2019 Drainage Project Update 9/19/19

The drainage contractor resumed work on Orchard #1 this week, both near the green and at the beginning of the fairway.  Work near the green consisted of extending an existing 30" diameter pipe to better handle the amount of water that drains from the driving range and surrounding area.  It also allowed us to more securely connect the new 4" pipe that drains the areas surrounding the cart path that used to stay flooded.  Work adjacent to the beginning of the fairway will catch and slow down the excess water that runs down the hill from the driving range tee and onto the fairway.  The contractor anticipates completing these areas this week, then will start on Grove #6 in the left rough before the pond.

A gravel sump was installed on Orchard #1 near the beginning of the fairway along the right side of the cart path.  Its purpose is to collect water that runs down the hill from the driving range tees and prevent it from soaking the fairway.  New drainage pipe was also installed at the bottom of the sump.

The contractor extended an existing drain line on Orchard #1 to connect to the gravel sump.

This 30" drain line to the right of Orchard #1 green was missing a 20' section and had considerable erosion around the inlet of the discharge pipe.

Here the contractor is lining up the new section of 30" pipe.  Even though it's a type of plastic, pipe this big is very heavy and requires a machine to move it around.

Course Update 9/12/19

Strong storms rolled thru yesterday afternoon but only dropped .10" of rain.  That was only our second rain event this month, with the first one occurring on 9/1 resulting in 2.54".  Based on current weather patterns September looks to be warmer and drier than normal, which is a complete opposite of last year when we received over 11" of rain in September thanks to two hurricanes.  This past August was also surprisingly dry having only received 1.94" compared to the monthly average of 3.23".  However, year to date thru the end of August we've received 36.4" of rain compared to our average of 26.7" (+9.75") and 94 days out of 243 have seen measurable rain events.

This is the time of year when we start to see turf damage from skunks and raccoons foraging for white grubs.  We preventatively apply an insecticide every spring to keep the insects from maturing where they cause the most damage, but similar to last year we are seeing damage in the rough and on a couple tees.  The lack of control is most likely due to the wet spring and excessive rainfall that caused the product to move from the treatment area, limiting its effectiveness.  To prevent further damage to the turf we've sprayed an insecticide that will kill the white grubs upon contact in the soil.  For it to work properly the insecticide has to be watered in so it moves into the rootzone where the grubs are feeding, and yesterday's rain occurred at the perfect time to do just that.  It will take several days for the grubs to die and we will begin repairing the damaged turf with soil and seed, or sand and seed on the tees.

Damage on Grove #4 gold tee from skunks and raccoons foraging for white grubs.

Typical grub damage in the rough.

Turf damaged by white grubs easily pulls up revealing the insect.

2019 Drainage Project Update 8/24/19

The drainage contractor recently started working near Orchard #1 green to address the swamp that formed on both sides of the cart path as a result of last year's record setting rainfall.  In situations like this, it's easier to use the excavator and dig up the low areas where we think drainage pipe should be.  Most of the time if we find pipe it's either crushed, clogged, or both and needs to be replaced.  Such was the case here on #1.  The contractor began digging in the low areas to locate the pipe then removed the dirt and muck above it.  A couple lateral pipes were also found that connected to the main pipe and were reconnected to the new pipe.  After the trench was dug and we figured out what pipes came from where, a fresh layer of gravel was placed in the bottom of the trench and new 4" perforated drain pipe was installed.  A 12" diameter basin was also installed that allowed us to connect two inlet pipes to our new outlet pipe, and the large basin acts like a cleanout port to easily stick a hose into any of the three pipes to flush out debris should a blockage occur.  Once all the pipes were installed and connected, more clean gravel was used to backfill the trench.  Once the areas dry out the contractor will strip all the damaged sod and clean up the remaining debris.  Drainage sand will then be used to cover the gravel and obtain the final grade, followed by installing new rough sod.

The contractor is starting to dig test holes to locate old drainage.

The old drainage pipe is removed while the trench is being dug.  All the water in the trench is groundwater that would eventually make its way to the surface without adequate drainage.

