COURSE UPDATE: Frozen Greens & Cart Path Removal

What damage can be caused by traffic on frozen greens?

Our regular greens are closed and we have been forced to utilize temporary greens for play.  The sub-zero nighttime temperatures on several consecutive nights that we've been experiencing have resulted in frozen greens.  The problem with playing on the greens right now is that they are not frozen enough.  If they were frozen to a depth of 4" or more and frost-free at the surface, they'd be open for play.  Right now the deepest they've been frozen is no more than 1.5" below the surface.  Even worse, when they are thawing during the daytime, there are large sections of them that are only thawing to a depth of about 1/2".  This is when the greens are prone to severe damage.  I completely understand the frustration that many have with the regular greens be closed on a beautiful sunny day and I am also well aware that there is a feeling amongst some that we are being too overprotective of the putting surfaces, but please take the time to read this excerpt from the USGA Green Section that describes just how damaging it would be to open the greens under these conditions:

"Traffic damage on frozen turf areas usually occurs during periods of freezing or thawing.  The most devastating situation occurs when the grass blades and the upper one-half to one inch of soil has thawed, but the ground beneath their level remains frozen.  Traffic will create a shearing action of the roots, rhizomes, and crown tissues at this time.  This is comparable to cutting the plant tissue from the underlying root system with a sod cutter.  Complete kill of leaves, crowns, and rhizomes can occur if the temperatures soon drop below -6°C.  Symptoms from this severe injury include whitish to dark brown leaves that may mat on the surface.

Once temperatures allow thawing to a depth of three to four inches, the probability of turf damage declines since about 75 percent of the root system is in the upper four inches of soil.  Frequent soil probing is the only positive way to effectively monitor the freezing level.  Traffic should be adjusted accordingly."

Again, we are currently experiencing the conditions that will result in the most severe damage with only the top 1/2" thawing during the daytime.  

Protecting, not over-protecting, your greens is our #1 responsibility and we will continue to ensure any unnecessary damage is avoided so that they remain healthy.

Cart Path Removal

With the very heavy frost conditions that we’ve been experiencing, I’d like to make you aware of what we have been doing to keep busy since there isn’t much we can do on the frosty and frozen turf.  We are removing the asphalt path to the right of #9 green that is in terrible condition, has a negative impact on playability and is more of an eyesore than a functional path.  The path material is being relocated to build a temporary roadway off the path just past the tees at #14 to the large “brush area” behind #15 green.  This temporary roadway will serve as a suitable path to dispose of tree debris and other “green waste” to avoid astronomical disposal fees for removing this material from the property.  Any dead trees that need to be removed will be disposed of here, which is certain to result is significant cost savings.  It’s remarkable how much space we’ve cleared out behind #15 green!

Once the path at #9 is completely removed, we will remediate the working area, including regrading around the existing drainage catch basins so they function more effectively, and then we will prep it for either seed or sod.  We are confident that this will provide significant aesthetic and playability improvements in this area.

We will also be removing the existing gravel path to the left of the forward tee deck on #18.  Cart and golfer traffic will be rerouted around the right side of the tee with the use of stakes/rope and signage, much like at #1 tees as you can see below:

This will not only be a significant aesthetic improvement, it will also improve the playability of the hole.  The gravel path that is removed will also be used to dress the temporary roadway at #15 green.

Improving The Playability Of Our Greens

In an effort to reduce the likelihood of needing to close our regular greens and use temporary greens throughout the rainy fall, winter and spring months, we will be solid deep-tine aerating them early next week to maximize their drainage potential. It’s no secret that our greens have very poor internal drainage, much of which has failed entirely and is well beyond its useful life. Poor drainage is actually worse than no drainage at all, as failed drainage will hold water in the compromised drainage lines keeping the soil profile saturated instead of simply allowing it to soak through. The deep-tine aeration will be result in ¾ inch channels that are 8 inches deep, which will greatly improve infiltration rates for our greens to surface drain much better allowing them to remain open for play more often while ultimately providing a smoother, drier and firmer playing surface. Our conventional aeration process in the spring and late summer only affects the top 4 inches or so of the soil profile to provide oxygen to the turf root zone.

