Bugspray and Turf
Although our pesky nat/flying insect season is short, it happens to coincide with the peak heat of the summer. We ask that when applying insect repellent, please do so when not standing on tight cut turf areas (ex: tees, fairways, and definitely not greens!). Below is a photo from #3 fairway illustrating the impact the aerosol chemistry has on closely mown bermudagrass.
Golf Business Article~ Oct 2010
Almost a year later and I've finally added a link to the article that was published in the October 2010 issue of Golf Business magazine, titled "Building a Better Product". The article briefly touches upon the improvements to the club and how they were achieved from the perspective of former General Manager, Steve Henthorn.
Chipping Green Transformation- Poa to Bentgrass
For those members that have been following the two year transformation/improvement program of the poa/bermuda chipping green to bentgrass, here are some photos. This is a unique turfgrass transformation project for Southern California: poa to bentgrass. I'm sure that it has been attempted elsewhere in this region, but not with the success rate that we are achieving.
The chipping green was previously sodded bermuda grass to test if the species should be the turfgrass of choice for the greens after several years of failure in the mid 2000's. After the loss of the greens in 2006, Greenway was hired. Upon Greenway recommendation, the decision was made to sod the greens with T1 & A4 Bentgrass. The decision to sod versus seed was made to limit course closure time. The entire project (including corrective shaping) was completed in four weeks, during the annual closure for the over-seeding process.
Due to limited funding the bermuda green, which was failing to perform to previous consultants beliefs and subsequently transformed to more poa than bermuda, was not touched. In September of 2009, the green was double aerified and seeded with A4 bentgrass. The slideshow below illustrates the establishment of bentgrass, which now populates the green in the 90-94% range.
The green is maintained in the same manner as the course greens in terms of mowing frequency and height of cut (currently .090") To aid in the establishment of the bentgrass, the frequency of additional nitrogen applications is the only major alteration to our typical maintenance protocol.
4/2007
6/2010
9/2011
Tennis Court Renovation Complete
The tennis court resurfacing is complete and ready/open for play. The color scheme has been updated to Blue/Green, the color combination of the courts at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in NY- home of the U.S. Open of Tennis.
Improving D.U. (Distribution Uniformity)
One of the elements to water conservation is improving DU or distribution uniformity. Distribution uniformity is a measure of how uniformly water is applied over a given area. Sprinkler nozzles and sprinkler spacing greatly influence DU and have negatively impacted water consumption in the past. The lower the percentage of DU, the longer a sprinkler head will need to run to "flood" an area. The higher the DU percentage the less time a station or sprinkler will need to run to supply ample moisture based on ET. At ACC we have corrected spacing issues on all of the greens and upgraded the sprinkler nozzles to increase uniformity. The photo below is just a sample of the multiple nozzles present on the course. One major issue discovered was that the main blue/rear green nozzles prevalent on the course can only throw 58' optimally at our sprinkler base pressure. This poses a monumental problem when our sprinkler spacing is 70+ feet.
Venting
A common cultural practice that is monthly procedure here at ACC is venting the greens. The 10" long, 1/4" diameter tines open a void to allow for gaseous exchange within the rootzone. To establish and maintain roots to the depths we produce (6 - 9 inches), it is critical that we supply oxygen at these depths. It is as simple as no oxygen, no roots. In the heat of the summer, the moisture requirement of the plant increases. With additional irrigation requirements, oxygen is displaced from the soil profile and most courses experience root decline. Venting is critical to lessening or negating this phenomenon from occurring. The minor holes do not impact ball roll and usually heal within three or four days after the practice is completed.
Ugh... Summer in the I.E.
We have had a relatively mild summer here in the Inland Empire. For those of you that follow this blog and were not aware, the weather in the Inland Empire is not at all similar to San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles, but more like Palm Springs. The average high temperature from late May to early September is in the upper 90's. This past weekend, we experienced highs in the upper 100's: 108 F & 109 F. That drove soil temperatures at a depth of five inches to 90+ degrees. A little extra attention and some supplemental hand watering was all that was required. We still maintain root depths of 6-9" on our A4/T1 Bentgrass greens and feel fortunate that we are not managing poa annua.
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.
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.
July 2011 Roots
Proper management of Bentgrass in Southern California can yield dense, deep roots. These photos were taken today, July 21st, on the thirteenth green. Bring on the heat....
(triplexed greens cut at .095")
New VFD Installation
The newest component to the irrigation system is a V.F.D. for one of the 75 horsepower pump motors. The variable frequency drive eases the electrical load on a motor when 100% demand is not required. This upgrade will save in electrical use, utility costs, and wear on the old hydraulic pipe system.
Mowing Practices
Several members have inquired about our mowing practices and frequency. The short answer is that our mowing frequency is dictated by clipping yield and varies based upon time of season. This time of the year (July) we cut the bermudagrass fairways, tees, and approaches two to three times per week. In the winter months, the Ryegrass is cut once or twice per week depending on growth rate. Consuming fuel and "burning-in" mowing patterns for aesthetics is a strain on the diminished budget and limits the man hours and energy we can devote to improvements and detail work in addition to unnecessary wear and tear to equipment. In this industry, mowing is a very under estimated mechanical stress that negatively impacts plant health.
Fairway Aerification
The fairway aerification process has begun and is scheduled to take place over the next two weeks. Thank you for your patience during this critical cultural practice.
Practice Makes Perfect
The putting green is an area of practice. It is always challenging to produce a "perfect" surface that emulates all of the greens when there is tenfold the amount of traffic and wear. The image below illustrates the impact of a golfer's dedication to his/her game by practicing putting from a particular location for an extensive amount of time. (Note the footprints)
Summer Landscape Upgrades
The summer annuals have been planted with a new addition created between the set of ladies tees on Hole #7. The old, ragged junipers were removed and replaced with some summer color and transplanted garlic plants. The new bed will not only enhance the complex, but improve the turfgrass surrounding the area by effectively removing the much taller and denser junipers, which impacted sprinkler trajectory.
The bare block wall protecting the swimming pool was enhanced by the planting of a row of 'Iceberg' roses to provide contrast and color to the long, monotonous structure.
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