Reflecting back on 2012 I would call it A Season of Change. Change in the appearance of #5-9 on the Lake
Course, the addition of low maintenance areas and changes in agronomic
practices. Projecting forward, I would call
2013 A Season of Detail with our
focus being on cleaning up tee areas, cart paths, more attention to detail in
all aspects of our maintenance program and, again, more tweaking of agronomic
practices.
The different appearance of the holes affected by the tree
removal on the Lake Course has been received with largely positive feelings
from the membership, and no one can argue the results. We now have three strong greens where we once
had our three weakest, a model for future greens improvement where trees are
impacting turf health and putting green quality. Last fall we were able to get the newly
created open areas around #7 and #8 greens seeded with a fine fescue blend that
is coming in quite nicely. The area to
the right of #8 will be mowed as rough along the cart path and left to mature
closer to the wood line, creating another visually attractive low maintenance
area. 2013 will see the completion of
this project as we re-seed any remaining bare spots on the edges. #7 will see its tees leveled as well as a new
gold tee closer to the fairway.
The new low maintenance areas started off slowly with
several of these areas taking a while to mature, but the end result is what we
expected, producing a different look, separating the holes in some areas and
providing a nice contrast in others. An
added benefit was the reduction in rough mowing time, not only saving a small
amount of fuel, but saving labor that was able to be focused on other areas of
the course. In 2013, we will be adjusting these areas, adding or reshaping some
and reducing others as necessary due to playability and/or aesthetics.
Fall of 2012 started off very productively but, unfortunately,
ended quite soggy. This has delayed what
we thought could be a very productive time for tee leveling. We had started holes #7 and #15 on the Hill Course
when it became too muddy to proceed and we will have to start on these tees as
the ground dries and firms in April. I
have been using the tee leveling projects to kill two birds with one stone and
upgrade our tee irrigation to allow us to better control our water output. Of course, this adds a day or two of work per
tee. Tees on #7 Lake, #7 Hill and #15
Hill should be completed by mid May. Further tees will be leveled as time and
weather allow.
Keeping with our Season
of Detail theme, we will be cleaning up our cart paths to make them more
enjoyable to ride and less distracting from the aesthetics of the hole. Improvements may be as simple as redefining
the edge, restructuring the end of a path or as extensive as an all out
replacement. For the most part, this
will not be a quick fix and will be taking place throughout this summer and
into the next few years. Factors
influencing cart path conditions are weeds, drainage, runoff, previously poor
construction methods and poor placement of original paths.
Periodically brushing the greens before mowing also became a
regular practice, eliminating a considerable amount of grain, improving turf
density and providing a truer putting surface while keeping our height of cut
up a little. A win-win for both the
player and the turf.
2013 will see another tweak in our agronomic program as we
shift from the conventional granular applications of fertilizer to a nearly
100% use of soluble fertilizers applied through our sprayer. This will certainly be more labor intensive,
but will also save us thousands of dollars in our budget that will be able to
be used in other areas. These savings
were so great that we were able to add a micronutrient package to our
fertilization program and still be thousands less than our previous granular
applications. What does this mean to you
as a golfer? It simply means healthier
turf, fewer ugly grass clippings in the fairways after mowing and improved
playing conditions.
Adam Moeller, USGA Green Section Agronomist, was back for a
Turf Advisory Service visit in September to tour the Hill Course and review our
changes to the Lake Course per his recommendations following his tour in 2011. It
was another positive day with many great tips and recommendations provided. Adam was very pleased with the results of our
tree project, particularly the vastly improved health of Lake Course greens on
#6, #7 and #8.
One final note, to make it easier to follow my blog, www.cgcmaintenance.blogspot, I have added a feature that will allow you to
enter your email address and you will be notified via email every time it is
updated, eliminating the hassle of periodically checking in.
I am also creating a new Twitter account, @CHQTurfCare, for
more immediate updates on projects, maintenance procedures, frost delays, etc.
I hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable off season,
and I look forward to seeing you all in the spring.
