Covers

The covers have been installed on greens 3,5, and 8. Please do not walk on the covers.
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USGA Update

“All I Want for Christmas...”

By David A. Oatis, director, Northeast Region
December 13, 2012


The holidays are upon us and the winter solstice is just a week away. The book can just about be closed on another long season. Hopefully your fall projects are nearing completion, because irrigation systems have been blown out and maintenance crews are shrinking. Day length will be at its shortest point of the year in another week, and frost is arriving with ever more regularity. Greens are being closed and many have already been covered. The dreaded “temporaries” have been prepared, and winter golfers already are ready to complain about the unfairness of temporary greens. So what does all this mean?

Freezing temperatures are good. We need deep freezes to kill certain pests and to relieve compaction. I’m sorry for the frost on your windshield and for the temporary greens, but freezing temperatures are good for golf courses in the Northern states. Keeping play off of dormant turf helps eliminate another stress, and may help your turf perform better next year.

With the shortest day of the year comes the knowledge that the sun is at its most southern position when it rises. It also is at its lowest angle. This is extremely valuable information for superintendents trying to evaluate where tree work may be needed. Golfers sometimes scoff at the importance of winter sunlight, but turf that doesn’t receive enough light from October through March usually has more problems. The hardening process is adversely affected and the turf goes into the winter weaker. Turf that goes into the winter with less vigor won’t come out any stronger. In fact, just the opposite occurs. Winter shade translates to more snow and ice accumulations, and worse by far, more freeze thaw cycles which cause crown hydration injury. Let there be no mistake: winter shade and the occurrence of winter damage are closely aligned. So if you want to reduce chances of winter injury and get your weaker turf off to a better start next year, trees may be the answer. Sharpen up the saws and plan tree work accordingly. By the way, a new chain saw makes a wonderful Christmas present!

For superintendents in the northeast, it’s time to catch your breath and to begin recharging worn down batteries. Even the easy years are difficult, and 2012 was not an easy one. It was an extremely long season with lots of extremes, and that translates to physical and mental stress. In a nutshell, we all need a break. So does the turf. 2013 is just around the corner, but we can worry about that after the holidays. Now it’s time to give thanks for blessings received, and to put your feet up for a day or two. We can begin talking about New Year’s resolutions in a couple of weeks, but for now enjoy the holidays, and may next year be the best ever!

Frost

I found these footprints on the practice green this morning. Please do not walk on any turf when there is frost especially the greens. These footprints will now turn black and be visible until sometime in May.
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Deep Tine Aeration

www.madisongolfclub.org

 

 

The greens were deep tine aerfified with solid 1/2 tines are a depth of 9 inches, a process performed by the Fredco Group. The greens were then aerfied in-house using our Bayonet Tines. These holes will help keep the greens free of standing water during snow and ice melt as well as have a significant impact on our rooting structure come spring. The greens will be rolled and topdressed over the next two days completing our prep of the greens before we install the covers.

 

1/2 inch deep tines

9 inches deep

Finishing with the Bayonet Tine at 2 inch spacing



Green EXPO

www.madisongolfclub.org

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the NJ Green EXPO in Atlantic City this week. The seminars were given by a range of professionals from Rutgers, NJDEP, NC State, and Dow Agro Science. The seminars range from topics such as personal protective equipment to updates on bills before the state legislature and most importantly an update on all the research taking place at Rutgers University. I would not recommend the average member attend a seminar on the control and life cycle of the water mould pythium unless you need a nap but for turfgrass professionals it was like listening to the Dali Lama. I am very appreciative of this opportunity of education and trade show exhibits that NJ Turfgrass and NJ Superintendents Ass. provide as well as MGC for allowing me to attend.

A reminder that we will be preparing the greens for winter on starting on Monday with a deep tine aeration followed by heavy amounts of sand and bayonet tine aeration.

USGA Update

Madison Golf Club Website

 

Prelude to the Season

By Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist Northeast Region
November 28, 2012

Colder temperatures and recent activity of the Great Lakes snow machines are bringing to end another golf season across much of the region. Superintendents are busy with late-season topdressing, fungicide applications and installing putting green covers. Sub-freezing nighttime temperatures combined with dry weather this fall have been favorable for readying turf for the upcoming winter. Freezing temperatures trigger cold temperature acclimation processes in cool-season turfgrasses while dry conditions reduce moisture content in the plant’s crown, both of which will help turf prepare for and tolerate winter conditions ahead. Of course, a period of above normal temperatures and wet weather could negate the winterized benefits already achieved so we keep our fingers crossed.

An employee at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, uses staples to secure an impermeable cover. This is the final piece of a combination covering system that uses a permeable ground cover, a layer of straw and then an impermeable fabric that insulates underlying turf and keeps it dry during winter.

Northern golf facilities that manage annual bluegrass greens may be entering their most challenging season. Annual bluegrass has far less cold tolerance than other cool-season grasses. The higher moisture content in the tissue of annual bluegrass and its willingness to break dormancy earlier make it more vulnerable to varying temperatures and ice layers that can occur across the Northeast.

Turf managers will use winter covers to protect putting greens dominated with annual bluegrass. Remember, however, that covers have different functions and it is important to match the right cover system to its intended application. For instance, permeable covers provide protection from wind and may offer an earlier spring greenup. Impermeable covers offer wind protection as well but when installed properly can prevent turf from becoming hydrated and encased in ice. A combination of permeable and impermeable covers and an insulating material is often used on northernmost golf courses to prevent hydration and ice encasement and to buffer against wide temperature fluctuations. The combination systems usually begin by placing a permeable cover over the turf. This is followed by an insulating material and finally the impermeable cover. Insulating materials may include straw, bubble material, closed cell foam, or even some types of bunker liner materials. The impermeable cover is usually manufactured to the size and approximate dimensions of the green. The process of installing and managing these covering systems is more complex and expensive, but their use impacts survival of annual bluegrass in cold temperature climates.

