With the golf course opening at the end of April, here is some insight into what has taken place thus far:
The golf course is going through another dry spring. With temperatures still relatively low (until this past week) we have not had much turf growth to this point. Once temperatures, specifically nighttime temps, stay consistently warm we will see a flush of growth. These conditions, along with the cultural practices we employed last fall and so far this spring has aided us in getting the turf firm and getting the greens smooth and fast. Similar to last year, the dry conditions are having us running more irrigation at this time of year than is typical. We have been monitoring moisture levels in the greens and have had to begin handwatering hot spots for the last week or so. We have also begun running water on various tees and areas of fairways to stay ahead of turf showing signs of stress. Low temperatures have reduced the need for the turf to use large amounts of water. But as temperatures continue to rise our need for irrigation will also rise.
Last season I started monitoring and recording the water content data in soils of our greens. We have had a moisture meter in our arsenal for several years that is highly useful in determining daily watering needs. I wanted to take things a step further and try to anticipate future turf health needs based on predicative weather models. Questions that I would ask myself would be “If average volumetric water content on 3 green was 12% today, and temperature today reaches a high of 22C with winds gusting to 35km/h and 80% humidity, where will they be tomorrow if I decide not to water? Where will they be by the end of the week?”
That is an example of the information I would record. When we go through stretches of dry weather, like we are now, being able to have an educated opinion on where things will stand in the future can be very helpful. It can give you confidence that you do not need to water the green. By withholding water we can provide a firmer and faster putting surface. There is a fine line here to manage, as it can be easy to push things too far, causing damage to the turf.
For reference, the moisture numbers listed above would indicate that on average the green has adequate hydration levels, though there are certain hot spots that could require attention from a hose. At this time of year, we can get away pushing the envelope a little more as cooler temperatures reduce the plant’s need to take up water. If these numbers are seen in Mid July with no rain in sight we know that more in depth watering inputs are needed.
Our fertility program has slowly commenced. With temperatures (particularly overnight) have remained quite cold. Without soil temperatures at least approaching double digits on a consistent basis, nutrient uptake and ultimate usage is quite limited. It appears things are trending upwards and signifies increased nitrogen application. While most turf diseases occur during the heat of summer, fusarium is a disease that favors the cool, wet conditions that spring and fall typically provide. Fertilizer is added to jump start shoot growth as the plants come out of dormancy. We take annual soil tests and build our fertility program based on what the plant needs and what nutrients may be deficient or in excess of.
We took a large bite out of our Master Plan completed by Ian Andrew in Phase One last year. This spring is being focused on tying up a couple of loose ends on 4, where additional tree work and cleanup was needed, and to repair some turf that suffered from a (hopefully) once in a lifetime amount of rain we had last summer. Our work and preparation of the new range tee continues as we are still on target for a June opening.
Construction of the new bunker on 8 has gone as expected to this point. We finished shaping and sodding the bunker prior to the golf course opening. The sod has rooted well and the base has been sprayed with round up. All that is left is to scalp the sod at the bunker base once the roundup takes effect, install the socked drain pipe, and then add the sand (already on site).
We anticipate opening the bunker very shortly. I want to thank the members for their feedback, as well as respecting the delicate needs of the freshly laid sod. Nice to cross another job off the list. Please check out the blog post that Geoff recently made that wonderfully summarizes the project.
The culvert repair on 9 appears to have held. After assessing the situation, the decision was made to attempt to repair the cracked pipe underneath the white/blue tee on 9 rather than excavate the entire culvert and replace it. After investigating the damage and consulting with some local experts, we felt comfortable with our decision. Geoff and the crew made the repair and re-placed the sod. The area will be monitored for any further erosion that would indicate further issue with the structure of the culvert. Long term we will be planning on means of replacing aging culverts that will continue to fail over time.
Prior to the course opening we hired out a company to get rid of the large amount of tree stumps on the course. Between targeted removals to improve turf health, or acts of God through weather related events, the eyesores that tree stumps cause needed to be managed. We had 75 tree stumps ground down and has been a great improvement to the property. We have sodded, seeded, or simply raked out the wood chips in the affected areas depending on priority to the aesthetic or playability to the location.
We continue to put time into detail work on the course. Edging bunkers, sodding, whether be it cart path edges damaged from the construction last spring, or damaged turf from the deluge that was last summer, we are making ground daily. We are certainly looking forward to filling out our staff in the next month to accelerate our progress in these and more areas.
Looking forward to the summer!
Kevin
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