Monster Day

There are many events going on in the month of December at the club but I wanted to give a sneak peak of Monster Day 2017. Such a fun and challening event the past two years and I am sure the next one will be the toughest yet. That one time a year challenge when I get set up the golf course as difficult as it can be. In 2014 the winning score was -13, last year -7, and I have every intention to make sure no one gets to last years total. It will be a similar set up but be very aware of even more trickery! Last year me teeing off on #13.

The golf course dog

We all know there is a reason why dogs are a man’s best friend. Loyalty, protection, the goofy tail wagging and perpetual “what-can-I-do-for-you-next” attitude are just some of the noticeable aspects of many breeds. On a golf course, there is no question that a dog is indispensable if there are issues with birds (Canada geese, widgeons, coots, etc.) because they help to minimize potential damage. However, dogs are even more important in regard to the psychological effect they have on three main groups of humans. My dog, or the golf course dog "Opie" is a 6 month old Beagle/Shetland sheep dog mix. Opie is great with my 3 boys and loves to play fetch. His companionship on and off the job make the day go by great. His love and curiosity with staff and members make there day that much better too. The beagle is a breed of small-sized hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle is a scent hound, developed primarily for hunting hare. With a great sense of smell and their tracking instinct, the Beagle is employed as a detection dog. The beagle is intelligent but single-minded, with a great temperament. The Shetland Sheepdog, also known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog. The original name of this breed was Shetland Collie, but this caused controversy among the Rough Collie breeders at the time, so the breed's name was formally changed to Shetland Sheepdog. This small dog is very intelligent, vocal, excitable, energetic, and willing to please and work hard. Benefits to golf course, staff, and members: The maintenance staff. Early morning starts are easy for some and tough for others, but who does not appreciate a friendly dog greeting them to say good morning? A well-trained and friendly dog can be the perfect antidote (if only for a few seconds) to start or end a hard day of work. The golf course superintendent. Make no mistake about it, a good dog is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, friend a golf course superintendent can have. Always there with a good attitude, ready for new excitement each day and agreeing that the bunkers are consistent and the greens the right speed. How can it get any better? When times are tough, having a good friend alongside that cannot disagree with how the course looks or plays is doggone helpful. The golfers. Perhaps the greatest psychological aspect to having a good dog in the seat next to you is when golfers approach with a question or comment. Following a little petting and scratching of our four-legged friends, golfers say to heck with the greens not being perfect or the bunkers not to their liking. It is interesting how comments or suggestions that follow time spent with a dog are made with a completely different presentation after having that kind of positive feedback. The golf course. We have water fowl that frequently visits the irrigation lake surrounding holes #1 and #4. With this years over seed the water fowl is here earlier this year and already eating the grasses as well as leaving there droppings behind. Opie will be on the look out for the water fowl and he will herd them so play will be less impacted by there presence. He will also be on the scent of gophers, squirrels, and rabbits.

Charity Classic

Such a fun day with Helga Stafford, Jim Smith and his guest Andy. I play at the club around 2 times per month, but it is always nice to golf with members I have not had the opportunity to play with. This time of the year we all know that the grasses are not growing as much but that does not mean that my staff and I are not busy with winter projects. However I want to make every effort to play with members that have asked me to play in the past. I have been playing golf for the past 20 years and my game is not where it used to be, however I appreciate any opportunity I can to tee it up. One thing is for sure, if you wish to hide your character do not play golf. The game sure brings out the best and worst of me.

New forward tee

Here is a picture of the start of a new forward tee on #7. It will play roughly about 110 yards.

#16 teeing area

For those that read this blog you have seen some changes that you might like, and might not like. I would be surprised if we are all not all on the same page with this one. Hole #16 teeing area has been a sore sight for those that play the white and red tees. The square footage to handle the divots even in the summer months has been to small. To fix this the teeing area will be expanded by double the amount of square feet to tee off from. You should expect the tee's new area to be played from in a few weeks.

Pity the poor turf

Foot and vehicular traffic are a constant source of stress to turf. There are several types of traffic-related damage, the most important of which are wear damage and soil compaction. Traffic also compacts soil particles so tightly that water and air can’t move in or out of the soil, and plant roots can’t penetrate the rock hard soils. With no root growth, the plant suffers from lack of nutrients and water, which in turn results in slower growth, inability to recover from injury and eventually, death. To add to golf car traffic issues add shade and there is another problem.Plants use light the same way that animals use food — to fuel the chemical reactions that keep them alive. But different plants need different levels of light. Shade loving houseplants or mosses that grow on the forest floor require very little light and will actually die if exposed to direct sun. In contrast, plants such as turf grass require many hours per day of high intensity sunlight, and will die if forced to grow in the shade. So please when you are using a golf car stay away from the shady spots. Thanks!

Really?

The weather report was wrong on the rain. Since yesterday we have accumulated almost 1" of rain. Very unexpected and it definitely has put a hold on a few things that were to be done today. On a good note we were able to mow most of the teeing areas and will finish in the am tom. They will be in fine condition as well as the golf course will be greening up from the free water. Also expect some soft conditions for the next few days.

