Off and running

The golf season is right around the corner, finally.  For many it will be a relief to get back out after a tortuous winter marked by record cold snaps followed by a very persistent blanket of snow. For me it is the end of a season of rest, recouperation, and growth ( both personal and professional).  

The winter prevented us from completing many items on our "to do" list, but we were able to make some significant improvements to the course, our equipment, and our maintenance programs.  If you have not learned about these changes in blog posts, newsletters, or emails, you will certainly recognize them the first time you return to the golf course. The most obvious and important have been covered in previous posts, so I will shift our focus to the future. 

We are in the process of completing a few capital projects on the course, including installation of new artificial mats on the range, renovating the rough on the 1st hole, repairing and expanding the irrigation on the 1st hole, and replacing trees and shrubs that were damaged in the hurricanes. These projects will be moving along rapidly over the next two weeks, and we hope to have most of the work completed by the opening golf breakfast. Much of this depends on the weather, and I am trying to remain optimistic after the heavy rains this weekend. 

On Wednesday we will take a short break from projects to complete our first aeration on the greens. It will be a similar process to the one completed last September when we cored the greens one day and deep verticut them the next. This will be the cornerstone of our cultural program for the year, allowing us to rely on less invasive practices throughout the season, which will minimize the disruption to the surface during the peak golf season. The putting surfaces will be severely disrupted for the first half of April, but I expect them to be healed in time for Opening Day, and in excellent condition for the Spring Member-Member. 

During the season we will be completing minor cultural practices on greens, tees, and fairways, on close to a weekly basis. I have an initial schedule worked out that I will post on the club calendar, and will post any changes on the blog or via social media. I am still working out the details and will provide more information in a future post or email. 

Looking out the window it is hard to think that spring is here and another golf season is upon us, but I am eager to completethe capital improvements and shift our focus to building on the progress we have made on the course over the last few years.   I am confident that we are well on our way to another exciting and successful season, and we look forward to seeing you all again enjoying the golf course. 

Mission Accomplished

The greens aeration and topdressing is complete.  We filled over 95% of the 3/4"x8" holes with sand, and then double rolled to smooth the surfaces.  It was a long, and at times tedious process, but the benefits will definitely be worth it.  The internal drainage will be enhanced throughout next season and beyond.  If this becomes the standard closing procedure we will realize deeper, more vigorous rooting in the greens and an increase in the percentage of bentgrass.  Ultimately this will allow us to be more aggressive in our efforts to provide dry, firm, fast playing surfaces throughout the year, and will improve our water management by allowing us to water deeper and less frequently.
The pins are back in the greens, for now.  Unfortunately there is also an excessive amount of sand left on the surface to protect the greens from the cold, dry winter winds that can damage the turf.  We will watch the weather in the coming weeks to determine the playability of the greens.  Once they begin to freeze and thaw I will make a recommendation to the Green Committee to close them for the season.  This is never popular, but it is the right thing to do.

Click here to read an article from the USGA about winter play on greens.

 

We have installed stakes for snow fences around the 3rd, 5th, and 13th greens.  The fences will be installed in the coming weeks to protect from damage caused by sleds and snowboards, and these greens will remain closed for the winter.

 

As spring approaches we will determine the best strategy for working as much of the excess sand into the greens.  The sand absorbs heat from the sun and warms the turf in April, and will provide smooth the putting surfaces as the turf breaks dormancy and resumes growth.

 



Going Deep

We are preparing to put the finishing touches on another challenging season at Pine Orchard.  Granted we did not have a major storm, but the season was extremely dry and July was the hottest month in recorded history.  I have learned not to complain about the weather, since it can always get worse, choosing instead to focus on the opportunity to improve things moving forward. 
We have spent the last few weeks focusing on leaf cleanup, which is almost complete.  Soon we will shift to completing projects on the golf course and beginning our seasonal maintenance on the equipment.  Before autumn turns to winter we have a few more things to do to prepare for winter and the beginning of next season.  This includes dormant seeding, final fertilizer and fungicide applications to greens, topdressing, and a little more aeration.  Today I scheduled a deep tine aeration for the greens, which will be completed Wednesday, November 20th. This will be the final major step in preparing the greens for winter.

What is going to happen?

