly deteriorate.  They would become spongy, would not hold golf shot, and ball roll would be very inconsistent.  Maintenance wise Isolated dry spots would increase disease and insect damage would go up. That means more money spraying chemicals to control all these problems that would arise from not aerating.
      Bentgrass is a huge thatch producer and the only way to eliminate thatch is to core aerate.  When we core aerate we remove the core and open a channel into the root zone of the green.  This allow air to flow freely to the root zone.  Turf needs the air for two thing, 1.  Turf needs oxygen to grow it absorbs oxygen from the root system.  2.  Air  help dry the roots system out which encourages deeper roots. Deeper roots firms greens up to accept golf shots.  A dryer root system has less disease and insect pressure. 
     Green are in great shape at this time and they will heal quickly from aerification and be better than they were before.  We will aerate front nine on Tuesday 9/8/15 and the back nine on Wednesday 9/9/15.  9 holes will be open each day until around 3:30 p.m.  when all 18 holes will open up.  Thank you for your patience.