Well Shaft Replacement Project

The replacement of the well shaft at the Garfield Ave. pump station began just before the holidays with a crane removing the motor, discharge head, 250 feet of pipe, and the bowl assembly. The results of the inspection were what we assumed they would be for a pump that is 17 years old. The discharge head, 250 feet of pipe and bowl assembly will be replaced with the motor being re-used. The motor is easy to service and was rebuilt only four years ago. The replacement materials should arrive back to MGC in the next few weeks.

This Saturday is the Annual Meeting at the clubhouse beginning at 10AM. Reports will be given about the golf course, tournamnets, clubhouse, women's and senior divisions, membership, and financials. I hope to see everyone on Saturday.

Course Update

The winter season is starting much different then last year with temperatures more like September and no snow on the ground or in the forecast. We have delayed many of the closing procedures as long as possible and some like putting the covers on the 7th and 8th greens simply has to wait until the temperatures drop to normal levels. All of the course accessories have been brought in with the exception of the flags which will remain on the greens until we get snowy weather.

 Late this fall we had an issue with the water line for the cart building which is supplied from the maintenance building. The line completely failed so we decided to replace the entire line last week as the age of the original pipe was unknown. The water is used daily to wash the carts after each time they are used.

Our equipment manager, Mike, has started his winter work of services, rebuilding rollers, and grinding of all the cutting reels. Mike's first project was a total rebuild of the engine heads including replacing the valve train on our Pro Force blower. We are very fortunate to have Mike on our staff.

 In preparation for the winter I have vented the greens with Bayonet tines allowing for gas exchange while the weather remains warm but most important these holes will allow water to drain off the surface preventing buildup of ice. These Bayonet tines have a large surface area but being long in shape are less disruptive then a round hole. Topdressing applications of sand will continue to be made leading up to snow cover. These applications are much heavier then we use during the season but the end results are insulation of the turf during winter and firmer playing surfaces next season.

The soil senors located in certain greens were removed for the fall to allow for easier aeration and maintenance practices but have been re-installed to monitor soil moisture and temperature. We have sensors in greens that will be covered and not covered this winter allowing us to track the difference in soil temperatures aiding in our decision whether or not to remove snow on the greens as we approach spring.

Our golf professional Craig captured this sunset during an afternoon round taking advantage of last weeks warm weather. Some good preparation for his tournaments in Florida next month.

Gearing Down

Two of the most important days for the maintenance staff is irrigation start-up in the spring and irrigation blow-out in the fall. Thankfully both went well this season as the irrigation system was used very frequently with the dry conditions that prevailed for the majority of the summer and fall months. The board of governors has approved the replacement of the well shaft at the pumping station on Garfield Ave which will take place in early December. Please follow the blog for updates on that project. I track the rainfall amounts from April 1 to Nov 1 yearly and this season we are 8-10 inches below the previous 6 seasons. I am very surprised the talk of drought has quieted as we are still very dry and the reservoirs continue to be below normal. The crew will finish up next week and be laid off until the spring. The greens will continue to be prepared for winter through topdressing, venting, and snow mold protection. Course accessories are being brought in for storage as night time temperatures will be at near or below freezing temperatures. The grounds staff would like to wish all the members a Happy Thanksgiving.

Irrigation Blowout with Red Maple in her fall glory

Drought Map for Northeast

Frost a Possibility for the Weekend

The night time temperatures will be dipping below 40 degrees this weekend so the presence of frost will be a concern over the weekend and for the remainder of the season. The following is from the USGA and explains why frost is an issue on the golf course:

Frost is essentially frozen dew. Ice crystals visible on the outside of the plant can also form on the inside of grass blades. The grass plant, normally resilient to footsteps or cart traffic, becomes brittle and fragile when ice crystals form. Under the pressure of traffic, ice crystals puncture living plant tissues and rupture plant cells. Damage will not appear right away, but it will show up in footsteps and tire tracks the following days as the plant is unable to repair itself and begins to die. Frost damage can occur on any turfgrass mowed at any height but it is amplified when the plant is mowed low, as on a putting green. In a best-case scenario, damage will be limited to leaf blades only, which will eventually disappear once active turf growth resumes. However, if the plant crown, or growing point of the plant, is compromised, damage will be more severe and recovery could take months.