Updates

The golf course is in fine condition right now and there has been quite of few things that have taken place in the last month. Greens were aerified and back in great condition, rolling around 11 and firm. Green surrounds were over seeded almost a month ago and finally got there first mow yesterday. Fairways have been de thatched and aerified. The fairways will look and play great starting this weekend. The weather for the most part has cooperated, and the conditions show. You will notice some much needed things being done soon. Detail work, edging paths, planter clean up, additon of new teeing areas, etc.

Mexican Heather

Nice too see a mature plant come to life. I planted this in February of this year and the other picture was taken this week.

Course closure updates

The course closure this week has been tremendous. My team has completed many much needed things. All dirt piles adjacent to paths has been picked up, fwys and tees have been verticut, seed and water are doing great, and lastly the greens are healing very well. We will have all tees and green surrounds marked extensively with signage and rope to aid in the germanation process of the fall overseed. I will be on the first tee explaining how the process has gone as well as informing where to enter and exit green surrounds.

Course updates

It has been almost two weeks since the last post and there has been much going on. Member guest prep which we had the greens rolling almost a 12 on the stimp. Recently we have started the prep for our overseed around the greens. My staff is very excited to have a full week of closure as we will be doing many things besides over seeding and aerifacation to the greens. Members will see a noticeable difference to course conditions at the end of October. Expect speedy greens soon, good lies around the greens and we hope for the best fairway conditions as possible.

To leach or not to leach

With poa greens that are shallow rooted, daily irrigation may be needed to meet evapotranspirational demands during the summer months. But, periodic deep flushing is beneficial to improve uniformity of soil moisture across the green, to improve air movement into the soil and to aid in salinity management. This year we have increased are leaching program by 1 week. Since May we leach every other Sunday night. Most Monday's are closed and by Tuesday the greens are back to there normal firmness. I have seen a consistency throughout the greens when it comes to firmness. Less wet spots, and less hot spots. The greens have been great this summer when it comes to weather and cultural practices. From needle tining, verticutting, top-dressing, and timely pesticide applications. This greens management program has evolved tremendously the past two years and we are very proud of the consistency our greens have throughout the day.

Man's best friend

I am very excited to finally have a course dog! His name is Opie and he will be a big help this winter with the Coots, Ducks, and Canadian Geese around the lake. Opie is a beagle/sheltie mix and is 14 weeks old. Be sure to stop by and say hello as he is very friendly.

The tri plex challenge

Yesterday afternoon our Food and Beverage Manager Nick Carlone took on the triplex challenge! He double mowed the 5th fairway with this unit and it took him 1 3/4 hours to finish. Not bad considering I gave him a 2 minute crash course on "how to operate". This is BRELN at it's best!

Time to verticut

Yesterday we completed the first verticut on fairways. You will notice a few rough patches than others, but this is a great start to fill in the less desirable areas on the fairways. After a mow this is what the finish products looks like.

On the right path

Starting to verticut fairways. Minimal disruption and this practice is huge in removing old material. The plant will "wake up" and there will be new growth.

We are golfers unseen heroes

Behind the scenes. Another beautiful sunrise at Canyon Crest...

Aeration is a must to sustain turf

The word aeration stimulates negative emotions for many golfers. It may come as a surprise, but golf course superintendents also dislike aeration. After all, the last person who wants to disrupt the smoothness of the putting greens they work so hard to maintain is the superintendent. Golfers often ask, “Why is aeration needed so often?” Aeration is an essential program to keep playing surfaces healthy and in good condition. Aeration primarily is performed to control organic matter – i.e., decaying roots and grass stems – relieve soil compaction, stimulate root growth and improve drainage. If organic matter becomes too thick, it acts like a sponge and holds water at the surface after rain or irrigation. Excessive organic matter also inhibits root growth, reduces oxygen levels in the soil, encourages disease and eventually can lead to turf failure. Furthermore, excessive organic matter creates soft surfaces prone to ball marks, foot printing and inconsistent playing conditions. Aeration and topdressing are the most effective ways to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces. Core aeration involves physically removing small soil cores – e.g., 0.5-inch diameter cores – from the turf and is the most common type of aeration. Aeration holes allow excess moisture to evaporate and promote gas exchange in the soil, resulting in stronger root systems and turf that is better able to tolerate golfer traffic. Proper timing of aeration will ensure the fastest possible recovery and return to smooth surface conditions. The key to a quick recovery is to perform aeration when the turf is healthy and actively growing. The articles, Core Cultivation: Timing is Everything and Easing the Pain of Core Aeration expand on proper aeration timing. There are many types of aeration that superintendents use throughout the season; some are more labor-intensive and disruptive to playing surfaces than others. Less-disruptive forms of aeration, including venting aeration with small-diameter, solid tines, also are beneficial because they can alleviate turf stress by promoting oxygen levels in the soil. Aeration programs that have a small impact on a playing surface generally can be performed throughout the season with little or no disruption to play. The type and frequency of aeration needed is course specific. Superintendents adjust aeration programs based on soil conditions, turf requirements, climate/weather, available labor and equipment, course events, etc. Aeration can create short-lived disruption but it is a highly beneficial program that keeps greens healthy and playing well. Playing conditions are of the utmost importance for most golfers, and aeration is needed to keep turf healthy and playing well. Aeration can be disruptive, but the long-term benefits of aeration far outweigh the short-lived disruption. The next time you play on greens that were recently aerated, keep in mind that aeration is performed for the long-term health of the course. The greens may not play their best immediately following some aeration treatments, but everyone is playing the same conditions and golfers still can enjoy the game and make plenty of putts.

