Tough Week to Get Anything Accomplished

Soggy Week

Rain has definitely been in the golf headlines over the past few weeks.  The PGA Championship managed to get through to a very nice Sunday finish, but not without some controversy surrounding wet course conditions earlier in the week.  This week the Korn Ferry Tour is in Raleigh for the UNC Health Championship, and they are facing very similar conditions.  As for our little part of the world this week was scheduled to be one of our busiest of the year with the Irving Park course scheduled for aerification.  Over the last several days we have accumulated right around 4.5 inches of rain on a course everyone knows drains really poorly.  It's a tough week because we lose Monday to Memorial Day, but the Irving Park course is small enough that the task can easily done in 4 days, maybe 3.5 if something small occurs.  We then lost Tuesday to an all-day rain and Wednesday was only slightly better.  While Thursday was better the cloud cover and expected evening rains will do little to dry the course out.

Our normal process for this week is to aerify all the short grass on the course, which measures a little over forty acres.  With the conditions we experienced, we were forced to prioritize just the greens and a few select tees.  The golf calendar for both golfers and the course maintenance program is extremely busy, so there are no plans to reschedule this work going forward.  We have a strong annual cultural maintenance program in place, so if we occasionally miss an opportunity the repercussions will not be all that significant, especially on the Irving Park course.

Saturated Fairways

In addition to the rain affecting our aerification schedule it has created a lot of other problems for us as well.  The bunkers, which are always vulnerable to washouts, are all damaged from the week's rain creating a lot of work for the staff just to get them back in shape for the weekend.  We also have more than normal debris on the ground from all the wind and rain.  While we normally mow out the course three times a week, due to rain and all the other work simultaneously going on we have only been able to mow a few select areas of rough this week.  After last night's (Thursday 3/29) additional 1 inch of rain everything else will have to wait until next week to be mowed resulting in some 10 days of unfettered growth.

Washed Out Bunkers

With all that said, we will accomplish our biggest priority going into the summer by getting all the Bent greens aerified and back open by Saturday prior to the onset of the hotter weather right around the corner.  In this line of work, it still to this day, amazes me how much the weather affects the outcome of the final product we as Superintendents and Golf Course Maintenance staff work so hard on to try and deliver for our members and their guest. 

Farm Course

The Farm course has also been affected, but in a more subtle way.  The bunkers have less of a washing issue than at Irving Park, but they have been saturated and difficult to rake.  The course has a more modernized set of drainage infrastructure, but Zoysia is like a sponge and during weeks like this even the best drainage system is slow to make a difference.  The course has been mowed out once and will need to dry out over the weekend before it's next cut.  Once we do finally get out and cut everything again the quality of cut will suffer due to the excess growth between cutting cycles and the fibrous nature of Zoysia grass, which makes it difficult to cut even under ideal situations.  The biggest and most notable outcome will be softer and slower greens.  While the greens are still mowed daily during these types of weeks, they are not double cut and rolled every day, which is our normal procedure.  On top of that we were unable to verticut and sand the greens this week, which will have a noticeable effect on green speed and the smoothness of ball roll.

Spring Transition - It's Not Always Perfect but So Far So Good this Year

Coming Out of Dormancy

The Bermuda and Zoysia are trying their best to come out of dormancy, but the ups and downs of the weather pattern typical to the spring don't make this a consistent transition period.  This week we are experiencing high 80's and next week they are projecting a low of 32.  Last week in an email we discussed the growth surge of the Ultradwarf greens at the Farm, which we hope that we are now on the tail end of the lusher than normal growth slowing down green speeds.  With all the new growth on the short cut areas of tees and fairways we are now going out with our first mow of the season.  This is the lowest we will cut these areas all season and the first few times out will result in a lot of excessive growth mown from the surface left over from the higher heights we went into the fall season last year. The before and after can sometimes be dramatic but with the proper weather the green surface will quickly return in a few short days.

Problematic winterkill which we are always concerned with after a long winter does not appear that it will be a significant issue this year despite the well below normal temperatures in the month of January.

Also, the spring flowering trees and shrubs such as Cherries, Dogwoods, Pears and other trees are nearly in their full flowering stage.  Some of the earlier flowering shrubs such the Forsythias are on their way out but will soon be followed by the Azaleas.

Shaving off the Winter Canopy

Dogwoods and Redbuds in Bloom

 

Farm Tennis/Swim Entrance

!6 Irving Park

Spring Mulch

Each spring each course applies around 600 yards of shredded hardwood mulch on both courses.  This a a very labor-intensive job but the aesthetic and cultural returns are well worth the effort.  We will follow this up in May with over 3,000 bales of pine straw applied to the courses underneath pine trees and other areas where pine straw is more conducive.

