OXMOOR COUNTRY CLUB

OXMOOR COUNTRY CLUB
Golf Course Maintenance Blog

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Seeding Update

I am pleased to announce there is a great stand of turf now for the 2012 season.  Hopefully Mother Nature will be more knid to us next year than the previous two years. 


The next two pictures are of #13 green seedlings coming up.  We will continue to seed, topdress, mow and spray throughout the winter.











The nurseries at the maintenance facility are also coming in nicely.  The main nursery
is for greens and tees repairs.  We also have fairway bentgrass and fescue growing for
needed repairs in 2012.


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Course Update









We trenched the back half of #13 green for the root barrier.
Each black dot contains a chemical that emits when contacted by the
roots.  The chemical prevents the root from growing beyond the
barrier.
This is the amount of roots present within the green surround.  Trees
and turf do not go well together!

The finished area prior to seeding...and Gilbert acting like he helped.







 While we had a trencher in house we installed some drainage.  The
picture directly above is at #2 tee boxes where water seemed to always
stand after a large rainfall.  Picture above that is at the miantenance
facility.


We also aerified tees 1, 2, 3 and 7 and will finish the remainder
tomorrow (Thursday). 
We also spiked and seeded greens 1, 2, 5 and 6.  We will finish
the frontside greens tomorrow (Thursday).
BE AWARE:  IRRIGATION ON GREENS WILL BE ON WITHIN THE HOURS
OF 7:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM AND 5:00 PM.
During the seeding process we cannot allow the seed to dry out or it will die.
I apologize for any inconvenience.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Aeirfication Schedule

Greens aerification is now complete and all holes should be healed over the next couple of weeks.

































All the fairways have been seeded and some are still a little slow coming up.  We will continue to seed areas with a poor stand of bentgrass throughout fall.

There will not be a fairway aerification this fall due to the number of seedlings.  Core aerification will be extremely stressful on new seedlings and would actually hurt the turf more than benefit at this point.  Due to the past two seasons, their root systems are poor and would not withstand all the mechanical injury.  We will need to ensure a healthy stand of bent before going into winter.  If 2012 spring cooperates with us we will perform aerification at that time.
















REMAINDER OF FALL SCHEDULE

OCTOBER 4-14        Tee core aerification-  Holes will not be closed for this process, though tees
will be placed in the rough in front of tee complexes.

#13 Root Barrior will be installed this week and bed prepped for seeding.  Expect this hole to be closed while installation is in progress
                                        
Greens will be solid spiked, overseeded, and topdressed.  No hole closures for this process.  Expect greens to be mowed at higher cuts and less frequently to allow seed development for approximately 10-18 days.
Practice green will continue to be seeded, topdressed, and fertilized.  I hope to have this open soon.
Some weak areas in the rough will also be overseeded throughout this period.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Practice Facility

I want to remind everyone that the entire practice facility will be closed Wednesday, August 17 all day, as we will be seeding/fertilizing. 
Thank you,
Michael Coy, GCS

Saturday, August 6, 2011

HOT HOT HOT!

The bentgrass fairways, a cool-season turf,  has been hit hard this year by
disease and drought which has resulted in all the brown areas you see throughout the course.  We are scheduling a heavy seeding to all these areas this Fall.  We also may begin seeding collars as early as next week.  Once areas are seeded, irrigation will be continuous throughout the day to maintain moisture till seed is established.  We will also begin seeding the practice facility, early as there were no pre-emergents applied to the area.






You know it's hot out when you see this. 



After two years now of brutal heat and drought we will begin seeding
and killing off  weeds.  The picture above is a perennial weed, Dallisgras,
 that is as almost has hard to kill as bermuda.  We will begin spot spraying
Dallis with roundup in preparation for Fall seeding. 

The front side restrooms pipe for electric was bored and trenched in
this week.  We will set the electric pole Monday/Tuesday for LG&E.
The backside restroom will be plowed within the next few weeks.

