We have another couple of weeks of extremely hectic work and then we get into the heart of the golf season.  I know everyone is enjoying the fast and firm golf course that nature has provided us this spring.  We are starting to irrigate regularly due too the lack of rain and would like to see some soon.  I know be careful what you ask for!  There is plenty to talk about so let's go.

We moved to grass this morning on the range.  The bermudagrass is still sluggish so we will only use it on weekends until it really starts growing.

Fairway aeration was finally completed after several rain outs.  Perfect conditions for a change!

The crew has been busy adding lots of new plant material to our property.  Here crepe myrtles are planted in the parking lot medians.

Spring tulips have been dug up.  Did you pick up your tulips?  There are still some in the upper parking lot but will be trashed after this weekend.

True yellow Alternathera with Persian Shield in the center at 18 tee.

The vegetable garden is about ready to plant.

There has been plenty of tree work this spring.  Three loads of logs were hauled off site with one more to go. 

The cicada's have arrived in mass.

There are plenty of great things going on but this might be the best.  Please meet Shawn Gill our new Assistant Superintendent.  Shawn comes to us from Lake Presidential where he was Golf Course Superintendent. 

  

 It is a busy time on the course, probably the busiest time of the year.  We had some breaks with the weather and greens aeration was a success.  Fairway aeration was again cancelled do to rain and we will try again on Monday to finish the remaining holes.  More tree work was completed while the course was closed. 

Oh no-just when the greens were perfect!  This important cultural practice is one reason why the greens are so good.

After the green is aerated we blow the cores to the outer perimeter and then pick them up.  This is a labor intensive operation.  When complete the green is ready for sanding.  This is done the following day.

This is Wednesday morning after the greens have been sanded, brushed, blown intensely and then seeded.  Most of the holes have been filled and there is minimal sand on the surface.  Timely rain helped move the sand into the profile.

Large tree removal is best accomplished when the course is closed.  Here is some work on the 5th hole that we have been trying for months to complete.

The same hole but a different tree.

When completed one nicely pruned white oak remains.  Beautiful!

Annual bluegrass has been prolific this spring.  It is not surprising considering the weather and extensive renovation we did last fall repairing the course from the harsh summer.  Growth regulators are used to suppress this weed while the bent fills in.  Huge changes will occur by the end of the month.

We avoid raking the faces of our bunkers and regularly compact them.  This reduces the chances of balls plugging and hopefully improves the players chances for recovery.

Here is a situation we want to avoid.  The player either entered or exited the bunker on the high side loosening the sand and eliminating the compaction.  The next ball to land there will surely get stuck in the soft sand and leave a very difficult shot.  Always enter and exit the bunker in the most level areas.

Here is a new problem due to Covid.  Four carts per foursome and twice the wear on the turf.  Please be cognizant of how and where you drive your cart with this in mind.  Carts do hurt the turf.

As the weather begins to warm expect to see more snakes on the course.  This is a northern water snake and is the most prevalent type on the course.  He is not poisonous.  Snakes are an important part of our ecosystem and should not be disturbed.   

  

 Happy Sunday morning!  We just received a very beneficial 3/4" of rain and the firm and fast course conditions we have been experiencing are over for now.  Wind arrives and then some spring heat will help dry the course out.  There is plenty going on with the most important news that our First Assistant Superintendent Josh Peters resigned and is now First Assistant at Washington Golf.  This is a good career move for Josh and we wish him well.  We are actively pursuing candidates and hope to have a new Assistant on board very soon.  

Josh spent over five years with our team and will be missed.

We had a nice catered lunch from Anita's.  It was a great way to say thank you.

Last weekend we had two bird watching sessions that were overwhelmingly successful.  Two birding experts guided us through the sights and sounds of different birds.

We saw forty-five different species over the two mornings.

All the greens collars were aerated on Monday.  The expanded collars were topdressed on Tuesday.  Greens will be aerated on May 3rd.

If you suffer from spring allergies you can blame the oaks for some of your misery.  Here our crew blows the practice green off.  The flowers of the oaks are called catkins and this goes on for about two weeks.  The invasion of the catkins!  

Preparing for more wildflowers.  The darker green areas have just been treated with a non-selective herbicide to remove all competition.  This will be repeated in about ten days.

The eighteenth hole starting to show off.

The grand finale of our 2021 tulip display.  

 It has been a busy week on the course.  Fairway aeration was moving along nicely until just enough rain came to stop the operation.  More rain that night forced us to stop and move into panic mode.  The crew was great and we were able to clean up the remaining cores by back pack blowing to high areas where tractors could safely pick them up.  Seven holes remain and these will be completed the week greens are aerated.  

Monday morning and we are off and running.

When the weather cooperates this work gets knocked out quick.

After the cores have dried they are drug and then picked up neatly with the core collectors.

Unfortunately it rained and we had to clean up by hand on Tuesday afternoon.  Eventually we had ten men on blowers moving cores to high ground where we could carefully use tractors.

Club grounds were aerated as well on Monday.  Fertilizer with weed control was applied on Thursday.

The driving range tee is showing nice results from seeding last fall with low grow bluegrass.  Here bermudagrass can be seen just coming out of dormancy next to the tee surface that is about ready to play on.  

The tee after mowing on Thursday.  We can expect to practice on grass on weekends in early May and then set the pedal to the metal once the bermuda starts growing by the end of the month-Weather Permitting!

Spring is the time when winter weeds begin actively growing.  This is called hairy bittercress and it has been quite prevalent.  The leaves are edible and can be used in salads.  Most winter weeds can be removed by simply mowing and waiting for warm weather to bid them goodbye.

Our tulip display has been a real show stopper!

 

 

 It's Masters week!  Wednesday we had our Master's Par Three competition and the course provided quite the challenge.  We even experienced Augusta weather!  Let's hope this is a sign for a great golf year.  Fairway aeration begins Monday including the driving range.  The entire course is closed as we expedite this important cultural practice.  The club grounds will be aerated as well.

Eighteen green all waxed and primed for the Par Three.

Jose B and the crew are doing some great detail sod work. 

Repairing a poorly drained area on the first hole.

This week the rough received the first of two preemergent herbicide applications followed by irrigation.  This will be reapplied in about six weeks. 

Insects are on the move as soil temperatures rise.  There are more ground beetles on the greens than we can remember and if you look closely you will see an annual bluegrass beetle below it.  Insecticide applications to control these adult beetles will begin shortly.

Plenty of tree work this week.  Here is a look before and after of some removals on the first hole.

The oak to the left of the bunker was planted too close to the bunker and the maple to the right was dead.

On the ninth hole we removed the red maple on the left and pruned the willow oak in the foreground to open up the left side of the fairway from the gold tee.  

The new view.

Cleaning up an eyesore by the 12th tee.  This will be planted with more pollinators this spring.

Our tulip display is spectacular.

We all love Gill.  I'm requesting that we stop giving her treats though and see if she can shed a few pounds.