Storm Update

The effects of Hurricane Sandy are still being felt in the Northeast. Storm cleanup and repair work continues and turf managers now have a better idea of turf damage sustained from saltwater flooding. The later date of the flooding and ability for some golf courses to irrigate flooded areas once saltwater receded has reduced turf injury on putting greens and other playing areas. Low-lying fairways and rough areas that were submerged for prolonged periods or sites where it was impossible to flush salts from soils have not fared so well and extensive overseeding and turf renovation programs will be required. Remember to check irrigation ponds that may have been breached or flooded during the hurricane. Salt levels should be checked at various water depths to make sure it is suitable for irrigation. We will continue to provide updates on recovery from Hurricane Sandy and subsequent nor’easter storms. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding turf recovery and renovation following storm aftermath.



Rules Change

I dont' have much to report on the golf course as it is snow covered but I was able to topdress all the greens before the snow.

Here is a rules change that was made by the USGA today regarding the putter:

Irrigation

Blowing out the irrigation system today preparing for winter. The pump houses will be winterized tomorrow.
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Course Update

Yesterday was the remaining crews last day of work for the season. The crew will come back in December for a day to cover a few greens for the winter. Most of the storm damage trees and stumps have been removed but the two stumps between 5 and 6 were too large to lift with the equipment we had on site. I am working on larger equipment to come in during the winter on frozen ground to remove the stumps. The greens were mowed yesterday and the cups were changed, we have a frost delay this morning but the course is ready for play once its gone.
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USGA November 2012

Storm Cleanup And Winter Preparation Continues

By Adam Moeller, agronomist, Northeast Region
November 14, 2012

Drill and fill aeration, which is an excellent deep soil modification strategy, has been performed at many golf courses in recent weeks.

The damage from Hurricane Sandy continues to be felt in many parts of the Northeast Region. Clearing of downed trees has been of utmost priority for many golf facilities. Recent course visits have focused on storm damage with many reporting 100-plus trees down! Damage from salt water has been showing up in full force this week for many coastal courses that experienced flooding. Any saltwater flooded turf that has not greened up may not necessarily be dead, but it should provide some idea of how extensive the damage could be. Knowing the severity of damage will be painful, but it will allow the grounds staff to determine the best plan of action to promote successful recovery.

The damage from Hurricane Sandy was followed by another damaging nor’easter, which dumped six to 10 inches of wet snow on many golf facilities in New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut. This heavy, wet snow was the coup de grâce for many trees in these areas. In many respects, the damage caused to trees on the golf course is a blessing in disguise because trees are often very detrimental to golf course turf. Unfortunately, these storms took down specimen trees at many facilities in addition to removing undesirable trees, i.e., those casting shade or interfering with turf health on key playing surfaces. After two consecutive years with a damaging hurricane and an early snowstorm, perhaps another mild winter like 2011 will repeat itself as well?

Winter preparations are being made across the region. Many courses have scaled back mowing operations dramatically to save on labor and improve grass health as winter draws near. Raising the putting green mowing height is a very beneficial strategy to reduce the potential for crown hydration and ice encasement damage. Although putting conditions may be altered, the program is in the best interest of the grass for next summer. The same is true for the installation of temporary putting greens in the approaches.

Late season cultivation is also being performed at many facilities in the region. Drill and fill and/or deep tine aeration are two of the most common late season cultivation programs for putting greens. Although disruptive to playing surface, these practices are very beneficial in alleviating soil compaction and deep modification of the putting green soils.

Logs

Removing more logs from the course today.
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Frost

There is a frost delay today, Saturday November 10th. No electric carts will be available today.

Snow

Great example of how the pines behind 3 green block sunlight especially during the shoulder seasons.
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Snow

The course is closed today due to snow. The tree work is on hold until ground conditions permit.
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Clean-Up

We have Greenwood here again today along with another contractor running an excavator to help get the logs up the hill on 5. We will get as much cleaned up as possible before the next storm shuts us down.

Trees

Greenwood really working hard for us today. All the brush that can be chipped is finished on 2,4, and 5 tee. Working between 5 and 6 this afternoon.
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Update

Tree company on property. Some holes will be closed to allow for tree removal. I will be on-site directing golfer flow.
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Sandy Photo Update

Here are some pictures of the course after Sandy:

4 Tee

2 Fairway

5 Tee

5/6 Fairway

6 Green

Update

The clubhouse has power but no internet or tv. Heat and hot showers are available as well as outlets to charge phones if needed. The grounds crew did a great job and we are open for play, even mowing greens. The large trees are still on the ground so use caution. Our tree company will be here Saturday morning to start their work, please use common sense when playing near them.
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Sandy Cont

6 won't be the same.
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Sandy

The golf course still has no power and we have lost 7 large trees that will not be able to be removed immediately. We are here working cleaning up the debris that our equipment can handle. I will update the blog as I have more information.
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Collars

Today we are aerating the collars with 1/4 inch tines removing some thatch and giving us another opportunity to overseed the collars.
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Course Update

The course has been wet for a few days now as we received 2 inches of rain Friday and there were showers yesterday with more predicted today. The main focus of the crew has been on cleaning up leaves and pine needles as well as cutting down the ornamental grasses and fescue areas. Normal years the ornamental grasses are not removed until November but with budget reductions I will be losing half of the crew next week so these jobs had to be performed earlier then in years past.  The ornamental grasses behind 8 green will remain until the spring to help provide some privacy during the fall months from Garfield Ave. The cutting down of the fesuce areas gives me an opportunity to spray for weeds in these areas as well as prepare them for the winter months. We have been mowing on a much reduced basis but the greens are being rolled on a daily basis. I will be aerating and seeding the collars and select approaches with small tines next week unless the Tropical Storm Sandy throws us a curve ball. It will be a year to the day almost of last years snowstorm that destroyed many trees on the golf course. I really hope Sandy blows out to sea.

