First Day of Spring!!!!

October 22nd, "Drill and Fill"

The Greens are having a process called "Drill and Fill" starting October 22nd.
This process is basically a machine that drills holes using a .75 inch bit on 5 inch centers to a depth of 10 – 12 inches and fills the holes with sand.  The newer drill bits that are used today are much less disruptive than in the past and leave a better finished product. Actually most Clubs in the Metropolitan area do this annually to their Greens.  In combination with our routine cultural practices this process would help the Greens drain better, enhance root growth, and create a firmer playing surface.

 During the process the Green being worked on will have a temporary pin

Glad to See some rain!

We will be dimple tinning and seeding the Tee's that got hurt over the past couple weeks (#3,7,9,12). It has been the "Perfect Storm" of weather, irrigation issues and power line issues.  The staff has worked hard over the past several weeks dealing with the challenges, and with the weather changing will have those Tee's back in shape in the next couple of weeks.  Thank You for your patience.

USGA Aricle

It’s Turfgrass Renovation Time!

By Darin S. Bevard, senior agronomist, USGA Green Section
August 27, 2012

If your rough looks like this, you are not alone. The summer takes a toll on cool season grasses, especially outside of the effective coverage of the irrigation system. Certain grass such as Poa annua and Poa trivialis are prone to decline during the summer in spite of efforts to keep them alive leading to clumpy, inconsistent conditions.

The air is a little cooler and the days are a little shorter. The grass is finally starting to grow again. Aeration programs are in full swing in our region. Some courses have already aerated their fine turf areas. Others are doing it as we speak. Still others will wait until later this fall to perform aeration as needed on various areas of the golf course. While nobody enjoys aeration, it is an important agronomic program. Even though the weather has improved, be cautious. If you have weak areas, use smaller tines or consider skipping weak areas until they have recovered. There is nothing worse than making it through a difficult growing season only to create damage through what should be a beneficial maintenance strategy.
A common topic during recent visits has been the rough, or more accurately, the lack of consistency in rough. Clumpy lies around greens and thin grass around fairways are common complaints. This is especially common on older, cool season golf courses. On a recent visit, the question was raised why rough at this golf course could not be more uniform and consistent. Throughout this golf course the rough was composed of varying population levels of bermudagrass (flourishing), Kentucky bluegrass (struggling), Poa trivialis (dormant), Poa annua (dead), perennial ryegrass (riddled with gray leaf spot), creeping bentgrass (thriving) and turf-type tall fescue (actually doing well). In case you lost count, that’s seven different grasses. Now why isn’t the rough consistent?
Having consistent rough is not a necessity. In fact, having to read different lies in the rough is part of the game. With that being said, it is desirable to have a reliable stand of grass in the rough. If the goal is to improve the season-long reliability of the rough, long-term programs must be put in place. It is not just a matter of buying a couple of tons of seed and incorporating it into the rough with various methods. Improving the rough takes a lot of planning. Timing of overseeding has a big impact. Usually, the rough is overseeded in late September or even October which may be too late to get a good catch of seedlings that can survive the winter and compete with established grasses. Oftentimes, these later overseedings elicit feelings of success as thin and bare areas fill-in as the fall progresses. Unfortunately, much of the grass that is actually doing the filling-in is Poa annua which will decline the following summer to repeat the cycle that put you in this condition in the first place.
No matter what grass you have, effective coverage of your irrigation system is another major factor in rough quality. If you cannot water it, keeping it alive through the heat of the summer is a struggle.
A full rough renovation program cannot be addressed here. The bottom line is that if you are serious about improving the rough, it takes a well thought out program. Capital expenditure will be needed to purchase the needed seed, fertilizer, herbicides, etc. to be successful. It may also be necessary to expand the irrigation system which can be very costly. If this type of expenditure is not an option, you may have to accept the inconsistent, summer conditions that are the basis for complaints. To discuss potential options for LONG TERM improvement to the rough, do not hesitate to contact our office.

Maintenance Days

It looks a lot easier in pictures:

Aerification

Removing the Plugs

Hauling the Sand

Spreading the Sand

Working the Sand into the holes.

Hawk on #15

Keeping the muskrat population under control.

What happens when you have 2.5" of rain in 30 minutes?

Every Bunker on the course was washed out.
Thanks for Your patience as they are repaired.