The only downside to deep-tine aerating our greens is that immediately following the process, they will be a bit bumpy as they heal. However, the addition of a generous sand topdressing ahead of the process, followed by brushing and lots and lots of rolling will mitigate much of the bumpiness and expedite the healing process. This process will be completed “in-house” with equipment that we own.

As with any tasks that we don’t routinely schedule, completing a test run prior to doing the bulk of the work is key to make any necessary adjustments and to dial in the equipment settings to achieve the desired results. We completed this test run on #4 green this morning and here were the results:

2015 Drought

Although summer just officially arrived last week, I think it's safe to say it's been here for weeks now and it plans on staying for quite some time.  

The drought of 2015 continues on from the spring and there are no signs of that changing anytime soon.  The last measurable rain the course received was a nice shot of 6.3mm of rainfall on June 1st.  Prior to that, it hadn't received any significant rainfall all the way back to before our spring aeration at the end of April.  In fact, May of 2015 was the driest May on record, which dates all the way back to 1937 when rainfall totals began being recorded.

So what does all of this amount to for the course?  Being that we aren't even into July yet, it has forced us to focus our efforts more than ever on "down the middle" conditioning when it comes to irrigating turf.  We do have an irrigation budget to adhere to and these record dry conditions have really minimized the water that we are applying to our rough and surrounds.  Greens, approaches, tees and fairways are receiving sufficient, not excessive, water and we are hand-watering more than ever in an effort to conserve as much water as possible.  Expect to see more brown turf than you are used to this summer, especially on our drainage lines, and trust that it will "bounce back" as we move into the cooler temperatures and seasonal rains of fall.

Many of our trees are suffering badly through this drought.  An obvious sign of stress for them is that they are already dropping their leaves in an effort to conserve energy.  This is quite common during our dry summer months, but we don't typically observe them do this until sometime in mid-August or even later.  We anticipate that some of our very weak birch trees will succumb to the drought and heat stress.

While irrigation does provide some moisture and much needed relief for the turf to withstand the summer stress of heat and traffic, I would once again like to point out that irrigation is not nearly as effective or beneficial as rainfall.  Irrigation systems are designed to provide supplemental moisture during the summer months for turf to survive.  The benefits of rainfall far exceed what we can deliver via irrigation.  How so?  Please refer to one of my previous blog posts from 2013 that explains why: Why Rain Makes The Course Look So Good

One last statistical figure I'd like to leave you with is that from May 1st to June 26th of this year, we have received only 13.97mm of rainfall (just over 1/2").  Throughout the same time period in 2014, we received 91.43mm of rain (3.66").  Yes, we are in a drought, but on a positive note, the playability of the course is fantastic!

ENJOY THE EXTRA ROLL WHILE IT LASTS!

Bug Repellents & Sunscreen Damage Turf

Although it's not officially summer yet, the recent warm and dry weather we've been experiencing has sure made it feel like it is! When I think of summer, I think of sunshine, backyard BBQs, hanging out at the beach, camping and unfortunately, those pesky mosquitoes! The mosquitoes can annoy the heck out of you while playing golf, especially if you're like me and spend a lot of time in the rough or near the ponds. When they are as annoying as they are right now, we typically get asked, "What are you doing about the mosquitoes?"

The truth is, there is nothing more we can do to effectively reduce the mosquito population than what we are already doing. We used to spend lots of $$ spraying our ponds with larvicide to help reduce their population, but these treatments were not very effective. Furthermore, unless the City of Richmond completes the same treatments along the dyke and in and around the ditches surrounding our property, mosquitoes from the immediate surrounds of the Club will hunt down our golfers for their precious blood.

