Aerification Update #2

After a weekend that brought night temps in the teens and a all time record low temperature as a high on Saturday, we have to be wondering if Spring will ever get here.  With the forecasted rain tonight and into tomorrow; aerification has yet again been placed on hold.  However, the mid week warm-up and forecasted dry days could be our saving grace.

If we can avoid a major rain event leading into tomorrow, I am optimistic with how all the XGD greens have been responding and hope that we can get a head start tomorrow afternoon.  If all the pieces fall into place, we should be able to complete the entire process by Thursday evening prior to the next wave of rain on Friday. 

I realize that this upcoming weekend is a holiday and apologize for the inconvenience.  The extended forecast is calling for rain leading into the weekend and multiple days next week.  Therefore, I feel that this is our best window to push the envelope while staying focused on getting ready for the season and opening events.

We will remain on temporaries throughout the aerification process.  However, once each green is poked, cleaned, amended and topdressed, we will move the hole location back onto the putting surface. 

Please stay tuned to the blog and twitter for updates.

Aerification Update

The combination of the dusting of snow on Friday and cold night temperatures over the weekend has caused multiple greens to re-freeze; thus preventing us from starting aerification today.  In fact, greens will likely not thaw out till after the mid week warm-up and forecasted rain due to the cooler night temperatures across the region over the next couple of days.  The extended forecast remains a question mark as temperatures are expected to drop come Friday; calling for day time temps in the mid to low 40s with nights dropping into the low 20s throughout the weekend. 

I apologize for the inconvenience and trust me, I am chomping at the bit to start prepping for the season just as much as you are ready to start venturing to the course.  Multiple factors go into pulling the trigger on spring aerification;

1. Is the forecast favorable for completion:  This time of year, the process of aerification on greens takes multiple days due to staff numbers and the timing of getting started on each given day.   Frost is common this time of year,  night temps can create a frost that prevents us from getting started till mid morning thus reducing the hours of daylight and prolonging the process.  Having those two factors weighing on your mind, you then have to think about rain.  Is there rain forecasted within that window that can set you even further back because of the effects on clean-up, reducing the uniformity of core depths and prevention of topdressing.
2. Are the greens ready for the stress:  "Well they have aerified, how come we haven't?"  This is a common question for this time of year and I understand everyone's curiosity.  I think there are two factors that have to be considered when answering that question.  First, every course has its own unique environment that may allow them to poke holes. The elevation of our property makes our environment unique and creates different conditions.  We may have experienced longer snow cover or cooler temperatures compared to our neighbors and other courses in the region preventing us from getting started or being ready.  The other factor may have the biggest influence, I ask myself the question of "Am I causing more harm than good?' every year around this time.  I have to make the decision on what's best for our property.  Aerification causes stress on any surface regardless of the time of year, therefore I like to see some signs of life in the greens while monitoring soil temperatures, plant growth and the extended forecast to show that the greens are starting to wake up from the harsh winter conditions.  Why self inflict stress to our most valuable asset if they aren't ready?
3. Will the extended forecast aid in recovery:  As mentioned, aerification during this time of year can be stressful and you have to make sure that the forecast is favorable not to prolong recovery are create problems towards the future.  A steady increase in both day and night temperatures would indicate a continued increase in soil temperatures.  The rise in soil temperature stimulates plant activity and in return stimulates root growth and recovery following the aerification process.  The concern would be a prolonged drop in temperatures or extreme changes in combination with moisture events.  The holes created from aerification create channels to promote root growth along with other beneficial factors.  These channels can also create exposure to environmental conditions during the recovery process;  moisture in combination with freezing temperatures can heighten the risk of winter injury, reduce root growth and influence recovery time.  To simplify, a stress plant in combination with freezing and thawing could set us back going into the start of the season.

As you can see it is a balancing act and the biggest factor of them all may simply be patience.  We can never control Mother Nature and we can never control the conditions post winter.  We can however make decisions that are best for the golf course both in the present and towards the future.  Stay tuned for updates on conditions towards aerification.  Till then, think warmth and think spring!