The practice green has struggled since day 1, so I decided to send some core samples
to a lab that would conduct an extensive soil profile analysis.  The results arrived last week
and stated that the soil meets the USGA standards and is suitable for growing
bentgrass.  It did state that they could tell this was a new green, due to an inadequate mat layer.
The mat layer is very important to a greens development.  What it basically does is cushion the 
plant from traffic and with probably 600 golfers on this green weekly, the plant is having a hard time
protecting itself.  We will reseed this green in the coming weeks at a very high rate,
along with the chipping green and #1 tees.  They also said 
not to adjust the soil profile, as it is the ideal condition, so DryJect will not be 
applied to any of the new areas. 



Thursday, July 28, 2011

Fall Aerification Schedule Change

The greens and tees aerification was originally scheduled for September 20-23, but has changed to greens being aerified on September 29-30.  The tees will still be done from the 20th-23rd.   We will be contracting a company called DryJect for the greens this year.  The process, pictured below, includes three machines blasting high pressure water into the green and then back files with a special sand to the top of the hole.  The healing process should be rather fast and will improve greens overall health.  There will be three machines going on the course with approximately four people per machine.  There will be many hole closures during this process.  I wanted to announce this far in advance, so everyone would know before they arrive to the course.  Fairway core aerification will be September 26-27 and October 3-7 with weather permitting.  Also, I have attached some instructional video links at the right of this page through the USGA.  Check them out!
Thanks
Michael Coy, GCS

Three Step Process Diagram

Persistent heat, drought and flooding strain golf courses nationally


7/25/2011

Superintendents dealing with extreme conditions again this year

Extended periods of excessive heat, widespread moderate to severe drought, and pockets of flooding have beset golf courses for the second consecutive year, putting a strain on revenues, golfers and the professionals who manage the game's playing fields – golf course superintendents.
"We saw widespread turf loss last year, and the feedback from our members is that this year has the potential to be as severe," Golf Course Superintendents Association of America President Bob Randquist, certified golf course superintendent at Boca Rio Golf Course in Boca Raton, Fla., said.
Researchers, university extension agents and golf course superintendents agreed that the conditions last summer were the worst in decades in terms of the geographic scope, Randquist said. The impact of this year's weather – although not as widespread – will not be determined for a few weeks, but he indicated superintendents are pulling out all the stops to counter the wrath of Mother Nature.
Superintendents have implemented a variety of management practices such as reducing green speeds by raising cutting heights and rolling less frequently; less mowing frequency; restricting cart traffic; increased hand watering; reducing/postponing verticutting and topdressing activities; if aerifying, doing so with small tines; and reducing of fertilization programs.
"The simple fact is the cool-season turfgrasses such as bentgrass, fescue, bluegrass, annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and others are stressed with sustained high temperatures and humidity," Randquist said. "Golf courses in many parts of the country experience this every year, however what made the situation so dire last year and now have been the high levels of extended heat and humidity, and the sizeable part of the country affected.
"Certainly homeowners, athletic fields and businesses suffer turfgrass damage brought on by these kinds of conditions. What makes it more difficult for golf facilities are the mowing heights are much lower and traffic is much heavier. That just adds to the stress on the turfgrass."
Also unknown is what the final impact of flooding will be. Some courses were under water for extended periods of time so the turf started the season already in a compromised position.
Randquist also cautioned golfers from thinking that water, whether from rain or irrigation, is the answer to the ills. There is a difference between heat stress and drought stress. Adequate irrigation will alleviate drought stress. Adequate irrigation will not alleviate heat stress. It is not only possible, but likely, for a turfgrass plant to be adequately watered and still suffer from heat stress under extended periods of high temperatures.
Randquist urged golfers and leaders at golf facilities not to panic. Every golf course is unique and thus reacts to the weather extremes differently. Variations in soil conditions, air movement, shade, water quality and availability, and budget make course comparisons a dangerous proposition.
"We know the weather conditions will become more agreeable," Randquist said. "What is important right now is to manage the golf course in a manner so that turf can be kept alive until that point. Pushing turf too hard might result in longer term damage."
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to 19,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association's philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Find GCSAA on Facebook, follow GCSAA on Twitter, and visit GCSAA at http://www.gcsaa.org/.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Course Conditions

Sorry for the long delay in updating the blog, but not much has been happening except trying to keep the turf alive through this heat.  Below are a few things I would like to touch on.
Here you can see cart traffic in the fairway during heat stress.  I must remind everyone
that this is done to protect the turf and that bentgrass is a turf that prefers
nights in the 60's and daytime temperatures in the 70's and 80's.  Not all of the areas are
due to heat though, some areas are also from a disease know as Pythium.
 