Some info for the home lawns:

Dry Conditions & Turf Dormancy

in

• drought
• lawns
• water

Date: 

July 13, 2012

Subject: 

Dry Conditions & Turf Dormancy

Category: 

Agronomy

The last few weeks have been characterized for the most part by picture-perfect summer weather.  While this has been welcome for outdoor recreation, lawns are feeling the effects of yet another warm and dry period for this growing season. Here in the Northeast, we can at least be thankful that thus far we have been spared much of the searing heat experienced by other areas of the country.  According to the National Climatic Data Center, the continental United States has experienced the warmest consecutive 12 month period since record keeping started in 1895, and the first six months of 2012 is the also the warmest January-June stretch on record.
The warm weather has made the recent lack of rainfall in the region very apparent, as the consistent evaporative demand has pushed turf areas on many sites in the direction of dormancy. Current soil temperatures in warmer parts of the state have risen into the 70s and even low 80s F, indicating that root systems in these areas are likely suffering. The latest precipitation has come only by way of widely scattered thunderstorms, and several observations reveal even irrigated sites that seem challenged to keep up.  Wilting of weeds such as white clover and broadleaf plantain has been noted on exposed sites in the heat of the day (see photo above right). This is a great time to assess the performance of irrigation systems, as the turf will quickly tell the story of any issues with coverage or output.
Responsible irrigation is the rule these days on high-value turf. When circumstances permit, however, dormancy of well-established and otherwise healthy turf can lead to savings of time, labor and management resources if approached properly. If dormancy is allowable, remember these important points for managing dormant turf:

• If you opt for dormancy, commit to it. Avoid irrigation unless adequate and consistent evapotranspiration (ET) replacement can be achieved.  Irregular and insufficient irrigation during dormancy can actually further deplete valuable carbohydrate reserves and negatively impact later recovery. If dormancy persists for an extended period (perhaps 45+ days depending on turf species, soil, etc), however, reduced recovery can be expected.
• Restrict traffic on dormant turf to the lowest possible level.  The turfgrass shoots that die back when dormancy progresses are not able to adequately cushion and protect the critical meristems that will ultimately facilitate re-growth and recovery.
• Mow only when absolutely necessary.  If a mowing event is needed, avoid mowing during the hottest part of the day (this benefits the turf as well as the operator).
• Monitor carefully for pest problems, especially chinchbugs and weed encroachment. Pest damage will not be readily apparent during dormancy and affected areas may not recover when moisture returns. If control is warranted, rely on spot treatments when possible instead of blanket applications to reduce undue stress on the turf.
• Even under favorable circumstances, extended dormancy may not result in 100% recovery when conditions moderate.  It is prudent to allow turf to enter dormancy with realistic expectations and plan ahead for the possibility of overseeding or targeted fertilization later in the season to achieve acceptable recovery.

Re-leveling the back Tee #11

Should be back in play after a couple of weeks.

Turkeys

The wild Turkeys love the natural area on #13.

Where is the sign from the entrance?

Getting fixed because creative vandals decided to paint the sign on Monday night.

Time to lay some eggs!

Cool Weather Diseases

The cool wet weather leads to certain diseases showing up on the course. Waitea Patch, Leaf Spot, Microdochium Patch, just to name a few.
The picture below is of Yellow Patch. Being Enviromental Stewards we do not treat for this disease because although ugly, this disease does not affect ball roll, does not threaten the long term health of the Turf, and after some consecutive warm temperatures starts to dissipate.

Greens Fertilization

The Greens were fertilized this past Monday.  University studies have shown that granular fertilizer applications at this time of year helps to combat Anthracnose, a disease which is a major concern on our predominately Poa annua greens.  The initial surge in growth may affect Green Speeds but all will be back to normal after a few days.

Poa Seed Heads

PGR's (plant growth regulators) are used to suppress the formation of Poa seed heads. Timing of this application is critical and growing degree day models are used to predict timing. A check plot is set up on the 18th Green as to monitor our results. Below is a picture of the check plot, the increased seed heads in the check are plainly visible.

Some Statistics from Frank Francese

·        Interesting Observances From the Westchester PGA qualifying round 4/23/12:

•  All Holes played to an average score above Par (including #3 – played as a par 5)

•  Our Banks’ showcase holes (5,7,9,12,&14) were all among the hardest six holes that all played more than a half-stroke over par.  The other one – the par 3 Number 11.

•  The only hole that did not yield a birdie – the par 4, 379 yard 9th Hole!

•  Personal surprise: Relative to par, 18 played easierr than 17. (as well as 10, 1, & 2)

•  While #3 was the “easiest” (5.03 avg. score), #16 being the second easiest (5.04)

• Surprised that #16 yielded an Eagle while #6 did not

• #1 had more Double-Bogeys than Birdies

Divots on the Driving Range Tee

Divots become a major issue on the Range Tee by mid-summer when high temperatures make it difficult for seed to germinate. Players using the tee can help keep it in good condition by thinking about the divot pattern they use. The following article explains this very well, just click on the link below.

http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/midcontinent/Practice-Like-A-Pro---July-2011/

Driving Range

Today we installed New Yardage Markers and Signs on the Driving Range.

Fixing Bunkers

It takes ~7 days to edge, fix drainage, and grade to a consistent sand depth on all of the Bunkers.

New Carts being delivered.

The new carts arrived today.