Staff Hard at Work Spreading Mulch

Golf Course Maintenance Etiquette from the USGA

Golf Carts

Carts help golfers get around the course, but they can also cause damage – especially when people don’t follow a course’s cart rules. Cart policies can change daily, so make sure to ask about them before teeing off. There are a lot of reasons why a course may not want you driving in certain areas – some issues are obvious and some may not be. Wet or newly grassed areas surrounded by cart signs should clearly be avoided, but tire ruts show up in these spots more often than they should. Courses may also want you to avoid extremely dry areas, or they may ask you to stay on the path in late fall or winter when grass is hardly growing and can’t handle traffic. 

No two courses are exactly alike, so the rules will vary. Follow any ropes, stakes or directional signs – they are there for a reason. Avoid turf areas that appear thin, weak or wet. Try to spread out when driving through high-traffic areas and keep all four tires on the path as much as possible. Don’t drive through naturalized areas, don’t get too adventurous on steep slopes, and don’t get too close to tees or greens. Beyond these basics, erring on the side of caution is always a good approach.

 

Repairing Divots

Taking a divot is part of the game but the scars should be carefully repaired. The goal is to leave a smooth surface and encourage the grass to heal. In general, if a divot is mostly intact, replace it and tamp down with your foot to smooth it out and restore contact between the roots and the soil. If there are gaps around the replaced divot, fill those with divot mix to help the grass fill in and create a smooth surface for playing. Some courses may prefer that you use mix rather than trying to replace divots. This could be because the grasses on that course tend to explode into pieces after a shot rather than forming a nice divot that is likely to heal. Sometimes the environment or weather isn’t conducive to replaced divots healing so it’s better to fill the hole with mix.

There are many factors that influence divot recovery, which is why policies can vary. The bottom line is to leave places where you take a divot as smooth as possible for the next player and to encourage recovery. If you can refrain from taking divots on your practice swings and avoid hitting practice shots on the course, that helps decrease the total number of divots that need to heal. Another good habit is to fill your divot and one more.

Replacing intact divots or filling the hole with sand helps the damage heal faster and leaves a smooth playing surface for others.

 

Ball Marks

While fairly small, a ball mark can leave a lasting impact on a putting surface if it is not repaired. Unrepaired ball marks disrupt surface smoothness, and the negative impact can last for weeks. The proper repair technique has several key points to consider. Start by using any pointed tool, including a golf tee. Insert the tool behind the ball mark and gently push toward the center, then work around the edges of the mark gently pressing the turf back in toward the middle. Don’t lift or twist the turf because that can damage the roots. Once you have worked the turf back into place with the repair tool, gently tamp the area with your putter to smooth the surface. While you have your ball mark repair tool handy, see if you can repair one or two more marks that may have been missed.

 

Bunker Raking (GCC Rake Placement Guidelines Rakes In May - Oct / Rakes Out Nov - April)

After hitting a bunker shot, try to leave the sand as smooth, or smoother than when you found it. Knowing the basics of bunker raking and putting in a little effort is all it takes. Enter the bunker from the low side and try to bring a rake with you so you don’t have to search for one after hitting your shot. Use the rake to smooth and level any disturbances you create in the sand. As you exit the bunker, avoid pulling a clump of sand up against the edge as this can damage the grass and create awkward lies for other players.

Follow the course’s policy on where to put the rake when you’re done. If they don’t have a specific policy, the USGA recommends placing them outside bunkers and away from where they are likely to interfere with play. Before exiting the bunker, knock any sand off your shoes to keep it from winding up on greens or fairways where it can disrupt play and potentially damage mowing equipment.

Keeping Staff Safe

The maintenance staff does their best to take care of the course while avoiding play, but there are times when golf and maintenance will cross paths – especially with how busy courses have been. When you encounter staff, always ensure they see you before hitting in their direction. They may be focused on their task or unable to hear you yell “fore” at first, so give an extra shout or wave if you aren’t sure they noticed you. After the staff responds, be patient while they move out of the way.

 

Going the Extra Mile

Beyond the basics, here are a few other things you can do during your next round to leave the golf course better than you found it.

Pick up broken tees and discard them in waste containers to keep them from cluttering the course and damaging mowers.

If a garbage can is full, hold on to your trash rather than piling it high for wind and birds to disperse across the course.

Do not leave cigars or cigarette butts on playing surfaces and keep those sunflower seeds off the greens.

Ropes and stakes are there for a reason, so walk through designated openings and not over or on top of the rope, which will loosen and pull the stakes over.

It is the maintenance staff’s job to care for the course, but golfers need to do their part as well. During your next round, set a good example by using the tips in this article and encourage others to make the effort as well. No matter how long you have been playing or what your handicap is, taking care of the course makes you a great golfer! 

Spring is Right Around the Corner

With spring right around the corner, it is time to start shifting away from our winter related tasks to more turf related jobs in an effort to prepare everything for spring.  A big part of that program for our Bentgrass greens at Irving Park begins with aerification.