Dog days of summer

There will be a few more months of great growing conditions and it is my personal goal to have the fairways in great condition. We just raised the mowing height to a 1/2", and verticutting/coring will help to achieve a desirable canopy of good turf. This is my main focus before we overseed tee tops, green surrounds, and aerify greens. The golf car paths have been poured from the first bridge on #12 all the way to the #13 green! My staff will also have to build a dirt bridge from #3 to #2 across the canal for the concrete trucks. There is a ton of stuff that we are doing right now so please be patient.

The golf car path process

We are very close to having concrete being poured for the golf car paths! Here is a picture of the construction crew yesterday doing there final grade on hole #14. Besides all of the irrigation breaks we have had, we are very excited to finally see concrete!

#10 green repair

It has been almost a month since the unfortunate incident when the greens mower busted a hydraulic line on #10 green. We tried to save the turf but with the hot weather and amount that was spilled on the green it could not be saved. Yesterday the crew replaced the sod with a new turf and will be in fine shape by next week. Lets keep our fingers crossed, anywhere but the greens!

Golf Car Paths

Great news!!!!! We are excited to announce that today the golf car path project will be starting! The remaining holes that are left with no concrete for the paths are 12,13,14,2,5,6. The golf car paths will be graded and poured in this order. Hole 12-13-14-6-5-2. We anticipate the project to be completely done by the end of September.

Aerifying Fairways

I am very excited to finally be aerifying fairways! It has been a few years since it was last done, and the aerifacataion is crucial to improve the fairway conditions. We will be going thru the fairways at least 2 times with this process and know that are fairways will be in fantastic shape. Just like the greens and tees, we need to let the fairways breath. Also not to mention, break up the thatch layer which will help key nutrients and water to uptake in the roots to have a healthy and vigor plant. By doing this we are confident that with the non over seed our fairways will be that much better to with hold golf car traffic, and play.

Not again....

This past Tuesday we had a hydraulic hose burst from one of the greens mowers on #10 green. It is never good when this happens especially when it is the most mancured turf. My staff was very active to save the turf, a mix of simple green and activated charcoal hopefully will do the trick. I will have a good idea if the turf can be saved once the charcoal is gone and I can see the turf canopy. If not we do have sod.

It is that time of year again....AERIFACATION

Except this time it is not on greens, however we are just aerifying the tees. All tees were completed today and the holes should be gone by this weekend. There were many tees that needed it, #13,#17,#2 just to name a few. The tees will be in fine condition the rest of the summer.....

Irrigating greens vs. hand watering greens

Most golf courses today employ state-of-the-art irrigation systems that deliver water very accurately to wherever it is needed. An 18-hole irrigation system can cost millions of dollars and, if properly maintained, deliver water very exactly. A golf course superintendent relies on the system’s ability while using the least amount of water required for healthy turfgrass growth. Sadly, no matter how sophisticated or extensive an irrigation system may be, water deficiencies remain on any golf course. Grass species, soil type, soil layering, irrigation system performance and hydrophobic soil conditions can cause water deficiency symptoms (dry spots) in turf. Historically, superintendents dealt with one or more dry spots by increasing irrigation run times in those zones. The problem with this approach was that, in some cases, an individual irrigation zone could include three or more large, 50-gallons per minute irrigation heads and cover thousands of square feet – even though the need for localized irrigation was very small. Only the upper-end golf courses have single-head control. Most courses, depending upon their capital construction budget, are designed with paired fairway heads and individual head control around greens, just to keep initial costs of the system down. Systems designed with a lower budget sometimes have three or more fairway heads per zone, with paired heads on the greens and surrounds. The fewer heads in an irrigation zone, the greater the capital costs of the system. Irrigation design tends to have costs tied to controlled water application; the greater the control over where and how water is applied, the higher the system’s cost. Lower-cost irrigation systems aren’t well-suited to applying minute quantities of water to very small areas, so it becomes kind of like using a sledge hammer to kill a mosquito. If you only had two or three small, 120-square-foot areas that were showing drought stress, but that irrigation zone encompassed 2,000 or 3,000 square feet, then large areas would be overwatered. Using an irrigation system to address a few small water-deficiency problems can lead to water wastage and possibly the creation of wet areas. In light of water conservation goals, this approach is unacceptable in some situations, and is where hand watering has become the preferred method of dealing with smaller dry areas that show drought stress. Hand watering is popular because you only apply water to the areas specifically showing drought stress symptoms, i.e., a darkening in coloration of the turf. This allows a superintendent to add the least amount of water necessary to make the drought symptoms disappear – aiding in water conservation efforts. There is an economic consequence of hand watering – it requires one person on the end of every hose. Some people do nothing but hand water from two to eight hours a day, and this impacts the labor budget. Not all golf courses can afford to have a team of hand waterers heading out every morning to solve localized dry spots on the golf course. But sometimes the political consequences of not doing this are just as negative, especially when numerous board members and guests are on the course. And, if one is to use the larger irrigation system to apply the extra water, there are negative consequences (wet spots being created, large volumes of water being wasted, reduced efficacy of fertilizers and pesticides applied, etc.). Hand watering can pose physical problems as well. Too much pressure and a focused stream of water can disrupt the fine sand particles at the greens’ surface, causing problems with wind exposure (reducing wear tolerance), physical damage to plant tissue and disruption to the uniformity of the playing surface. It’s always best when hand-watering to simulate natural rainfall or normal irrigation water application rates. Most hand watering is done with water breakers on the end of the hose that disrupt the flow of water into smaller, less forceful streams. Water is also sprayed in a sweeping fashion from side to side to reduce water concentrations when it hits the turf surface. The most efficient form of hand watering is to locate and identify problem dry areas. Once they are identified and known, volumetric moisture readings are routinely taken in these areas that record soil moisture levels, which allows you to predict when the dry spots will start to show up. Not every golf course can afford to deal with small areas of drought-stressed turf. But for those that can, hand watering allows them to use the least amount of water to create the best playing surface for golf.

