Weather permitting, greens will be aerated beginning Sunday afternoon, May 2nd. Three different processes will be used; conventional aeration, deep tine and sand injection. The three different aeration events are scheduled for Monday through Thursday.
We have fertilized the greens to speed their growth and healing potential. Also, growth regulator applications have been suspended until the greens have healed.
Trust me when I say that we despise greens aeration as much as you do. The necessary evil however, will help to ensure their continued excellence through coming stressful summer months.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
18 holes again!!
Once again, we are an 18 hole golf course!! There are plenty of area that is marked ground under repair....sorry for the inconvenience!!
More details to follow.
More details to follow.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Progress before more rain....
Hopefully, the time will come again when we can write about the everyday activities of maintaining your golf course. For now however, we will continue to address wet holes 14 and 15, caused by The Poto Flood of 2010.
We have both good news and bad news. Drying progress has been made on both holes as of 6PM Thursday!! However, that excitement is being negated a bit by the wet forecast for the weekend. With one dry day, 14 would be ready to open. There are still extremely wet areas, but with signs and rope, we could manage play on 14 by Saturday.
We have also made progress removing water from 15. As you may have seen driving into the Club, we have dug both small and large holes on 15 fairway, in an attempt to entice water to move into them. When the holes fill with water, they are then pumped dry to a spot downstream. It may seem to be as silly method for removing water, but it appears to be working. 15 fairway is much drier at this writing than it was yesterday morning.
Of course, rain will arrive on the shores of 15 sometime in the early morning hours tonight. However more rainfall we receive, we will continue to work to open 14 and 15 ASAP.
Thanks to everyone for your continued patience!!
Here are a few pictures of 15 taken at 5PM Thursday.
Lie on 15 fairway...wet fairway turf doesn't mow very well
We have both good news and bad news. Drying progress has been made on both holes as of 6PM Thursday!! However, that excitement is being negated a bit by the wet forecast for the weekend. With one dry day, 14 would be ready to open. There are still extremely wet areas, but with signs and rope, we could manage play on 14 by Saturday.
We have also made progress removing water from 15. As you may have seen driving into the Club, we have dug both small and large holes on 15 fairway, in an attempt to entice water to move into them. When the holes fill with water, they are then pumped dry to a spot downstream. It may seem to be as silly method for removing water, but it appears to be working. 15 fairway is much drier at this writing than it was yesterday morning.
Of course, rain will arrive on the shores of 15 sometime in the early morning hours tonight. However more rainfall we receive, we will continue to work to open 14 and 15 ASAP.
Thanks to everyone for your continued patience!!
Here are a few pictures of 15 taken at 5PM Thursday.
Lie on 15 fairway...wet fairway turf doesn't mow very well
Monday, April 12, 2010
Excessive water report
Fourteen and fifteen remain extremely wet and remain unplayable. Fourteen has shown some progress, but still has over the golfshoe sized puddles, on the fairway!! Tee side of fifteen is dry while the green side still resembles a fairway that just received three or four inches of rain. Tees and greens on these holes are excellent, fairways and rough are the problem areas. These areas have been squeeged, but within a short time, water returns.
Two weeks ago today, the great Poto flood of 2010 was at its height. Nine and a half inches of rain fell on the Potowomut peninsula, a land mass made up of gravels, sands and impenetrable ledge rock. On top of these different sized rocks sits a thin layer of soil that supports plant life.
Where did all the water travel to during and after the storm? Obviously, several answers exist.
1. Ran off as surface water into Narragansett Bay.
2. Added to ground water.
3. Filled soils to their water holding capacity.
4. Evaporation since the storm.
Two of the above methods involve moving storm water into and through the thin soil profile. As opposed to surface drainage, this is called internal drainage. Think of the soil profile as a sponge for a second. After the sponge is totally saturated, where does the excess water go? It will leak out (internally drain) at the bottom of the sponge into the sands, gravels, or ledge rock. If the water moves into a sandy or gravel layer, it will end up as ground water below the surface. Since ground water maintains a constant level, just as a water mass does (ignoring tides for this example,) ground water can and will come to the surface when levels are extremely high.