A contractor is going to bring a machine mounted on a tractor that will punch holes in the green surface 3/4" wide and hopefully 7"-8" deep. Weather permitting we will apply a heavy load of sand on the greens the day before, so that it will instantly fill the bottom of the holes with sand. We will follow his macine with a brush to move more sand into the holes before they collapse or bridge with sand. The deep holes will be much farther apart than our traditional aeration making it difficult to move the remaining sand far enough to fill the holes completely. We will use our machine to make smaller holes in the surface on a much tighter spacing.  This will allow us to incorporate the majority of the sand into the root zone.  Finally we will roll and brush the greens until the holes are filled and the surface is firm and stable.

Why are we doing this?

Years of traditional aeration have created a 3"-4" modified root zone composed of native soil and sand. Below this layer there is a compacted layer of native soil that restricts water infiltration and root development. By breaking this layer water will penetrate deeper encouraging root growth beyond the upper 3"-4". This will allow us to manage moisture more effectively and maintain firm playing surfaces on the greens. Deeper root growth will also favor more resilient turf species, such as bentgrass over Poa annua, which will allow us to use less water and push harder for green speed. These results do not occur overnight, but when this strategy is adopted as part of a comprehensive program the playing surfaces are better earlier in the spring, and are more durable throughout the heart of the golf season.

What can you expect next week?

Greens will be closed once we begin top dressing, hopefully on Tuesday. Once the process is complete I will determine if the greens are stable enough to tolerate traffic and approach shots. If they are we will do our best to make them as playable as possible. If not, we will be establishing temporary greens in the approaches for people that want to get in a few late rounds. I will continue to monitor the surfaces until they begin to freeze, at which time I will make a recommendation to the green committee to close them for the season. All season we have done everything in our power  to make the course as playable and accessible as possible, and I intend to continue this approach until I feel that it will put the long term health of the turf in jeopardy. 

I will keep you posted as we approach and complete this process. 

Greens maintenance rescheduled.

The greens maintenance day that was scheduled for next Monday, July 8th, is being completed today. The cool weather and high chance of thunderstorms makes it a good time to verticut and top dress.
Another key factor is that George is almost ready to grind some cutting units. The sand we put out will be picked up and then he can sharpen the mowers which should carry us through the member guest.
I don't expect there to be any inconvenience to the golfers from this change, and the greens should be in great shape by the holiday.

Pete Gorman
Golf Course Superintendent
Pine Orchard Yacht & Country Club
Branford, CT

Venting greens today

We are venting the greens today. This was originally scheduled as part of last weeks greens maintenance day, but was postponed so that we were sure all of the greens would be top-dressed in time for the rains. The topdressing was a success, and the venting will help dry the greens out after a week that delivered 9" of rain. Not only will this help the greens dry out, it will provide much needed oxygen which will stimulate root growth heading into the dog days of summer.
We will mow and roll them throughout the week, and I expect them to be in excellent condition for the Ladies Guest Day and Member/Member later in the week.

Greens Maintenance Days

The 2013 golf calendar includes new events called greens maintenance days.  These are days that were built in to allow us to complete our routine cultural practices such as grooming, topdressing, and venting the greens.  The timing of the events allows us to prepare for and recover from the premier golf events.  The nature of the practices will vary based on their proximity to tournaments or other cultural practices. 

Yesterday we verticut the greens to thin out the turf and smooth the putting surface in preparation for the Sid Noyes Championship this weekend.  Essentially this was more of a grooming and less of a verticutting, therefore the disruption to the putting surface is minimal.  What does this mean?  Not much to the average golfer, but to turf nerds like me it is exciting. 

 

Verticutting is an important tool that we use to control thatch and smooth out the surface.  Earlier this spring we used the Graden to remove a lot of material from the surface, which produced the firm smooth surfaces we have enjoyed this spring.  This time we just tickled the surface, but we did it in three directions.  In a couple of weeks we will be a little more aggressive and lower the blades to help with our topdressing application. 

So how does this affect the average golfer?  
In addition to the short term benefits realized by the tournament participants, and the long term benefits over the course of an entire season, golfers will be able to check the calendar before they invite guests out to enjoy the course or schedule an important match.  Additional information will be available on the blog to inform golfers about the level of disruption they should expect, and how long it will take for the greens to recover. 

Here is a link to a USGA video that explains the "Venting" process.