A defined line

For as long as I can remember the right side of #14 green has been a troubled spot for "out of bounds". As far as where actually is the line? It was brought to my attention in the last greens committee meeting and we are establishing the line with the edge of the concrete cart path. So good news if your ball is on the path, just do not forget "drop as near is possible with free relief no closer to the hole". Take a look at the picture as we should have this project completed going into the weekend.....

Pride and dedication

Hole #5 fairway. This process to double mow with the small unit took 1 1/2 hours. It was much longer to make it look this way, but totally worth it! WOW!!!!!!!!

A busy few weeks

The last few weeks have been intense for my team and the golf course. Last Monday we had hi temps of 115 F which required more monitoring of moisture and wilt watching for the greens. With the necessary long work days, we were able to come out ahead of where I thought the conditions might look like. More water obviously solves much of the extreme heat, but keep in mind irrigation practices such as timing, when to water, how much to water, humidity, etc. are huge factors in keeping turf grass alive. The golf course is in fine condition, and bunkers have been softened up again to a 4" depth in the cavity. Greens are rolling 10.0 + daily still, and the fairways are striped up.

A must read

Credit: USGA green section JUNE 17, 2016 Putting green speeds fluctuate because of factors such as temperature, humidity and the different maintenance practices. It’s a beautiful fall day with cool temperatures and low humidity; you are playing golf and marveling at the condition of the course, particularly the pace of the putting greens. Some golfers might be inclined to just enjoy the moment. Others will wonder why the greens can’t play like this all the time. There are a myriad of variables that affect turfgrass growth and putting green speed; and, what is possible to achieve at one time of year under certain conditions may be impossible at other times. Unquestionably, the biggest variable affecting turf health and playability is weather. Air and soil temperatures both have a tremendous impact on turfgrass growth rates. So do moisture and humidity. Rain or irrigation events, particularly when combined with a fertilizer application, can stimulate extra growth. This effect can be magnified under warm conditions with the result being increased surface resistance and reduced ball roll. Similarly, hot, humid conditions cause turfgrass leaves to retain moisture and remain fat, and this also may result in reduced green speed. Conversely, dry, windy conditions can cause the turf to wilt which can reduce surface resistance and increase putting green speeds. Putting green speed will vary from day to day merely as a result of weather influences and the seasonal changes turf undergoes. Maintenance practices also have major effects on putting green speed. Mowing and rolling operations increase putting green speed. Applications of topdressing, needed to dilute organic matter and smooth putting green surfaces, can initially slow putting green speeds. A day or two after a topdressing application, putting green speeds often get faster than they were prior to the application. The same often is true of vertical mowing and brushing. Practices that stand the turf up aid in controlling the development of grain and can improve the quality of cut, but these practices can slow putting green speed for a day or two before stimulating an increase. Many other factors affect turfgrass growth. Growing environments, soil conditions, and applications of plant growth regulators, plant protectants, and fertilizer are just a few. Anything that affects turf growth is likely to affect putting green speed. Golf course superintendents constantly juggle maintenance practices with the weather to maximize playability and maintain consistency. Despite our scientific training, modern equipment and experience, it is impossible to maintain a consistent putting green speed every day of the season. The question is, why would we want golf courses to play the same way every day? Adjusting one’s game to the conditions and varying setup are some of golf’s greatest attractions. Golf courses cost a lot to maintain, and if consistency is so important, a cheaper alternative would be to move the game indoors. Golfers could use simulators and hit off of artificial surfaces into nets in climate controlled environments. This would ensure absolute consistency and eliminate the variable effects that come from wind, rain, temperature, maintenance practices, course set up, etc. Fortunately, most golfers believe that playing the game outside in a natural setting is part of golf’s charm. Varying how courses play through setup and having to adjust one’s game based on the weather and playing conditions makes the game infinitely interesting and challenging. Rather than considering green speed and other aspects of playability as factors that should be kept as constant as possible, look at their changing effects as a blessing that continually adds interest and new challenge to a wonderful game.

