Transition to Spring

I am reluctant to refer to the recent weather as warm as it has been ten to twenty degrees below normal this week, but I am grateful for every degree above freezing at this point.  This week we have experienced a lot of melting and soon we will be able to resume working on the golf course.
Our main concern is obviously the condition of the turf beneath the snow.  As the snow and ice melt, we watch for signs of damage to the turf from disease or ice damage.  Thankfully, I have not seen anything that would be cause for alarm.
Typically after a winter with extended snow cover we would expect to find "snow molds" that grow in cool wet weather, and emerge as matted down patches of turf that sometimes appear to have a pinkish hue to them.  I have seen some signs of this in the rough and on fairways that were not treated with a fungicide in the fall.  We always treat the greens, and last fall we treated the tees and a few wet approaches to use up some product that had been on the shelf for a few years.  As far as I can tell, these areas are free from disease.
Another type of damage that we often see is from voles.  These small, mouse-like rodents burrow under the snow and feed on the grass.  Generally the damage is not severe, and often recovers once the turf resumes growth.  I actually do not mind seeing activity from these varmints, as they are a valuable source of food for foxes and hawks that live near the golf course.
The hot topic among superintendents over the last six weeks has been ice damage.  If you follow golf maintenance on twitter (and I am certain you do) you have likely seen hundreds of tweets regarding ice damage and the mad rush to remove snow and ice from greens.  There are two main schools of thought regarding this issue; clear them off ASAP or leave them alone.  I have been involved with both scenarios, and firmly believe that the best plan is to be very cautious with regard to working on greens in winter.
I have seen some extreme winters (this year doesn't make the top 5) where snow, rain, and ice storms created ice sheets up to 4"-6" thick, and there was a legitimate reason for concern.  One year I remember running our aerifier on the greens to break up the ice that had formed, and another where I used a front end loader to push 20" of snow off the greens.  At the end of these extreme winters we discovered that more damage was done to the turf by removing the ice than was caused by the ice itself, which is why I rarely do anything more than apply a dark topdressing material to help speed the melting of the ice and snow.

5th green - 3-11-2011

In my opinion, a better approach is to address ice damage long before the snow begins to fall.  First, I build my fertility programs to allow the turf to gradually enter dormancy throughout the fall.  Next, I like to make sure the greens are draining well heading into the winter.  My favorite practice is to deep-tine the greens in November at the same time I apply our heavy winter topdressing, which allows any water to drain into the soil during warm spells that occur over the winter.
The absolute best way to prevent winter damage is to maximize the amount of sun that reaches the turf throughout the year.  Any trees that cast a shadow on the green surface will favor weaker turf species throughout the growing season, and will delay the melting of snow and ice in the spring.  This is a recipe for disaster if and when we experience a truly extreme winter.  
Thankfully the weather conditions this fall were ideal for preparing the turf for winter and we did not have snow cover until the end of January.  This scenario leads me to believe that our turf will grow out of any superficial damage from disease or cold temperatures, and will be ready for another golf season if and when the temperatures return to normal.

These trees shade the 13th green throughout the year.

Shadows on 13 green 

Trees tagged for discussion

There are a number of trees that have been tagged throughout the golf course that are being considered for removal.  Many of them are large oaks and hickory trees that prevent valuable sunlight from reaching important playing surfaces.  The trees were tagged to initiate a discussion so that the Golf Long Range and Green Committees could examine the trees that impact growing environments and playability of the golf course.  Once the committees have reviewed the marked trees, we can develop a schedule and a budget for the work. 

We have a number of greens that are surrounded by trees, hills and rocks, especially holes 3, 4, 5, and 13.  While specimen trees can provide character and strategic interest on a golf course, trees should not be located around greens, tees and near fairways where they will be in direct competition for sunlight, water, and nutrients .  Pine Orchard has a few trees that could be considered specimens, but many are lost among less desirable pines and spruces that were planted more for their rapid growth rate rather than for the value of their mature size and form.  Many of the hardwood trees surrounding the greens were much smaller when the course was originally carved out of the landscape, and slowly grew without attracting much attention.  Over many years they have grown to the point that their negative impacts on the playing surfaces outweigh their value as a mature tree.

