Very Interesting...

Quick Facts About Golf Courses

Presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

1. A properly repaired ball mark heals completely in 2-3 days, while an unrepaired ball mark takes 15-20 days to heal properly.
2. A typical 18-hole golf course covers approximately 125 - 150 acres of land. The total landmass of golf courses in the United States equals about 1/2 the state of Connecticut.
3. A typical 18-hole golf course produces enough oxygen to support 4,000 to 7,000 people.
4. Golf courses nationwide combine to filter 13 million tons of dust from the air every year.
5. Who is the most important person at a golf facility? According to a 1997 survey of 500 Golf Digest subscribers, the golf course superintendent was listed the most (48 percent). Other responses included the course/club professional 25 percent, club/course manager 14 percent, beverage cart or halfway house person 11 percent.
6. Golf courses have a cooling effect during the hot summer months. The average temperature on the golf course is typically 5- 7 degrees cooler than a residential area and 7 - 15 degrees cooler than an urban downtown setting.
7. The infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to four holes of the Brickyard Crossing golf course. The remaining 14 holes outside the oval are accessed through a tunnel under the track.
8. Golf courses delay play on frost-covered turf (especially greens) because stepping on frost-covered grass causes the frozen leaf cells to rupture. The turf will turn brown and eventually die.
9. The Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda, Mont., is the first golf course built on an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the land served as a smelting location for the mining of iron ore. The golf course opened in June of 1997.
10. Why do golf course superintendents aerate turf? Because it reduces compaction on a golf course by removing soil cores from the ground, allowing the movement of water, air and nutrients to the turf roots. Highly traveled areas plus poor soil composition creates compacted surfaces.
11. What is the origin of the stimpmeter? In the early 1900s, a man by the name of Edward Stimpson was looking for a means to create more fairness in the game of golf. Specifically, he was looking to make putting surfaces on a particular course all relatively the same speed. He developed the stimpmeter to achieve this purpose. By using this device, he could determine, for example, if the fourth green was the same speed of the 17th. The device is often misused and misinterpreted by the novice and avid golfer alike. It is best used to compare greens on the same course, NOT to compare greens from one course to another.
12. How much has technology and research improved speed and quality of a putting green? In the early 1960s, professional tour event superintendents cut putting green turf heights at about 1/4 inch. Today, the height of putting green turf for professional tournament competition is 1/8 inch or less.
13. How do trees affect the quality of a putting surface? All things being equal, a putting green with air circulating around it will be in better shape than a green with little or no air circulation. Trees tend to reduce circulation, thereby having a negative effect on putting green quality. Older, more mature trees adjacent to putting greens will negatively impact surface conditions because the tree roots will grow under the putting surface and disrupt the flow of water and nutrients.
14. What is a golf course superintendent doing when he/she syringes a green? Syringing is the process of spraying a light cover of water on a green during hot weather to reduce the temperature of the turf. This prevents putting surfaces from becoming “baked” or “dried-out,” and having a negative impact on putting surface quality.
15. What is topdressing? It is the practice of spreading material over a putting green to level and smooth the surface. The material is generally sand and/or organic matter that improves drainage, controls thatch and maintains biological balance.
16. Golf courses have a positive impact on the economy. It is estimated that more than 25 million people annually spend 2.5 billion hours outside, playing one of the nation’s 17,000-plus golf courses. The impact of golf facilities on the economy is $20 billion annually.

Course Update -- Winter Golf

It's that time of year when turf growth has ceased and carts must be restricted to the path.  Cart traffic will injure and thin turf during periods of reduced growth because the plant's natural defense mechanisms are not functioning.  The same holds true for foot traffic, especially in confined access points around greens and tees.  That's the reason our winter hole locations on greens are close to the areas players tend to walk on and off from.  Limiting the amount of unnecessary foot traffic across the greens allows for a better putting surface in the spring.  Speaking of tees, all of the tee equipment has been taken off the course to be refurbished, except for one set of markers placed in areas that do not experience much play during the season.  We do this because divots will not heal this time of year, and these concentrated teeing areas are less noticeable in the spring as compared to moving the markers around.  If you are out playing this winter we ask that you only hit from the designated teeing area, and please understand we implement these practices to provide you with the best possible conditions next season.

