Is The End Near???

This week is rather busy for the Maintenance Staff.  We will be in the process of putting the finishing touches preparing the Golf Course for the winter season.  Below is a list of some of the main items we address before winter, there are many other little items not listed.

On the schedule for today:
- Spray our greens with a mixture of fungicides and anti transparent, this will help protect the putting surfaces from snow mold.
- Winterize the two restrooms on the course.
- Top dress tees and collars with sand.
- Continue to chop and blow leaves.
- Cut temporary green holes
- Remove fountain from irrigation pond

Tuesday:
-Winterize irrigation system, typically takes about 12 hours.
-Continue to top dress tee areas

Wednesday:
-Winterize well systems.
-May start bringing accessories in, depends on forecast.

Thursday:
-Winterize Driving Range Building
- Apply a heavy coat of sand on the greens, this protects the crown of the turf grass plant.

We will keep the greens open as long as the weather permits, at some point we will switch over to temporary hole locations on the front nine.   There will be more information to follow.  For now come out and enjoy your golf course.

Below is a picture of a Demo rough mower we purchased.  Fall is a great time to get a good machine with some very low hours on, and also a very good price.  If you ever want to check out some of the equipment we use on the course feel free to stop down to the shop.  If the weather allows you may even take it out for a drive.

We will see you on the course.
Ross

Compaction Relief

Last week was a complete wash, this week we were back on schedule to complete our compaction relief.  Greens and fairways were on schedule for this week.

On the greens we went with a 3/4" solid tine.  This provided an adequate hole to get sand into the soil's profile.  The process went like this; top dress heavy with sand, aerate, drag in the sand and finally roll the green's surface.   All this to keep the green's surface as playable as possible. 

The fairways we used our new Terra Slicer, as shown below.  It has many slicing blades going to depths of up to 8".  We currently have it set to depth of 6", this provide good compaction relief while not totally tearing up the playing surface.  With the good weathe we will be done with all fairways areas by Friday. 

If you have any questions or comments please contact me. 

We will see you on the course.

Ross

SNOW

Our first snow of the year has arrived.  It also has basically rained on and off all week.  After the long dry spell I was wondering if we would ever get adequate moisture this year.  The snow should not hurt anything, just delay any course maintenance and golfing this week.  Fun Times!

It was originally planned to start compaction relief in the fairways and roughs this week, now we will start when Mother Nature allows.  Next Week?  The plan was also to start greens aerification, now we are looking at next week.  Please be patient as these are much needed maintenance items. Once the normal weather returns we will finish in a timely manner 

I am hoping the snow will melt off soon,  the Golf Course will then be open for some great fall golf!!

We will see you on the course.

Ross

Frost

This weekend we have the possibility for our first FROST of the year.  This is  a friendly reminder to Please stay off all turf areas when there is FROST present.  If you walk or drive on frosted grass you will damage, or even possibly kill the turf plant.  The plant could take from days to months to recover.  Check out the following link to the USGA website.  http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/our-experts-explain0/frost-delays.html 

The Golf Course is in great shape, come out for some beautiful falls colors and great golf!

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.

We will see you on the course.

Ross

Compaction Relief

It is the middle of September already.  Fall golf is in full swing.  It is also the time of year to start our compaction relief on the Golf Course.  This week we started on the tee surfaces.  We are using a new machine we purchased earlier this year, it is called the Terra Slit.  The machine basically makes a slit in the ground to depths of 8", our older machines on were only capable of depths up to 4".  After the compaction relief we have now mowed to minimize the disruption of playability.

Next week we plan on solid tining our collars and aprons.  This will be done with our traditional style aeration machine.  Again providing compaction relief with a minimal disruption of playability.   Once that is complete we will move on to the fairways.  On the fairways we will be using the Terra Slit machine, trying to get the maximum depth in the compaction relief process.

And finally we will move on to the greens in early October.  This year we will do a 3/4" solid tine, this will provide a good opening to fill with sand.  We will top dress the green, with sand, and drag in filling the holes.  This will accomplish compaction relief and sand channels will allow the green surface to breath going into the fall and next growing season.

If you have nay questions on our compaction program please feel free to contact me.

Hope you make time to enjoy the beautiful fall!

Ross

#saveyourturf

Golf Carts are the #1 cause of compaction on the Golf Course.  Compaction causes weak, thin, unhealthy turf. 

#saveyourturf Follow the signs and use the cart path when going to and from the Club House.

Please use the blue highlighted paths going to and from the Club House or any other time on the course.
#saveyourturf 

Any questions please feel free to contact me

The best part of the golf season is here. #playgolf

Ross

Mid August Course report

Despite the crazy weather we have had this year, the golf course has had some really good playing conditions the last two months.  If you haven't been out lately you have definitely been missing out!!  Now Fall is approaching and some of the seasonal staff has started the process of heading back to school.  This is normal for this time of year, the remaining maintenance staff will continue to do everything possible to keep the golf course in great playable shape. 

One of the areas that every golfer can improve on and help save time for the maintenance staff is in the bunkers.  There are several areas not raked each and every day.  WE do not mechanically rake the bunkers on a daily basis.  So take the time and do your part by raking the tracks in the bunker.  Here is a link to the proper way to rake the bunkers from the USGA   http://www.usga.org/videos/2013/03/05/usga-course-care-video--bunker-etiquette--english--2203345161001.html  There are many other great Course Care videos on the USGA site, take the time to check them out. 

We will see you on the course.

Ross