Sand-banding.....Did it work?

Rewind back to May of this year: TDS West was on-site to complete sand-banding on #9 and #18 approaches to help alleviate the excessive puddling in these two areas and maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of our slit drainage system.  Sand-banding results in straight sand trenches that provide excellent drainage channels to help move water through the soil profile and into our slit-drainage system.  For a full refresher on exactly what sand-banding is, please read this previous blog post: http://qgolfclub.blogspot.ca/2012/03/another-drainage-update.html.

 

Now fast-forward to 6 months after the process to determine just how effective the sand-banding was.  Well, all I can say is that we are VERY impressed with the results!  The proof that the sand-banding has worked is clear to see during and immediately following heavy rainfall.  It rained throughout the night last night and I went out on the course today in the rain to take some profile samples of the sand-banding trenches to see how they were holding up.  Here is what I discovered:

 

taking a profile sample of a sand-banding trench on #18 approach

 

integrity of sand-banding trench holding up very well at 6 months

 

Okay, so now that we know that the sand-banding trenches are holding up well, just how effective has the sand-banding been for drainage?  Well, as much as I'd like for you to simply take my word for it, here are some photos that show just how well it is proving to work:

 

#9 approach prior to sand-banding

 

#9 approach 6 months following sand-banding

 

FYI, both of the pics above of #9 approach were taken following comparable amounts of rainfall.  Not too bad, eh?!?!

 

Now, let's see how the sand-banding on #18 approach measures up to how well it's working on #9 approach.  Again, as much as I'd love for you to simply take my word for it, I'll let the pics to the talking:

 

#18 approach prior to sand-banding

 

#18 approach 6 months following sand-banding

 

Yes, I am well aware of the two small spots on #18 approach that continue to puddle from rainfall.  Those are two very low areas that need to be stripped and properly graded so they drain properly.  We will be doing that in the coming weeks, along with some low spots on other fairways.  Until then, they will continue to puddle.

So it is clear that the sand-banding has proven to be very effective.  Not only are these two approaches no longer puddling, the overall turf health has greatly improved!  This is not surprising, but still a great side benefit of sand-banding.  Simply put, properly drained turf will always be healthier and will outperform poor draining turf.  

What we are not sure of yet is how long we can expect to reap the rewards of this process.  Although the concept has been around for decades, sand-banding in particular is a fairly new option for turf managers so very little data has been collected with regards to longevity of results.  Another thing to consider is that EVERY golf course is different and EVERY golf course will experience different results.  This is true with many aspects of golf course maintenance and is often overlooked and/or ignored.  While the course down the street may find that sand-banding provides 5-7 years of results, we may only see effectiveness for 2-4 years or maybe 7+ years!  It's difficult to say at this time just how long it will last, but one thing is for sure, IT WORKS!!!

 

What's up with the patches on the greens?

The funky looking patches you see on the greens right now is called Fusarium patch, also known as Microdochium patch.  It is a fungal turf disease that is very common this time of year as it thrives under cool, overcast and wet conditions resulting in prolonged leaf wetness.  Thatchy turf is also very susceptible to Fusarium patch and although we have made significant headway reducing the thatch levels in our greens through core aeration, topdressing and verti-cutting, there is still some work to be done to reduce it to an even more acceptable level.  Our maintenance programs are geared towards continuing to reduce thatch levels everywhere on the golf course.

Fusarium patch

The greens were treated with preventative fungicide applications prior to the disease development and have since been treated with curative applications in an effort to halt the disease from spreading further.  That being said, in some areas the Fusarium patch is showing some signs of resistance to the fungicide applications so we are monitoring it very closely.  We are also continuing to vent (needle-tine aeration) and lightly topdress the greens over the winter months to promote surface drying as moisture is a key component in disease development.

It's plain to see that #4 green has been the worst affected green out there, but the turf disease is present on all the other greens, with the exception of #18.  

Fusarium patch on #4 green

The lack of proper greens drainage is the main culprit for the high thatch levels and ultimately the Fusarium patch.  Case in point: #18 green.  This is our ONLY green with proper drainage and it is completely clear of any turf disease.  #18 green is without a doubt our healthiest and most consistent green on the golf course.  

Slit-drainage was installed on #18 green in the spring of 2010 as it was draining so poorly that it was closed for play for several months during the winter.  The process took two days to complete and the green was reopened for play immediately.  The long range course improvement plan includes slit-draining the rest of the greens, but it's difficult to determine just when they will be completed.  Until then, we will continue to do our best to reduce thatch levels and manage any disease the best we can.

Please understand that most of the Fusarium patch present is "in check" and the greens will recover from any damage done in the spring as soil temperatures warm up.