We are ready for the heat

Last weekend was a true test to the grounds staff with pushing the limits for the greens. We have since put back the necessary moisture for the plant to be as healthy as possible going into the heat wave this weekend. As the high temperature forecast is always changing a few degrees, know that it HOT. This Monday we are to get temps of over 110f and that is great for all turf on the golf course except the greens. We will be keeping a close eye throughout this weekend and the first part of next week on moisture levels and soil temps. The greens will slow down with the heat not just because of the moisture levels going up, but the grass is trying to grow at an immense rate. This week we have already applied a growth regulator, and a seed head reducer for the poa annua. Remember that the turf grass is just like us, the hotter it is the more hydration it needs.

The right amount of speed

Our greens started at 10.1 this Wednesday and within 2 days has gone up to 11.8. As mentioned many times before there is quite a bit that goes into the process. On the other hand we consider the health of the plant a big factor to achieve the quality of playing surface. You cant just have greens that are firm and fast with only a mowing and watering. Every golf course green is different with its design from drainage, salt levels, ph, organic, etc. At this point in time our greens are the healthiest they have been in my short tenure here. From spraying soil surfactants, timely fertilizer apps, cultural practices, and most importantly moisture management in the root zone. Our greens are mowed at .130" or just above a 1/8", de-thatched as needed, aerified 2 times per year, and this is just to name a few things that we do behind the scenes. All this factors in to having a root total depth of 4" which is incredible for poa annua greens in June.

Mens Club Championship

My staff and I have prepped the course for the next four days for firm and fast conditions. We have great growing weather and it will not be that hot. We will be pushing the greens to tournament conditions with speeds reaching almost a 12. The greens will also be on the firm side with primarily only hand watering. Please enjoy the conditions as we always try to peak for these big events at our club!

Busted pipe

On Memorial Day we had a break in our main water pipe adjacent to the 12th fairway. This water source is 90% of our total use of the year. With how hot it is this week it had to be fixed right away. We completed the work and the pipe fix is holding.

SKUNKS

Mama skunk and her 3 babies

Memorial Day

I hope that everyone has a fun and safe Memorial day weekend! But most importantly lets not forgot all the service men and women that died for our country and freedom!

A Mild May

Mother nature has treated the golf course quite well this month. Are high so far has only been 93 and the average high has been around 75 degrees. This weather has brought a perfect growing condition for both warm season grasses and cool season grasses. While the greens are still rolling almost a 12, the kikuya in the fairways is flourishing with growth. We have had a great conditions throughout the past few months and we hope for the best going into summer.

Thank you members and guests

Over the past month I have been receiving many compliments about the golf course.It has a lot to do with growing conditions and mother nature. But the compliments do not go unnoticed and without my dedicated staff we would not be able to deliver the quality that the members and guests play on. My team has a total of 170 years employed at the club. So the next time you are out playing stop one of the crew members and tell them thanks for all they do here. Thanks, John Hardin Golf Course Superintendent Canyon Crest Country Club

Time to verticut

Our greens are starting to grow again. With the weather being mild and good morning temps it has produced more yield of grass clippings. When this happens we verticut as needed. Instead of a greens mower mowing the tips of the turf, the vericut unit goes into the turf and takes out excess turf build up. That build up is called thatch. We do not want a thick barrier of thatch because of many reasons. A few reasons is because it becomes almost impossible to break the barrier with water and the water simply runs on top of the turf. You always want a good infiltration rate and this is another reason why we consistently topdress with light sand as needed. The sand goes into the cracks of the open turf and helps with the firmness of the greens. There are several reasons but know that the greens are great right now. The greens are currently rolling 11.8 feet and that is 1.5 feet faster than they were last year at the same time.

Golf car traffic

This is a re-post from a few weeks back. The areas that had ropes, stakes, and chains "seem" to be holding with traffic. Please adhere to the following. Important Notice: The Ropes and chains that are used to control golf cart traffic have been removed from the course. Please read the following to understand how we will be directing cart traffic from this point forward. We will be putting a white line in front of the greens that is going to be used to keep carts from driving to close to the greens. As a reminder in the Canyon Crest bylaws it states "no cart should be within 30 feet of any green, tee or bunker, and all par 3's are to be cart path only". When entering/exiting the fairways, we ask that carts enter/exit near the green poles with the white tops.They are located on every hole that allow cart traffic on the fairway and are moved by golf course maintenance in order to keep the same parts of the golf course from wearing out.

unexpected rains

Last week their were two decent days of rains with totals just over a 1/2 inch. The golf course has not been irrigated since this past Wednesday and greens are still rolling around 11.5 feet.

Still speedy

It has been a few weeks now since we aerified our greens. Not to mention this week we leached on Sunday night, it rained Monday evening, and needle tine the greens the past few days. Even with all this disruption we have been able to keep the greens firm and fast. The reason why the greens are still firm is the sand that is still in the upper profile. This is another reason why we put so much sand on the greens and not pick up the excess. The greens have a great percolation rate and this will be consistent because next week we will be adding more sand with are verticut/top-dress program. The greens are rolling at 11.4.