USGA October Update

A Rough Time Of It

By Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist Northeast Region
October 17, 2012

Many New England golf facilities find themselves having to seed and renovate larger areas of rough damaged by disease, drought stress, insect damage or traffic.

Most of New England experienced its first killing frost/freeze of the season last weekend. For most, this marks the true beginning of the end of the 2012 growing season. The season’s drought and record heat created many challenges and pushed maintenance crews hard from the beginning of spring. The lack of natural precipitation in summer was, in hindsight, a good thing for golf courses considering the high temperatures. Humidity seemed unusually high through August and early September ramping up disease pressure, namely dollar spot and gray leaf spot, at golf courses. The majority of golf courses fared well despite the weather challenges and primary playing areas are in good condition as winter approaches. The one exception has been rough areas where the cumulative effects of drought, insect damage, disease (gray leaf spot) and increased weed pressure still remain noticeable and have caught the attention of golfers.

The demise of rough areas is not new. Let’s face it, there are only so many resources available and those are used first on primary play areas as they should be. However, the appearance and playability of the rough areas is on the radar, especially following a summer like this when traditional low maintenance programs were not effective. I anticipate that turf managers will continue to feel more pressure to improve the appearance and uniformity of rough areas going forward so be prepared with ideas on how to accomplish that or defend the practices currently in place.

The inputs required to upgrade the quality of the roughs are no secret to any experienced turf manager. The challenge is finding the resources and equipment needed to extend management programs to these large acreage areas. That may involve initiating some major regrassing programs to replace unwanted annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass, extending irrigation coverage, implementing more aggressive shatter tine and core cultivation practices, managing cart traffic, removing trees, root pruning, and extending fertility and pest management programs. The programs required are comprehensive and will come at cost. Some memberships may not be able or willing to support those added programs and higher costs and that is fine so long as they too are willing to accept playing conditions and appearance that are less than perfect. Some would say it is a good thing when the biggest complaints we hear involve the roughs, because this is usually an indicator that the higher priority areas of the golf course are in quality condition and not a concern.

On another note, annual bluegrass weevils remain active in the region. I observed feeding damage on greens and collars on a Connecticut golf course earlier this week. The good news is the larvae have little chance of surviving the winter but the superintendent is not going to take any chances! The cooler temperatures, rain events and extended periods of dew have brought earthworms back to the surface in a big way. Their castings are making a mess. Those that have implemented topdressing programs are experiencing less surface activity. Applications of the Early Bird product, when timed with a soaking rain, continues to work fairly well. Mowing heights should be increased by this point if they have not yet been, to improve the plant’s ability to accumulate carbohydrates that will be required to survive the winter ahead. Finally, monitor the fall shade patterns closely and use that information to plan the next round of tree removal work.

Burning Bush

The Burning Bush Hedge on 1 that we planted this spring really showing its colors.
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Topdressing

It has been three weeks since we aerified the greens so I have resumed our normal light topdressings yesterday. Throughout the growing season I am topdressing every 7-10 days but with the cooler weather and shorter the days the turf has slowed down so I will be stretching our topdressing window to every 14 days until December. Once the turf has stopped growing I will prepare them for the winter including some venting, a heavy topdressing, possible deep tine aeration, and our snow mold protectant. The final step will be to use our three greens covers on our problem greens similar to last season.

In detail:

• venting provides voids in the soil to allow surface water from melting snow and ice a place to go. Reducing the chance for winter kill
• heavy topdressing will protect the crowns of the plant from dessication in the case of an open dry winter at the same time helping us dilute our thatch layer
• deep tine aeration allows for firmer and drier greens while providing deep channels for root growth; great time of year to implicate this procedure without disturbing play
• snow mold is a fungus that requires cold temperatures, free water (melting snow), and in-case certain cases snow coverage; our plant protectant will prevent snow mold from forming on the green and approaches

Frost

There is frost this morning and will be again tomorrow morning. Please call pro shop for updates.
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Seedlings

The seed on the tees has germinated and is looking great. Another sign that aeration works.
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Worm Casts

The fairways are covered in loads of small mud piles which is the result of equipment and carts running over worm casts. The casts are very dramatic on the 9th hole especially. The recent weather of cool wet and cloudy conditions combined with regular mowing and cart traffic has smeared these mud piles all over the turf. The reason some holes are worse then others is a direct result of where we have bentgrass n the fairways there are much fewer worm casts while areas that are predominantly ryegrass and Poa have much more casts. The bentgrass growing habit forms a tight dense "carpet" that the worms don't like to burrow through where as the ryegrass and Poa growing habit leaves voids where the worms make their way to the surface leaving the casts. Areas of shade created by structures or trees allow for conditions favoring ryegrass and Poa where as sunny locations favor bentgrass development.

Please check with the pro shop before your round to see if the "lift,clean,place" rule is in effect.

