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.
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.
Main Line Leak
We recently repaired a leak in the 6" mainline in front of #13 tee. The damage to the pipe was caused by the wear of a rock in contact with the pipe. Typical practice is to backfill any/all pipe with rock free material to prevent this phenomenon from occurring. This leak is the second leak of it's kind in the past month. A similar repair was made on the 4" mainline on the left side of #2 fairway earlier in the month.
The PVC pipe that carries water throughout the course was installed in 1978. It has held up quite well, but it's wear is beginning to show with an age of 33 years. The typical life expectancy of an irrigation piping system is 10-30 years based on information provided by the ASGCA.
The PVC pipe that carries water throughout the course was installed in 1978. It has held up quite well, but it's wear is beginning to show with an age of 33 years. The typical life expectancy of an irrigation piping system is 10-30 years based on information provided by the ASGCA.
Drainage Solution #3 Cart Path
The topography surrounding the cart path behind #11 green that transports golfers from Hole #2 green complex to Hole #3 tee presents a drainage problem. The cart path sits below the homeowner's property grade and this particular area that holds water is the extreme low point of the path. To assist in the movement of water from this collection area we installed a NDS 12" square catch basin, which drains to a rock-filled sump several feet off of the cart path. This solution should alleviate the standing water on the path during routine irrigation cycles and small rain events.
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.
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| Soccer Field at a school in Irvine |
Wind Storm- Update #2
The winds finally subsided on Monday evening. Course clean-up is on schedule and the staff deserves much appreciation for their hard work and effort. With a majority of the fallen trees cut up and debris clean-up following close behind, we intend to focus on addressing the bunkers on Thursday. We have begun mowing the primary rough and will commence mowing tees, approaches, and fairways by late Thursday. The coordination and organization of the clean up efforts are part of a large scale effort with efficiency in mind. Thank you for your patience during this period.
Wind Storm Clean up Effort Update
As many of you are aware the golf course has experienced severe, high winds over the past several days. The volume of debris and damage is significant. We are putting forth the best effort possible at the present time to make the course playable. We would anticipate the clean up efforts to take the better part of two weeks, if the current forecast for more wind over the next few days doesn't hold true. Our priority is to clean the feature areas first and work our way to the roughs and perimeters.
We understand the frustration associated with trying to play a "debris littered" course, but would appreciate your understanding and patience as we attempt to clean up after a "once in a decade" type storm event.
Thank you,
Jason and the Course Maintenance Staff
We understand the frustration associated with trying to play a "debris littered" course, but would appreciate your understanding and patience as we attempt to clean up after a "once in a decade" type storm event.
Thank you,
Jason and the Course Maintenance Staff
"Once in a Decade" Windstorm
The "once in a decade" type windstorm that hit California Wednesday evening didn't bypass Arrowhead Country Club. The high winds have continued, albeit sporadically, for the past several days with the forecast predicting them to continue through the early part of next week. We lost a total of twelve trees with some form of damage to an anticipated thirty to forty more. The course is littered with debris and the clean-up efforts are underway. The progress will be impacted by the current conditions and potential of additional wind.
Bunker Rake - Out of Commission
The clutch in our nine year old John Deere bunker rake has failed. Repair parts have been ordered and delivery is scheduled for tomorrow. Hand raking has been implemented in the interim, but limited man-power this week has hindered our ability to reach every hazard prior to daily play. The compromise to conditions is temporary and we anticipate having the machine operational by Friday.
The Buzz surrounding Royal Melbourne
As many of you viewed the recent President’s Cup at Royal Melbourne in Australia, did you notice the “unique” color associated with the greens? The rich, deep green, almost purple hue is distinctly similar to the pigment reflected in the greens here at Arrowhead Country Club.
The color that has had the golf industry a buzz is the result of a ferrous sulfate (iron) application. "High" rates of ferrous sulfate, a salt based fertilizer/soil amendment, will refine the leaf blade if allowed to dry on the tissue. This provides obvious playability benefits from a surface management standpoint. Ferrous sulfate also provides mild fungicidal benefits, acts as a herbicide, and acidifies the very top layer of the soil with repeated applications. As a salt, it can act as a desiccant to any recently germinated seedlings and effectively control immature poa annua. Studies have shown positive effects on root growth, recovery from drought stress, and increased wear resistance.
Foliar applications of FeSO4 promote a quick response and increase in leaf chlorophyll, thus green pigment within the leaves. The rates we utilize as part of our agronomic program produce a deep green, almost purple hue when left to dry on the plant tissue. This is very similar to what was witnessed at Royal Melbourne.
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| Royal Melbourne |
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| #1 Green (Post FeSO4 application) |
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| #9 Green (Post FeSO4 application) |
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| "Glass Like" appearance of #12 green |
Quick Project
As a safety measure, we removed the uneven, rotten, railroad ties that posed as a walk path to the restroom located on Hole #7. The interior of the path was replaced with a DG product that will alleviate the slipping hazard and a small annual plant bed was added to provide aesthetic balance. In the future, some additional measures will be taken to "spruce-up" the entire area.
Step 1: Address Drainage
As noted, our sand hazards have multiple shortcomings on top of an inconsistent depth and/or limited volume of sand. An issue that arises during this portion of the "rainy season" creating the bunkers un-playable is the is the ponding of water. Many of the bunkers either do not have internal drainage or have a faulty drainage system. The bunker guarding the approach of #11 green has been the largest nemesis to our staff when dealing with weather events for countless years. Installation of drainage is the first step in remedying the maintenance aspect and playability of this hazard. Following drainage, the installation of erosion measures need to take place prior to installation of new sand.
During the closure for overseeding in October we began phase I of addressing the issues with the greenside bunker on Hole #11. We shot grade, hand dug the trench, and installed 4" ADS drainage pipe & approved drainage gravel. The trench was dug deep enough into the sub-grade to allow us to top up the channel with a minor amount of specified sand. We will look to address additional bunker drainage issues as time and funding permits.
Attached are a few before, during, and after photos:
During the closure for overseeding in October we began phase I of addressing the issues with the greenside bunker on Hole #11. We shot grade, hand dug the trench, and installed 4" ADS drainage pipe & approved drainage gravel. The trench was dug deep enough into the sub-grade to allow us to top up the channel with a minor amount of specified sand. We will look to address additional bunker drainage issues as time and funding permits.
Attached are a few before, during, and after photos:
It's That Time Again...
As you can imagine, it is never a "joyous" occasion when I walk onto a green in the morning and discover a huge divot in close proximity to the cup. It happens several times a year and my expression and body language upon seeing this situation hardly ever differs. As passionate as I am about our greens, the only thing that may change in that initial moment are the expletives that cross my mind. I have little patience for senseless acts like this, so brutal honesty is what you will receive.
This act of poor etiquette is NOT ACCEPTABLE as a member of this County Club. There is no justification, period. Respect your maintenance staff's efforts, respect your fellow members, and above all: Please Respect Your Golf Course.
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