This is where the old pipe makes a 90 degree turn and discharged into a collection pool in the rough.

Here's a couple of the old pipes that are now connected to the 12" basin and flowing freely.

Here's what the area currently looks like and has dried out considerably.

Course Update 8/15/19

Fairway aerification took place this week after postponing last week due to weather delays.  The same contractor was used during previous aerifications and all 27 holes were completed over four days (the fourth day was required due to rain on Tuesday).  Because we only closed 9 holes per day the contractor didn't need as much equipment, but still used three tractors, two large aerifiers, and one recycling machine with a total value of $180,000.  They charge us $270 per acre to core aerify and recycle the plugs which comes out to $10,800 for our 40 acres of fairway.  The aerifiers were setup with 48 hollow tines that removed a 3/4" diameter core 4" deep, which created 24 holes per square foot.  That equates to 41,817,600 holes across all the fairways.  That may seem like a lot of holes, but it only affected 5% of the total surface area.  The next step in the process is topdressing all the fairways, which will begin after the Men's Member/Member tournament.

Aerification is an important and necessary practice in providing great playing conditions.  CLICK HERE to learn more about the process and why we do it.

The contractor uses two large aerifiers that each have a 98" working width for maximum productivity.

Once the plugs (cores) dry out enough they are broken up with two heavy steel drag mats that go over every fairway several times.  The goal is to separate the soil from the organic matter (thatch) so the soil can be worked back into the holes.

Once the fairways are dragged the contractor uses a recycling machine hooked to another tractor to pulverize the soil and thatch into finer pieces.

The debris on the surface of this fairway is thatch that was left after the recycling process.  Thatch is found in every turfgrass area and some thatch is needed to insulate and protect the plant.  Too much thatch is a problem and causes playing surfaces to be soft and spongy, and holds water which leads to more disease.

The final step in the process is for the maintenance staff to blow the thatch and any remaining debris off the fairways and then clean off irrigation heads, yardage markers and drains.  Here all five blowers are working together on Orchard #8 to clean off the lower fairway yesterday afternoon.

Course Update 8/8/19

Aerification season is underway and all 29 greens were DryJected this week.  This year we moved aerification of greens and fairways to the week after Men's Invitational to take advantage of "summertime weather" for faster healing and recovery, a full complement of staff to complete aerification while keeping the other courses open for play, and we are trying to avoid likely weather delays in October that occurred the last two years.  Another advantage to aerifying now is that once the playing surfaces heal, golfers won't experience any disruption for the remainder of the summer and well into fall.  More clubs in our area are moving their aerification practices to early August for the same reasons.

You may be wondering why we don't DryJect more often and stop pulling cores.  The answer is that DryJect is just another "tool" we use to help manage the organic matter (thatch) in the greens.  The process injects sand to dilute the thatch, but does not actually remove anything like traditional core aerification does.  We've found that DryJecting heals considerably faster compared to core aerification and is the best process for this time of year, while still accomplishing our goal of diluting the thatch.  Later this fall we plan to pull cores to physically remove the thatch and topdress to fill the holes.  The healing process in late fall is relatively slow, but open holes during the winter helps water drain from the putting surface, limiting the amount of ice buildup and potential for winter injury.

Click Here To Learn More About DryJect And How It Works

As mentioned above, core aerification of fairways was also scheduled this week, but was postponed due to a threat of thunderstorms for several days.  The process has been rescheduled for Monday, 8/12 thru Wednesday, 8/14, with 9 holes closed each day.

DryJecting the practice green.  The staff uses the yellow buckets to scoop dry sand from our large utility vehicles then dumps it into the hopper on the DryJect machine.  The machine connects to our irrigation system through a 1" diameter hose to receive 120 psi necessary for the injection process.

Here is the DryJect machine in action.  A little sand remains on the putting surface around each injection hole but 90% is in the rootzone where it is most beneficial.

We drag the greens once they dry out to work any remaining sand into the turf which further dilutes the thatch.  After dragging, the greens are rolled to smooth out any tire tracks which also helps firm up the putting surface.

