Why So Much Sand??

After the aeration process, we remove soil cores with snow shovels. When we began turfgrass improvement programs a few years ago, our goals were to change greens' soils, not because our native soils were bad for golf, but because we know that growing greens' turf in sand provides the best possible conditions for golf and reliable turfgrass.

After greens are aerated we add 20 to 25 tons of United States Golf Association (USGA) tested and approved sand. The sand is dried in an oven and is worked into aeration holes as aggressively as possible without bruising and injuring turf.

The sand injection process adds another 15 tons of identical sand to the greens for a total of 35 to 40 tons each time we complete this process.

Research behind 100% sand greens was funded by the USGA and has become the accepted standard for new golf course construction since the 1970's. Properly built sand based greens drain excess water within the soil profile much faster than native soil greens. While a good native soil green may percolate water at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour, sand based greens drain 12 inches of water per hour. Sand based greens also are firmer, provide uniform pore spaces for water and increased root mass, warm faster for better recovery in spring, accept a well played golf shot, are easier to irrigate, and can better withstand lower mowing heights.

I wrote earlier this season that Golf Course Superintendents prefer to have control when it comes to water. Greens grown in a sandy soil medium will drain water more efficiently. Greens that drain are better greens because we have more control of the amount of water in the soil profile.

The final step in our aeration program was the deep tine aerator. This machine aerated our greens to a depth of 10", as opposed to the other two methods that aerated to 4" and 7". Together with the added sands, all the 4 to 10" aeration channels that are created also help to drain excess water from the soil profile.

Why is there so much sand on the greens? The best method available to older golf courses like Potowomut that desire great modern greens is to aerate, remove cores and add sand! We are still "switching" soils the greens are grown in, from native soil to sands, with the goal of providing great reliable greens that are a joy to play golf on.

Aeration update many thanks.....(somewhat sappy)

Greens have been aerated twice, using conventional aeration and the dry ject method. The deep tine operation will be done this Thursday. To date, all has gone well as greens have withstood the mechanical and physical abuse.

During the season, greens showed us signs that aggressive aeration was needed this fall. The signs we observed included persistent late season anthracnose presence, increased fairy ring disease that required three expensive applications of fungicides, and the hydrophobic situation (inability to accept water) during September. These three problems told us that conditions had changed and needed to be addressed. I believe that our greens aeration program, although disruptive to golfers, is the most important factor to insure great putting surfaces for next year. Thanks to everyone for your patience and support. Let me also add that I do not believe there is a better designed aeration program than ours!!

We plan to install three new irrigation heads behind the fifth green within the next few weeks. The project will be done in house by our crews. Since trees have been removed in this area, turfgrass quality has been poor partly because of the lack of irrigation. Another factor are the oak trees and their proficiency to steal water needed by turf. Ironically, this season this area did show improvement, but we believe better quality was related to increased rainfall seen during 2009.

We have many people to thank for our wonderful year. Thanks for the support from you, the wonderful members of Potowomut, including The Board of Governors, past and future!! Thanks to Shawn Campbell, Seth Force, Dan Post-Kennedy, Donna Euell, Deb West and all fellow staff members. Also, thanks to my hard working staff, including Assistant Superintendents Dan and Steve Virgulak. Also thanks to Mechanic George Borges, Horticulturalist Dick McNamara, as well as Ron Conde, Ricardo Rangel, Chris Wynne, Kevin King, Efrain Blanco-Cruz, Scott Virgulak, Cliff Rice, Jon Navarro, Mike K., Mike Jolicour and Don Gulfoyle. You guys are the best crew I have had the pleasure to work with. Even though 2009 hasn't yet finished, I can't wait to begin working with you all again during 2010.

Also, I would be remiss not to thank and acknowledge the support of my wonderful family. Yes, I am boasting quite loudly when I tell you I have had many special days this year. Son Benjamin Shields was married to Laura Platino on July 11th, right after I was spoiled for my 50th birthday. Last week I witnessed son Zach Shields play his very first concerts to sold our audiences in Cambridge and Philadelphia after a successful launch of his band's CD. Also last week, daughter Alexandra Shields landed in Kenya to help build schools and teach AIDS awareness to vulnerable young girls, making this Dad quite proud. Daughter Zoe Gertner and I will continue our college search next week in Rhode Island as she prepares for the next chapters of her adulthood. Mom and Dad, brothers and sister Joan, and friend Barbara and her wonderful family...thanks to all!!

Thanks for bearing with me. One last thing, we will NOT thank the millions of leaves as they begin their annual migration from tree to ground next week.

Organic pesticide, dyed greens, aerification preparation....

Fairways and tees were treated late this week with fungicides as disease "dollar spot" was seen on these areas. Dollar spot is caused by the fungi Schlerotinia homeocarpa, and is the disease most commonly seen in our climate from May until October. This year we have sprayed tees and fairways a record seven times for dollar spot. As we cover over 22 acres with each application, seven applications adds up to an expensive, yet important maintenance operation.

Fairways and tees are sprayed on a "curative" basis. This means that these areas are treated only after disease is seen. The other method is to treat on a "preventative" schedule. Prevention management is far more costly because it results in far more actual fungicide applications.

Greens have greatly improved since our last blog posting. They are accepting water again after wetting agent applications, and dry edges are healing. Steady rains Saturday (1.77") and last weekend have helped.

On Friday, we again treated for disease anthracnose on the greens. We used a new Canadian organic material, Civitas, that is environmentally friendly. For a reason I have yet to understand, a dark green dye component is required when spraying Civitas. Expect the greens to stay this odd color of green for a week or two.

We are in the process of preparing greens for three aeration processes that begin after October 13th. Heights of cut are being raised five thousandths of an inch a week, and greens were heavily fertilized Friday October 2nd. Our intent is to get greens growing very aggressively this week despite colder temperatures, so greens heal quickly after renovation. Our challenge is to promote turfgrass growth so aeration holes are not present during winter weather. Greens that haven't healed for winter are referred to as "open greens" and are more prone to excessive desiccation (drying) if we see a windy, snow-free winter.

We should note that forcing quick growth of greens' turfgrass is the opposite management philosophy we employ during the true golf season. During the season, we prepare the greens' surfaces for optimum playability and speed using daily low mowing and occasional double mowing, rolling, and little fertilizer use. Growth regulators are also used to slow and even stop grass growth. Desiring thick, lush growth on greens is new to us!!!

Enjoy your week, and go Sox, Pats, and Nittany Lions!!!