We have installed a couple of bat houses on the course over the past few years as bats can consume up to 1200 mosquitoes per hour and each of the bat houses accommodates up to 300 bats. That’s up to 720,000 mosquitoes being consumed on the property per hour with the two bat houses we have! We do hope to continue to add more bat houses to the course soon. For now, I’ll have a word with our bats to ensure that they’re continuing to do their part since we are providing them with housing and meals.

What you can do to keep the pesky blood suckers from ruining your round of golf is apply bug repellent. That being said, PLEASE ONLY APPLY BUG REPELLENT ON PATHS. As you can see below, bug repellents damage turf:

The green footprints you see in the photos indicate where the golfer was standing while applying the bug repellent. The turf underneath the golfer's feet was shielded from the spray. As you can see, the turf that did come in contact with the spray was damaged by it. It typically only takes about 24 hours for the damage to show up.

The same can be said for sunscreen. It also damages turf when coming into direct contact with it. So as with applying bug repellents, PLEASE ONLY APPLY SUNSCREEN ON PATHS.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Jason Hooper
Golf Course Superintendent

Why Should Golfers Be Concerned About Grasses Getting Sick?

We continue to battle fusarium, a fungal turf disease, on the greens that are shaded from the morning sun.  Often we are left with no choice but to apply fungicides to control the spread of this resilient fungal pathogen.

Where we have removed trees around greens complexes that used to receive little or no morning sun, we have seen a significant reduction in disease incidence. "Turf Management 101" has proven to be correct again. With the recent tree removals around #7 green, we expect to see far less disease pressure as that green now receives FULL morning sun - a crucial component in maintaining healthy turf.

Time and time again, the USGA Green Section sends out very relevant turf maintenance articles that help greatly in getting our message across to golfers. Low and behold, another gem landed in my email inbox this morning. It explains just why Golf Course Superintendents all over the world do their best each and every day to provide healthy growing environments for turf. Through these efforts,Superintendents are able to do the following:

• Provide the best possible playing conditions for the golfers
• Save thousands and thousands of dollars by reducing the need to apply very costly control products, saving you in green fees or member dues
• Continue to be environmentally responsible by making less of an impact on the environment

Please take a couple minutes to read the USGA Green Section article below...

Why Should Golfers Be Concerned About Grasses Getting Sick?

May 8th, 2015 by USGA Green Section

There are at least three very good reasons why golfers should know a little about the superintendent’s efforts to manage disease problems on turfgrass:

1) Some of the fungal and bacterial organisms that attack turf can result in severe damage – sometimes resulting in complete loss of turf cover and producing bad lies, bumpy putting and significant disruption to your round as the staff implements reestablishment efforts. Of course the loss of turf also detracts from the appearance of the course and can even slow down play if golfers are frequently having to take relief from areas marked as ground under repair.

2) Treating turfgrass disease outbreaks and repairing damaged areas is expensive. Golf course superintendents are extremely careful when they apply fungicides for two reasons. First, superintendents recognize their environmental responsibility to apply products only where and when they are absolutely needed. Second, disease-control products are so expensive that superintendents simply cannot afford to waste them through misuse. Treating large disease outbreaks can be a serious financial hit to any course, eventually that cost is passed on to the golfers via green fees or dues.

3) How can you as a golfer help? Your willingness to tolerate the efforts of the maintenance staff to promote healthy turfgrass is extremely helpful. Consider how some maintenance practices that all golfers despise impact the occurrence and severity of turfgrass disease problems.

a. Tree trimming and sometimes complete tree removal is necessary to provide light to turfgrass. These practices also result in improved air movement across playing surfaces which helps keep the turf dry. Most disease organisms thrive in shaded, moist environments – sometimes to the point that even applying a fungicide cannot completely stop disease activity.

b. Not even golf course superintendents like aeration. However, aeration improves drainage and creates a soil environment that promotes healthy roots which directly translates to stronger plants.

c. Turf that is grown in an environment with plenty of light, air movement, good drainage and properly cultivated soil is far less likely to suffer disease problems. Should a disease outbreak occur, turf in favorable growing environments often can grow through certain disease problems without the need to apply a fungicide. If damage does occur, turf in a good growing environment grows faster and is quick to recover.