This is Grove #8 green taken Saturday morning.   This green was DryJected Tuesday and has been rolled two days and mowed two days since completing the process.  Most of the holes will be fully healed in the next few days given our current weather.

This was taken while changing cups a day after DryJecting and illustrates the results of the process.  The light colored column of sand towards the top of the picture is a recent DryJect hole.  It penetrates through the dark colored organic matter and into the original greens mix approximately 4.5" deep.  During the injection process the high pressure water will penetrate down as well as sideways depending on the density of the of the rootzone.

Lakes #4 Rough Project

Over the winter we removed 95 trees on Lakes #4 down the right side and at the end of the fairway.  The goal was to provide more sunlight and airflow to the fairway and rough to improve the health and density of the turf.  Having achieved that goal, the next phase of the project is to repair the areas where the trees were removed and provide ideal playable conditions.  Anyone familiar with the areas know what conditions were like given the surface roots and sparse turf.  A contractor started spreading topsoil this week and grading the existing terrain to address the roots and stump holes.  After the grading is complete the contractor will use a special attachment to remove rocks and sticks, leaving a clean seedbed for the new turf.  We will then seed the areas with a turf-type tall fescue/kentucky bluegrass blend that is an ideal mix for golf course rough.  These areas will continue to be Ground Under Repair so please use the drop areas provided to the left of the cart path until further notice.

Here you can see the contractor grading the area to the right of the cart path on Lakes #4.

Six truck loads of topsoil (approximately 130 tons) were hauled in and dumped in specific areas that needed to be raised to match the contours of the existing terrain.

All the stump holes and other depressions around the rain shelter have been filled in and graded to allow for proper water runoff.

2019 Drainage Project

This year's drainage project is underway, and work began near the green on Grove #1.  This has been a problem area since last year when we set a new precipitation record and progressively got worse this spring with the excessive rainfall.  A significant amount of water is seeping from the hillside along the right side of the cart path and draining over the top and underneath the path.  The runoff made a soupy mess of the fairway and approach in the areas we had to rope off because there wasn't drainage to collect the excess water.  To correct the problem we had the contractor install new drain lines and clean gravel along the base of the hill to the right of the cart path.  The new drains will intercept the water before it reaches the cart path and move it off property.  The new drainage is already helping to dry the area out and the contractor will resume work after the Men's Invitational.  Grove #1 and #6, and Orchard #1 are the three holes with the greatest need of drainage and will be addressed as quickly as possible.

The contractor is digging test holes on Grove #1 to find existing drainage.  If they find any we can flush the pipes to determine their functionality and may not require as much new drainage in a given area.

Another test hole that found an old drainage basin, but it wasn't connected to anything.

Installing 4" corrugated drain pipe and gravel to the right of Grove #1 green.

We found an old drain line coming out of the hill that still worked and connected it to the new line running along the cart path.

We decided to install a drain line along the left side of the cart path before the green to prevent additional water from running onto the the fairway and approach.

Working away from the green on Grove #1 and the ditch is already catching water seeping from the hillside.  This is before any pipe or gravel are installed.

Divots & Divot Mix

Now that the season is well underway, I thought it would be a good time to talk about divots.  When you hit a shot from a tee or fairway and the divot stays intact similar to the first picture below, you want to replace that divot.  If replaced within 24 hours of being removed, it has a very good chance of surviving.  Obviously you want the soil side down, and once in place, you want to step on the divot to smooth it out and make sure the existing roots contact the soil.  Sometimes a little divot sand can be applied if the divot doesn't fill the entire void.  If the divot explodes when striking the ball, there's no reason to try to gather all the little pieces.  They won't survive so the best course of action is to fill the void with divot sand.