 

Pushing the envelope

I have received a number of comments about the appearance of the greens over the last few weeks, most of them through second parties.  In order to avoid any confusion and prevent the spread of incomplete or erroneous information I decided to share a clear and concise explanation of why certain greens look the way they do.
Heading into Memorial Day weekend we experienced the first warm, humid spell of the season following a very cool spring.  There were 9 out of 10 days in the middle of May when we experienced measurable rain.  The week before Memorial Day the rain finally stopped but the air became warm and very humid causing the turf on the greens to become very lush, and we were having a difficult time maintaining acceptable green speeds heading into the Sid Noyes tournament.   In an effort to thin out the turf, and provide the smooth, firm playing surfaces that I have been asked to maintain I decided to verticut and top dress the greens, just as I had done two weeks earlier during aeration.  Brushing the sand into the turf strips the cuticle (waxy coating) off the leaves causing the tips to appear straw colored.
That Friday I made a chemical application to protect the turf heading onto the heat of the summer, and to control an insect that could potentially devastate the greens if left unchecked.  Included in that spray was a Turf Growth Regulator called Legacy, which I used to improve green speed.  It is a combination of two products that affect the plants' ability to produce a hormone that causes the leaves to grow tall.  One of the active ingredients controls Poa annua, the dominant grass species on some of our greens, more than creeping bentgrass.  I used a low-label rate to test the product and see what affect it would have on the turf.  It worked.  In fact the high temperatures, persistent winds, and strong sun caused it to work a little too well.  After coultless hours of pulling hoses and watching the greens VERY closely for the next ten days, the weather pattern broke and the Poa annua bounced back on all but the 3rd and 5th greens. 
The off color appearance of the greens over the last 10-14 days is due to the fact that the regulator prevented the tip damage from growing tall enough to be removed by our mowers.  I have been down on my hands and knees every day monitoring the progress of the greens, waiting for the nice green leaves that are emerging from the base of the plants to push the damaged leaves high enough to be mowed off.  Most of the greens have bounced back and are performing exactly as I would like.  Unfortunately the greens that are located in the poorest growing environments are our weakest link, and are still in the process of growing out the damage.  Looking forward these greens will determine how aggressive we can be as we push for the firm, fast conditions that everyone loves.
In the end, this is just part of the process that superintendents go through as we explore the limitations of a new property.  I wanted to know how far I could push the greens, and how long it would take for them to bounce back.  Had I taken a more conservative approach the comments in the 19th hole would have been that I over water, that the greens are too slow, and I would have learned nothing.  I have been watching and recording the results of my cultural practices and applications, and will adjust my programs accordingly.  This, and many other issues, will be reviewed by an Agronomist from the USGA this coming Wednesday during our Turf Advisory Service visit, and his report and recommendations will be available for all to read.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as I continue to develop programs that will provide turf that is healthy enough to withstand the abuse necessary to maintain firm, fast playing conditions.

Spring update, or should I say recap.

I have been meaning to sit down and share some thoughts and observations about spring on the golf course, but I think I missed my opportunity.  The cool weather in April got the golf course off to a slow start, and the persistent rains in May made it difficult to keep up once the grass started growing.  Before I could stop and enjoy the tulips and azaleas, spring had sprung and summer came almost overnight.  I guess that happens every year and I am too busy to realize it.  May is one of the busiest times for the golf course maintenance staff.  There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that prepare the course for the summer months, and they all must be completed within a narrow time frame to be effective.

On top of all the things that we have been doing behind the scenes, many of you have noticed (and commented on) how fast the rough has been growing.  We have been doing our best to keep up with the mowing and blowing the clippings but it has been a struggle to say the least.  We have been mowing the rough twice each week and will continue our efforts to keep up so that the penalty for an errant shot is not too severe, and more importantly to maintain an acceptable pace of play.

We have been discussing the condition and impact of the natural fescue areas that lend so much character to the golf course.  I am consulting with other golf course superintendents that have been managing similar areas and will develop a comprehensive management plan to preserve the appearance of the areas, but make it so that players can find and play their balls.  One of the keys seems to be cutting them down once or twice in the spring until the heat of summer can dry and thin out the grass close to the ground.  We have mowed a few of the areas that come into play most often and will continue to work on it in the coming weeks.  I will be developing a chemical program as well that will control broadleaf and grassy weeds that can take over these areas as part of natural succession.  We will make applications using product from our existing inventory, and build a comprehensive program into the 2012 budget to make sure these areas are maintained such that they do not detract from the beauty of the course, or the members’ ability to enjoy it.