Please check with the golf shop before traveling to the club during the morning hours. The practice green and the rough around the practice green are included in frost delays. Please do not walk on any turf if frost signs are posted without checking with the golf shop.

USGA Update

                                                The Original Solar Panels
                                                                 By
                     Jim Skorulski, agronomist, Northeast Region September 29, 2015

Plant leaves are the original solar panels with the amazing ability to absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into simple carbon molecules – i.e., sugars – that are used for growth and other functions. Like the solar panels we use to produce electricity, plant leaves require maximum light absorption for optimal photosynthesis.No person investing in solar panels would have them placed in an area that does not receive full sun exposure. Yet, it is easy to take for granted the impacts of shade on a plant’s ability to synthesize the energy it requires for normal growth. Full sun exposure is especially critical for close-cut, dense putting green turf. The fall season is a great time to review shade patterns across your playing surfaces and take action to provide at least eight to 10 hours of full sun exposure daily to all greens through the entirety of the season.

The arrival of fall has brought with it cooler seasonal temperatures which are much welcomed by weak-rooted turf and surfaces that are recovering from late season damage. Cooler nighttime temperatures and shorter day length also trigger turfgrass to begin producing new roots and storing sugars that will help it survive flash freezes, hydration events and ice cover that have caused severe turf loss at many courses over the past two seasons. Tough weather can be expected in the winter months ahead,so now is time to focus on maintenance practices that favor carbohydrate storage and avoid those that force plants to spend energy reserves. Here are some important practices to help that process:
          • Maximize sun exposure
          • Begin raising mowing heights in increments of 0.05-0.1 inch. Higher mowing heights will increase the size of the solar panel – i.e., leaf blade. Bigger leaf blades are better for accumulating carbohydrates. Mowing heights can be increased in increments through the remainder of fall. Keep in mind that raising the mowing height in late fall, after the turf has gone dormant,will provide little benefit for carbohydrate storage.
          • Provide potassium where soils are deficient. This can be accomplished through granular applications or spoon-feeding programs.
          • Avoid high rates of granular nitrogen in more northern areas of the Northeast Region. Fertility priorities on golf courses located in southern parts of the Northeast Region, or those who will be aerating greens in the coming weeks,will be different. Keep granular nitrogen applications at 0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet on greens or spoon feed with lighter rates of soluble fertilizers to meet the growth needs of your turf.

The fall season can provide some of the best playing conditions of the season. It also is the time to get turfgrass “solar panels” in good working condition to prepare for the long winter ahead.

Let there be Light

As the club continues to offer more social and golf events that last past sunset we became concerned with the lack of lighting on the cart path behind the clubhouse as members return to their vehicles. Yesterday the crew installed some LED path lighting that will create a much safer walk.

A reminder the golf course is closed this Monday through Wednesday, September 21-23, for golf course aeration.

Please join us this weekend for Championship Sunday, one of the most exciting days at the club.

New Lighting

A closer look

Well I heard a rumor that it might rain this week, but I will wait and see if I believe that one following yesterday's high temperature of 97 degrees. The course is holding its own and the greens were rolling nice for Labor Day weekend with speeds around 12 on the stimp and fairly firm especially in the afternoon. Areas where we are lacking irrigation have essentially gone dormant but I hope to address some of these areas this fall with some in-house irrigation additions similar to those we undertook last fall.

We will be closed for 3 days September 21, 22, and 23 for aeration of all playing surfaces. I want to show what all this aeration is doing for the greens and the picture below tells a great story. The roots on the greens are traditionally at their shortest this point in the season and our roots are at 2.5 inches where in years past at the end of August we had no more then 1/2 inch of roots. The majority of the aeration practices along with verticutting and topdressing focus on the upper portion of soil profile where the majority of the roots live. The picture also shows deeper roots at the 3 inch mark and even a tiny root at the 5 inch mark which are results of deep tine aeration. The end result is always the quality of the putting surfaces but I thought some members would like to see what's happening under the playing surface.

Soil Profile from Practice Green September 9th