Speaking of divot sand, we purchase a special blend of sand that is dyed green and contains a nutrient package designed to help the seedlings grow.  The divot sand comes in 2,000 pound (1 ton) super-sacs and we have a "Divot Mixing Area" in the maintenance building where we add bentgrass seed to the sand/nutrient blend using a standard cement mixer purchased from one of the home improvement stores.  During the summer, we go through one super-sac of divot mix per week between the divot bottles on the carts, the six refill stations throughout the course, in the divot boxes on the tees, and what the staff uses when filling divots each day.  By the end of the year, we will have used 25-30 super-sacs, at a cost of $410 each.

**Please use the divot sand only on tees and fairways.  Using the mix in the rough and along cart path edges leads to contamination and undesirable playing conditions.  Rough-height bentgrass is also more susceptible to disease and dies out easily during the summer leaving large areas of dead or thin turf.**

This is a fairway divot and should be replaced since it stayed intact

Void where the divot came from

Divot was replaced and stepped down to smooth out.  No divot sand was needed

Fairway divots weren't reusable so the voids were filled with sand

Tee divots improperly filled with sand.  Notice how the sand is piled up between the divots.  This wastes sand and dulls the mowers

"Divot Mixing Area" at the maintenance building

Bees In The Bunkers

Some concerns have been mentioned about the "bees" that invade our bunkers every year. They are actually Sand Wasps (Bembix species) and surprisingly pose no threat to humans.  Keep in mind that our staff maintains the bunkers daily and we are constantly disturbing them. NOT ONE STING!

Sand Wasp (Bembix species) burrowing in the sand

For a few weeks every summer we have little friends make homes in our sand traps. These fast fliers are officially known as the Bembix Sand Wasp. They dig numerous burrows in cool, moist sand (ie- bunkers) to lay their eggs. Juvenile wasps, known as larvae, emerge from the eggs where they remain in the sand and grow into adults. Adult females congregate together in large numbers when making nests to bait their prey. The higher populations of larvae in nesting sites attract flies, beetles, caterpillars and grasshoppers. These insects are captured by the female wasp and taken back to the burrows to be fed to the growing larvae.

The existence of these insects in the bunkers is a nuisance to golfers, but beneficial to the course as they help to control the population of flies and detrimental turf beetles by preying on them.

The greatest concern for golfers is that they will get stung by these wasps when entering a bunker to play a shot.  Studies have proven that this particular wasp is not aggressive and of no harm to humans.  Both male and female wasps will not sting humans unless they are stepped on or smashed between your hands.  When approached by a human the sand wasp will initially swarm, looking for food, and then go back to their burrows to protect their larvae.

Course Update 7/11/19

Not counting today's storms, our total rainfall so far in July is 1.29" and we had measurable rain 6 of the first 7 days this month.  Our average is 3.90" of rain in July.  June finished with 9.01" of rain over 17 days, which puts us at 10.30" since June 1st and 18.77" since May 1st.  Since the beginning of the year we've received 29.64" of rain compared to our average of 19.52".  Over the past 191 days, 78 have seen measurable precipitation.

The excess moisture caused a surge in weed growth this year, and the hot/humid weather over the past week has created ideal conditions for disease.  White Clover (Trifolium repens) and Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) are the two dominant weeds present, and a fungus known as Dollar Spot (Clarireedia homoeocarpa) is responsible for the tan spots in the rough.  We've been spot spraying a mixture of herbicides the past several weeks to control the weeds and are seeing good results.  Once we make it through the entire property we will go back and re-apply in the areas where weeds are still present.  Beginning next week we will begin spraying a fungicide to control the Dollar Spot fungus along with a little fertilizer to help the grass recover.  Dollar Spot fungus only affects leaf tissue, not roots or the crown like other pathogens.  That's why the plant will recover after a fungicide application and produce new leaf tissue.  Our primary applications will be around fairways and greens, then we'll come back and spray other areas including around tees.  The fungicide we plan to use to for the Dollar Spot is also labeled to control Gray Leaf Spot, which if you remember is responsible for damaging the rough last fall.  Gray Leaf Spot kills the entire plant and why we scheduled several sprays beginning this summer to preventatively treat for the pathogen.

Here's a good example of what Dollar Spot looks like in the rough.  The pathogen is not isolated to golf courses, so you may encounter it in your own lawn.