I thought I would take a moment to share an explanation of the recommendations, and why certain trees are a higher priority than others.  The most important consideration is sunlight.  Everyone knows that the energy from the sun provides plants with energy and helps them grow.  Few people understand that turf generally requires eight hours of direct sunlight to thrive, and that plants utilize the energy most efficiently in the morning when the when the air temperature falls within an ideal range.  Above a certain temperature, chemical reactions that drive the plants’ metabolism begin to slow down, and the turf can not utilize the sun’s energy as well.  Morning sun also helps reduce disease pressure by drying the surface, and driving air circulation by warming the air just above the ground, which is displaced by heavier cool air from above.  Trees that are located to the northeast and east of playing surfaces block the morning sun, and therefore reduce the ability of the turf to convert the sun rays into energy that can be used for growth and recovery.

 After sunlight, the second most important consideration is root competition.  The roots that supply trees with water and nutrients are primarily found in the top twelve inches of the soil, and extend approximately twice as far as the drip line of the tree.  When trees are located close to greens, their roots often extend half way across the playing surface.  As soil temperatures rise due to the heat of the summer, the roots on the turf begin to decline making it more difficult to compete with the much larger trees.  Pruning the tree roots provides temporary relief from competition, but over time this process results in a more vigorous root system for the trees, and the benefits are rather short lived.  The solution is to remove trees that are located less than twice as far from a green than the width of the canopy. 

The majority of the trees that have been tagged this fall are located on holes 3, 5, and 13, our most challenging growing environments.  For many years there were many more trees surrounding these greens, and many have already been removed.  The condition of the turf has improved as a result of the additional sunlight, so some may feel that there is no reason to take more.  After watching these greens struggle through the heat of summer and the rigors of our maintenance programs, it has become clear to me that we need to minimize the amount of shade and root competition so that we realize the maximum benefit of our cultural and fertility programs.

On the 3^rd hole, the removal of the trees would eliminate shadows during the mid morning and late afternoon, and would eliminate the significant mess that the trees make in the approach.  The fifth hole has so many strikes against it that any additional sunlight and air movement will help, especially since the left side lies in the shadow of the rock formation.  The trees surrounding the thirteenth green have roots under close to 50% of the green surface.  The left side of the green has three strikes against it; it slopes to the north which affects light intensity, it serves as the walk on/off, and has to compete with roots from mature oak trees on all sides.  The trees on the hillside block the morning sun, especially in the spring and fall when the sun angle is much lower. 

I am certain that some, if not all of these recommendations will be unpopular, but I assure you they have been well thought out and researched.  I have no expectation that all of this work will be completed at once, but we should at least begin the conversation and prioritize which trees should be removed first, and how aggressive we need to be to address these issues.  Once we have established priorities we can develop a timeline and a budget for the work.

I understand the emotional attachment that is often associated with mature trees, but I have a better understanding of what it takes to maintain high quality turf and meet the expectations of modern golfers.  Trees can provide a lot of character to a golf course, but this usually happens when the tree stands alone adjacent to the landing area in a fairway, and this description fits none of the trees that are tagged.

USGA: Our Experts Explain

An excellent analogy that will help explain why some areas of the golf course are taking longer to recover from the dry weather we experienced this summer.
Areas of particular interest are the 3rd green, where roots from trees on the opposite side of the cart path reach half way across the green, and the 13th hole where tree roots penetrate half way into the green from the left and rear.
We will be looking very closely at root pruning and tree removal options in the coming weeks to eliminate competition between trees and turf.
http://www.usga.org/ourexpertsexplain.aspx?id=21474873054


Sent from my iPad

Changes for the better.

We hired a contractor to come and transplant three trees to restore the strategic value that was lost one year ago when we had to remove the large pine tree that guarded the left side of the 3rd fairway.  Last spring we consulted with golf course architect Tim Gerrish to determine a long term solution that would challenge tee shots that were played along the left side of the fairway.  His solution included adding four trees in the left rough adding a new fairway bunker.  Last spring the Golf Long Range Committee approved the planting of the trees, and our staff planted the largest sugar maple that we could handle given our equipment.  

Today we transplanted three significantly larger red maples to complete the planting portion of the architect's drawing.  The new trees will provide a significant penalty for shots that miss far left of the fairway, but will not prevent the advancement of the second shot.  For the next few years it will be possible for many players to play over the trees, but it will require a lofted pitch shot making the approach to the green much more difficult.

The photos above show the process of digging a substantial rootball, raising it intact, and transporting the tree, roots and all, about 225 yards where it was installed in its new location.  

There will be a significant amount of care required over the next two years to ensure the success of the transplant, but I was assured that this species of tree is extremely hardy and tolerates this type of transplant well, especially at this time of year.