Striped!!!!

The fairways are starting to show some definition and shaping up for the weekend. Always nice to see striping!

Ropes, chains, and stakes bye bye

Important Notice: The Ropes and chains that are used to control golf cart traffic have been removed from the course. Please read the following to understand how we will be directing cart traffic from this point forward. We will be putting a white line in front of the greens that is going to be used to keep carts from driving to close to the greens. As a reminder in the Canyon Crest bylaws it states "no cart should be within 30 feet of any green, tee or bunker, and all par 3's are to be cart path only". When entering/exiting the fairways, we ask that carts enter/exit near the green poles with the white tops.They are located on every hole that allow cart traffic on the fairway and are moved by golf course maintenance in order to keep the same parts of the golf course from wearing out.

Getting ready for the member member

We have been very aggressive since aerifacation last week and the results are proving. The holes are almost completely grown in and the greens should be great for this weekend. We triple mowed and double rolled the greens today and we were able to get them to 11.2 on the stimp. Pretty impressive just 9 days after aerifacation.

A new look

Please take a look as you walk down the steps to the front of the clubhouse. We have taken out the grass that has always struggled with shade and planted various succulents and palms. One of the succulents will flower twice yearly with a very pretty pink bulb.

Positive strides

The golf course is definitely coming around. Turf growth, aesthetics, and striping. Not only to mention we had a very successful aerifacation. I hope that some of you are playing in the member member this weekend because the golf course will be in fine shape. The greens should be back to normal by this Friday with firm and fast conditions for the weekend. We anticipate the greens to reach speeds of above a 10 which is tremendous just aerifying the greens less than two weeks ago.

Post Aerifacation

The springs aerifacation was a success. We started on Sunday afternoon and with our efforts we were able to finish before lunch on Tuesday. The device that pulled cores from the greens was just under a 1/2" diameter and 1.5" in spacing. We applied 60 tons of sand to fill in the holes and top dress the remaining grass on the greens. We also applied a granular fertilizer and bent grass seed at 3/4 lb per 1000 sq. feet. The only thing we wish for is warm weather. The first three days this week great, however the weather that is here for the next few days has some issues. Rain will help the sand push down into the soil, but the cooler weather does not help with the grass growing quickly back into the holes. We have done are part, now lets hope for some better weather for a quicker recovery.

A beautiful morning

What a great view! #2 fairway looking back from the green. Finally are fairways are showing some definition again.

Leach before aerifacation

Leaching is a time honored practice that removes damaging salts from the root zone and also carries badly needed oxygen to turf roots. But results depend heavily on proper timing. The best results for aerifacation are always to LEACH before. If not you will have a Polk a Dot pattern on the greens. This is because the areas that were punched have new areas to grow with sand filled in the holes. The oxygen and infiltration in the holes are far greater than the areas that were not punched. We all will agree that we want the greens to go back to normal asap right? Well then we need to give the greens a head start the week before with a proper leach, and a good granular application of fertilizer. That is the plan this week. Busy.....

Time to fertilize

Today we will be applying a wall to wall application of fertilizer. We broadcast this application everywhere except for our greens. The pellets are also coated with a preventative selective herbicide that aids in no germination of crab grass. The timing for this application is very important because you want to apply the material before any crabgrass germinates. We usually apply this product at the end of February but with mother nature we have waited til this week. There has already been a big color change especially in fairways and with this application it will help with more growth and color.

Windy conditions and there effects

It pretty much blew all day yesterday, and with the sustained winds we had it leads to extra focus on our greens. This past Monday I posted a blog that had said we needle tine the greens. Remember this is a solid small tine that we do not fill with sand. It takes a matter of a few days for the holes to vanish but when you have as much wind as we had it dries out the turf at the tips of all the holes. There are a few abnormal areas on the greens that got dry even with the temps not reaching 80F yesterday.

Needle tine, quad tine, venting

Many Superintendents have a common standard practice in letting the greens breath. Call it what you want needle tine, quad tine, venting, just know it helps allow the greens to breath and air to flow through the soil. We aerify two times per year on are greens Spring And Fall. But some might not know we have other light aerifactions that take place during the summer. This process is a small hole that is poked into the green and with little to no disruption at all to play. This took place yesterday because aerifaction was pushed backed for a few reasons. Those reasons being team play, tournaments, and we feel the most important weather. We have always aerified the 3rd week in March, and this year we will be around the first of April. We feel this will be tremendous in the recovery for the greens to be the fastest to recover yet.

Still Speedy

We were able to get the greens up to a 12.1 for Saturday. This is a great speed with almost spring here. Get ready for aerifaction in the next few weeks, yes a necessary evil for our greens to be healthy. The program that was implemented last year has continued to prove itself not only with consistency in roll, speeds, but most importantly health. The root depth in our greens might get to 3 inches in spring. Over the past year with our program focusing more on health we have increased our fertilizer and wetting agent budget. Our Fungicide budget which aids in disease has decreased because of this. To add to the speeds, and consistency in roll is our root depth. At our lowest point this year we had lengths of 2 1/2" which is amazing for poa annua greens in the summer. Are longest roots are in the spring which can measure up to 6".

