June 3, 2013

For the past few years we have been using a soil moisture meter to determine when and how much to water our greens. In the past we had used soil probes to pull a small plug of soil from the green to determine the soil moisture. Although this method worked well, it was inconsistent because each person who probed interpreted the look and feel of the soil differently, and so it happened that depending on who did the sampling, more or less water that was needed was applied. The meter takes this inconsistency out of the equation.

The meter works by measuring the electrical conductivity of the soil and converting this data into a percentage of soil moisture. It is very accurate and gives us solid data on which to make our watering decisions.

During the growing season, a trained staff member probes every green each morning. The greens are probed in at least ten different locations and these readings are averaged for the green. When these readings drop below a certain percentage, it’s time to apply water.  Because our greens are “push- up’s” and their soils are not the same throughout the course, different greens have different thresholds, or percentages, that tell us when to water. Over the years we have recorded the daily averages of each green and its wilt point and have learned the thresholds and how much water it will take to put us where we want to be. Some greens are watered for less time and fewer days than others.

As we probe each green, we can see which areas are wetter/ drier than others. If the threshold is met in some areas but not in others, we hand water the drier areas rather than the entire green, which helps balance the percentage throughout the green, and save water. We only water the entire green when its thresholds are met throughout the green.

Since we have been using this scientific method to determine water moisture, watering has become more complicated, and requires more labor to probe, hand water, track data, and set up irrigation programs. The payoff though, is firmer and healthier greens, which is very much worth it.

May 15, 2013

It is the golfing season, which is also tick season.

It’s very important that after your round to thoroughly check yourself and your clothing for ticks. Ticks not only live in the wooded areas, but live in grass areas too. Even if you are not looking for your ball in the perimeter rough, you can still get ticks from the shorter grass.

Humans are accidental hosts. A tick must feed at least three times during its life cycle from larvae, nymph, to adult. In most cases, ticks feed on small mammals such as field mice, rabbits etc, and larger animals such as deer. Humans are just convenient, and become hosts if nothing else passes by.

It takes any where from a few minutes to a few hours for a tick to begin feeding. It makes a cut in the skin and inserts its feeding tube. It then secretes a bonding liquid that helps to anchor it to the host. If left unnoticed, the tick will feed for several days. If the tick has picked up pathogens from the blood of a prior host, it can transfer that pathogen to the new host.

Although a tick can transfer many diseases, the most well known are Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lymes Disease, and Ehrlichiosis. Lymes disease in itself is a very serious disease, and can lead to Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bells Palsey, and MS.

One of the telltale signs that a disease pathogen has entered your body is the presence of a “bulls eye” type rash forming at the site where the tick fed.  Other symptoms are aches and fever – similar to the flu. If you have any suspicion at all that you might have a tick borne disease, see your doctor immediately. If caught early, most of the tick borne diseases can be successfully treated with anti-biotic.

Our Outside Director, Bernie Welcz was diagnosed with Lymes Disease earlier this year. He was treated with a regimen of anti-biotics over a period of six months, including through a pic line in his arm for thirty days. Bernie did not get the rash, but began to have aching knees. First he went to an orthopedist but no knee damage was found. His family doctor ordered a blood test for Lymes and it came back positive, and treatment began immediately. The first round of anti biotics knocked down the disease but did not clear it up. A pic line was put into his arm and another round of more powerful anti-biotics was administered. At this time Bernie is clear, but he goes back for blood tests in four months to check again.

Ticks do need to be taken seriously. It’s best to be proactive and check for them regularly.

*** if you own a dog cat, etc, they too, can be infected by ticks. There are preventative treatments available, but even still, it’s best to check your animal over on a daily basis. They can develop similar symptoms of fever, aches, lethargy, etc. Very recently, one of my horses developed Ehrlichiosis. The vet successfully treated him with a cycle of antibiotics.

April 30, 2013

The Greate Bay Maintenance Department would like to introduce Kona as the newest member of our department.  Kona is a pure bred Chocolate Lab Male.  He was purchased as a personal addition to my family and  also be used to help deter the Canada Goose population from choosing Greate Bay as a spring nesting site.  Kona came from Bird Dog Labs, a small scale breeder located in Bemidji, Minnesota. Their Labs are bred to have strong natural hunting instincts, desire to please, intelligence, versatility, gentle temperaments, trainability, the ability to compete in hunt tests and field trials, excellent health, and attractive physical features. Kona has an outstanding pedigree that includes numerous field champion dogs.  Kona is very friendly and loves people, so if you see him out and about, feel free to stop and say hi!

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.