Click on any of the photos to enlarge

The new view from the left rough on #3

Another significant change to the course this winter is the cutting of the phragmites found throughout the property.  Phragmites, or Common Reed, is an invasive species that is a very aggressive weed in freshwater wetlands.  It modifies the nature of the wetland and out-competes the native plants by limiting the light availability, and ultimately crowds out the desirable vegetation.  It has little value as a wetland species due to the fact that it destroys diversity among plants and excludes the native insects, migratory birds, and mammals that rely on wetlands for survival.  Over time, the phragmites accumulate a significant amount of biomass and ultimately fill in the wetland.  This would be extremely detrimental to the golf course since we rely on these wetlands to absorb water running down the hill from the 7th and 8th holes.  If left unchecked, their continued growth would have a  negative impact on the health and condition of the 7th green and approach, as well as the forward tee on #17.  

Across the 1st fairway to the 7th and 8th holes

Cutting the dormant vegetation is the first step in the management project.  The dormant stalks are cut down and mulched as much as possible.  The material is left in place to decay to prevent transporting seeds and roots to new areas where the weed can begin a new infestation.  We are working on securing a permit that will allow us to complete the second step, which involves treating the areas with a herbicide to kill the vegetation that recovers from the initial mowing.  This will be followed up by another round of cutting next winter.  The following spring the native plants will begin to reestablish themselves from the seed bank that exists in the wetland soils.  I have already reached out to one of my vendors to explore the possibility of introducing some desirable wetlands plants that will speed up the recovery process and create an attractive habitat that contributes to the beauty and character of the golf course.

The work to the right of the 9th/18th tees can be seen from Blackstone Road, but the most significant visual impact will be found standing in the 7th fairway.  It will take some time to get used to the unobstructed views throughout the area, but in time the aesthetic and ecological benefits that the  wetlands contribute to the property will be well worth the wait.  A similar project has been implemented at Madison CC, and I have heard from a number of golfers that it has transformed a large portion of the property. 

View from the 18th Back Tee

Looking down the 7th fairway

Damaged trees removed from 9th/18th holes

The grounds staff removed the trees on the 9th/18th hole that were damaged in the storm surges. The Green Committee is in the process of developing a plan to select replacement trees and restore the character that the damaged trees added to the hole.  They were not specimens trees, but they did screen the view of the range fairway from the 18th fairway, and could come into play for an errant shot off of the 9th tee.
As we begin the replacement process we will:

1. Determine what, if any, value the trees added to the hole
2. Identify the value of the remaining trees and their contribution to the hole
3. Define how the trees should contribute to the hole in the future (framing, penalize poor shots, safety)
4. Use Google Earth to take measurements to determine who is more likely to be impacted by the replacement trees
5. Consult with USGA agronomists and local arborists for replacement options
6. Contact suppliers to determine cost and availability of suitable replacement species.

The link below describes some of the characteristics that should be avoided when selecting trees for use on a golf course.  Too often committees opt for rapid growth over long term stability.  Support for this can be found in the white pines that were planted throughout the course, and now have damaged or missing limbs due to snow or wind storms.  A better approach is to examine the health and long term viability of the remaining trees.  This information can be used to design a replacement plan that will provide an attractive, functional planting that will add character and strategic interest to the golf hole.  This might involve a short term planting plan combined with future phases of removal and replacement as the desirable trees mature and fill the space.
We will post updates as we get closer to a solution.


MAN'S FRIEND OR GOLF'S ENEMY?

A Guide for Selecting and Planting Golf Course Trees

New Tree on 3

The new sugar maple has been planted on the 3rd hole. It is one of three trees that were approved by the Golf Long Range Committee, and is part of a larger plan developed by Tim Gerrish. It was the largest tree we could install considering the cost and equipment available.
Most people have commented that it is smaller than they expected, which is reasonable considering the size of the other trees in the area. The mature size will be 50'-70' tall and almost as wide and will compliment the other trees on the hole very nicely. It will take time to fill in the void and restore the penalty for an errant tee shot, but we will be fertilizing the rough in the area to add additional penalty to shots that stray left off the tee. We hope to add money into next year's budget to add more trees in the area.

We finally received a few showers this week which will promote a lot of growth throughout the course. The tees bounced back nicely from the dry spell as did the greens. The rough seems ready to explode which will pose many challenges for golfers as well as my staff. We Aeravated the fairways last week using our new aerifier. This shattered the firm dry soil allowing the rain to penetrate deeper and rehydrate the root system. After we mow them this week you will not know we did anything. We performed a similar "venting" of the greens last week which will provide oxygen for the root system for about three weeks. We will complete this periodically throughout the season to help the turf survive the heat and drought stress of the coming months.
The coming weeks will be dominated by fertilizer and chemical applications that will set us up for what I anticipate will be a great summer.
Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing you on the golf course.