Winter Topics ....... Douglas Lowe, CGCS

Bunker Sand Replenishment

The Farm course bunkers were constructed in 2009 to a specified depth of six inches.  That six inches was designed to naturally compact to a depth of four inches per USGA recommendations.  The naturally compacted depth of four inches generally provides an ideal playing surface that should provide for the top inch to be dry with the subsurface retaining some moisture.  Assuming the angularity of the sand meets USGA specs this should provide the golfer with an ideal hitting surface, which provides them with the best opportunity to make a quick recovery.
While the actual specifications and quality of sand has proven to be more than adequate we have seen a combination of factors that have resulted in the need to add a substantial amount of new sand to the bunkers in an effort to maintain the same outstanding playing characteristics that existed on opening day.  The first factor is related to natural compaction, which was expected.  The second factor is sand that is lost to outside influences such as wind, blowers and golfers all lead to a small amount of sand leaving the bunker, which adds up over time to a measurable level.  Losses from the above factors are generally budgeted for every year in the standard operating budget.
But what we have experienced at the Farm is a combination of  both expected sand loss and the original four inch depth not draining properly due to the sub-drainage system used in these bunkers.  The Farm bunkers were constructed with a top of line construction method known as Billy Bunker construction.  These bunkers are basically a scaled down version of the greens with extensive tile drains and a layer of gravel across the entire floor of the bunker.  On top of the gravel a layer of geo-textile fabric was installed to prevent the sand from migrating into the gravel layer.  This particular interface appears to be slowing down the natural water flow into the drainage area creating a wetter playing surface than is desired in the lowest points of the bunker.  In order for the water to properly flush through the sand profile we have found a slightly deeper sand zone is required to create enough head pressure to force the water into the gravel zone.  Over the past few years we have found that a 7-8 inch depth that compacts to six inches creates a large enough column of water for ideal drainage.
So what does all that mean?  It means to get the bunkers to "Best in Class" we are adding 2-3 inches to all the bunkers on the course.  We began this project one year ago and we have accelerated the work this year. By the end of this year we will have added nearly 400 tons of new sand to the bunkers.  This will result in getting all the bunkers on the course, with the exception of a few fairway bunkers on the back nine, to what we have determined to be the proper depth for maximum playability.  But no matter how good we get the bunkers never lose sight of the fact that these areas are hazards, so your best bet is to avoid them if you can.



Turf Paint - What's That All About?

#13 Irving Park

As many of the members have recently noticed we are experimenting with painting certain areas of the course to determine whether or not this practice might work for Greensboro Country Club.  This is a new trend spreading rapidly throughout the southern portions of the United States.  There are several reasons a Golf Course Superintendent would want to paint his turf but here are a few basic ones:

• To reduce inputs such as water, fertilizer, and fuel as an alternative for those courses that must consider an overseeding program on their warm season turf.
• Painting does save money compared to traditional overseeding.
• Painting provides golfers with a green color they enjoy when bermudagrass on golf courses is dormant and brown. 

This trend most likely started with courses painting their ultra dwarf bermuda greens in an effort to alleviate overseeding, which is a relatively low cost application. Now that ultra dwarf greens are spreading throughout the southeast Superintendents began asking if it works on greens why not tees and fairways.  For those courses that are pressured into overseeding painting is a very viable alternative.  But what you are seeing now are courses who have long since stopped overseeding are now painting as just another way to improve the overall look of the property throughout the winter months.  While our efforts thus far have not produced the overall look we are trying to achieve it does not mean it can't be done.  I have visited a few courses in recent weeks and from what I have seen it not only can be done but it does look really good when done properly with the right products.  Below is an example of the proper color that can be achieved.

The question, now that I know more about the cost, the methods of applications and the types of products to use, becomes where do I think this application would apply to either one of our two courses?  At around $800 per acre it becomes a very expensive option for large turf areas such as fairways (~$20,000 for one season - still a lot cheaper than overseeding).  Where it may be more applicable is on tees and driving range target greens.  While we did not spend any money this year and funds for 2013 are all but gone it does not mean we won't continue playing with these products in 2014.  So be on the lookout for more on-going research and if we do move forward with more painting let us know what you think.

By the way I failed to mention where the majority of the highly tuned turf painting techniques have really come from, which is the sports turf industry.  Anybody remember this photo?  I wish I could forget it!

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