It's been a long time since posting to the blog, but we are
back up and fully operational.  The maintenance staff is
getting excited for the 2016 golfing season and we have many
items on our to-do list.  This year we will be installing the
HydroTurf at #4 and #7, transplanting extra roses from #9 lake bank
to #18 lake bank, installing stone curbing around the practice green and...
well you will have to check back to see the rest.
Can't wait to see everyone on the course.
Mike Coy, GCS

Spring is right around the corner....I hope



The snow and ice this winter has caused damage to almost 30 trees
throughout the course.  We will have to remove about 12 trees
due to excessive damage.





The pumphouse has been demolished and construction has begun. 
The foundation is going to be extended towards #7 fairway.
We should begin pouring concrete next week, as long as the weather
cooperates.  Once the walls have been installed the pumps will be set
and the roof constructed. 



Course update


As the 2013 summer is coming to an end, we have now begun
preparing for fall seeding and aerification.  Fall greens
and tees aerification will be September 24-27 and fairway
aerification will be October 1-11.  We will be pulling cores
in all areas this year and incorporating sand in the greens and tees.
Some holes will be closed during aerification for worker safety and
to speed up this process.  Check in with the golf shop for daily updates .
This year I will also be posting hole closures and the aerification process
on TWITTER @michaeloxmoor for your convenience.   


You will begin seeing a lot of areas turning white throughout the
course.  A new chemical has been introduced to the golf industry
that eradicates bermuda, Dallis grass, and goose grass in fescue, rye,
and bentgrass with little to no damage.  These areas turn white because
the chemical is inhibiting the plant from producing chlorophyll. 
This is a pretty exciting product that many superintendents having been
dreaming of for a very long time.  Something that can control Bermuda
in bentgrass is a miracle and will prevent us from doing total grass kills
to eradicate. The two pictures below, #3 rough, are our test areas to
see how effective this product will be and to test our rates out before
applying to the fairways.  You will continue to see this for the remainder
of the season.





Pictured above is a healthy Ash tree and below is a soon to be dead Ash.
Many of you have probably heard of the Emerald Ash Borer on the news.
It's now at Oxmoor and has started slowly killing these trees.  At
this time we have approximately 12 Ash trees infected with the borer.  We have
close to 70 Ash trees on the property.  We will soon be removing the infected
trees and treating the remainder.  All trees that are cut down will be burned
at the debris pile to help eradicate this pest.  I will keep you posted!



 

 

 

The Superintendent's Revenge is returning to Oxmoor on

Sunday, October 13, 2013.  All proceeds will go to the purchase

of Knockout Roses to be installed along #9 lake bridge side.

I have posted photoshopped pictures in the clubhouse for

what this space will look like.  I hope everyone can attend

this now annual event for a great time with friends and to
win prizes.   

 

Course update

The path leading to #4 has been installed.  Soil areas
have been seeded and strawed, much like we did with
#7 path, so it may take some time to establish with this
heat.

The railing for #7 will soon be installed. 

Some of the native areas will have large dead spots where we applied
herbicides to eradicate some unsightly Johnson Grass.







We are installing a different type of cart traffic barrier on #10, since someone
or something keeps cutting the ropes.  Check it out and let me know what you think.



This area, on the right of #11 fairway, has not received every fungicide
application this year.  This just proves how valuable these
products are to the golf industry.



Course Update

 

We have now received all of our 35 fairway heads
and 10 valves to replace some of the out dated irrigation
equipment.  11 of the heads have been installed,

though it seems mother nature doesn't really want us
to use it this year and I'm OK with that.   This will not
replace all heads in the fairways, but it is helping

us move in the right direction. 

Irrigation clocks are almost complete.  You may have noticed these poles
at some of the stations.  These are for satellite signals to the central
computer at the maintenance facility.  This will aid in monitoring
and fine tuning watering cycles more closely and should prove helpful
in reducing water usage.





All the native areas have been cut back and we will continue to clean
out the existing weeds over the next week.  We mow the native areas
not only to increase pace of play, but mowing also helps reduce the
weed population.  This also gives us the chance to eliminate
some of the hardier plants through chemical applications. 
We will not mow these areas again till late fall and early winter.

 



Work has begun on repairing bridges at #5 and #3.  We should
have these completed by end of next week. 



Course update

It is that time of year again where we will begin to see some browning in the fairways and this article describes why.  I thought this year I would present an article by the USGA on the difference between cool-season turfgrass and warm-season turfgrasses. Please read the entire article and take special note of the location  this article and that we are in the transition zone of the United States.  If you have any further questions please contact me at mcoy@oxmoorcountryclub.com.

Course Care: Cool- And Warm-Season Grasses

Posted: 8/29/2012

By USGA

What is the difference between cool-season and warm-season grasses? Extreme summer heat and the current drought have prompted discussions about replacement turfgrass options on our fairways. (Kentucky)

The difference between cool-season and warm-season turfgrasses comes down to basic plant physiology. More specifically, it is how the plant performs photosynthesis, or the conversion of carbon dioxide and light into oxygen and carbohydrates, the latter which serves as food energy for the plant. Cool-season turfgrasses use the C₃ photosynthetic pathway and respond differently to temperature extremes and environmental stresses than warm-season plants that use the C₄ pathway. If you’ve ever heard a plant referenced as either a C₃ or C₄ plant, now you know why.

Practically speaking, and as their names suggest, every turfgrass species has a specific temperature range in which it maintains growth. Cool-season turfgrasses grow best in cooler climates or during cool, moist periods of the year when soil temperatures are between 60 and 75°F. Bentgrasses, bluegrasses, fescues and perennial ryegrass are typical cool-season turfgrass species used for fairways in the U.S. In contrast, warm-season turfgrasses perform optimally in warmer climates or during warmer parts of the year when temperatures are between 80 and 95°F. Popular warm-season turfgrasses include zoysiagrass, bermudagrass, buffalograss and seashore paspalum.

Obviously these are general temperature ranges and every turfgrass species is best adapted to particular climatic zones or regions. Cool-season turfgrasses lack the heat tolerance to be extensively used throughout the southern U.S. and poor cold tolerance limits the use of warm-season species in the north. The regions of the U.S. where both cool-season and warm-season turgrasses are utilized are often collectively referred to as the transition zone. Not surprisingly, selecting a fairway turfgrass for use in the transition zone can be a difficult decision.

Course Update



Next Wednesday we will be removing some the bentgrass sod at the chiping
fairway and replacing it with fescue sod.  We will be removing all the bentgrass
behind the white line, pictured above, to improve this area during heat stress.     

 


 

All areas have now been sodded where trees were removed earlier this season.



The new electric greens unit is working perfectly and is performing beyond my
expectations.  Not only has the quality of cut improved, but cut time has decreased
and noise levels have been eliminated.  Since it is electric, there will not
be anymore hydraulic leaks or fuel burns from faulty lines and a fuel
savings of $2,700.00 a year.  



The fence on #16 is now complete and I would like to thank everyone that helped
in the installation.  I would also like to thank everyone who has helped weed
flower beds, add landscaping, and filled divots in our last
two Oxmoor "Ownership Program" evenings.   



 The Monday after the Crystal Classic we will begin cutting back all the native areas.
This will only be done once this summer and again late fall.  Doing this will improve
aesthetics and playability.