Well dang if another storm has hit Springfield.  The Springfield Split is dead and the Springfield Bullseye is alive.   This was the worst so far this year and required all hands on deck to get our bunkers back in shape.  Lots of flooding with 3.6 inches in a little more than an hour.  Ouch!  The crew is tiring of these large rain events and our bunkers are showing quite a decline in performance.  Only one tree fell but there are endless branches to pick up.  We are behind again.

Storm water running over the walk bridge on hole sixteen.

I'm estimating water rose at least nine feet from normal flow.

Fish in the bunker at sixteen green.

Labor Day week renovation went well.  On Tuesday we solid deep tined aerated all the greens(pictured here) and core aerated all the tees.  After the cores were picked up the tees were cleaned and brushed before applying topdressing.

On Wednesday all greens were core aerated followed by picking up the cores, rolling and then applying sterilized topdressing.  The sand is brushed in and then the crew uses back pack blowers to fine tune any heavy deposits of sand.  Maybe you heard them?!!

Work on the fairways was done as well.  Here we shallow aerate using a tight spacing in bermudagrass affected areas to create a seedbed.  This is then drug with a steel mat and then slice seeded.  

Several fairways with minimal bermudagrsss contamination were treated with non-selective herbicides and then seeded several weeks later.  We intended to do more areas and use a soil sterilant as well but too much rain put that program on the shelf for the time being.

Bentgrass filling in after only one week.

Seeding rough with a tall fescue/bluegrass blend.  Three thousand pounds have been planted so far with another one thousand going out next week.

Seed germinating in the rough eight days after seeding.  Conditions have been really good for germinating seed this September.

Three days of tree work was done too.  Here's a pic before....

And after!  More screening will be required in this area.  Ten trees were removed and some hazard pruning was performed as well. 

Julio and Pedro cleaned up this shrub bed on hole fifteen.

September is for roses.  This hybrid tea rose is called "Touch of Class".

 August has been a real roller coaster.  After a mild start the rain and humidity arrived in excess.  One thing is for sure-never trust a long range weather forecast.  The nice weather we are experiencing was 'supposed' to begin several weeks ago.  Haha!  Anyway we made it through Ida and now the course needs to dry out so we can have the conditions necessary to have a successful fall renovation.

Testing our aeration equipment on the chipping green.

Two days before we had this unfortunate accident.  Gasoline spilt on the chipping green from a leaking gas cap on a back pack blower.  This occurred early morning before sunrise and fortunately only this green was damaged.  This will be repaired after course maintenance is completed.

Bermudagrass eradication if there is such a thing on the 5th hole.  We couldn't do as many areas as intended due to the constant rain.  A second application of a non-selective herbicide will be applied this week followed by seeding.

Back pack blowers and some great workers blowing clippings on the 7th hole.  Our crew has been through plenty of difficult working conditions of late.  They mowed the entire course on Monday and Tuesday in preparation of Ida.

Four inches of rain at my home Wednesday morning from wave one of Ida.  Somehow our course only received a half inch and we were open!  We caught a break!

Wet conditions and a beverage cart without brakes is a bad combination.

Demonstrating a deep tine fairway aerator on the 9th hole.  This area will be treated with a soil sterilant this week during course closure and then seeded the following week.

Have you ever wondered why there are dead spots on the 6th green?  This is the reason why.  Great Blue Herons doing their business as they fly over the green.

Monarch butterfly on lantana in the pollinator garden behind 15 green.

Asters blooming means fall is around the corner.

We are sorry to see these two leave. Best wishes Dawn and Billy!

 It's been a struggle but the course is holding up well.  We have received over eight inches of rain in August with most of it occurring last week.  What a great crew we have and what a job they are doing under some trying conditions.  Bunkers were washed out from three different storms with the worst happening on Friday when we received nearly three inches of rain.  Thank goodness we are not having the extreme heat we experienced last summer.

Dick's reaction after seeing the rain gauge Saturday morning.

Every bunker was washed out.  Again.

Storm water successfully diverted to basin on the 12th hole by our crew Friday morning.

Plenty of dead trees to choose from and we lose a large oak on the 12th hole.

Cleaning up wash from our garden.

Seven approach after spraying.  Too wet to mow and looking forward to drainage installation this winter.

Seven approach mowed for the first time in about two weeks!!!

Black algae seen on most every green and controlled with a timely fungicide spray.  We have been fortunate to stay on schedule with our sprays.

Frustrating.

I don't remember Liriope ever looking better.  Wow!

Garden daily harvest.

Chef Lindsey's scones made with Springfield honey!

 

 The weather has done an about face from two weeks ago.  We are currently soaked and need to dry out.  Fortunately cooler temperatures have reduced some of the stress as we await the next batch of rain.  We have received over three inches of rainfall which isn't extreme except the humidity levels are excessive. Hold on to your hat as we enter the last month of summer.

The course is closed today as it tries to dry out.  We went ahead and prepared the course for Tuesday.  This cup on the first green was cut and has filled up with ground water since. Yikes!

Fairways were mowed and we had a little mechanical damage on the tenth hole, though not serious.  We had planned to spray fairways this morning but too big a risk with the weather.  We will try again tomorrow.

Edging fairway bunkers and repairing storm damage from the last storm.

Kudos to our membership for the fine job you are doing repairing ball marks under the soft conditions we are experiencing.  Unfortunately divot repair needs improvement.  This picture doesn't show it very well but the sod was lifted and not tamped down.  There are way too many unrepaired divots.

Nine fairway performing well with its new drainage.  What a difference!

A nice new fence was added at the 12th tee.  We intend to create another pollinator garden with screening in the foreground.

How about our garden this summer!  Hopefully you have enjoyed some fresh vegetables planted and managed by your greens department.  Multiple types of tomatoes and peppers, eggplant, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, melons, herbs and figs are there for the chef to pick and prepare for your enjoyment.

Springfield honey collected and presented to Chef Lindsey to be used in her dessert cooking.

Reflections

   

 What a difference this summer has been when compared to the last two.  This week has been great with mild days and cool nights.  Timely rain has helped as well.   USGA Agronomist Elliott Dowling visited the club for our annual half day visit on July 20th and much of the discussion dealt with upcoming capitol improvements to the golf course beginning this November. 

Elliott Dowling discussing soil and root length at the ninth green.

Pylex herbicide doing its thing to common bermudagrass.  With milder summer temperatures we have been able to use this product on a regular basis.

This summer has featured timely rain with minimal damage to the course.  

Three fairway performing much better this season with adequate drainage and better weather.

The lake is full.  We were about a week from buying water but our reservoir is now full.  

Adding air to the root zone on Monday.  We also did some work on many of the tees.

Two weeds that really stick out in August and on the list for herbicide applications.  Nutsedge and common bermudagrass in the green surround on the third hole.

Hauling off some large logs from trees removed earlier this year.

Taking kids on a tour of our nature trail and a few other areas during Monday closure.

It has been a successful bluebird season.  Here babies rest in one of our houses.

Western wildfires affecting the morning sun.

Wild flower bed planted May 29th showing off.

A closer look shows some pink swamp milkweed blooming.