April 6, 2013

Time to repairs divots.

Today I won’t need the traditional sand and seed -- I will need to send a man up to the Practice Green for a plug and then change out the divot on the 17^th green. It will take an hour.  In the meantime, players will have to navigate their putts around the missing turf. In the meantime, an hour of staff time that could have been used to repair a broken sprinkler head will be forfeited. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone.

I guess I should be used to it – this happens at least once a week, and on really good weeks maybe two to three times. I try to think of it as aeration in an attempt to keep my sense of humor. But it isn’t funny. I am not laughing. And I dont think you are either.

At best, its vandalsim. 

March 22, 2013

Our new definition of March Madness is to aerate in a snow storm!!!!!!

We went from blowing plugs to blowing snow

Snow laying on the plugs

Everything too wet to continue

Snow, rain, whatever...Clara always smiles!

March 16, 2013

I have had a few questions regarding the greens, particularly about them being more brown than green. There is nothing really wrong with them.

The browning is caused by dormancy. The leaves are not growing, lack chlorophyll, and are somewhat desiccated as they have had no snow cover to insulate them from the cold weather. For the most part, these leaves are dying off. At the same time, with the time of daylight increasing and the warming temperatures, new leaf buds are forming. In a few weeks, and aided by more frequent mowing, the new leaves will push out the old and  the greens will be green again. It's nature taking it's course.

Febuary 15, 2013

We are doing tree work throughout the golf course to open things up a bit so that the course plays more fairly and more as it was originally designed to play. Over the last 85 years, quite a few acorns, pine cones, and cherry pits have grown into monster trees with ever stretching branches that reach out and knock down well played shots, while others force a shot to be played away from the intended landing area. Willie Park Jr was not moonlighting as Johnny Appleseed and never intended that trees alter his design.

Most trees only need to be pruned back, but unfortunately, some need to be removed. On holes #5, #6, #7, etc, large spreading branches overhang the roughs and fairways. In these cases, a well played tee shot is penalized. We are pruning these back to the trunk.

Other trees are coming down. For example, on holes such as #2, trees left of the forward tee are in the line of play and force the player to hit to the right of the intended landing area. On #3, the pines along the right side have encroached so much that the right side of the green is blocked from the tee. These trees will be removed.

In many areas that border the roughs, we have thinned the underbrush and trees so that an errant shot can be punched out from the wooded areas.

There will be other added benefits to all this tree work. Where the trees were crowded together, selective removal will allow the remaining trees to grow big and healthy without competition. Pruning back branches and tree removal will allow more sunlight to the turf, and increase air flow through the course. Removal will also stop tree roots from competing with the turf.

Its a big change in some areas, and its change for the better.

December 28, 2012

Good or bad....?

I am asked “Is the snow good or bad”....well, it depends!

Snow cover actually protects the turf, much like an insulating blanket, from the winds and bitter cold. Turf that has been under snow tends to be healthier in the spring than turf exposed to drying winds and wind chill temperatures. Snow also helps curtail wear and tear, as not a lot of golf is played when snow is on the ground.

But then, if the snow should turn to ice, the turf can suffocate after a few weeks. Also, as snow and ice melt, the abundant moisture coupled with above freezing temperatures is perfect for diseases such as yellow patch, grey snow mold, red thread, and pink snow mold. And the melt also means greater traffic damage due to soft soils. If the soil is thawed on top, but is frozen underneath, then the water cannot drain and makes things even worse. Roots drown, or get sheared from traffic, and in most cases the soil structure gets ruined. All of these scenarios have long term consequences.None of them are good.

And if there is no snow cover at all like last year, desiccation and wear and tear can really set the turf back.

I wish there were easy answers, but there are not. It all just depends.

December 19, 2012

People have been asking me what the goats are up to these days and how are they doing....

They are doing just fine! They are at my farm living the “life of Reilly”, or in other words, being spoiled.

They are on a healthy diet of quality hay, molasses coated grain, and sunflower seeds  which provides them with extra fiber and protein, and natural oils for their coats. They also have free choice minerals. In their fenced in area, they have planks and cinder blocks to climb on, and a goat chalet to nap in and keep them out of bad weather. And they also have their animal friends – chickens, ducks, a cat and the horses to baaaaa at and discuss barnyard politics. Then they get a lot of human visitors – someone always shows up to see and pet the goats! They have it pretty good and easy these days! There most likely will be a little culture shock next spring when they come back to work here, but I think they are looking forward to some delicious poison ivy!

Mary, Francis, and Irene told me to pass on to you their wishes for every one to enjoy a happy holiday season and that they are looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

December 11, 2012

Friday night we had two and one half inches of rain and originally I intended to make the course “walking only” on Saturday because it was so wet. But being a Saturday, Mark and I talked it over and decided to go “cart paths only” and we opened up to carts at 10:00am.

Well, that didn’t last very long....

I am sure the person driving the cart had no intentions of causing damage, but none the less, he went off the the cart path and did. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. It happens routinely. Even on days when carts are allowed off the paths, sensitive areas that are roped and/ or signed off are driven on with abandon by some. The ropes are simply knocked down and the signs ignored.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to go about with disregard. And it certainly is not fair to those who follow the guidelines, and who have to deal the bad lies left behind by others.