#7 Tree Removals

Whenever trees are removed from the golf course, we always receive some inquiries as to what the reason was for removing them.  As anticipated, this is once again the case after removing over 30 trees around #7 green complex during last week's aeration course closure.  For those that may have missed my submission in last week's eNews to the membership explaining exactly why, here is a summary of the reasons for removing them...

All of the trees removed were categorized as either dead, dying, dangerous or detrimental to turf quality (The Four D’s) and all but one were birch trees.  Now that the trees on the property are “leafing out” for summer, it is clear to see that even more birch trees succumbed to the wet winter conditions.  The majority of our birch trees are now past their 40-50 year healthy life expectancy and they are declining rapidly.  The bronze birch borer has also infected many of our birch trees which is also killing them off.  You can expect to see many more removed this season.

To illustrate just how bad the condition was of the trees removed, here are a couple photos of the trunks that were rotting from the inside out:

Here is a "before & after" photo of the right (east) side of #7 green complex:

As you can see, the trees that were removed were in very poor condition and blocked out the majority of the morning sun resulting in unhealthy turf conditions and increased disease incidence on # 7 green, such as the fusarium seen below:

After removing the trees, #7 green will benefit greatly now that it receives FULL morning sun - a crucial component of healthy turf!

As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 604-277-1513 or jhooper@qgolfclub.ca

UPDATE: #10 Green

Just an update to let you know that the new green drainage outlet installation for #10 green was completed last Thursday afternoon and it is functioning very well.

Typically, whenever we put a shovel in the ground on this property we end up uncovering other drainage issues and this proved to be the case again this time around. That being said, it has been buttoned up and the green was reopened for play immediately. The drainage lines have been filled to the surface with sand and will need to remain “turf-free” for a few weeks to allow them to settle as much as possible and then they will be topped off and sodded.  Also, once we are fully confident that the catch basin won't settle any further, we will trim it down to just below ground level.

Here are a couple pics of the project:

#10 Green

If you’ve played the course in recent weeks, I’m sure you’ve noticed that we have been experiencing some drainage issues on #10 green. We had an opportunity to put a shovel in the ground Tuesday morning to begin investigating the issue. Unfortunately, what we discovered doesn’t appear to be a “quick fix” and the green will need to remain closed indefinitely while we make the necessary repairs. You can expect to see us working with some larger equipment, namely our excavator, over the next couple days as we make the repairs. You can also expect that a portion of the front of the green will remain as “Ground Under Repair” when the green does reopen as it will require sod in the spring.

Here are a couple photos of what we discovered:

As you can see in the photo below, iron ochre is playing a prominent role in the compromised drainage:

Iron ochre has affected drainage capabilities throughout the course and is most evident in the pond at #15 green from the drainage lines that outlet into it. For some further info on iron ochre, please visit here: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/publist/500Series/543300-1.pdf

In this photo you will see that we discovered evidence of the old green only about 12” below the surface:

Our current greens were built by simply burying the old greens with river sand (likely unwashed) and then adding very basic drainage. The corresponding organic matter layer from the old green is greatly affecting the infiltration rates of the current green’s subsurface. Despite the belief by many that the Club previously purchased “All-Weather Greens”, this is NOT the proper way to build greens and this is just one of many reasons why. In fact, unless you are talking about synthetic turf, "All-Weather Greens" do not even exist.

We anticipate that the repairs will be completed in time for this weekend.

Ball Mark Repair

The legendary Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus doing their part on the green.

