San Bernardino County Water Conference 2011




This past Thursday I was invited to participate as a speaker and panelist at the San Bernardino County Water Conference in Ontario.  It was an opportunity to inform the community of our water conservation efforts on the golf course.  By introducing perpetual, comprehensive auditing to our conservation planning, we have conserved a volume of water equal to a 25% reduction from previous seasons (2006 versus 2010).  That equates to 60 acre foot of water per season.  Multiple additional components contribute to our conservation efforts including:  diligence in moisture monitoring, amended programming, hand watering versus overhead sprinkler operation, nozzle upgrades, and managing environmentally adapative species of turfgrass for our region. 

To visit the conference site, please click the link below:

Hydraulic Leak

We experienced our first major hydraulic leak in two and half seasons on Friday.  The leak occurred on the left side of Hole #1 in the intermediate rough.  The hose of was quickly repaired and the machine is back in operation.  A photo of the damage:




Soil & Water Testing

Every season we collect samples of the irrigation water and soil from select greens.  The samples are sent to accredited laboratories and processed for elemental properties.  It is wise to utilize the same laboratory from year to year because extraction methods can differ between the labs.  This is beneficial when it comes to accurately comparing data and determining if the agronomic plan needs to be amended to account for an alteration in characteristics.  Dissimilar from industry standard, we do not attempt to address all imbalances within the soil.  Since we have no interest in yield and strive to produce and manage a surface, wasting monies incorporating non-beneficial nutrients to balance the soil is not required.


(Several soil sample locations on #17 Green)

Missed putts?

After borrowing the idea from a fellow Golf Course Superintendent, I enlisted the assistance of a few members willing to donate their time.  (Thank you both, Mr. Fike and Mr. Lynch)

The project was to identify golfer's un-repaired or incorrectly repaired ball marks on one Par 3.  The photos below illustrate the several hundred un-repaired or incorrectly repaired ball marks on Hole #15.  This exercise took approximately 45 minutes and clearly identifies that members are not taking the time to fix their ballmarks.  


The heat of the summer results in a larger moisture requirement for proper plant hydration.  This will create a slightly softer surface than typically experienced at the club.  


The next time your putt shimmies offline, there is a high probability that it is the result of  a ballmark.  Please show ownership in your golf course and help us maintain the best possible surface.