Course Update

The recent warm-up has everyone thinking of spring and me wanting to forget the second half of winter.  February went down as the 2nd coldest month in Pittsburgh history, blessing us with periods of snow, ice and frigid temperatures.  The start of March brought an all-time record low followed by a weekend storm that dumped close to an inch of rain that changed over to inches of snow.  Last week's warmer temperatures allowed the snow to melt and time to access the golf course. 

The challenge was that day temps were aiding in the melting process but the cold nights was causing in standing water to freeze thus posing the chance of crown hydration on the greens from the freezing and thawing process.  With the greens being frozen, the water that accumulated from melting could only rely on surface runoff and manpower (staff with squeegees).

 

example of surface drainage on #2

 

 

Layers of ice discovered during the melt

 

The good news is that very limited winter injury has been discovered on the putting surfaces throughout the winter.  Samples were brought into the office last Thursday to monitor the recovery process of these spots in an controlled environment.  All samples within a week have shown new growth pushing through the injured canopy, which is encouraging as warmer temperatures are around the corner.  On Monday, we applied a light topdress of black to sand to serve as a reflector with the sun to aid in warming up the profile and jump starting plant growth as conditions become more favorable.

 

 

I'm planning on a second application over the weekend with the forecast as we prepare to aerify next week.  Overnight frost may hinder production but with the expected rain during the later part of the week, we are going to give it our best to complete greens with our limited staff numbers.  Like aerifications of past, we will be pulling a 5/8 inch core on 1.5 half spacing on all greens.  Following clean-up, we will apply our soil amendments to improve the soil profile and then finish up with a healthy dose of topdressing sand.  Check in next week for updates.

 

One repercussion of the recent weather patterns and state of the greens is that I have decided to place temporaries for the next couple of weeks to allow the greens to recover from the winter stress along with Aerification.  I apologize for any inconvenience, but decision was made towards ensuring that our greens will be ready to go for the start of the season that is just a couple of weeks away!

 

#3 Tee Tree Removal:

 

 

In conjunction with the construction project on the back tee of #3 last fall, the encroaching limbs of the two oaks framing the tee was addressed last week.

 

 

In addition to the limbing of the oaks by the tee, the two larger oaks that were located in the gulley were also removed to improve sight lines and shot angles for playing the hole.

 





Woodlines

In previous post I have mention that a lot of emphasis this winter has been placed on removing underbrush and cleaning up key wooded areas throughout the property in combination with the yearly tree removal program.  Years of neglect and nature for that matter have created overgrown wood-lines containing down branches, down trees, veins and thick underbrush.  The warmer weather and lack of snowfall during the first part of winter has allowed us to stay ahead of the game on cutting trees while dedicating small crews to address certain wood-lines.  Not only will cleaning these areas help the overall aesthetics of the property; but it will improve airflow and light to areas of maintained turf.  Some may even see a benefit of playability on wayward shots (example being #5 green).  I wanted to share some pictures of the areas that we have been working on:

Rightside of #6:

 

Hard to believe that just a few short years ago, this is what the right side of #6 looked like....The project conducted prior to my arrival provided added airflow and light to an area of turf hampered by its surrounding growing environment.

The end result of the tree removal project left a extensive clean-up project.  Last Winter, we hired a tree company to come in and remove the large timber that was dropped and this winter we began the final phase of cleaning up the remaining debris and stumps from the project.  Here are some pictures of the finished product.

The snow may make these photos difficult to see the progress, but all the existing material has been removed and the surface is ready for the seeding of a native mix this spring.

 

Clearing of underbrush started at the tee and continued up the entire right-side of the hole, 20-25 feet into the wood-line.

The same process was conducted to the right of the green.

Rightside of #5 Cart Path:

The underbrush along the entire right side of the cart path has been removed to improve on aesthetics and aid in playability for those wayward tee shots that may be found in the hazard.

In addition to clearing by the green, emphasis was place on touching up the area in the gully to the right while crossing the land bridge.

Before

 





  After

 

#12 Tee:

 

This past fall, we created a new tee box on #12 to provide a different angle and much needed additional tee space on a par 3.  The tree line to the left of the tee had to be cut back because it was encroaching on the line of sight and ball flight.

 

Before

 





After

 

Outside of addressing the left side of the tee, the entire wood-line in the cove of the upper tees were addressed to improve light and airflow to the three tee boxes.