Driving Range

The driving range has closed for the season and the tees have been aerified, overseeded and topdressed.  Even though the temps are too low for the seed to germinate this year, it will lay dormant through the winter until warmer temps return in the spring.  The final step in preparing the tees for next season is to apply a dormant application of fertilizer to promote root growth and help the plants prepare for winter.  It's called a dormant application because top growth (the leaf tissue) has stopped and the plant is entering the dormancy (hibernation) stage.  However, root growth will continue until the soil freezes and the plants are continually taking up nutrients to maximize their carbohydrate (energy) storage.  The more carbs a plant can store the healthier it is come spring and even into summer.  The other benefit of a dormant application is any fertilizer not taken up by the plant will remain in the soil and be available once active growth resumes.

Topdressing sand applied to the driving range tees

Less Is Sometimes More

Keith Happ, our local USGA Agronomist, recently published an article in the USGA Green Section Record that discusses the decisions Superintendents make with regards to how they manage their facilities during the season, and the effects those decisions have on the golf course.  I can personally relate to the article having been at Diamond Run for almost a year now, and thinking about the challenges I faced while learning how to balance the needs of the course versus the needs of the membership.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Winterizing The Irrigation System

Every fall all the water has to be removed from the irrigation system to prevent ice formation, which will eventually lead to broken pipes.  As water freezes it expands and ice is much stronger than plastic pipe.  The first step in the process is to shut down the pump station, open all drain valves, and let gravity remove most of the water.  Once the water has drained out a large compressor is connected to the irrigation system and air is forced through the lines at a high volume, but low pressure.  Too much air pressure can damage pipe the same way high water pressure does.   The staff will then go to each control satellite (those gray and green boxes scattered throughout the course) and systematically turn on almost 1,000 irrigation heads to blow out any remainining water.  After all the heads have been blown out one time we will go back to the areas that tend to hold water and run through those heads for a second time.

In addition to the irrigation system on the golf course, the maintenance staff is responsible for winterizing the two restroom facilities on the course, miscellaneous landscape irrigation, and water lines in the driving range building and cart storage building.

Air compressor connected to the irrigation system

Using compressed air to remove water from an irrigation head

Fairway Aerification

Core aerification of fairways has been on hold since late October and will not be completed this year.  The combination of a shallow root system, equipment issues, and the amount of time required to complete the process has forced us to look at alternative methods to relieve compaction while removing excessive organic matter.  A two-step process is being explored that first uses a deep slicing machine to fracture compacted soil, thereby creating channels for improved root growth.  The second step is to verticut, or vertically mow, the fairways using a machine with spinning knives that cuts out the spongy thatch layer (a.k.a. Organic Matter) and collects it all in one pass.  Using these two machines will result in greater turf quality with minimal damage.  Our plan is to start this new process in early Spring unless we experience another mild winter, then it could start sooner.

Course Update

The mild weather this fall has provided for some spectacular days and plenty of "Bonus Golf".  I hope everyone has taken advantage of this time because the forecast looks to be a-changing.  We knew it was only a matter of time and have recently switched gears from maintenance to prepping the course for winter.  Leaf cleanup always consumes the most resources and this year is no different.  It's important to get all the leaves off the turf to prevent suffocation which leads to dead grass and bare spots.  A combination of blowing, mulching and sweeping achieves the best results.  The next big task is blowing out the irrigation system, which is scheduled for after Thanksgiving and will take several days to complete.  Once that is finished the last fungicide spray of the season will be applied to greens, tees and fairways to protect the turf from snow mold.  Immediately following the fungicide applications sand topdressing will be applied to the greens to help insulate the turf during the long, cold winter.

A quick reminder:  The golf course is open to walkers on Thanksgiving day after 11am to allow any frost to burn off.  On Friday, the course will open at 11am and carts will be available, but the Pro Shop is closed. Saturday and Sunday are back to normal operation.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Aerification Update 10/17/2012

All the greens have been punched and cleaned up.  Unfortunately, the rain Monday afternoon set us back and we were not able to get all the greens rolled and topdressed yesterday.  Our goal today (after the frost lifts) is to roll, topdress, and drag the remaining greens.  This means we will be working in play, but it's important we complete these tasks today ahead of the rain.  Thank you for your understanding.


Aerification is one of the most labor intensive tasks we do, but it's something that has to be done and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people who helped make a difference:

• My staff for their dedication and perseverance through the long hours and less-than-ideal weather.
• The faculty and students in the Horticulture Department at Bidwell Training Center who graciously volunteered their time both Monday and Tuesday.
• Chef Bob for keeping us well-fed and energized during the long process.

I couldn't have done it without you.  Thank You!