When asked by golfers, “What can I do to help the greens continue to roll smoothly and remain healthy?”, my answer is very simple: REPAIR BALL MARKS.  Furthermore, repair as many as you see and repair them properly.  I have decided to call upon 30+ year USGA Green Section Director & Agronomist, Larry Gilhuly, to help me deliver this very important message.  Many of you are very familiar with Mr. Gilhuly as he has conducted numerous USGA Turf Advisory Service visits here at Quilchena over the years.

Please take the time to read this recent article written by Mr. Gilhuly and be sure to click on the highlighted links.  They are very informative!

The Golfers Resolutions for Ball Mark Repair

By Larry Gilhuly, Agronomist, West Region
January 6, 2015

 It’s that time of year again where we all have lists of resolutions that we wish to accomplish during the new year. While well intentioned, resolutions often fall by the wayside or are forgotten only to be brought back to life the next year; but what about those simple resolutions dealing with the game of golf? We’re not talking about how your game will be improved with the latest equipment or swing change. No, we are talking about a single item that every player should be aware of on every green. In fact, if every player were aware of the following resolutions, the greens you play would be smoother, healthier, and more of your putts would find the hole. Let’s look at a short list of resolutions all players should have for the coming year in regard to ball marks.

• I resolve to notice if my golf ball made a mark on the green. Even low-trajectory chip shots can impact the putting surface despite not showing a noticeable ball mark on the green. 
• I resolve to find my ball mark on the green when riding in a cart, even if I park far away from where my shot landed. If your ball hits the front of the green, make sure to find the ball mark and fix it. 
• I resolve to fix my ball mark, and at least two others if they are noticeable. In some cases there may be more than a dozen noticeable ball marks if the greens are soft, so be aware of the pace of play. 
• I resolve to learn how to fix a ball mark properly by reading Ball Mark Repair Tools and Technique or watching Fore The Golfer: How to Repair Ball Marks. The first step is to push the area that has been displaced by the golf ball back in the direction from which the golf ball was hit. Next, push back the sides with the front portion of the disrupted area generally not disturbed. Once the turf has been pushed back, level the surface with the bottom of your putter. A putter alone is not considered a tool for fixing ball marks.
• I resolve to make every effort to not leave exposed soil when fixing a ball mark. In some cases, this is not possible which leads to the next resolution. 
• I resolve to read The Anatomy of a Pitch Mark to understand the differences between different types of ball marks and their impact on growing and playing conditions. 
• I resolve to not use any ball mark repair tool or tee to lift the turf or damaged area in an upward movement. Doing so leads to the next resolution. 
• I resolve to begin paying attention to the many ball marks that are fixed using the lifting technique mentioned above. In virtually every case bare soil, damaged turf and smoothness are compromised. 
• I resolve to educate others on the proper way to repair a ball mark back when it is being done incorrectly.
• And finally, I resolve to make all of the above a part of my game.

For better putting green smoothness and improved turf quality in 2015, make one of your new year’s resolutions to fix more ball marks.

It’s that time of year again where we all have lists of resolutions that we wish to accomplish during the new year. While well intentioned, resolutions often fall by the wayside or are forgotten only to be brought back to life the next year; but what about those simple resolutions dealing with the game of golf? We’re not talking about how your game will be improved with the latest equipment or swing change. No, we are talking about a single item that every player should be aware of on every green. In fact, if every player were aware of the following resolutions, the greens you play would be smoother, healthier, and more of your putts would find the hole. Let’s look at a short list of resolutions all players should have for the coming year in regard to ball marks.