USGA October Update

The Long Season Comes At A Price

By Adam Moeller, agronomist, Northeast Region
October 2, 2012

Does everyone remember the excitement at your golf course when it opened early this spring? I didn’t think so. Golf facilities across the Northeast opened two to four weeks earlier than normal and the golfers certainly enjoyed using the course. Unfortunately, the earlier than normal start to the season has caused many facilities to exceed their pre-planned golf course maintenance budget. Higher than expected labor costs in the early part of the golf season now have many superintendents scrambling to maintain the golf course in the last few weeks of the season with a smaller than normal staff. If this is the case at your facility, it is important to realize that without adequate staff golf conditions are going to suffer, and the challenges of an early start to the season may now be evident.

The fall is a great time to get a lot of work done on the golf course. Teeing ground leveling, bunker renovations, tree pruning and removals and drainage work are some of the common fall projects at golf courses. These projects are similar to home renovations in many respects. There is some temporary disruption but ultimately they are being performed for the betterment of the golf course. In terms of their importance and priority, these are also similar to home renovations. Drainage work is like paying for a new roof. It can be costly depending upon the severity of the problems but there are not many projects that are more crucial.

Agronomic problems have slowed at most facilities in the Northeast. However, just a few weeks ago there were many golf courses that experienced significant disease in their rough, particularly gray leaf spot, leaf spot/melting out, and rust on perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. In some cases this damage was severe and will require renovation and overseeding. Turf-type tall fescue is a great grass for rough because it is not susceptible to as many diseases as perennial ryegrass or Kentucky bluegrass, tolerates traffic well, and requires less nutrients and water than Kentucky bluegrass once it is mature. Fungicides can work well for disease control in the rough but their cost can be significant and the damage threshold may not justify their use for most facilities.

Annual bluegrass weevil damage was found on a golf course in New Jersey recently. This late damage is surprising but this pest continues to be the most challenging insect in the Northeast so anything seems possible at this point. Continue to scout for this insect over the next few weeks.

Is all this aerating working?

The answer visually comparing the greens from this season to last season would be yes but relying on the aesthetics of the greens alone could get us into trouble so we sample the greens to scientifically determine if we are making progress. The samples were taken from the 6th green in the rear section of the green where we experience thinning of the turf in the summer.

Green #6 is one of three USGA greens on a nine hole course that dates to 1896. The greens mix for the other two greens – which are not part of this report - was blended off site. Green #6’s sand and peat were mixed in the cavity with a rototiller. The comparison test data strongly suggests that the blending did not achieve an homogeneous mix.

This year’s test results found that the infiltration rate had increased from a sealed off 0.81 in./hr. to 6.69 in./hr. Air porosity similarly improved from 13.53% to 20.21%. Water porosity declined – a positive move – even though the amount of organic material in the top 2 inches increased substantially. 

Typically, an increase in organic matter equates to an increase in water retention.
The current hollow core program must be continued to reduce organic matter to more manageable levels. It is also needed to create consistency within the rhizosphere. Based on the comparison tests, we must expect that different areas will react differently based on having different properties. 

In simple terms we are making progress which will result in more consistent and healthy greens that can be maintained at a lower height of cut allowing for increased ball roll while maintaining a healthy plant.

Course Update

We couldn't have had better weather for our fall aeration of greens, approaches and tees earlier this week and now with the forecast calling for heavy rain the next 3 days the healing process will be expedited. The greens were aerified using 5/8in hollow core tines on a 2x2 inch spacing. The cores were removed by hand and filled with sand. The greens were brushed and rolled Tuesday afternoon and again on Wednesday afternoon. The approaches and tees were aerififed using the same tines but on a closer 1.5x2 inch spacing. The greens and approaches were overseeded with bentgrass while the heavy use tees 3,6,and 8 were seeded with ryegrass and bentgrass.

The greens and approaches were mowed this morning for the first time since aeration and everything looks great, no scalping and a nice mix of sand and grass in the buckets. The weather will dictate our mowing schedule over the next few days but you can expect to see sand on the greens into next week. The sand on the surface is extremely important for providing a firm putting surface throughout the year. The greens are topdressed weekly throughout the season but very lightly, aeration gives us an opportunity to apply large amounts of sand leveling the playing surface and really make some progress diluting our thatch layer.

Soil samples were collected from the greens during aeration and sent to Logan labs to determine what minerals our soils are lacking at the same time giving me the information that I need to construct a fertilization program for next season. These tests also give a timeline year to year on how our fertilization programs are meeting the needs of the plant.

I beg that you please please please fix your ball marks especially now after aeration and rainfall the greens are soft and ball marks are created very easily. I know many of you hate aeration and think that we are ruining the fall golf season but I will tell you that what we do now determines how the greens play next summer. Its hard to believe that but the results will be seen next season as our thatch levels decrease, plant health increases, and playability of the golf course excels.

Championship Sunday

The course received a half inch of rain last night. Green are being single cut and rolled this morning in preparation for the finals of all flights in the Club Championship. Good luck to all the players.

Spectators please keep the golf carts in the same locations as if you were playing. Any cart damage this time of year will remain for a long time.
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Course Update

Yesterday's storm brought 1.8 inches of rain and very high winds. The golf course has no puddles and carts are allowed. The greens were single cut this morning, the cups were changed, and the bunkers were raked. The crew will be spending the rest of the day cleaning up the debris from the storm including branches, leaves, acorns, and pine cones. It is much easier dealing with these storms on weekdays when we have a full 8 hours dedicated to the clean-up and no noise restrictions.