It's all about perception...

IT IS ALL ABOUT PERCEPTION and believe me, I understand that more than anybody.  I just returned from the Golf Shop where I fielded dozens of questions about why we moved to temporary greens yesterday when conditions became saturated.  Before I get into some of the questions and answers, I want to reiterate that before this recent decision to implement temp greens for extremely wet conditions, the course would close until the regular greens were deemed to be playable again.  This new temp greens policy is an effort to ensure the golf course remains open under saturated conditions without causing severe damage to the course.

Here are some of the questions and the answers I provided:

1.  How do we determine when the regular greens are too wet for play?

• This is quite simple actually.  Once the putting surface is so saturated that puddles begin forming or they are "foot-printing" from being so soft, they are closed to eliminate compaction from traffic.  Even though there may only be a single puddle on the green or maybe even no puddling at all, compaction is still a serious concern under these saturated conditions.  The damage being done won't be visible at the surface, but the compaction just below the surface will lead to many serious agronomic issues in the future.

2.  Once the decision has been made to move to temp greens, are the regular greens then closed for the day?

• No, the regular greens are constantly being reevaluated throughout the day and will be reopened if conditions improve.

 3.  Are we being too overprotective of our greens?  How much damage can we really cause by playing on saturated greens?

• First of all, it is my job to protect your investment.  I provide the Golf Committee with factual information and recommendations for them to then make educated decisions to create policies and standards.  Again, if it is their wish for the regular greens to remain open when saturated, I will then provide them with the potential consequences of doing so and the corrective measures that will be necessary to alleviate any damage done.  Compaction is a serious concern that leads to many other issues both at the surface and below.

4.  If the regular greens were too saturated yesterday for play, how can they possibly be firm enough to be rolled today?

• We received only 2.5mm of rain overnight (from 7pm to 7am), allowing the greens to drain well enough to handle the weight of the rolling equipment this morning.  There is a common misconception that rolling greens causes compaction when in fact, studies have shown this to be false.  That being said, we DO NOT roll the greens when they are saturated.

5.  Who do I contact to let my thoughts be known about the course policies?

• As I've said time and time again, PLEASE put your concerns and/or suggestions in writing to the Golf Committee and I assure you that they will be addressed and you will receive a response.  Simply voicing your opinion around the Club, whether it's to other members or to Quilchena employees, is not the proper channel if you'd like appropriate answers.

Temp Greens for Extremely Wet Conditions

Unfortunately, we were forced to close the golf course on Wednesday after it had endured over 24 hours of continuous rain leaving the greens unplayable.  I'm sure many of you are wondering how we determine whether or not the greens are playable.  Well, it's actually quite simple.  Once the turf is so saturated that puddles or standing water begin forming, they must be closed.  Allowing traffic on saturated turf would be detrimental to the playing surface.  The turf is at great risk of serious compaction in this condition.  

standing water on #1 green after heavy rain

A single foursome takes on average over 200 steps per green, so yes, even allowing play on the greens for the maybe 10-20 golfers that wish to play in the extremely wet conditions has a potential for severe compaction issues.  We have been working very hard over the past 4 years to continuously relieve compaction and reduce thatch levels on our greens to provide the best possible putting surfaces for our members and guests.  Traffic on saturated greens would be a giant step backwards against the progress we've made.

The greens are most susceptible due to the fact that all golfers ultimately end up on them and therefore they receive the most concentrated traffic.  We are not as concerned about the tees as we can dictate where the tee markers are placed on the tees to evenly distribute the wear and tear on them.  Obviously, traffic of fairways is spread out even more since golfers don't typically hit the ball in the same spot as their playing partners.  Also keep in mind that we will ALWAYS be more protective of the greens than any other areas on the course as they are the most important asset of any golf course.

We do understand that some golfers don't particularly mind playing golf in the extremely wet conditions and we are well aware that wet conditions are quite normal here in the lower mainland from the months of October through April....and well into May and even June in recent years.  In an effort to ensure the golf course remains open for play as often as possible, we have decided to go to a system of using temporary greens under extremely wet conditions.  If at any time during wet weather we begin experiencing standing water on the regular greens, the flag sticks will be removed from them and placed on the temporary greens in the approaches or fairways ahead of the regular greens.  When we are under a temporary green condition, ALL the regular greens, including the practice putting greens, will remain closed until deemed playable again by either the Superintendent or the Assistant Superintendent.  Please understand that this Temporary Greens Policy must be adhered to or we will have to revert back to closing the golf course under extremely wet conditions to ensure the integrity of our regular greens is not compromised.

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to do our best to protect YOUR investment!