Course Update

As expected, November has been a busy month for the maintenance staff.  We completed most of our to-do list even with the 6.1" of rain.  The latter half of the month saw mild weather that allowed for some bonus golf, but it also kept the turf growing which needed to be mowed.  Fungicide applications for snow mold have been postponed due to the mild weather and continued mowing, but will need to be applied in the next couple of weeks.  Daily leaf cleanup has also been a top priority, which includes blowing, mulching, and more blowing.  We try to have all playing surfaces clear for play every morning, but many times a gust of wind comes along scattering leaves everywhere and it appears nothing was ever done.  Besides the Oak trees, most of the leaves are down and we hope to be done with leaf cleanup soon.

In addition to our regular maintenance, the management team felt it was important to address some of the areas impacted by poor drainage this summer.  Today we started that process at the beginning of Orchard 6 fairway.  We started by digging some test holes to see if there was drainage pipe in the ground and what condition it was in.  Then we rented a machine to speed up the excavation process and proceeded to remove the old, non-functioning pipe along with the clay and muck that was not allowing the water to drain from the surface.  Once the trench was dug a new layer of gravel was spread along the bottom and new, free-flowing pipe was laid on top.  More gravel was then used to cover and stabilize the pipe.  The final steps are to fill the trench with sand and repair the area with sod.  It took a little while to get going this morning, but the staff was able to install the 50 feet of new pipe and cover everything with gravel.  The plan is to keep working on drainage projects as long as the weather allows this year and we'll continue to work on the Orchard course.

All the photos below were taken today on Orchard 6 fairway.

Low area resulting in turf loss
from non-functioning drainage

50 feet of old drainage pipe removed from low area

Excavating trench

The two visible drainage pipes were in good shape
and the new pipe was connected to them

Trench filled with gravel and ready for sand

Lower end of trench connected to a catch-basin in the rough

Frost Update

Thought it would be a good idea to revisit a post about frost from early October. There have been numerous heavy frosts this fall along with some damage from people walking on frozen turf. When out for your morning walks please stay on the cart paths and sidewalks. This also applies to your pets, as dogs can damage frozen turf the same way humans do.

The picture below of Orchard 1 was recently taken one afternoon after a heavy frost. You can clearly see the black footprints in the rough and fairway which indicate dying turf.

Frost is common this time of year and can even occur when the air temperature is above freezing.  Frost will usually be evident at sunrise, as the air at ground level is warmed it becomes lighter and rises.  Colder, denser air will take the place of the warm air and can be 5-10 degrees cooler, thus creating frozen turf.  Frost usually "burns off" quickly in direct sunlight, but certain areas of the course are heavily shaded and take longer to thaw.  The maintenance staff monitors specific areas throughout the course on cool mornings to determine whether frost is present, and the decision to allow play is based on when those areas will be frost-free.  An easy way to tell if frost is present is by running your hand across the grass.  If the dew wipes away it's safe to walk on the turf.


Click here to watch a short video about frost from the USGA.

Construction Update

The contractor finished up a few odds and ends last week and there are a couple areas needing sod that the maintenance staff will complete as the weather allows.  Overall, the project was a tremendous success and was able to address many more areas throughout the courses than originally planned.  Thank you for your patience and understanding during the project.  The finished product is receiving rave reviews and everyone is understandably excited to try out the new tees next season.

Here's a brief summary of the project:

• Renovated and enlarged 12 tees on 5 holes
• Increased the usable teeing surface by 11,000 square feet (.25 acres)
• Repaired 2 rock walls with a combined length of 300 feet
• Used 300 tons of sand mix for the tees
• Used 45 tons of gravel and 23 tons of screened topsoil for the rock walls
• Installed 36,000 square feet of bentgrass sod and 38,500 square feet of bluegrass sod

Maintenance staff installing bluegrass sod around Grove 3 tees

Lakes 2 rock wall

Lakes 2 rock wall with new bluegrass sod.  A bentgrass collar
will be installed between the green and the bluegrass sod

Lakes 2 rock wall.  There is 3 times more area along the top of the wall
to play from and balls won't be lost in the sinkholes between the rocks

Course Update

Falling leaves, cooler temps and shorter days remind us that winter is not too far away.  With that in mind, November is always a busy month as our focus shifts from routine maintenance to preparing the course for winter.  Even though last winter was rather mild and the forecasts for this winter vary from one extreme to another depending on the source, we like to say "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

Here's a list of items that need to be done in November:

1. Blowout/winterize the irrigation systems and course restrooms
2. Finish aerifying tees
3. Blow/mulch leaves
4. Mow everything one last time
5. Spray a fungicide on greens, tees and fairways that protects the turf against snow mold
6. Bring in all course and driving range accessories (tee markers will be left out this year)
7. Finish sod projects
8. Mow outer rough

There are always a few other surprises this time of year, and it's critical that we get through our to-do list prior to the ground freezing.  Who knows, you may still be playing golf in December like last year.