The Club Championship finals will be this weekend followed by our core aeration of greens on Monday and Tuesday. A few holes will be closed Tuesday morning as we finish the greens aeration. Following the greens we will be aerating the approaches and finally the tees. The fairways will be aerated as time permits as we are not using a contractor this fall. The greens will be sandy, shaggy, and slow next week as we heal from the aeration. Next week might be a good opportunity to play some travel golf until the sand settles on our greens. The fall aeration is very important as it continues our goal of reducing thatch and growing healthier playing surfaces that are more consistent and can stand up to more frequent mowings and rollings.

Benefits of Aeration

Edging Bunkers

The crew is working on edging more of the bunkers today. They started last week and were able to finish the bunkers at the 1st and 9th greens and the 2nd fairway bunker. The weekend storm delayed the edging of the bunkers until today so we hope to complete the bunkers at 3 and 6 greens today while finishing the rest of the bunkers next week.

The greens are drying down and firming up allowing us to groom them frequently picking up speed and trueness. Certain approaches and collars that remain wet are suffering with the cooler and wetter weather causing turf decline and leaving thin areas. The aeration starting on Sept. 24th will aid in the recovery of these areas. These areas that are extremely thin will be aerated a second time around mid-October. Over-seeding will take place after both aerations.

Please remember to fix your ball marks, fill your divots, put the flagsticks back in the hole, and tap your shoes upon exiting the bunkers. These simples procedures are every players responsibility and allow for the golf course to be in great shape for every member and guest.

3 Bunker Edging in Progress

9 Bunker Edge Complete

Storm Damage

The rain and storm events from yesterday dropped 1 inch of rain coupled with lots of debris from the trees. The 6th hole was the most effected with three treesfalling down on the right of the hole. The White Pines lost many of their pine cones littering the bunkers, greens, and fairways. The cone droppings are just another addition to a long list of why White Pines do not belong on a golf course. The positives are the work done over the years on the trees, drainage, and aeration gave us the opportunity to play the 1st round of the club championship with only a half hour delay this morning. The crew did a great job to get the course playable but there will be alot of clean-up to do on Tuesday.

Pine Cones littering the 1st Bunker

Pine Cones littering the Practice Green

Debris 6 Fairway

Fallen Trees 6 Cart Path

September is Here

The unofficial end of summer has arrived and MGC was busy with the Men's Stag tournament on Friday, weekend play, and two shotgun events on Monday. Craig and his staff had a raffle to support the Folds of Honor, which supports soldiers families through scholarships and other assistance programs. The concept of the Folds of Honor raffle was fully supported by the Board allowing MGC to donate $1,180.00. Thank you to all who supported our troops and their families.

The fall season gives us an opportunity to feed and renovate the turf on the golf course allowing for good root growth and carbohydrate reserves to be built up going into dormancy. Today we were able to vent the collars, topdress the greens, and apply our soil flush of potassium and calcium to the greens. The heavy rain forecast for today and tomorrow will delay out fall application of organic granular fertilizer to the tees and fairways. This application is very important for the turf and I do not want the material to move if we have heavy down pours and puddling on the golf course. The plant protectants that are due to be applied today must dry on the turf so I will be postponing them until the weather changes.

September 24th and 25th will be greens aeration followed by approaches and tees. These aerations are the single most important agronomic process that we do on the golf course and the most hated by golfers. The greens, tees, and approaches will be dirty, sandy, and shaggy for 10-14 days while we complete these processes. The fairways will be solid tine aerified in-house as time allows later in October. No mess will occur on the fairways this fall. I will explain in more detail at the end of the month.

Course Update

The greens were topdressed today continuing with our program of topdressing with sand every 7 days to smooth the putting surface and dilute our thatch layer. The fairways were again treated for hyperdode weevils which are still feeding on the roots and crowns of the Poa annua. This is the fourth generation of these insects this season due in most part to the warm winter we had which didn't kill any of the adults. The areas that have thinned out in the fairways will begin to fill in with creeping bentgrass which is a good thing although an ugly way to get more bentgrass.

My most hated enemy

FCC Change

The FCC is mandating that all golf courses switch from wide band controlled irrigation communication to narrow band communication. This process is a lengthy and expensive conversion that is required by law. For the next 5 days Storr Tractor has setup a temporary computer and antenna to record all the different radio frequency in our area to determine which 4 frequency will be best for our new FCC license.
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Course Update

All of the playing surface were treated yesterday with liquid fertilizer, plant protectants, growth regulators, and wetting agents. The greens once again were treated for the sodium build up that occurs from our irrigation water - calcium, manganese, and potassium along with a penetrating wetting agent were applied to the greens and irrigated to flush the sodium away. The Dry-Ject holes from last week are healing up and the sand has settled into the turf canopy so we will be grooming the greens the next few days, lifting and cutting the longer blades of grass allowing for a healthier, denser, and smoother putting surface.

USGA August Update

The Magic August 15 Date Is Here

By Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist, Northeast Region
August 15, 2012

The magic August 15^th date for Northeast golf courses is here, at least on paper. The days are shorter and that is a plus. It still feels pretty darn warm and humid though. It has been a long year. While it has not been as hard as some, it has been relentless. August aeration dates are fast approaching for some. It is important to use caution with this practice, especially if your annual bluegrass greens are weak. The stress from the aeration process combined with warm, dry conditions may be too much for the shallow-rooted turf to tolerate. Overseeding damaged areas should be done with care as well, particularly if the golf course remains busy. It might be best to begin some less invasive dimple or spike seeding and wait with the more aggressive tactics for a week or two longer when weather conditions are more likely to be favorable and the tee sheets open up.