"WHY AERIFY?" CORE AERATION is one of the “dirty” words of golf course maintenance. With a busy golf season of around eight months in our area of the world, many would question the necessity of disrupting play each year in the spring and the fall on Bentgrass greens.

An important purpose behind core aerification is the removal of unwanted organic matter, allowing improved growing conditions for the roots. With a healthier root system heading into the golf season, the grass plant is better able to withstand the stress of traffic. Aeration also relieves compaction, promotes air exchange and helps with water infiltration.

How much aerification is enough?

There is no specific rule of thumb for what percentage of surface area should be impacted each year. It would be safe to say however that it would be difficult to “over aerify” if plant health was the only factor. The USGA suggests that 15-20% of the surface should be aerified each year. Our program of a 3/8” tine in late winter, a 1/2” tine in late spring and early fall comes very close to achieving the USGA objective of 20% annual surface removal.

3/8"tine on a 2.5 " spacing

How long after aerification before the greens are back to normal?

With cooperative weather, the healing process will take 28 days in late winter and 21 days in spring and fall to return the greens to optimal putting condition. Extra fertilizer and water are applied at this time to expedite recovery."  Smaller tines are used in late winter to speed the recovery during what is typically a slower growing time of the year.

Weed Control

Springtime is also the time of year where the turfgrass is treated with preventative summer weed control products.  Ideally these treatments are applied beginning in late February with a completion date of no later than March 15.  The timing of these treatments is primarily dependent upon soil temperatures with certain summer weeds such as Crabgrass germinating when soil temperatures approach 60 degrees.  Between the two courses we treat over 200 acres of turf each spring and depending on weather conditions these treatments can take anywhere between 2-3 weeks from start to finish.

Winter Damage Update

While we expect a certain amount damage on the warm season turfgrass each year coming out of winter, some years can certainly be worse than others.  While we did experience a very cold month of January it does appear this year won't be witness to any widespread turf loss.  The Farm ultradwarf greens appear to be very healthy as we are currently mowing them several times a week and getting more clippings than normal for this time of the year.  My biggest concern coming out of January was more so in the fairways and roughs where growing conditions such as compaction, shade and poor drainage make the turf more susceptible to winter extremes.  After exploring several of these areas prone to damage we are seeing a good amount of healthy white live stolons, which is a very good indicator that the turf will be fine once it breaks dormancy.  While we still have several more weeks before we are in the clear things are looking good for a normal spring transition.

White/Tan Succulent Healthy Stolon from Shady/Wet Area Prone to Winterkill

Cold Air Heading Our Way

 January Cold

Artic Blast and Polar Vortex are two terms most people have come to associate with really cold air and forecasters say that one such system is heading our way.  One weather news outlet described it as "This will likely be the most significant cold we have seen in years and the pattern of below and well below temperatures are expected to remain in the area for a good portion of January".  With this type of long-range forecast and bold headlines we decided to minimize our chances for any type of cold related damage on the Farm greens by shutting down early and applying a thick blanket of pine straw on the greens before installing our protective covers. By first spreading pine straw on a putting surface and then covering it, we create an air gap between the cover and the putting green surface.  The air gap provides significantly more protection from damage that might otherwise occur with lengthy cold weather events. Pine straw is not that expensive because we reuse the pine straw around the course in areas we would of had to pine straw anyway, but it is very laborious and closes the course down a few days longer than just putting down covers due to the installation, removal and relocation of the straw, therefore it is only used in what we perceive to be high risk weather situations.

Pine straw installed before installing the covers 

Winter Work

Despite late fall and winter being described as our off-season the staff has plenty to keep them busy before we begin cranking up for the next growing season.  A large portion of the late fall and early winter months are spent blowing and sweeping up leaves.  The Irving Park course is especially difficult as there are no wooded areas to hide them.  With the new Greensboro no pickup leaf policy I am sure a lot of people can now appreciate the fact we have over a 100 acres of leaves to blow into piles, load onto trucks and haul to one of the local landfills.

One of nearly 100 trucks of leaves hauled away every year

Vacuuming leaves is a daily task

Each year during the non-growing season we spend ample time cleaning, repainting and refurbishing the equipment and the golf course accessories on each course.  This works perfectly with all those really cold or rainy days where it is not conducive to go outside and work.   This year we're having to do some significant work to the Farm irrigation pump station.  Two of the main pumps and one motor are in the process of being pulled and replaced.  We replaced the third pump last year, so once this work is completed, we should be in pretty good shape going forward on what is effectively a 30-year-old pump station.

One of the main pumps being removed for replacement

The Christmas season is now over but not forgotten.  On behalf of all the GCC employees I would like to send out a special thanks to members for their gracious giving that went out to all the employees in the form of a year-end bonus.  The member donations that make this possible are greatly appreciated at this time of the year and goes along ways to defining the commitment the members have for our hard working and dedicated staff.  So, a Big Thanks is in Order!