Happy Thanksgiving

The greens staff would like to wish all the members a happy Thanksgiving as this week is the staff's last week until Spring. I also want to thank my crew for a great job this season especially with all the in-house projects we completed.

In preparation for winter and the looming Thanksgiving storm the greens were put to bed this week with a Bayonett solid tine aeration to help drain surface water from rain and snow melt, snow mold plant protectant application, and another light topdressing helping insulate the crown of the plant. We have been able to build a nice layer of sand around the crown of the plant going into the winter. We accomplished this in a different manner this season using multiple light applications of sand starting at Halloween instead of one heavier application at Thanksgiving. So far I am happy with the results but we shall see in the spring. Flagsticks have been removed on certain greens to prevent sleigh riders from stealing them over the weekend. Covers will be placed on 7 and 8 greens sometime in December to protect them from sleigh rider damage. Placing the covers out to early with forecast temperatures in the 50's could cause the turf to break dormancy allowing for easy winter death.

Bayonett Tine Aeration - Winter Prep

Topdressing Sand on Greens at 10x zoom using Macroscope

All About Irrigation

The last few weeks we have been installing new irrigation primarily in rough areas that have previously lacked water. We completed 5 new areas of irrigation this fall and we did all of the work in-house.

New Irrigation

• 6 new heads along the right rough of #5 from 200 yards to 140 yards
• 5 new heads along the right rough of #5 from 80 yards up to the approach
• 5 new heads along the right rough of #6 from 100 yards up to the approach
• 1 new head on the hill in front of 4 White tee between 4 Green Tee
• 1 new head between #2 fairway bunker and #3 fairway

These upgrades will provide consistent rough and increased tolerance of the turf to cart traffic while providing aesthetically pleasing turf.

As quickly as we had these new areas of irrigation up and running we had to blow out the irrigation system this week and have the pump houses winterized in preparation for the cold temperatures coming over the weekend. Our pump houses are not heated and have expensive equipment inside that can be damaged by freezing temperatures so the forecast dictates when we have to shut down for the season.

Sod Removal for Irrigation

Trenched Lines for Irrigation

Finished Product

Irrigation Blow-Out

USGA Update on Topdressing Sand

Too Easy To Take For Granted

By Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist, Northeast Region
October 28, 2014

Placing a small sample of your topdressing sand next to a ruler on a scanner can give you some great insight into what your sand looks like. This sample looks like it may contain too high a percentage of fine particles and is worth submitting to an accredited lab for analysis.

What can be applied to every playing surface to help protect turfgrass plants, improve drainage, potentially reduce disease and improve playing quality? The answer is sand topdressing. Sand topdressing continues to be one of the most important cultural practices in golf course management. Topdressing involves applying a uniform layer of sand – or a mixture of sand and organic matter – over turf surfaces. The sand applications help modify soils, dilute organic matter, smooth surfaces and protect turfgrass plants from wear, mowing injury and wind desiccation. Light and frequent topdressing promotes surface uniformity, smoother and faster ball roll, and firmer surfaces that will accommodate a well hit shot.
Turf managers understand the importance of topdressing. The objective of light, frequent topdressing is to match the amount of sand being applied to the growth rate of the turf. Therefore, rates and timing of topdressing applications should be adjusted as turf growth varies throughout the season. Typically, light topdressing used on greens will apply approximately 0.005 to 0.020 inch of sand to the putting surface, or 0.5 to 2.0 cubic feet per 1,000 square feet. Heavier applications of sand are common when paired with cultivation practices or sometimes late in the season when golf courses are closed. Turf managers with limited staff and budgets or busy golf calendars have difficulty keeping up with a regular topdressing program. Furthermore, many golfers do not fully understand the benefits provided by topdressing and find it annoying. However, it is important to understand that topdressing has immediate and cumulative effects that help produce desirable playing conditions.
The quality of sand used in a topdressing program is critical, because sand is the building block – or foundation – of the playing surface. Poor-quality sand or sand that varies widely from materials used previously can have a disastrous impact on soil physical properties. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the sand selected for topdressing to make sure it meets recommendations for particle size and other physical characteristics. Good sand suppliers understand the value of physical testing for producing a high-quality product, but it is important for the end user to have their sand tested regularly as well. Sands mined out of a pit can and do vary, so annually testing a sample from a sand pile makes sense. A simple particle-size test will make sure that the sand delivered to your site matches, or falls very close to, specifications promised by the supplier. The cost of a particle-size analysis is a small price to pay to protect your number one asset. Click here for a list of Accredited Physical Soil-Testing Laboratories. The practice of sand topdressing and the specific sand used to topdress are important parts of the overall maintenance program that cannot be taken for granted.
Managers are, or soon will be, making the last topdressing applications of the season. This is a good time to evaluate this season’s topdressing program and begin planning for next year. Consider having an undisturbed soil core from a green evaluated by an accredited physical soil-testing laboratory if you have not yet done so. The resulting data will help in planning next season’s topdressing and cultivation practices and will be useful for evaluating the success of your program. And of course, plan to get that sand tested.
Source: Jim Skorulski (jskorulski@usga.org)