The long and hot summer has brought with it more crabgrass and nutsedge than I have seen in some time. Crabgrass is having its way in non-treated rough areas and is now even making a strong presence where early spring applications of preemergent herbicides were used. Early applications of dithopyr or pendimethalin are just not holding up with the extended period of heat we have experienced. Even split half-rate applications made on traditional early spring dates are showing break through at some golf courses. The second half-rate application applied in late May or June was just not enough to hold the crabgrass back. Prodiamine, with its longer residual, seems to be holding up slightly better. The lesson learned this season is to try wait as long as possible before applying the preemergent materials. Sprayable formulations of dithopyr provide post emergent activity against young crabgrass plants so the application can be made later. Fortunately, herbicides like Acclaim Extra® and Drive® do offer opportunities to treat the crabgrass. Drive® applications are underway at many golf courses in hopes of controlling the weed before it drops its seed.

The advent of the TDR moisture meters is one of those occurrences that have a profound impact on golf course management. The benefits of that tool are most apparent in a season such as this. If you do not yet have one you are missing out on a tool that will improve your water management capabilities and make you a better turf manger. The sensors offer a quick and accurate measurement that can be used to guide water applications or monitor moisture retention. I have heard experienced superintendents more than once this year say that they have changed their minds about this tool. Although it is certainly possible to evaluate soil moisture with the traditional method of probing the soil the manual process is slower, more difficult and not nearly as precise. Make a TDR meter a must buy for 2013.

We are close to turning the corner with the summer weather, or so we hope. The annual bluegrass has performed pretty well for the most part, but it is “tired.” Superintendents and staffs are tired too. This is not time to shoot yourself in the foot with a hasty decision you may regret long into fall. Hold it together. Football season is just about here. The pumpkins are ripening at Sully’s vegetable stand which a sure sign that we have just about made it.

Northeast Region Green Section - Dave Oatis, director doatis@usga.org; Adam Moeller, agronomist amoeller@usga.org:Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist jskorulski@usga.org.

Dry-Ject 2012

Today we Dry-Jected the greens as part of our advanced agronomic program. Dry-Ject utilizes a high-speed, water-based injection system that blasts aeration holes through the root zone to fracture the soil, while using vacuum technology to fill the holes with high volumes of sand. This process relieved compaction, increases water infiltration, and oxygenates the root zone. The greens will be firmer as the holes fill in while allowing good rooting going into the fall season.

24,000 pounds of sand

Loading Sand into Unit Very Labor Intensive

Green Sand was used to Mark the Depth of Hole

5 Green Drainage

XGD installed drainage on the 5th green two years ago and the results have been great. The course took a 1.15 inch rain event today leaving puddles all over the golf course and the bunkers but the the 5th green had zero standing water.

Course Update

The past weekend was very difficult for the turf especially the Poa with night temperatures close to 80 degrees and the dew point over 75. These conditions do not allow the plant to cool down at night so the stress is constant. We have a break right now and the temperature this morning at the course is 60 degrees which is perfect for the turf to recover.

The greens were topdressed again yesterday to help smooth them out and increase the green speed without lowering our height of cut or rolling excessively damaging the collars. The green speed will pick-up this week with the low humidity unless the thunderstorms at the end of the week hit us. All the playing surfaces were fertilized with liquids and plant protectants were applied.

Another reminder that we will be dry-jecting the greens on Monday August 13th. I am hoping for good weather with no rain as this process can NOT be completed in the rain.

Rain

The course received 1.2 inches of rain with the two storms that passed over MGC yesterday. The crew will be working on mowing around green surrounds today, mowing greens and fairways as well as continuing on the rough. We have lowered the height of the rough to help keep up with the surge of growth that we have been seeing the past few days. I will have the blowers out behind the rough mower dispersing clippings. The greens will be sprayed to prevent pythium disease this morning which is caused by hot wet humid night time conditions that will be consistent the next 5 days.

A reminder that we will be Dry-Ject aerating the greens on August 13th, this is part of the advanced agronomic plan that we established after the issues last season. An example of this aeration method can be seen on the TPC Sawgrass blog located on the right of your screen.

Once the greens heal an ISTRC sample will be taken from the 6th green and compared to last season's sample showing the amount of improvement the extra aerifications have created. These results will give us a numeric target to help determine our aeration practices for next season. Our goal in simple terms is to reduce the thatch layer in the greens allowing them to drain better creating healthier turf through various weather conditions while improving the speed and playability on a consistent basis.

Course Update

The greens were topdressed and brushed today taking advantage of the cloudy cooler day. The sand will help dilute our thatch layer as well as smooth the putting surface. The brushing helps work the sand into the canopy of the turf while at the same time standing the turf up so we will get a great cut tomorrow morning. Our wetting agent and sodium flush programs were also applied to the greens following the topdressing. The wetting agent will keep water moving through the soil profile keeping the playing surfaces firmer and healthier. Some of the sand will be visible for a day or so until it settles out by Thursday. Thanks and enjoy the week.

A Year Later

The work behind the 8th green has really paid off and the green is in great condition.

8 Green July 2011

8 Green Today

Course Update

Thankfully the high winds never materialized last night but the storm did drop .75 inches of rain on the course. The rain helped move the sodium and bicarbonates created from our irrigation water past the rootzone but left saturated conditions. These conditions are very conducive to fungal outbreaks like we are seeing in the rough this morning with dollar spot. The playing surfaces are protected with fungicides so no dollar spot was found in these areas this morning. Yesterday I vented some trouble collars in front of the rain storm as well as venting the low landing area of the 5th fairway this morning.