I have sent soil tests out on the practice green to check the soil mixture.  This green is having
many growing and disease issues.  I will let everyone know the status once the
results are received. 

Friday, July 8, 2011

A FEW UPDATES

With all the heat the Zoysia on #8 rooted fast, so the tees will be open starting
this weekend.  Thanks to all for their patience!


From time to time we intentionally leave check plots on the course to monitor
disease pressure.  This is the beginning of #2 fairway with a large amount
of Dollar Spot.  This shows how crucial chemicals and cultural practices
are for sustaining healthy turf.

Johnson Grass, a noxious weed, is becoming a big problem and eyesore in the native areas.
We mowed down the right of #10 tee cartpath and will also mow the left side, along with
some smaller areas around the course.  We will begin eradicating this weed and seed
the areas in the fall.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Please Repair Your Ballmarks!

Repairing ballmarks

Ball marks, the indentations caused when a ball lands sharply on a soft green, have been ruining good putts since the days of Old Tom Morris.
Unrepaired ball marks take two to three weeks to properly heal, leaving behind unsightly, uneven putting surfaces. On the other hand, a repaired ball mark only takes half that time to heal.
Beginner or pro, it is your responsibility as a golfer to fix your own marks. If you're truly a steward of the game, you'll fix any others you see while your partners are putting. There's really not much to it, but there are a few guidelines you should follow when making these repairs.

The right way to fix a ball mark


Ball mark: Step 1
Step 1:
Use a pronged ball mark
repair tool, knife,
key or tee.
 
Ball mark: Step 2
Step 2:
Insert the repair tool at the
edges of the mark; not the
middle of the depression.
 
Ball mark: Step 3
Step 3:
Bring the edges together
with a gentle twisting motion,
but don't lift the center. Try not to
tear the grass.
 
Ball mark: Step 4
Step 4:
Smooth the surface with
a club or your foot. Repeat
steps until the surface is one
you would want to putt over.

Zoysia has arrived!

The Zoysia has finally been installed on #8 tees.  I hope to have this open in a few
weeks.  All the warm weather should definitely aid in its establishment.

Friday, June 24, 2011

#8 tees

I would first like to apologize for the long delay in sodding #8 tees.  If I would have known it was going to take so long to receive the sod, we would have never tried to stay ahead of the game by stripping the area out.  There are not many Zoysia farms around and the company that provides the sod has been backed up all season due to rain.  You may have noticed other courses around town in the same situation.  I spoke to the company today and they informed me they will be here no later than Wednesday morning.
Michael Coy, GCS

Goodbye!

Finally glad to see the old restrooms go.  We will begin boring for electric
on July 5, so I will keep everyone posted on the status.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

It seems as soon as I posted the previous article the weather began to change.  The course loves a few days in the 90's followed by rain and cool temps.  I hope Summer will stick with this weather pattern.  We have received over 3.5 inches of rain over the past several days, with 1.5 inches yesterday.  There is a lot of debris from heavy winds so the crew will work fast for cleanup.  Carts will remain on the path until further notice.  Practice facility will be open, but will be placed on the mats for today.
Thank you,
Michael Coy, GCS

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Could 2011 be a repeat of 2010?


6/13/2011

The summer of 2011:

The consequences of high temperatures on golf courses

Here's what superintendents are doing to manage turf in extreme heat conditions.

Prolonged periods of high temperatures – and in some cases excessive rainfall – and high humidity have made life uncomfortable for golfers and golf courses alike, with Mother Nature holding all the cards for true relief.
It is beginning to look like 2011 could be a repeat of 2010 when conditions for managing golf courses were extreme.
“The simple fact is the cool-season turfgrasses such as bentgrass, fescue, bluegrass, annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and others are stressed when temperatures climb and humidity is high," Bob Randquist, CGCS, and president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, said. "Golf courses in many parts of the country experience this every year, however what made the situation so dire last year were the high levels of extended heat and humidity, and the sizeable part of the country affected (Midwest, Mideast, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic). We are already seeing this is an issue that could potentially match the conditions of last year."