Aerification Update

Just a reminder that the golf course will be closed Monday and Tuesday for greens aerification.  Unfortunately there's a chance of showers Monday, and we will adjust our schedule according to the weather.  On Friday we aerified and topdressed the two short-game greens at the driving range to ensure the equipment was operating properly, and as usual it was.  Once greens are completed we will finish aerifying tees and then start on fairways.

Removing aerification plugs from the chipping green

Rolling after aerification helps smooth the surface

Removing plugs from 14 tee

Green Footprints???

Earlier this week a large brown spot showed up just off of number 8 green in the collar.  After looking at it a little closer I noticed the outline of what appears to be footprints.  (Hint - the pen is pointing at the toe of the left foot.)  This is most likely caused by a player applying bug spray or sunscreen from an aerosol can on their legs or ankles.  Unfortunately, these products can burn the turf and recovery may take several weeks.  So please remember to apply your bug spray or sunscreen on a cart path or in the parking lot.

Fall Aerification

Greens Aerification is scheduled for Monday, October 15th.  Any greens not completed on Monday will be finished during that week.  We will perform a trial run in early October to test the equipment (and the staff!) on the two practice greens at the driving range.

Tee and Fairway Aerification will begin later this month, as time and weather allows.  We need to complete these processes early because the weather in late October/early November is very unpredictable and could prevent us from doing so.


Earlier this year I discussed the reasons we aerify, along with the benefits gained from such a disruptive process.  I recently came across this short video from Dr. Larry Stowell of PACE Turf, who does a fantastic job of explaining the process of aerifying greens and why we must do it.  These same principles also apply to tee and fairway aerification.  Enjoy!

18 Approach

Here are a few before and after photos of 18 approach.  The final product has been very well received and the difference is remarkable!

18 Approach...Update 6/13/12

Work on #18 is nearing the end and I, like everyone else, are anxious to the see the final product.  New irrigation and drainage have been installed and thoroughly tested, and three truck loads of bluegrass and fine fescue sod (around 30,000 square feet) have been laid in the areas designated as rough.  New bentgrass sod (10,000 sq ft) will be installed Thursday for the enlarged fairway/approach, and then it's up to us to keep enough water on the sod to allow for proper rooting.  Once the sod is down foot traffic will be limited in the the flatter areas, and walking up or down the hillsides/slopes should be avoided.  With favorable weather I anticipate being able to play off the new sod in a couple weeks.

18 Approach...Update 5/18/12

The contractor was able to complete the site prep (aka Tree Removal) of #18 today so the hole will resume normal play for both days this weekend.  There is a small amount of cleanup work remaining, but the contractor will be here early tomorrow morning and should be off property by the time the first groups are finishing.  For anyone who witnessed the removal process today, you have to be impressed with how quickly and efficiently the project was completed.

18 Approach...Update 5/17/12

Site preparation for 18 approach begins Friday morning (5/18), and for the safety of you and your guests a temporary green will be used at the end of the fairway.  The cart path will still be in service for exiting the hole, but please use caution and be aware of the work being done in that area.  Should the contractor not be able to complete the work on Friday, the temporary green will remain on Saturday.  I will post an update tomorrow regarding the status of the hole for the weekend.

Practice Bunker

The newly renovated bunker at the chipping green will be open for play on Saturday 5/19.  It's been closed to allow the new sod time to establish a root system that can support foot traffic and maintenance.  The grass face along the chipping green is most likely to be damaged from foot traffic, so please refrain from using the face to exit the bunker.

Take a look at the before and after pictures of the bunker below.  The difference is amazing!



Before



After

18 Approach

The rough around #18 green has been sprayed with a herbicide to kill the grass in preparation for the renovation project.  The work is being done by Fore Front Construction, the same contractor who is currently on site installing drainage and leveling tees.  Tree removal is scheduled to start next week, and  earthmoving will start the following week.  Several trees need to be removed to allow the cart path to shift left to improve playability left of the green and bunkers.  New irrigation and drainage will be installed immediately following shaping, and the entire area will be sodded.  The contractor anticipates the entire process taking 2-3 weeks depending on the weather, but once construction begins a temporary green will be used at the end of the fairway before the pond to allow the contractor to work uninterrupted.  For certain outings and member events the hole will play as normal, and the construction area will be treated as Ground Under Repair.  A drop area will be provided and clearly marked along the back of the green.

