What a time we are living in.  With all that is going on I thought it would be a nice break to look back at 2020 with all its ups and downs as seen from a golf course superintendent's perspective.  So here it is Springfield Golf and Country Clubs 2020 golf course blog-the year in review.

April started out with a bang.  Our tulip display was amazing.

The golf course was pristine coming out of a fairly mild winter.

Azaleas and fresh mulch- Augusta worthy.

Mid to late April was cool and wet but by May 1st the course looked primed for a great season.

The course was happy in May.  Our wildflowers never looked better and changed personality monthly.

June was wetter than normal but the course continued to do well.  One bad lightning storm took out our irrigation computer and was a precursor of things to come.  Nonetheless the course looked exceptionally good on July 10th.  

Newly planted wildflowers on the 7th tee thriving.

From the end of June through July it had become hot and dry.  It was so dry that we were prepared to buy water.  We experienced twenty consecutive days of ninety degrees and higher from June 26-July 15 followed by a one day break before the heat really turned up. 

The course finally received needed rain on July 20th.  The course is in very good condition at this time but anymore rain could be problematic with the high temperatures we experienced.  Unfortunately we all know what happened.

Lightning damage to an oak by 13 green and another irrigation computer fried following the next day's storm.

The third fairway on July 23rd with the turf in critical condition and some of the hottest weather of the summer occurring.

Once the rain started it didn't let up along with the heat.  July had 28 days of ninety degrees and higher setting a record for the month.  Night time temperatures did not go below seventy degrees for over fifty days breaking another record.  Our bent fairways didn't stand a chance.

The damage is done.

Once it started raining it didn't let up.  We even endured a hurricane.  Rainfall totaled 16 inches from July 20th to August 31st.

Throughout this the greens and rough performed amazingly well.

What a contrast!

The weather pattern finally showed signs of breaking and we began renovating the fairways.

A perfect seedbed and turning on the water which was weird.

One more heartbreak before we become heroes.  A surprise one inch gully washer that afternoon that almost ruined all that work.

By September 3rd we are in the driver's seat.  The weather pattern has changed and we are growing grass.

By September 8th the course has just abut recovered with a rescheduled Member Guest in our sight.

 A  smoke filtered sun from the western wildfires reminding us we were pretty fortunate this year.

By the end of September the course was in great shape.

What a great fall we had.

A tough summer but fortunate to work on fixing the course's shortcomings.

Drainage, drainage, you just can't have enough drainage.

2020- Gone but never forgotten.

 

 

 

 

Our drainage project is wrapping up this week. This will help prevent future turf failures in these areas and make these fairways more playable during wet periods.  This is just the start to a long range plan focusing on improving the golf course's ability to better withstand weather extremes. All told nearly 3/4 of a mile of underground pipe was installed including eleven catch basins. 

Adding internal drainage to the third fairway.

Here is an example of some of the "soil " we are trying to grow quality turf on.  

A closer look at what's underneath the turf and not very deep.

Good fertile topsoil is rare on our course. 

Laying out a plan to determine how pipe will run on the third hole where we lost so much turf last summer...

Followed by installation. 

 

 Happy Holidays!  Drainage work couldn't have gone better prior to Christmas.  All work was completed except for the 3rd hole before the Christmas Eve deluge.  Can you say perfect timing!  The 3rd hole drainage begins on January 4th and that will complete this project.

Adding a six inch drain line from the chipping and practice green to the creek on nine.  There are several basins in this line as well.

The completed drainage with plenty of water flowing.

We added a diversion berm on the 8th hole with soil from the 9th hole drainage spoils.  Storm water use to cross the rough and then follow the fairway towards the tee.  Water now follows the path and releases left of the cart path.

More aeration and dormant overseeding in bermudagrass on the 8th hole.

Covering cold, shady greens for winter.  These covers will be removed in March.

'Tis the season for cold hard frosts.  Walking on frozen turf bruises and can actually kill the grass. Gill knows better! 

Have a socially distanced and healthy holiday.  From our staff to you Happy Holidays!

  

What a weekend we are experiencing.  Sixty degrees in December and a packed golf course.  This comes to a screeching halt next week as winter arrives along with a possible snow storm on Wednesday.  We had an excellent week of work.  The drainage project began and the 15th fairway work is nearly complete.  With a rough weather week coming production may slow down for a while.  Fifteen was by far the largest part of this project and we are fortunate to get it done before next week. 

Our crew continued to lay sod this week.  Nearly a half acre was installed on holes 4, 6, and 8.  That will do it for this year in the sod department.  The crew also enlarged the 4th green tee and replaced the playing surface with new grass.  This will be covered next week and remain closed until spring.  Temporary greens have been readied and tarps will be installed on greens 3.4, and 5 to prevent winter injury by the end of the year.  

Drainage installation on the 15th hole.  Here one of the catch basins is being prepared.

Meet Alvaro-an artist with a backhoe.  Alvaro is our favorite construction foremen with McDonald and Sons.  In this photo he is shaping the catch basin at the beginning of the drainage system.

Sod installation on the sixth hole.

Prepping for new sod on the eighth hole.

Setting the grade on the green tee on hole four.

The completed tee Friday morning with frost blanketing the turf.

Julio and Pedro picking up leaves.  Divot mix came in the white totes which we find are great for collecting leaves.

Leaf blowing in the parking lot waiting for the frost to lift.

Friday morning.

Eight green.

It's going to be a busy Friday in December???

Happy Saturday morning.  The course received 1.5" of rain last night.  The best time to evaluate drainage is when it's raining and we have seen plenty lately.  Drainage work begins this week.  We had another excellent week of work on the course.  All the greens received deep tine aeration and then were treated with a season ending fungicide application.  More sod was laid on holes 2, 16 and 17.  In addition we are core aerating bermudagrass in fairways and then overseeding with bentgrass.  Hopefully this will weaken the bermudagrass and the bent will germinate over the winter/spring. We shall see.

Deep aeration of greens.  The more we do this the better the greens!

Preparing two rough for new sod.

Beautiful work by the crew at 17 green.

Core aeration in bermudagrass encroachment in 18 fairway.

After the fairway is drug and blown it is seeded using this spiker seeder by Josh.

All the tulips have been planted and mulched.

The drainage equipment has arrived.  Work begins on Monday.

A lot of hooded mergansers were at the course this week.  Mallards too.