Why heat stress is so difficult on golf course turf

According to Randquist, golf facilities and those entrusted with managing the golf course – golf course superintendents – are not alone in this battle with the elements. However, the nature of their product makes their challenge greater.
"Certainly homeowners, athletic fields and businesses suffer turfgrass damage brought on by these kinds of conditions," Randquist said. "What makes it more difficult for golf facilities are the mowing heights are much lower and traffic is much heavier. That just adds to the stress on the turfgrass."
Randquist indicates that golf course superintendents are addressing the issue with a variety of management practices to make sure turfgrass survives. While there may be some short-term impact on playability of the course, the alternative is the loss of grass, the closure of the course and the additional costs of re-establishing playing surfaces (primarily putting greens).
He also cautioned golfers from thinking that water, whether from rain or irrigation, is the answer to the ills. There is a difference between heat stress and drought stress. Adequate irrigation will alleviate drought stress. Adequate irrigation will not alleviate heat stress. It is not only possible, but likely, for a turfgrass plant to be adequately watered and still suffer from heat stress under extended periods of high temperatures.

Managing turf under heat stress

Randquist indicated that during periods such as this, it becomes easy to compare golf course conditions and pressure decision makers into actions that might prove detrimental to the long term health of the playing surface. "We know the weather conditions will become more agreeable. What is important right now is to manage the golf course in a manner so that turf can be kept alive until that point. Relying on the expertise of the golf course superintendent and understanding the focus in on the long term is the best guide for facilities."
Among the practices that superintendents are implementing to manage golf courses include:
  • Raising the mowing heights of playing areas, most notably putting greens.
  • Alternating daily practices of mowing and rolling putting greens, with consideration to skipping a day if the schedule of play allows.
  • Forgoing double mowing, topdressing, verticutting or grooming greens.
  • Watering to provide adequate soil moisture, but not over watering as saturated soil will cause the turfgrass to decline rapidly.
  • Hand watering as much as feasible. If a green has a dry spot or two, superintendents will hand water the dry spots only and will not water the entire green. When the entire green shows stress from a lack of water, superintendents use the overhead sprinklers and water the entire green.
  • Avoid aerifying using large diameter tines that penetrate deeply into soil and remove a core of soil. If a superintendent feels the putting surface is sealed, venting using small diameter solid tines or other similar technique is employed.
  • If fertilizer is required, small amounts of fertilizer are applied via a sprayer and observation of the response occurs before fertilizing again.
  • Monitoring and adjusting golf car traffic patterns to minimize stress to turf. 
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 20,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association's philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Visit GCSAA at http://www.gcsaa.org/.

Bentgrass at the practice facility

The practice green and #1 tees are weak and will stay weak throughout the summer,
due to the amount of stress from all the traffic they receive and no thatch layer to
cushion or protect the plant. 

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

JUST A REMINDER THAT THE COURSE WILL BE CLOSED TODAY AT 5:00PM FOR
CONDITIONING.  WE WILL BE WATERING, DOUBLE CUTTING, ROLLING, AND TOPDRESSING GREENS. 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Well the heat is here to stay!  Carts must remain in rough or on cart path till further notice.
Though this is not a picture at Oxmoor, it will be the result if carts are driven
on the fairways.   

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Ug...Is it going to be 2010 again.....

The heat is here and I would like to remind everyone to be cautious when driving carts on fairways.
Sharp turns will kill the bentgrass!  It may not look like much at first, but several days down the road  the plant will decline and eventually die.  We sure don't want a repeat of last year.  If temps continue to stay high we will move carts to rough only.  Contact the golf shop for that days cart ruling.
Thanks

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

THE NEW RESTROOMS ARE NOW OPEN

We are still waiting for LG&E on the electrical installation,
so battery powered lights have been placed in the restrooms.
Please shut-off the light when you leave to conserve the battery life.
Thanks

A FEW UPDATES

We did have some Dollar Spot show up Sunday morning in the fairways.
The above picture is what it looks like standing up and the picture below is a
closeup.  The disease has now been treated and should heal up fast. 
Please replace your divots at the chipping fairway. 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Cart rule update































Yellow ropes will now be placed in sensitive areas on a few fairways.
Do not take carts across the yellow rope.  Drive carts directly to the
cart path.  Please do not drive in the rough area beyond the line either.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

I apologize for the slow green speeds through the weekend.  We experienced mechanical
issues with the green mower units and some scalping occured.  We had
to raise cutting heights to allow the greens to recover. 

