Its official.  The tarps are on and temps are at the ready for the rest of the course.  What a nice ending to golf we have had though.  Sixty degrees on the 27th of December is a nice present to all of our golfing members and we hope you were able to play.

 

The irrigation system was winterized on December 20th.  The pipes were actually gravity drained a month ago but compressed air must be used to remove most of the excess water.  Each sprinkler must be actuated throughout the course.  This is much easier now that the sprinklers can be turned on by radio.

 

 

The air compressor situated by the twelfth green.

 

Our crew has begun cutting back all unwanted growth around the main lake.

 

 

Readying the tarp of the fourth green.

 

 

The fifth tee complex covered with the green visible in the distance.

 

Quincy has completed his therapy and has been given the okay to run!

December is motoring along and the new year is around the corner.  We have experienced some nice weather for golf and work but it appears this is about to come to and end.  We expect to cover greens 3, 4, and 5 on Friday as well as the fifth tee.  Temporary greens and tees have been prepared throughout the course in preparation for the inevitable.  Once winter is firmly in place we will move to all temps.  We will monitor the weather and make this decision based on course conditions and not the calendar so check with the pro shop for the current status of the golf course. Our greens are very susceptible to damage from foot traffic particularly when they have received lots of moisture in the winter. Internal drainage is limited on the course greens and the ones that have drainage do not work as well once it gets cold.  The practice green is the only green on the course that was constructed to USGA specs and features a complete sand root zone.  This green drains so much better than our course greens and will remain open longer because of this.

 

A temporary green ready for the word to open.  We extensively roll and then mow the green slightly lower than the fairway.  A six inch cup is used.  Automatic two putts is your call. 

     

 

Deep tine aeration of tees.  Too much rain prevented us from doing the greens but we will be back at it in the spring.

 

 

A nice pattern with no disruption to play.  This type of aerification helps break down the layering in the soil profile and improves rooting and internal drainage.

 

 

Perennial ryegrass set to be removed in our bent collars.  The ryegrass has a much darker appearance and is aesthetically undesirable.

 

Plugging out perennial ryegrass in our collars with bent from our collar narrowing project.

 

 

Bent plugs match up much better.

 

 

Filling divots in fairways before winter sets in.  Always replace your divot!

 

 

Repairing a "bird bath" in the third approach.  Drainage, drainage, drainage.

 

 

Tis the season for frost delays.  Walking on frozen turf that is not dormant bruises the plant and can kill the plant if repeated.  Staying off our the greens in the winter makes them that much better in the spring.

 

It is another rainy day at the club.  We have had our share of late to be sure.  Hopefully the course will dry out soon and allow us to play on the greens before we move to temps.  Right now we anticipate moving to temporary greens and 'bucket golf' by the first of the year.  Weather will dictate exactly when that will be.  Greens 3,4, and 5 are almost ready to close for the season.  We still would like to perform deep tine aeration to the greens if there is time and the weather cooperates. 

 

We don't ever say the leaves are over because they aren't!  Moving leaves on the 12th hole for the umpteenth time.

 

 

The chip areas have proven to be a real asset with the leaves. Once they are moved into these areas we can then mulch them into a fine groundcover.

 

 

The sod work is almost complete.  We have made all the collars a uniform width of 26 inches.  Tall fescue sod is then added to the perimeter to match up with the first cut. 

 

 

This looks pretty strange but will eventually blend in with the first cut.  There are actually four different heights of cut in this picture- the green, collar, first cut and the rough.  When spring arrives we will mow the new sod to match and by mid-season it should be uniform in appearance.

 

 

New sod around the 15th approach with a temporary water hazard.

 

 

Nice white roots beginning to peg down into the soil.  All the rain has benefited the sod.

 

 

And the ducks!!

December has arrived and it is 65 degrees!  Oh well that didn't last long as it is cold and rainy today.  It was great seeing so many players on the course as well as giving our crew some nice weather to work in.  We took advantage of the unseasonably warm temps and rolled greens on Sunday and Monday.  There were lots of comments on how fast and true they putted.  The greens roller has to be one of the truly great improvements in putting green management.  We are able to provide great greens without mowing which was unthinkable not too long ago.