The greens are finally starting to perform as I would expect.  The cool spring prevented them from growing which affected ball roll and smoothness.  Then the rains released any nutrients that had been applied last fall and this spring causing the turf to become very lush and sluggish.  Now that the sun is stronger and the days are longer, the surfaces have dried out and the greens are rolling nicely.  The aeration, verticutting, and topdressing have produced smooth putting surfaces, which is our top priority.  We will continue our efforts to maintain smooth, firm playing surfaces throughout the year.  In order to maintain turf that is healthy enough to withstand our grooming programs we will be “venting” the greens from time to time.  This is a less invasive version of solid tine aeration.  We use small tines to create holes in the greens to maintain adequate gas exchange and water infiltration in the soil.  We may use the same tines as last month one more time, and then we will move to a needle tine that will make holes so small you won’t be able to see them when we are done.  This practice will be scheduled as needed based on the health of the turf, weather conditions, and the golf calendar.  I will post any such practices on the blog and inform the golf shop, but I do not expect that there will be much inconvenience to the membership.

As we head into the heat of the summer, maintaining firm, fast putting surfaces requires very diligent water management.  A key component of this process is syringing the greens in the afternoon to prevent severe wilt, which requires us to apply a light mist of water over the green surface with a hose.  In order to do this effectively and efficiently we must be given the time to get on the greens between groups.  I will instruct my staff to quietly plug the hose into the system while the group is putting and wait until they are done before turning the hose on.  While the group replaces the flagstick and walks off the green, we will syringe the turf by creating a cloud of water that will cool the surface without wetting the soil or affecting the playing surface.  The process takes about one minute to complete on a large green.  If you see us walk onto the green with our hoses, please wait until we are done and have left the green before hitting your approach shot.  If we are not afforded this time we will be forced to use the overhead sprinklers which apply too much water and may affect the speed of the greens.  Click here to view a video clip from USGA.com that explains this in more detail..

As I learn more about the limitations and resiliency of these greens I will be able to be more aggressive with our maintenance strategy.  Right now I am pleased with seven of our eleven greens.  There are three that are not performing as I would like and therefore are the limiting factors with respect to pushing for the firm, fast greens many of you have come to love and expect.  I will be watching these greens very closely and will develop specific strategies to allow us to push them a little harder.  I would hate to exceed their limits in preparation for the member-member in June and lose them for the member-guest in July. 

Thank you for your patience as I continue to become acquainted with the course, the membership, and my staff.  I am confident that we are going to have a great season and I look forward to seeing you on the golf course.

Aeration update

At the end of last week I thought I would be writing this post to pacify the mass of angry golfers that wanted to hang me from the flag pole for ruining their greens.  Surprisingly I don’t feel that I have to mention it at all.  In fact, I would be surprised if anyone could tell that we had done anything to them at all.

Unfortunately this does not mean that the greens are rolling beautifully.  The heavy, persistent rain delayed our follow up maintenance and has released nutrients that were stored in the soil.  We finally mowed the greens on Thursday and mowed and rolled today.  The turf is very lush preventing us from dropping our cutting height back to its original setting (we’re still only 0.005” or 4% above normal).  I made two applications to the greens that should improve the firmness and speed of the greens over the weekend.

A few people have commented about how much they like the less aggressive approach we took with respect to aerating the greens this spring.  It is my goal to continue with this approach as long as the turf remains healthy and the weather cooperates.  In order to achieve our goals using this strategy, we must complete our cultural practices more often.  We will try to use Mondays to get this work done, which means that there will be some weeks where the greens are much slower on Monday than they were the previous weekend due to verticutting, topdressing, spiking/venting, or a variety of other practices we employ to improve the health and condition of the greens.  We appreciate your patience and support as we fine tune these programs to minimize the impact of these practices and maximize the number of days that the course is in pristine playing condition.

Considering the weather we had this week I am very pleased with condition and appearance of the golf course.  I attribute this to the hard work and dedication of the crew.  In spite of the persistent rain the guys remained focused and were able to get all of the routine maintenance completed in addition to the aeration and topdressing.

Thank you for checking in and we look forward to seeing you out on the golf course.