Friday, May 13, 2011

Practice Facility


We are going to keep records on recovery time for the range tee.
So far it is looking very good, though we do need your help in placing
sand in the divots
 




We are also doing some experiments with pre-germinated seed at the chipping
fairway.  I hope this will increase recovery time.

Welcome back Wednesday for the Ladies

Welcome back to the ladies, as they have been rained out on their past two Wednesdays.
Sorry about the rough ladies!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Its sloppy out there!


Unfortunately we will have areas like this for awhile, so carts will need to remain on
the path till further notice.





Tracking and clippings will also be a problem over the next several days. 


Areas that are just too wet to cut are starting to look like native areas.  I apologize
for these areas and hope they don't disrupt your game.


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The golf course will be open for play today at noon.  Equipment and clippings will be everywhere!  I apologize for the inconvenience as we try to catch up on a lot of missed days.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

On course etiquette: It’s everyone's responsibility

Presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

A famous college basketball coach once said that recruiting was like shaving -- miss just one day and you look bad. It could be said that golf course management personnel, especially superintendents, feel the same way about golfer etiquette on the course.
Golf course etiquette is an all-encompassing term that refers to demeanor, adherence to course maintenance rules, and dress, among other issues. However, most associate golf course etiquette to the concept of ball mark repair and divot replacement. Take a moment and consider what a course would look like if patrons were excused from replacing divots or fixing ball marks for just one day. A well-managed facility would look like a battlefield.
Golf course personnel are unanimous in stating that, as a whole, golfers still do not do an adequate job in repairing their ball marks and divots. Despite the presence of posters, notes in newsletters and announcements in meetings to serve as reminders, most facility managers believe the message can never be repeated too much.
This becomes an even bigger issue as the game expands to include more juniors and those who have recently picked up the sport. Instructors and experienced golfers should be diligent in teaching the how and why of golf course etiquette. Failing to teach golfers the proper techniques now creates future problems.
The basis for ball mark repair and divot replacement is for competitive and agronomic reasons. Balls that land in unrepaired divots place a golfer at a disadvantage, just as having to putt over a ball mark. By leaving turf damaged (unrepaired), it becomes susceptible to disease and/or infestation of weeds, resulting in a lower quality of playing surface. This necessitates the need for attention by golf course superintendents and their staffs, thereby taking them away from more pressing duties. As a general rule, a ball mark repaired within 10 minutes will heal with a smooth surface within two to three days. An unrepaired ball mark may take as long as three weeks to heal, but the result will be an uneven surface.
Because grass varieties differ from course to course, and from fairways to the rough, the best rule to follow in replacing divots is to check with the golf course superintendent for the particular policy. As a general rule, replace any divot on the course unless there is a sand or sand/seed mixture provided in a container on the golf car. Typically, the divot is replaced on any course with bentgrass or bluegrass fairways. If you are playing on a course with bentgrass fairways and bluegrass rough, you must pay particular attention to the materials in the container. If just sand is provided, then fill the divot hole and tamp down the sand with your foot. If a sand/bentgrass seed mixture is provided, divots in the rough would not be replaced so as to not contaminate the bluegrass with bentgrass seed. In bermuda grass fairways, generally sand is just used.
In replacing a divot, the policy is to replace the divot so the grass can send down new roots. If so, replace the turf in the same direction it came out, and tap down firmly so the mower won't pull it back out. If you are walking and no sand is provided, smooth the divot hole with your feet, gently pulling the sides of the divot hole to the center.
For more information regarding golf course maintenance and etiquette, contact your local superintendent or the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America at 800-472-7878 or www.gcsaa.org.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

It's Spring.....until tomorrow!


It's definitely spring when you see the little ducks and......




...the dreaded poa.  This is the time when poa flowering and seed heads
begin to flush.  Though we regulate the growth on the greens and tees
it can get rather expensive to do so in fairways.  Once higher temps arrive
these seed heads will go away and will be harder to notice.

















The restrooms have now been sodded and tile is almost complete.








The tees on #8 have now been squared off for direction to the green.  We will soon
be installing zoysia sod.