• I resolve to notice if my golf ball made a mark on the green. Even low-trajectory chip shots can impact the putting surface despite not showing a noticeable ball mark on the green. 
• I resolve to find my ball mark on the green when riding in a cart, even if I park far away from where my shot landed. If your ball hits the front of the green, make sure to find the ball mark and fix it. 
• I resolve to fix my ball mark, and at least two others if they are noticeable. In some cases there may be more than a dozen noticeable ball marks if the greens are soft, so be aware of the pace of play. 
• I resolve to learn how to fix a ball mark properly by reading Ball Mark Repair Tools and Technique or watching Fore The Golfer: How to Repair Ball Marks (en español). The first step is to push the area that has been displaced by the golf ball back in the direction from which the golf ball was hit. Next, push back the sides with the front portion of the disrupted area generally not disturbed. Once the turf has been pushed back, level the surface with the bottom of your putter. A putter alone is not considered a tool for fixing ball marks.
• I resolve to make every effort to not leave exposed soil when fixing a ball mark. In some cases, this is not possible which leads to the next resolution. 
• I resolve to read The Anatomy of a Pitch Mark to understand the differences between different types of ball marks and their impact on growing and playing conditions. 
• I resolve to not use any ball mark repair tool or tee to lift the turf or damaged area in an upward movement. Doing so leads to the next resolution. 
• I resolve to begin paying attention to the many ball marks that are fixed using the lifting technique mentioned above. In virtually every case bare soil, damaged turf and smoothness are compromised. 
• I resolve to educate others on the proper way to repair a ball mark back when it is being done incorrectly. 
• And finally, I resolve to make all of the above a part of my golf game.

- See more at: http://www.usga.org/course_care/New_regional_updates/west/The-Golfers-Resolutions-for-Ball-Mark-Repair---January-2015/#sthash.I4H5xYcm.dpuf

The Golfers Resolutions for Ball Mark Repair

By Larry Gilhuly, agronomist, West Region
January 6, 2015

For better putting green smoothness and improved turf quality in 2015, make one of your new year’s resolutions to fix more ball marks.

It’s that time of year again where we all have lists of resolutions that we wish to accomplish during the new year. While well intentioned, resolutions often fall by the wayside or are forgotten only to be brought back to life the next year; but what about those simple resolutions dealing with the game of golf? We’re not talking about how your game will be improved with the latest equipment or swing change. No, we are talking about a single item that every player should be aware of on every green. In fact, if every player were aware of the following resolutions, the greens you play would be smoother, healthier, and more of your putts would find the hole. Let’s look at a short list of resolutions all players should have for the coming year in regard to ball marks.

• I resolve to notice if my golf ball made a mark on the green. Even low-trajectory chip shots can impact the putting surface despite not showing a noticeable ball mark on the green. 
• I resolve to find my ball mark on the green when riding in a cart, even if I park far away from where my shot landed. If your ball hits the front of the green, make sure to find the ball mark and fix it. 
• I resolve to fix my ball mark, and at least two others if they are noticeable. In some cases there may be more than a dozen noticeable ball marks if the greens are soft, so be aware of the pace of play. 
• I resolve to learn how to fix a ball mark properly by reading Ball Mark Repair Tools and Technique or watching Fore The Golfer: How to Repair Ball Marks (en español). The first step is to push the area that has been displaced by the golf ball back in the direction from which the golf ball was hit. Next, push back the sides with the front portion of the disrupted area generally not disturbed. Once the turf has been pushed back, level the surface with the bottom of your putter. A putter alone is not considered a tool for fixing ball marks.
• I resolve to make every effort to not leave exposed soil when fixing a ball mark. In some cases, this is not possible which leads to the next resolution. 
• I resolve to read The Anatomy of a Pitch Mark to understand the differences between different types of ball marks and their impact on growing and playing conditions. 
• I resolve to not use any ball mark repair tool or tee to lift the turf or damaged area in an upward movement. Doing so leads to the next resolution. 
• I resolve to begin paying attention to the many ball marks that are fixed using the lifting technique mentioned above. In virtually every case bare soil, damaged turf and smoothness are compromised. 
• I resolve to educate others on the proper way to repair a ball mark back when it is being done incorrectly. 
• And finally, I resolve to make all of the above a part of my golf game.

- See more at: http://www.usga.org/course_care/New_regional_updates/west/The-Golfers-Resolutions-for-Ball-Mark-Repair---January-2015/#sthash.I4H5xYcm.dpuf