EQUIPMENT REPAIRS

Normally in past years, we always performed preventive equipment repairs in the winter. So that when mowing season arrives the equipment could be expected to work Thur out the season with only minor repairs. The last couple of winters that has not happen, due to financial issues. The past week, Alfredo and myself have been working on repairs to equipment. With out this equipment conditions on the course can change rapidly. Bermuda grass growth stops for no one! The rough mower was down for mower deck roller repair, GM72 mower was down for a muffler and belt repair. We also had a problems with two of our utility carts, requiring the rear axles to be repaired. These issues along with limited resources takes away from preparing the course for weekends and special events. So everyone bare with us things will get better shortly.

AERATING FAIRWAYS AND ROUGH

We started aerating fairways and rough on the course today. We are using the aer way machine which slices instead of pulling plugs. This helps create air passages in the soil and also slice Bermuda plants to promote more growth in thin areas. With the coming changes we hope to fertilize everything in the next two weeks. The aer way causes less mess, and we plan on coming back again in July or August and pull plugs to provide more air passages and work on compaction to the turf. The other work going on is edging sprinkler heads and noting how many yardage tags need to be fixed.

WET AREA BESIDE #12 GREEN

The area beside #12 green is not another irrigation leak that we missed in the first repair. Its ground water seeping from the hill side above the course irrigation system. So the only solution was to install a drain line up the swale to handle the surface and ground water coming from the hill. We luckily had all the parts needed to fix the problem now. The crew had to dig the line by hand because it was so wet. The repairs should be finished before the weekend. The area will need sun and dry weather to dry out for mowers and foot traffic.

Green Damage # 12

This is the time of year when we seem to have more damage to greens that appears overnight. Saturday night someone decided to burn candles on #12 green and drip wax over it. Clean up is difficult because, we can not apply heat to loosen the wax that has stuck to the grass leaf blade. So the choice was to hand remove it very carefully with a knife, and try not to cause to much damage. All this before tournament play reached the green, and with limited weekend staff.

Spring Dead Spots and Winter Kill Bermuda Grass

As with most springs we always seem to have some spring dead spot that is expensive to control. This spring was no different, but it seems not to be as bad in some fairways. WHY? The answer that Dr Lucas with the CGA gave was less cart traffic due to wet weather this winter. We do have few spots of winter kill mainly caused by cold temperatures in January with no snow cover. The areas also receive heavy foot and cart traffic, that results in compaction of the soil. If you have played other area courses you have seen the damage they have as well

USGA: The Economic Challenge Continues - May 2010

USGA: The Economic Challenge Continues - May 2010

INFO FROM TPC SAWGRASS

htt://www. tpcsawgrassmaintenance.blogspot.com/

Just some interesting information about prep for last weekends players tournament.

HAND WATERING SEASON

With the record temperatures the last two days and its only the first of May. Please be aware that during the next few months the staff will be scouting greens often and may need to hand water certain areas as needed. This may cause brief delays occasionally, although we do our best to avoid golfers. If you should encounter someone hand watering a green please DO NOT hit your approach shot until the green is clear. Your cooperation in this is greatly appreciated and would hate for someone to get hurt.

Irrigation repairs and system startup

We have been repairing leaks with the irrigation system as start up of the season begins. Most of the problems have been do to shifting of pipe tees or pipe sliding out of joints. The wet weather last fall and winter freezing can cause the pipe shift. Unlike home systems were the pipe is glued together. large systems use slip gasket fittings that can move if the ground become to wet. The other problem is concrete thrust blocks that were used to keep the pipes from moving were not secured good enough during construction . This shifting can happen over years of constant water pressure and soil shifting, after all the system is over fourteen years old.

FIRST GREENS AERATIONS

It has been about 6 months since our last greens aeration, and our greens need it. On Monday, Tuesday, of this week we double punched the greens with 1/2 solid tines, and with a double verti cutting in two directions, and rolled to help smooth the surface. This is a change from past first aerations, becaused we didn't pull plugs and topdress. The solid tining still allows water, nutrients, and oxygen to move through the soil and reach roots. The small channels also are perfect areas for root growth to occur as with pulling plugs. The verti cutting helped to remove thatch, which in fact is the same as pulling plugs. Don't get me wrong, pulling a good plug and followup with topdressing is the best, but this time labor and finances played a big part. We are still scheduled to come back and aerify greens April 26, 27th by pulling plugs, topdressing with the proper sand, and last stop is to roll the greens to help work the sand down in the canopy.

RUDY COSLER CUP

This past weekend was the first Men's golf assocation tournament of the year. The name was changed from the MGA Cup to the Rudy Cosler Cup to honor a long time member and raise funds for the local chapter of "ASL" . Rudy and his wife, Juanita, were at the first tee so all teams could say hello and have their pictures taken with him! Even though the ground was wet, I tried a little freehand logo painting on the turf at the tee box to honor my friend. This may continue with the logos of other member's tournaments, if anyone is interested...

WILDLIFE ON COURSE

Some times the wildlife on the course is very visible, and other times only their signs of activity are noticeable. The beavers are back at #15 lake, as some residents have noticed. The blue herons have move into their nests at #5 tee box for spring nesting. They are happy that the snow and ice has left the lake edges. You may also notice the bluebirds are active at their boxes. Most members are not aware that ranger Don Weir is our guy who builds, repairs, and cleans the nest boxes on the course. We have a new martin house that Don build to replace the one at #7. He started this work over eight years ago on his own. Thanks Don!