Getting Busy

It has been busy these past few weeks. From growth, humidity and a new assistant. Yes, for those of you that had a chance to meet Nick and possibly play golf with has moved on. He is in the same position at a course up north. I wish Nick the best in his career and hopefully are paths will cross again. We did get a new Assistant Superintendent though, his name is Calvin Gagni. He came from Pelican Hill were he was the 2nd Assistant. He is 31 years old and has a good turf background. He has been in the grass growing business for 10 years and is an aspiring golfer. Please introduce yourself as he will be 2nd in charge.

A new look

With the amount of growth that the grass has had we are going to be taking advantage of some new "rough" areas. Meaning that around the tees and areas that are out of play we will stop maintaining. It is a test right now and we will see what it looks like in another month or so. These areas will have turf but they will be at a native height. Possibly 2 feet tall and this will save on fertilizers, chemicals, mowing, etc. We will be taking some pictures over the next few weeks and post it to the blog... Have a great weekend and stay dry. Looks like some rain is on its way over the next few days.

#6 tee

Unfortunately there is a large ash tree and pine tree that must go. We have been dealing with many issues on #6 tee with growth, disease,etc. Not to mention that the ash tree roots are pulling the irrigation control almost out of the ground. In order to save this irrigation control the tree had to come out. By removing the ash tree it will also help with necessary sunlight for the tee to be healthy. If you recall in the past 5 years the tee has had many issues with growth and disease because it does not have enough sunlight. Here is a few pictures of the tree removal.

poa annua seed heads

With are unusual temperature over the past few weeks it has led to many seed heads on our greens. Since this past Monday we have been very aggressive in our cultural practices as well as a special spray that will aid in eradicating the seed heads. They should be gone by the first of next week, and are greens are still very smooth rolling at a 12.3 today.

Mow, Mow, Mow

Going into this weekend temps have been as high as 88 F. This has been a tremendous help to the fairways and rough but it is also time to start on are normal mowing schedule. Currently we are mowing fairways, tees, and collars 2 times per week, rough around the greens 2 times per week, rough around the tees 1 time per week, and are exterior roughs 4 to 5 times per week. With talking care of this and keeping our greens firm and fast there is hardly anytime for projects.

Spraying for weeds already?

Yep that is right! With the warm weather that has helped us with growing the fairways this past week has also led to us having to spot spray weeds in the fairways. We have 23 acres of fairways and of that there is maybe a 1/4 acre total of unwanted weeds. Here is a few pictures of the crew spraying for the weeds.

Green, growth, and rain

The recent heat wave has definitely helped with turf color and growth. Not only that but we took on almost a 1/2" of rain the past few days. There has been a big contrast in color the past few weeks going from almost dormant fairways to this week mowing them a few times. We will be fertilizing all fairways and green surrounds this Monday to help with the growth even more. The grass will definitely respond with the warmth and fertilizer and we should expect to see less ground under repair in the fairways.

Prizm gauge

We have had a prizm gauge that measures the height of the cut and quality of cut for quite some time. This is a standard practice of measurement that ensures what we set are heights of cut at, shows itself after a mow. Take a look at the video and if you ever want to see the device in person let us know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6heSoLuB8&sns=em

Still Speedy

The greens have not been mowed and only rolled the past 5 days. The greens are still very smooth and have slowed down to 12.5 on the stimp. The recent heat has helped in slowing them down a little bit as well as the irrigation that has been needed. We will continue are bi weekly topdressing program, which will keep the firmness and speeds desired for the next few months.

A fresh breath of air

It is almost that time again, aerifaction. Please take the time to watch the video. Good information as to why we aerify our greens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va98sIUEjFw&sns=em

Mother nature

If you don't believe in El Nino you should! Not only does it give us some much needed rain it also warms the temperature up. We have had record highs this week, and I keep telling everybody as soon as there is a change in pressure it will bring on the rains. Next Thursday and Friday are forecast for rain. Its pretty crazy what weather can do especially when it come to the turf and trees on our course. The grass is responding to the abnormal weather which is a good sign and we hope for mild temps until spring. The trees and plants are already starting to blossom which is almost 2 months earlier than last year.

Topdressing greens and its benefits

Topdressing is a light layer of sand that is applied to the top of the green surface. There are several benefits to doing this. Increased drainage, reduces thatch, scalping, truer roll, and increased green speeds. This past Monday we topdressed as well as verticut our greens. The added benefit of verticutting and dragging in the sand serves its purpose. The greens speak for themselves. You all see what a difference it makes and it has been a standard for the past two years here. We will continue to topdress the greens at a minimum of every 2 weeks going as far as October.

BRELN!

BRELN = Building relationships and enriching lives. The golf department this past Monday had some issues getting this broken cart back to the clubhouse. So with our resources and man power we got this cart on the back of a workman bed and towed it back in. If we can help we will, and that also goes for any members carts that get stuck too!

Long week

It has been a very long week with the main line fix on #18. There was a few bumps in the road but the break has been fixed. We will be watering tonight for the first time all week. Driving back to the shop......