The crew is out on the course mowing as much turf as we can before the 1:15 shotgun start of the member-guest tournament. We should have the sticks and leaves left by the storm cleaned up before play begins. Enjoy the weekend but keep your umbrella handy as scattered thunderstorms are predicted all weekend.

Grinding

Grinding the greens mower reels tonight to sharpen them up after the topdressing
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Course Update

The greens were topdressed with sand this morning to help dilute our thatch layer, smooth the greens, and protect the turf from scalping during these hot and humid periods of weather.

The collars were fertilized with a granular organic fertilizer to help with the stresses applied from our equipment this time of year. We continue to limit the use of our roller as the damage on the collars and edges of the greens was confirmed by Rutgers as mechanical damage from the roller. I am working with the BOG to remedy this problem for the 2012 season.

The tees and fairways were sprayed this morning with a wetting agent, fertilizer, growth regulator, and fungicide combination. The fungicide, Interface, is a great product for this time of year but it has a green pigment added to it which causes the turf to look "fake green" in my opinion but after a few days you won't notice it. A small price to pay for superior fungus protection. The wetting agent will help the irrigation move into the ground more evenly while the fertilizer and growth regulator will keep the turf strong but not grow excessively.

The rain that hit the course at the end of last week gave the irrigation system a few days off and help to flush some of the sodium from the root zone. The rain was not enough to bring back the dormant conditions of the rough. The rain also saturated the greens creating slow and soft conditions. The drier weather on the way combined with the sand topdressing will increase the playability of the greens.

USGA Northeast July Update

“…And The Fans Went Wild!”

By David A. Oatis, director, Northeast Region
July 19, 2012

At many courses, a distinct pattern is starting to become all too prevalent. Greens with restricted air movement across their surfaces invariably have the weakest turf found on the course. This sometimes painfully illustrates the impact poor growing environments can have on turf performance. This is another season where the value of fans is being demonstrated in numerous locations. Fans cool turf and dry it out. Using an infrared thermometers, USGA agronomists consistently find that turf canopies receiving the additional airflow provided by fans are 6-8° F cooler than adjacent turf outside the range of the fans.

Virtually all of the annual bluegrass turf we have observed in the last two weeks has been under stress. Root systems have shrunk so dramatically that it is becoming hard to find annual bluegrass root systems that are more than an inch deep. In addition to being shorter, root systems may also be impaired by various fungi and nematodes. In a nutshell, the annual bluegrass putting green turf at some courses is teetering on the brink of failure and this next heat wave may push some over the edge.

So what should we do to avoid turf loss now?

·        Improve air movement. Fans can help tremendously. They can make the difference between life and death to the turfgrass plant. Normally, they work best when used preventively (before the turf goes under stress) but they also can help curatively so don’t hesitate to put them to use.

·        There is a time to be aggressive with certain maintenance practices, but this is not it. While venting can improve drainage and gas exchange, aggressive cultivation is unwise in most situations at this point in the season. Cultivation techniques can injure root systems and the turf does not need any additional root system injury at this point in the season.

·        Remember, while annual bluegrass greens may look terrible now but they can still play well. “Looks bad but plays fine” is a quote to keep in mind. Patience and emphasizing playing quality over appearance is the key to summers like this one.

·        For now, seeding is not likely to be all that effective. But, if you want to try it use gentle seeding techniques so as not to injure the turf or damage the thatch layer.

·        Being too aggressive now may weaken the turf and push it over the edge. It may also make it impossible to be more aggressive in 2-3 weeks when there is a much better chance of getting seed up and established. Again, patience now will be rewarded later.

·        Plugging bentgrass into weakened areas makes more sense now. Two inch pluggers work very well for this purpose. Smaller plugs are less obvious and less objectionable than traditional 4.25 inch plugs. They are easier to level and can be put in much faster too.

·        Stick with your growth regulator program and keep spoon-feeding. Be extremely cautious when applying these and all materials at this time of year. An improper rate or inadvertent overlap can cause more damage to stress-weakened turf.

·        Manage water more carefully than ever utilizing your best employees for this crucial job. Remember, if the root systems are one inch deep, water at the two inch depth is unreachable. Syringe more but try to keep soil moisture levels lower.

·        Remember that moisture loss can be quite low when dew points and humidity levels are high, so extra irrigation and syringing is not necessarily needed just because “it’s hot.”

·        Depending on the degree of turf decline and the amount of annual bluegrass you have, this year may provide an opportunity to get more bentgrass established in your greens. Aggressive seeding this fall followed by closing the greens for a few weeks to give the seedlings a fighting chance may be worthwhile in the long run.

·        Lastly, watch out for the combination of a high sky and low humidity day. With weak turf and weaker root systems, this is a weather pattern that could wreak havoc. Normal syringing techniques may not be sufficient if we experience this type of weather so be prepared should this occur.

·        Don’t forget your employees. The weather is just as hot and potentially dangerous for them as it is for your turf. Make sure they stay hydrated and are allowed to rest and cool off during periods of extreme heat.

Another consistent observation we have made this summer is that bentgrass on greens throughout the region is tolerating the heat much better than annual bluegrass. The advantage of having bentgrass, particularly the new varieties, has never been more obvious. One has to question how long we can continue to manage annual bluegrass greens should these weather patterns continue. This is shaping up to be the type of year that will push more courses to consider a change.

USGA agronomists have been extremely busy but we are never too busy to hear from you so don’t hesitate to give us a call. We wish you all the best of luck for a successful season.