ICE BREAKER TOURNAMENT

So after being closed the last four weekends for weather issues. The sun came out, no snow, little wind, and warm temperatures, it was time for some golf. Everyone came out, and hopefully had a good time with the Saturday ice breaker tournament. The weather Sunday was even better, with temperatures above 60 degrees for the first time since January 28th. Not to be a spoiler, but the forecast for wednesday is winter mix, and colder temperatures later in the week. I hate snow and cold weather!

OUTDOOR MAINTENANCE

Well, its finally stopped snowing, raining, flooding and blowing, so the guys started trimming crape myrtles around the club house and front entrance. As things stand, its frustrating not to be able to get out on the course, doing maintenance that so desperately needs to be done. The first aeration of greens is only 23 days away, folks, and we have not done any spraying whatsoever, as in past years. There are tons, literally, of work to be done in the bunkers this year, so lets hope the weather becomes more favorable, here at the Glen, in the coming weeks.

THE NATIONAL, WITH SNOW

Snow on a golf course this year, is not unusual, pretty, yes, unusual, no. In fact, many golf course calendars usually include a lovely snow covered hole for the months of December, January, or Feburary. But here's something, I don't think many people have seen: snow at augusta national. These showed up in my email this morning from a friend. Turf budget note: the snow is melting in the picture of # 16 because of the coils under it, oh we can only dream. Remember its only 49 days till tournament time.

MORE SNOW

The ice breaker tournament was rescheduled this last weekend, due to snow. Is everyone else hoping for an early spring!!!!

NEW TEE MARKERS

With all the bad weather this winter, there has been time to custom make some new tee makers. We were also able to save a few dollars by recycling the old green traffic control postes. They have only been out a week, and already getting compliments on them.

CLEANUP BEGINS

Cleanup has started on the front side flood damage. The first priority is washing the mud and slit off the cart path so we can move around the course. This is so slick the skid steer loader can't even stay on the path, and trust me you don't want to get off the path. The second thing is cleanup of debris like logs, sticks, trash, and sand. One other task is removing the fish that were trapped when the water went down. All the bunkers, area drains, and low spots collect an assortment of fish. Most are returned to the lakes if alive, some are not returned. As you can image the soil in all these areas are extremely wet, so it will need to dry some before all can be accomplished. So the weather will determine how long the cleanup process takes over the next month. Bunkers repairs will be the last items on this list. note: we finished the cart paths last Friday before the snow started.

FLOOD AND DAMAGE ON FRONT SIDE

So instead of small flooding the Yadkin came out big time. For those of you that were not here in 2003, the river has not been out like this since then. The damage caused by the flooding , is more mud and debris left after the water has gone down, the most expensive part is the eight bunker that were in the flood water. These bunkers will require complete rebuilding, as was done back in 2003. what happens is the fine slit goes into the bunker drainage system and blocks the stone and drainage pipe, also the sand is contaminated so it will not drain as well. The cleanup will start with the mud on cart paths.

NEW WATER HAZARDS ON COURSE

If you decided not play today, because of the last nights rain. You missed the new water hazards added to the front side, courtesy of the Yadkin river. It's been a few years since the river has come out this much. Will have more pictures later.

COURSE CONDITIONS

We have just gone thru one of the wettest and coldest winter time periods since the early 90's. It's been bad golfing weather, and outside maintenance has been limited as well. So the main question asked is, when can carts be off the path? Traffic management is critical on all grasses any time of the year, but winter is tough for dormant Bermudagrass. Most golfers do not understand the dormant state of the plant. They think since the top is brown and dead looking that it should be all right to drive on it when it's wet, or frozen. Although the top of the plants looks dead, the underground and crown portion of the turf plant is alive. If you take and pull back the brown leaves, you will find green plants. The turf will return to active growth when the soil temperature ( not air temperature) returns above 60's in late spring. The soil serves as a buffer to protect healthy Bermudagrass, but when temperatures drop well below freezing that are sustained over many days, even the underground plant parts can freeze and die. The survival of the plant or the severity of the kill depends on many factors, including the health of the turf going into winter, the amount of traffic the area receives, shade, and mowing height of the turf. Lower cut turf is likely to have more damage. Golfers should be aware that the turf is still susceptible to damage even after the surface thaws. Most golfers are accustomed to frost delays - as soon as the frost burns off, play begins. Frozen soil is another matter, and often after a sustained period of freezing temperatures the course has to be closed for additional time to allow the frozen soil to dissipate. If the turf thaws on the top but remains frozen a half inch below the soil surface, cart traffic, heavy foot traffic will shear the turf from the rhizomes or roots, and results is a lot of dead turf. So as we try to do everything possible to get you the golfer back out on the course, and to minimize the potential trouble, damage can still occur and some replanting may have to happen next spring.

Welcome to Salem Glen Turf Care

The purpose of this blog is to shine light on to the course and grounds maintenance practices and management programs here at Salem Glen Golf Club. In the coming days, I will be adding posts that highlight projects and various items occuring around the course. This site will be able to provide a more detailed look at projects, practices,and things that you might not notice or even see in your time on the course. This blog can accomplish more than a page once a month in the club newsletter or a notice posted on the outdoor message board.