 

 

The entire hillside was stripped a good 30-40 feet up, exposing rock features while creating a possibility of a new bed with plant material in the near future.

 

 

What's next?

 

 

Number 2 is becoming such a popular spot for the club when entertaining members and guest while enjoying Dining with a Vue, wedding photos or even taking in one of the best views on the property during a round of golf.  This week, we began the process of addressing the wood-line to the right of the tee box by removing the underbrush and any down branches that have accumulated over the years.  The cotoneaster that received damage from last year's harsh winter is being removed to create a new bed containing a mixture of perennials and annuals for an added pop to my favorite hole on the property (well, maybe a close second to #17).

 

 

It's the little things that may go unnoticed, but will go a long way in improving the aesthetics and growing environment of Longue Vue.

 

Till next time, stay warm out there!





Winter Update

Happy New Year!  I hope that everyone had a joyous holiday season spent with family and friends.  The start of a new year brought our first recordable snowfall of the winter and the greens department is fully engulfed in annual winter tasks.

Maintenance Compound:

As mentioned in previous posts, construction continues on phase 1 of the maintenance compound.  The new material storage structure is near completion with only the pouring of the concrete remaining. 

 

The four bay structure is a welcomed addition to the operation from a fiscal and efficiency standpoint that has been highlighted in previous posts. 

The framework began on the chemical/fertilizer storage building last week.

 

The 60 x 24 building will serve as storage and filling station for the lifeline of our operation.  I fully anticipate both buildings being operational by the first of March.

Tree Removal:

The yearly tradition of tree work is in full swing as the staff is ahead of schedule (thanks to the warm December weather).  Various trees throughout the property have been removed due to disease infection or damage due to adverse weather conditions.  Emphasis has also been placed on continued cleaning and selective clearing of wood-lines to improve growing environments and aesthetics:

• Underbrush was removed in the area left of #3 green and #4 tee to aid in airflow for both the tee complex and green
• The entire corridor of the back tee boxes of #12 was addressed to improve light and playability for the new tee that was added this past fall
• A small crew has been dedicated to the clean-up on the right side of #6 since the first of December that has drastically improved the cosmetics from the major tree removal projects over the past couple of years
• The removal of the two large Oaks in #3 gully in addition to the limbing of the two Oaks adjacent to the new back tee is slated for the first of March.

The tree list is extensive and work will continue of the next couple of weeks at addressing key trees in playable areas now that the course has a blanket of snow and the ground is completely frozen.

Equipment R&M:

Another aspect of the operation that is addressed during the winter months is the maintenance on the entire equipment fleet.  Each piece of equipment is worked on from top to bottom by replacing bearings, belts, hoses, fittings, etc to ensure proper working order for the upcoming season.  Following the preventive maintenance, each cutting unit is ground and set to be ready for action. 

Accessories:

Every accessory that you may or may not notice on the course during the season has brought into the shop for refurbishing.  Benches, trash cans, ball washers, tee markers, hazard stakes. rope stakes. cart directional signs/posts and yardage plaques are all cleaned, stripped and painted/stained.  There are even a few new additions to provide that attention to detail that hopefully each of you have grown to appreciate:

 

Our new cart directional signs will have a wooden theme to match the benches and tee markers

 

The post that accompany the signs in the fairway have been painted/stained to provide that wooden look

 

Planning:

 

Another important aspect of the offseason (and probably my favorite part) is the time spent brainstorming and working with the assistants towards the upcoming year.  It is the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the past season while pointing out what we can improve on for the next season.  Outside of the daily logistics, the assistants work closely and are exposed to preparing the budget, chemical/fertility applications and capital planning for the 2015/16 fiscal year.  All valuable educational experiences for them to prepare towards their next step of becoming an Golf Course Superintendent.

 

Outside of the business aspect, the entire management staff takes advantage of the educational conferences provided on the local, regional and national level.  All of us are attending a local seminar next week for the Greater Pitt section and I will be attending two conferences (regional and national) in February.  Continuing education and networking is important for their future, my constant desire to learn and the success it can bring to the course from what we learn in a classroom and from others.

 

 

Stay tuned for a update in the next couple of weeks, til then....stay warm out there!