Update

The course received 2 tenths of an inch of rain last night which did nothing more then give the irrigation system a few hours off. The weather is calling for hot humid conditions this week. I will be out with my hose all week cooling greens and surveying the property for signs of turf disease.

The limb that fell on the 3rd tee yesterday was removed this morning as well as the dead weeping cherry on the 4th hole.

Sunscreen and lots of water will be the key on the course this week. Be safe and enjoy your round.

3 tee

A tree branch broke on the third tee this afternoon. Use caution until it can be removed.
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Bridgestone

Ball fitting by Bridgestone on the 1st tee. Are you hitting the correct ball for your swing?
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Venting

I vented trouble areas on the golf course this morning, fairway spots, tees, and some collars. The Poa is struggling right now like most years with the high heat and short roots. The bentgrass is looking great as its a much stronger species but the golf course is 60 percent Poa, see the problem. This venting will help bring oxygen to the roots, vent out the gases from the soil, and allow better water infiltration.

The 10-day forecast is calling for hot and humid July weather with chances of thunderstorms over the weekend. These storms would bring much needed rain but the combination of rain and high heat can cause an explosion of disease or saturate the soil creating high heat issues for the turfs roots. Sorry for the overload of bad news but this is what we face during the summer months in the Northeast. I will quote the great turf pathologist Noel Jackson "There is no free lunch in the turf business"

A few reminders - the turf is growing very slow now with the heat so please fix your ball marks, pick up your feet on the greens dont' shuffle, replace your divots with green sand, and be mindful of the crew and myself out watering with hoses. Please do not spray your legs with sunscreen or bug spray while standing on the turf as this will kill the grass. Drink plenty of liquids and I will see you on the course.

Scalping

We had an issue with the grooming attachment on one of our greens mowers yesterday morning which caused some scalping on the edges of 3 greens. The damage occured on the patches of bentgrass which is a good thing since bentgrass is much stronger then Poa. These areas were topdressed with sand this morning and will heal back in a few weeks. Sorry for this inconvenience.
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Course Update

The golf course did pretty well in the heat and humidity of last week. The weather is still warm and dry but the humidity has broken and the night time lows are under 70 degrees which is a huge relief to yours truly. We have been in a dry spell here since June 23 when we had a half inch of rain. The majority of the thunderstorms last week missed the club which is good news as too much water during hot periods can cause rapid decline of the turf.

All of the playing surfaces were treated with wetting agents today to help the irrigation water penetrate into the dry soil. The greens also received a group of fertilizers that help to break up the sodium and bicarbonates that are building up in the soil from our irrigation water. The sodium blocks the turf from taking up water so we must break the soils bond with the sodium and flush it away. Rain does this naturally because it is acidic but in times of dry weather we must use calcium and potassium to break that bond. Our irrigation comes from two wells on the property and our water test show that both the bicarbonate and sodium levels are much higher then desired.

Irrigation

Stuck sprinkler head on 4 fairway this morning. Thankfully is wasn't a green. Not good to have that much water on 93 degree day with high hummidity.
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USGA July Northeast Update

Let The Fireworks Begin

By Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist, Northeast Region
July 3, 2012

Shaded greens located in tight growing environments are always more prone to heat stress in the dog days of summer. Portable fans are becoming more common across the region to reduce high temperature stress.

Is it me or does summer feel like it should be almost over? May be it was the lack of a real winter, the early spring or the high temperatures and humidity in June that make it seem like it should be August and not the Fourth of July holiday. Everything has been ahead of schedule including dollar spot disease, Japanese and Oriental beetle emergence, or the purple loosetrief that is now in bloom in Montreal. Most of the turf I have observed has been holding up pretty well despite the heat waves that have occurred. Annual bluegrass rooting has declined as soil temperatures climb more regularly into the 80s. The turf is now subjected to more stress but the good growing conditions early in the season resulted in better than average rooting, which has been helpful considering the heat we are now experiencing.
Annual bluegrass weevils are active and in just about every stage of development. Pythium blight has already been active and we are seeing the start of crown rot anthracnose and summer patch as would be expected with the added heat stress. A number of New England golf courses continue to battle parasitic nematodes. The symptoms from the feeding are more likely to become evident with the added heat stress. False-green kyllinga has taken advantage of the warm temperatures as it continues to work its way up the coast in Connecticut. This warm season sedge is very similar to nutsedge but produces rhizomes that form dense patches even at fairway heights of cut. It spreads quickly where moisture levels are high and may first be prevalent around pond banks. Like crabgrass and nutsedge it disappears with the first good frost. Northern managers should be prepared to manage a new weed. Fortunately we do have tools to manage the kyllinga. Field trials have shown Dismiss to be an effective herbicide to remove the kyllinga from roughs and bentgrass fairways.    
The high temperatures are impacting the plants carbohydrate reserves. The reduced reserves leave the plants less able to recover from traffic or other damage. Now is the time to turn to spoon–feeding fertility programs to keep the plants vigorous but not at the expense of root growth. A well-balanced fertilizer that provides .05 - 0.1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is a good choice where turf roots are limited. Products that contain cytokinins may improve the grass plant’s ability to survive the heat stress. Be cognizant of the higher burn potential of soluble fertilizers in the heat. Avoid using tank mixes or applying new products that you are not absolutely confident with. Pick and choose the days to practice light cultivation, brushing or topdressing programs. Keep a close watch on soil moisture using moisture meters or a soil probe. The message remains the same. This is not the time to experiment. There is just too much summer ahead of us to make an unforced error. Hunker down and survive! Heck, it’s almost Labor Day isn’t it?