Bentgrass and a Key Factor

The success and failure of the agronomic plan we implement at Arrowhead Country Club will always be linked to the dominance and percentage of bentgrass in our greens.  Greenway Golf's surface management philosophy has been critically scrutinized over the years due mainly to the lack of understanding revolving around the "non-industry standard" practices.  The approach considered by many as unique and secretive is not only successful, but environmentally conscious.  There are many factors that influence the success of this program, but I would like to address one of them in this posting:  Mowing Frequency.


We utilize daily, monthly, and annual task tracking to measure opportunities for reduction and calculate efficiencies on each specific property.  One commonality across the properties that are managed by Greenway Golf is the limited amount of greens mowing.  In 2011 on a weekly average, we cut the greens 2.67 days out of seven at Arrowhead Country Club.  To put it in perspective, most courses are mowing six to seven days a week with supplemental double cutting.
  
There happens to be a direct correlation to Bentgrass competitiveness and population and frequency of cut.  Seasonal variation and a Superintendent's management practices should influence the decision to mow or not and understanding the strengths and weakness of Bentgrass is key.  With sustainability and minimalism being hot button topics within the industry these days, it only makes sense to limit practices that negatively impact Bentgrass competitiveness.

Moisture- finally.... 2011 Water Use

This past Saturday and the following Monday we received some much needed natural irrigation.  The rain total of .71 inches for the two separate events is the first moisture seen in the month of January.  It has been over 30 days since the last measurable precipitation event in early December.  2011 Rainfall totals are lower than the average for the region and our window for "winter/spring" rain is diminishing by the week.

On a positive note, our extraction/water usage total for the year of 2011 was 385 acre foot on 90.2 acres of turfgrass.  That is a decrease of 11 acre foot of water from the previous year and continues the trend of water savings by Greenway Golf at Arrowhead Country Club.

Landscape Irrigation Auditor's Class

This past December I participated in a two-day Landscape Irrigation Auditor seminar hosted by Ewing Irrigation in Irvine, CA.  The event was a nice refresher on techniques and formulas utilized to determine "efficient" watering practices.  Over the past three years, Greenway's efforts and auditing of Arrowhead Country Club's irrigation system has resulted in considerable savings in not only application efficiency and water consumption, but power savings as well.  This past season, we consumed 11 acre foot less water on the property than in 2010.  The 385 acre foot total usage on 90.2 acres of turfgrass is 4.27 acre foot per acre of turf.  That is exceptional in our region based on soil conditions, length of season, and climate. 

Soccer Field at a school in Irvine