13 Green

The front of #13 green has been holding an excessive amount of water lately and we believe the internal drainage is not working, or the water is somehow not able to reach the drain lines.  The excess moisture has created an anaerobic black layer (lack of oxygen) that inhibits root growth and if left untreated will eventually cause turf loss.  As a short-term solution, we brought a contractor in on Monday with a machine called a Water Wick that cuts very coarse sand into 10 inch deep slits in the rootzone.  As the name implies, the narrow veins of sand will wick (pull) the excess moisture from the rootzone and allow it to exit the greens cavity by following a path of least resistance.  After the Water Wick process was completed, the same contractor aerified the area with 1 inch diameter by 10 inch deep coring tines and the holes were filled with dry sand.  We then aerified with our machine to a 4 inch depth to remove additional material, and again backfilled with dry sand.  As with any invasive process the disruption to the putting surface cannot be avoided, but the turf should be healed in 7 to 10 days.  As the saying goes "You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette!"


Installing sand veins

Prior to aerification

Filling 10" deep aerification holes

Ready for play!

Course Update 5/9/2012

As of this morning, the course has taken on 2.4 inches of rain since Monday afternoon.  The greens are dry enough to be mowed and rolled, and washouts are being repaired in the bunkers.  Fairways and roughs are still very wet and will remain cart path only.  The good news is the weather forecast looks promising going into the weekend and all the ponds are full!

2012 Capital Project

Fore Front Construction has been on property since last Friday and have made significant progress.  They started on the drainage portion of the project, which is the majority of the work, and will begin leveling tees in a couple of weeks.  The drainage work was started first because it tends to disrupt play the most, and the golf course is not as busy this time of year.

Drainage work on holes 1, 17 and 18 is complete except for installing new drainage basins.  Holes 3 and 16 are currently under construction, and holes 4, 15, 5 and 14 are next on the schedule.  Please keep carts off of newly sodded areas, and check with the Pro Shop and/or Starter regarding the construction activities for that given day.



#1 fairway bunker - removing sand and inspecting drainage

 

#1 fairway bunker - drainage repaired and ready for new sand

#1 fairway bunker - installing new sand

Left of #1 approach - removing old sod

#1 approach - installing new sod

#1 approach - finished product

#1 fairway landing zone - prepped for drainage

#18 right rough - installing drainage



#17 left rough - removing old sod



#3 right rough "swamp" - removing old sod

 

#3 cart path at red tee - prepped for drainage

#3 behind gold tee - removing old sod

Tee Edges

The off color edges of the tees are areas of bentgrass that have been scalped down to reclaim lost tee space.  Throughout the season, constant mowing will inevitably miss a little grass along the cleanup cut that results in several inches to over a foot of lost teeing ground.  Each spring the true edge of the tee is marked with paint and the area is mowed down to tee height.  The discoloration will fade in a few weeks as the turf produces newer, shorter leaf blades.

#16 Red Tee

Course Update 4/12/2012

Here are some recent weather statistics:





#9 on Wednesday morning

• This past March was the warmest ever on record
• Dry conditions required handwatering of greens and a few tees on April 7th
• Snow on April 11th
• 8 frost delays since April 1st

Cooler weather over the past week and a half has acted like a natural growth regulator and slowed turf growth dramatically, reducing the mowing frequency of all areas.  That allowed us to start prepping the bunkers this week, which always requires a significant amount of time.  The first time through involves trimming the grass faces and edges, removing grass, weeds and other debris from inside the bunker, moving sand from low areas back onto the faces and repairing washouts, and finally raking (or spinning) the bunker to create the finished look.  The depth of the sand is also checked to maintain 4" in the bottom and 2-3" on the faces.  There is less sand on the faces (or sloped areas) to reduce the chances of your ball plugging and ending up with a fried-egg lie.

Course Update

The staff was very busy this past week and I wanted to share a list of what we accomplished.

• Rolled greens several times
• Mowed greens Friday afternoon (one week after aerification)
• Mowed fairways twice
• Mowed all rough
• Mowed tees and approaches twice
• Fertilized greens
• Sprayed a fungicide and fertilizer on tees
• Worked in landscape beds and spread mulch
• Bathrooms opened
• Continued course cleanup
• Water coolers, garbage cans, divot sand bottles and boxes placed on course

Frozen Turf

The temperature last night dropped down to the mid-20's and has provided our first Spring frost.  Frost delays are very likely this time of year, and the time required to "burn off" can be substantial.  Frost is essentially frozen dew that forms when the temperature is at, or near the freezing point. Ice crystals that form on the outside of the plant will harden and can freeze the cellular structure within. When frozen, the normally resilient plant cells become brittle and are easily crushed. When the cell membranes are damaged, the plant loses its ability to function and can potentially die. Although you will not see any immediate damage if you walk across or drive on frosted turf, the proof will be evident within 48 to 72 hours as the leaves die and turn brownish-black. The maintenance staff monitors specific areas throughout the course on cool mornings to determine whether frost is present, and the decision to allow play is based on when those areas will be frost-free.  An easy way to tell if frost is present is by running your hand across the grass and if the dew wipes away it's safe to walk on the turf.