 

Just when we think we are done with the leaves.  Look what last nights cold front brought.  Yikes!

 

Winter rules are here.

 

 

Fairways were fertilized last week.  Late fall fertilization is an important part of our management of cool season turf.  Fertilizing at this time allows the plant to build up food reserves for the coming golf season.

 

 

My foot pulling up excess water on the fifth fairway the day after it was fertilized.  This fairway just will not dry out in the fall due to its location.

 

 

One more truck load of sod to lay this week.

 

 

When we established new collars some bentgrass encroached beyond the width of the collar.  Here Luis and Jose are using manual sod cutters to remove small strips of bent that will be sodded with tall fescue.  This will give a nice uniform collar and first cut.

 

 

Preparing to sod the bunker face at the short game area.  Practice bunker faces are routinely sodded due to the amount of sand pitched out of the bunkers.

 

 

The completed bunker that will be closed till spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

We are beginning to button down the course for winter.  Before we do there are several important tasks to be done. Temp greens and tees are being readied for winter play.  We anticipate moving to them by the first of the year.  We are almost finished with the shock wave aeration of fairways and will begin deep tine aeration of greens next week. In addition we will fertilize all the fairways as well as applying fungicides to greens and tees for winter disease prevention.  We have put down quite a bit of sod this month and will do another truck load this week before Thanksgiving.  This is the best time to sod as minimal water is required and the sod roots in well when the soil is prepared properly.

 

The shock wave in action.  This machine helps break down the layering in our soil and promotes water infiltration as well as oxygenating the soil. 

 

 

 It takes us about two weeks to complete the fairways but the benefits are worth it.

 

 

If necessary we roll the fairway afterwards.

 

 

All summer annuals have been removed and tulips have been planted throughout the course.  This November Julio and Armando planted over twelve thousand!

 

 

Removing the old turf around ten approach.  The prep work is the hard part and when done properly the sod flourishes.

 

 

The rough around ten approach just about finished.

 

 

Preparing for sod around the fairway bunker on the 12th hole.

 

 

These red flags represent annual bluegrass plants to be removed on the practice green. This is an ongoing process to keep this green as pure bent.

 

 

We have put out alternate rakes by the practice bunkers and the 18th green to try.  These seem to do a better job than our current ones.  The only difference is the width of the rake head. The wider rake is shown below on the left and our current rake is on the right.  Quite a difference!

It is hard to believe we are three weeks from Thanksgiving.  We are focusing our efforts on keeping the course as leaf free as possible. It is frustrating looking for balls amongst the leaves so leaf work is priority number one right now.  There are still some nice days for golf so we hope to see you on the course.  

 

Before trees lose their leaves we have the good fortune to enjoy their magnificent fall color.  This is a Ginko tree.

 

 

A pin oak on the second hole.

 

 

A nice orange-yellow hickory.

 

 

Red maple in nice contrast with the turf.

 

 

A spectacular willow oak on the fourteenth hole.

 

 

Fall fruit on a southern magnolia.  Its not all about the leaves!

 

 

Burning bush in all its glory.

 

 

This is a bald cypress.  Often mistaken as an evergreen in decline at this time of year.

 

 

Before the leaves fall it is an excellent time to mark trees for removal.  This red oak near the thirteenth green is in decline and is a candidate for removal.  Trees with the red dot will be removed this winter.

 

 

We had a lot of fun with Lentz's Revenge this year and hope you were able to play.

 

 

 

This tractor was strategically placed and got some revenge!

 

 

A crafty pin placement on the fourteenth green.  At least it is a six inch hole!

 

 

We had some skillful ghouls on Halloween mowing greens.

 

 

Stephen the clown mowing straight lines.

 

 

Thanks to my staff for a great year!

 

 

Sunrise special!