May 28, 2011

I am hoping that you have noticed a few “changes” that we’ve recently made to the golf course!

On the fourth green we completely renovated the green surrounds. We re-graded and drained the entire area, redesigned both left side bunkers – even making a sod wall bunker back left - updated the irrigation, removed trees, and planted a privet hedge to screen out the road that runs right of the green.

On the fifth tee we removed five trees that interfered with tee shots and removed a section of the cartpath. We removed one chestnut tree at the left of the fairway too.

Behind the fifteenth green we planted 65 Leyland Cypress trees to screen out the traffic on Route 9. We planted more privet behind the seventeenth tee and fourth tee, also to screen out traffic on Route 9.

On the sixth hole, we repaired the right side bunker and sodded the high traffic area near the green.

I think that these changes will make the course more playable and enjoyable for everyone.

May 14, 2011

Many times I am asked why I wear long sleeve shirts and rarely wear shorts...

...skin cancer.

I don’t have skin cancer, and I don’t want to get it if I can help it. My cousin died of it when he was 26. My mom has been through it. One of my friends continues to have it surgically removed on her arms, stomach, etc. Most people know at least someone who has had it, but most people probably know more than one. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in the U. S.

It is also the most preventable cancer, and if caught early, the most curable too.

To reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, limit your exposure to the sun. This can be done by taking advantage of shaded areas, wearing clothing that covers as much skin as possible, wearing a wide brim hat, and using sunscreen. Also, use lip balm that contains sunscreen and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and eyelids.

It’s very important to check your skin often for any changes such as sores, red and /or irritated areas, colored spots, etc. Moles are extremely important to look over – look to see if they are getting bigger, growing uneven edges, changing colour, or becoming raised. Basically, any changes to your skin can be an indicator of skin cancer.

If you suspect anything, it’s best to see your doctor. It is also a good idea to visit your dermatologist on a regular basis.

As golfers, we spend a lot of time in the sun, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just that we need to use a little common sense and caution about the risks we take. Skin cancer is one of those things that we need to know about so that we can keep our risks in check.

May 6, 2011

Today we finished up the greens aeration!

We first used the Graden machine to deeply slice into the green – more or less a vertical cut – which pulls out thatch. Following the Graden operation we aerated the greens with small open tines on a tight spacing. After cleaning the thatch and plugs, we topdressed and applied a calcium fertilizer, then matted it in.

Everything went well, and we will now concentrate on healing them up and getting them back to what we are used to!

April 23, 2011

So much is going on that I have a hard time focusing on any one event or subject to write about....so it’s probably best to post an overview for now.

We have begun cutting rough on a daily basis now. The turf is really growing with this moderate and somewhat wet spring weather. We are also back to our normal fairway and tee mowing schedules.

We are grooming and rolling the greens every other day along with the normal daily cutting to reduce the slight bumpiness caused by the uneven growth of the many varieties of poa and bent on the greens.

But mowing is just the tip of the iceberg...we are starting up the irrigation system, rebuilding the rail road tie garden beds at the half way house, fertilizing, applying our pre emergent controls, applying fungicides and herbicides, taking measures to suppress the annual bluegrass weevil population, prepping for next weeks green’s aeration, etc.

If you’ve been playing, I am sure you have noticed that we have re shaped many of the tees into the traditional rectangular shape, capturing the time and vision of Willie Park Jr.

We have just begun a project to restore the #4 green “walk on” and re-edge the left side green bunkers. I will most likely post more about this next week.

We recently finished planting a Monarch Butterfly Way Station garden near the clubhouse practice putting green as part of our Audubon Sanctuary certification program.

There always is a lot going on in our department no matter what time of year it is, but every spring we are exceptionally busy with the rush to stay ahead of Mother Nature and prep the course for a great year. And its all good! We are loving every minute of it!

April 15, 2011

In just few days this week the golf course went from dormant to flushing green growth!

If you played Monday of this week and again today, Friday, I am sure you noticed the difference! On Monday the greens had little colour, yet today they are green and growing fast. The same is happening with the tees, fairways, and rough. This flush of growth makes the surfaces a bit uneven, as some turf sprints while other varieties jog – they grow at different rates. Fortunately, this will begin to settle out in a short time. With this flush of growth, our staff is shifting focus from spring cleanup and spring projects to mowing and grooming to catch up with the flush.

It’s great to see the turf growing again, smell the fresh cut grass, and see the members back on the course! We are looking forward to a great year!

March 29, 2011

Behind the 11th green, we installed a linear trap designed to catch annual bluegrass weevils as they make their way from their over wintering areas in the adjacent woods, to the green where they will lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the poa annua, weakening it to the point that it dies.

With the trap, we know when these insects begin to move, and get a rough idea of the initial population that we are dealing with. With this info, we time and manage our sprays to suppress the population of adults prior to egg laying.

Managing these weevils is a year long battle - they can have four or more generations a year. They attack poa anywhere too- greens, tees, fairways and rough. They are also resistant to many of the available treatments. For the best control, timing and rotation of different type insecticides is best.

There are many types of insects that attack turf, yet the annual bluegrass weevil is by far is the most challenging.

Pictured below is the linear trap, Edgar preparing the area for installation, and Denia flagging it.

March 23, 2011

When a seed germinates, the root is first to emerge from the hull, anchoring the expected green shoot, and sending up water and nutrients to feed it. Without the root, the green shoot would fall over, wither, starve, and die. The importance of the root over rides the importance of leaves and shoots throughout the plant’s life. If roots are strong and healthy, then most likely, the plant will have the ability to compete with traffic, drought, temperatures, disease, and other stresses that man and nature create.