Click here to watch a USGA educational video on Frost

Greens Aerification...Update

With some help from the Treesdale maintenance staff (Thank you Doug!) we successfully aerified and topdressed all the greens last week.  For those folks wondering why we go to all this trouble and have to disrupt play in the Spring and Fall, here is some insight into the process.

Why Aerify?

Core aeration is one of the most important preventative practices used on putting greens to improve the health of the turf.  It's primary purpose is to remove unwanted organic matter from the upper portion of the rootzone.  Aeration also relieves compaction, promotes gas exchange, and helps with water infiltration.  If neglected, the rootzone will "seal off" and be unable to support healthy root growth, which results in weak turf plants that cannot survive summer stress.

How Much Is Enough?

While every course is different and must develop a program that fits their needs, the USGA recommends that 15-20% of the surface be aerified each year.  Because our greens have slightly higher amounts of organic matter, we chose to remove 11% of the surface this Spring.  Throughout the summer we will continue to monitor organic matter levels and then decide on the percent of surface removal for Fall aerification.  Tine size and spacing is what determines the percentage of surface area impacted.

When Will The Holes Be Closed?

With good weather the healing process normally takes 10-14 days, and extra fertilizer is applied before and after aerification to expedite recovery.

Greens Aerification

We have been closely monitoring the weather, and with the forecast for summer-like temperatures and dry conditions over the next few days it was the perfect opportunity to begin aerifying greens.  We chose to start the process now because of the unpredictable weather here in western PA, but also because it will allow the turf ample time to recover and be in the best possible condition for the official start of the season.  With all of the greens aerified today, our goal for tomorrow is to clean up the cores and begin applying sand topdressing.  Any greens not topdressed tomorrow will be finished Friday, as long as the rain holds off.  Maximum benefits of sand topdressing are achieved only when the sand remains dry and can be easily broomed into the aerification holes.  Additionally, the cups and flagsticks have been removed and will go back in once the entire process is complete.

Drains & Blue Dots

Several staff members spent the day cleaning off and unclogging drains in fairways and along cart paths to help evacuate the excess water deposited by the recent storms.  They also began edging cart paths in a few areas to remove the saturated mass of grass and soil that was preventing the water from finding the drain.  We were shocked to discover that some areas had encroached 18 to 24 inches onto the path!

Hole #6 near the green with a fresh edge

The second part of this post deals with the blue dots that have shown up on greens.  The dots are used to maintain a consistent 30 inch collar width around the green, with one dot marking where the green meets the collar and the other dot marks where the collar meets the rough.  We paint the dots every Spring before the first mowing so the staff can easily identify the edge of the green and collar.  The paint will eventually wear off and you may see us repainting the dots throughout the season.

Hole By Hole Happy Hour Presentation

There were two comments received after last Friday's presentation:

1.  Could you please paint the holes white after you plug them, it makes them easier to see.
We typically paint the holes white for tournaments and some special events, but are unable to paint them everyday because of the extra cost and time required.

2.  How about leveling the fairway on #18 before the water?  It's a tough shot and there's never a flat lie.  That should be addressed first vs. the other side.
A senior designer from Gary Player Design visited the course several weeks ago and looked at the entire 18th hole for possible improvements.  It was determined that addressing the severe contours on the green side of the water would have a greater impact in the short-term.

Deep Tine Aerification

For the past several years the greens have been aerified early in the Spring using a machine that can penetrate up to 10" deep, hence the name deep tine.  The primary reason for deep tining is to create a hole as deep as possible into the rootzone and break up a layer created by traditional core aerification that only gets down about 4".  The other benefits of deep tining are relieving compaction, allowing for proper gas exchange, and creating a pathway for vigorous root growth.  We chose to use 1/2" diameter solid tines on a 2" x 2" spacing that impacted the greatest percentage of surface area, while not damaging the green in any way.   In a few days the holes on the surface will close, but the holes below ground will remain open for several weeks providing long-term benefits to the turfgrass and soil.