Last week was a real roller coaster.  We experienced a little of everything from snow to rain to some really nice weather.  The crew is wrapping up their inside work and now it's time to move outside.  Mulch has been ordered and will be delivered the first week of March.  Ornamental grasses are being cut back and roses are being pruned today.  Aerification equipment is about ready and seed has been delivered and ready for the weather to break so we can get to it.  With all the rain we have received there is more work than normal to start the year.

From this...

 

 

to this...

 

 

to this in three days!

 

 

Julio and Rony pruning our roses for the new season.

 

 

Our red tail hawks are preparing their nest in the solitary pine between one and nine again- a sure sign of spring.

 

 

 

 

A nice break in the weather allowed us to open up the greens and tees for some winter golf on Thursday.  Alas that has ended and more rain has closed the course today.  We need to dry out!  The excessive moisture is starting to back up planned outside winter work.  Snow and rain are now forecast for Wednesday.

 

It was nice greeting golfers for a mid-winter break on Friday.  Raking bunkers, rolling greens and changing hole locations was a nice change for the crew.

 

 

A freshly rolled tenth green.

 

 

It was dry enough to allow Josh to seed some bent into bermuda patches in the fairways.

 

 

We are observing some annual bluegrass germination is several of our greens(speckling in the picture) which will be easy to transition out with growth regulators.

 

 

Our honeybees were out in mass on Friday.  Not a great pic but look close and you'll see them.

 

 

Planned drainage on the ninth hole whenever it dries up enough to work,

 

 

Inside work on golf course supplies is about complete.  These benches look like new and are ready for the golf season.

 

Patio rockers are last. 

 

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The up and down winter weather continues.  Putting surfaces have thawed so there is a chance we might have the greens available for play later this week before winter returns.  Last year at this time it was 70 degrees!  Josh and I just returned from the Golf Industry Show in San Diego and have brought back plenty to ponder for this coming season.  Bermudagrass encroachment was a topic of emphasis at the show and other professional seminars we attended this winter.  The bad news as expected is common bermudagrass can't be killed.  It can be suppressed though through many different cultural and chemical applications.  This is what we are going to concentrate our efforts on this year.

 

One tested method is to slice bermudagrass when dormant to weaken it during cold periods.  Our Imants slicing machine is perfect for this.

 

 

Different bunker liners are under consideration for use at our club.  This particular one piqued my interest.

 

 

My alma mater represented well at the show!

 

 

I caught up with our friends at Audubon and this peregrine falcon.

 

 

I was fortunate to play in the GCSAA Four Ball at Torrey Pines North course.  My partner Eric Junkins and I played well and came in sixth.  That is the 15th hole which I made par on!

 

 

There are not many Canadian geese in California but there are plenty of coots which will not move.  Jack and Gill would be in heaven!

 

 

Fortunately we don't have to worry about this.

 

 

Tulips beginning to emerge.  Spring is around the corner!