Open for practice

We are very excited to announce that our new practice area located between #5 and #9 is now open! You will find that there is an array of shots from pitching, chipping, and a bunker. The greens is rolling around 10 feet and is nice and firm.

Firm and fast

We have been on the watch for moisture content in our greens to firm them up while keeping them healthy. With the grass not growing hardly at all and the cold weather we have only irrigated 2 times in the past 6 weeks on our greens. Very impressive compared to in the summer having to water everyday. The greens are rolling 12.9 on the stimp meter. We anticipate with a roll this morning that they will be 13+ going into the weekend.

Main linebreak

Unfortunately irrigation lines break from time to time and it just so happened to be a big one. Normally just the lateral lines that support the sprinkler heads will break but this one is a main line. The main line runs through the hole entire course and holes 12-17 have no water to them until the repair is fixed. It is never a good time for the irrigation pipes to break but we would much rather have this problem now instead of the summer time. It also looks like more rain on its way this Sunday and we just opened hole #12! Dang it.....

Team Maintenance

After another year of hard work we wanted to show are appreciation with taking the crew out bowling. The crew had a blast with more gutter balls than strikes or spares. We cant say enough about the loyalty and dedication they have at the club.

Growth of grass vs. weather

Be patient, hard to grow any grass this time of year. A few months to go and are fairways will be in great shape. Forecast: Next 5 Days 1/20 Wed 1/21 Thu 1/22 Fri 1/23 Sat 1/24 Sun Max F 66 76 73 60 65 Min F 46 47 48 44 42 Avg F 56 62 61 52 54 Cool GP 49 84 78 28 38 Warm GP 3 10 8 1 2 Conditions Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Chance of Rain Partly Cloudy

New short game area

Its almost ready! We mowed the approach are for the first time today and with the bunker almost ready for sand we are close to opening. Take a look at the pictures...

New insect to watch out for this summer

New turf insect pest? That is right! We will be on the look out for this in summer especially on our fairways. Saturday, January 09, 2016 | Permalink | Insects, The carrot beetle (Tomarus gibbosus) is a pest on many other crops, but in the Kansas City area, it now appears to be causing some damage on golf course turf as well, according to Matt Giese of Syngenta. He has worked with entomologists Jonathan Larson and Dan Potter to identify the insect and the reason it is causing damage. In the presentation, First report of carrot beetle damage to golf course turf, the unusual damage caused by the carrot beetle is nicely illustrated with great photos (the presentation is 4.4MB, so it may download slowly). It turns out that the beetle (which looks a lot like a small chafer) does not directly damage the turf. Instead, animals dig in the soil, apparently in search of the adult beetle, which they find tasty. The digging of the hungry vertebrate predators is what results in the turf damage. The beetle and its damage don't appear to be widespread, and it's not exactly clear what the best way to control it is, though most white grub products (Merit, Acelepryn, Meridian, etc) will probably be effective. But the next time you have trouble with raccoons or skunks or armadillos or other vertebrate predators digging in the soil, don't assume that it's only for white grubs. They may be digging for adult carrot beetles as well.

Post Monster Day

We hope everyone had a blast out there. The conditions were almost as tough as they come. For the maintenance crew it definitely gives them a surprise when they see how crazy the golf course set up can be. We hope as much success as this tournament brings that there will be multiple events like this year. We will have to wait and see what the MGA says.

Recent rains effect hole #12

It is unfortunate but the damage is done. Hole #12 took on a light film of mud that in ordered to be cleaned up has to wait because the fairway need to dry. We anticipate this process will happen the week of the 18th. For the time being it will be played from the extra set of tees as a par 3. Hopefully no more rain or once again we will have to be patient and wait for it to dry.

Recent Rains

The rain total was just above 2 1/4" which left us with a soft course. The rain was nice and steady and with that there is not to much clean up on #12. We anticipate that the standing water will be gone by this weekend but there is rain in the forecast for next week. While no one was out here playing we took advantage of some much needed tree trimming. This morning to get back on track we are verticutting,double mow, and double roll to the greens. It is car path only today, and at best 90 degree rule tomorrow. Now with the rain we have holes #1,2 completely cart path only until further notice.

Different color on greens? Poa annua

Yes a different color on are greens! This simply happens because of the different bio types of poa annua. There up to 25 different types of poa on our greens. We manage the greens as a whole and not individual by the different types of poa. Where it becomes challenging is in the growing months of April thru October. There are different types of poa that grow more than others. We do our best to manage the greens by applying a growth regulator on a weekly basis. Please check the video out

Monster Day

We are very excited for the Monster Day Tournament this Saturday! This is the one time of the year where no tee location or hole location will be in a normal spot. I believe we had 84 players last year and hopefully with some cooperating weather we can get to that count again. Last year the gross score was at 12 under par, and trust me that will not be the case this year. We will have all hole locations in the toughest spot possible. There will be multiple holes with mini cups and one hole with a large cup. Greens will be above 13 and as firm as we can get them. The only thing that is not cooperating with us is the rain. We are expected to take on 3-4" in the next few days so hopefully we can play on Saturday. Good luck!