However, if the sponge (soil layer) is on top of ledge rock, the water has no place to go. The ledge acts just as a swimming pool liner does...it holds water. Additionally, if there is any slope involved within the ledge rock layer, water always flows to the lowest spots....like into lower 14 fairway and 15 green side. We believe this explains what is happening on both fourteen and fifteen.
Tomorrow, we will open up some deep holes on 15 in an attempt to entice the water to move to areas where it can be pumped away.
I hope this explains what we are facing on the two closed holes. All this waiting goes against sentiments we strongly believe in. We truly are happiest when fully open for golf. Our favorite day of the season is the day we open greens. On the flip side, we also realize that we are here to protect your wonderful asset, and know we are preventing permanent damage to the golf course by keeping players away from fourteen and fifteen at this time.
Tidbits.....To date, we have pumped a staggering 4.6 million gallons of water from the pond to alleviate flooding and to provide better drainage to holes near the pond. Last season, we pumped 12 million gallons all season for irrigation....
In the money well spent dept....Good thing we replaced that 12" pipe across the fifth fairway during the 2007 season. If not replaced, we are sure we would have lost much of the fifth fairway during the storm. The old pipe had many holes from age; that much water would have moved to underlying soils and eroded everything in sight!
We have monitored the level of ground water in our irrigation well for the last two seasons. Today, ground water was 9'6" from the surface when tested. That was the highest level of water we have ever recorded, as the past highest reading was 15'5" recorded during a wet May last year. Ground water 6' closer to the surface is significant, and helps to explain what we are experiencing.
Thanks for reading....please email or call with questions!!
Two weeks ago today, the great Poto flood of 2010 was at its height. Nine and a half inches of rain fell on the Potowomut peninsula, a land mass made up of gravels, sands and impenetrable ledge rock. On top of these different sized rocks sits a thin layer of soil that supports plant life.
Where did all the water travel to during and after the storm? Obviously, several answers exist.
1. Ran off as surface water into Narragansett Bay.
2. Added to ground water.
3. Filled soils to their water holding capacity.
4. Evaporation since the storm.
Two of the above methods involve moving storm water into and through the thin soil profile. As opposed to surface drainage, this is called internal drainage. Think of the soil profile as a sponge for a second. After the sponge is totally saturated, where does the excess water go? It will leak out (internally drain) at the bottom of the sponge into the sands, gravels, or ledge rock. If the water moves into a sandy or gravel layer, it will end up as ground water below the surface. Since ground water maintains a constant level, just as a water mass does (ignoring tides for this example,) ground water can and will come to the surface when levels are extremely high.
However, if the sponge (soil layer) is on top of ledge rock, the water has no place to go. The ledge acts just as a swimming pool liner does...it holds water. Additionally, if there is any slope involved within the ledge rock layer, water always flows to the lowest spots....like into lower 14 fairway and 15 green side. We believe this explains what is happening on both fourteen and fifteen.
Tomorrow, we will open up some deep holes on 15 in an attempt to entice the water to move to areas where it can be pumped away.
I hope this explains what we are facing on the two closed holes. All this waiting goes against sentiments we strongly believe in. We truly are happiest when fully open for golf. Our favorite day of the season is the day we open greens. On the flip side, we also realize that we are here to protect your wonderful asset, and know we are preventing permanent damage to the golf course by keeping players away from fourteen and fifteen at this time.
Tidbits.....To date, we have pumped a staggering 4.6 million gallons of water from the pond to alleviate flooding and to provide better drainage to holes near the pond. Last season, we pumped 12 million gallons all season for irrigation....
In the money well spent dept....Good thing we replaced that 12" pipe across the fifth fairway during the 2007 season. If not replaced, we are sure we would have lost much of the fifth fairway during the storm. The old pipe had many holes from age; that much water would have moved to underlying soils and eroded everything in sight!
We have monitored the level of ground water in our irrigation well for the last two seasons. Today, ground water was 9'6" from the surface when tested. That was the highest level of water we have ever recorded, as the past highest reading was 15'5" recorded during a wet May last year. Ground water 6' closer to the surface is significant, and helps to explain what we are experiencing.
Thanks for reading....please email or call with questions!!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Seven More Holes Open Thursday
The back nine will be open Thursday, except holes 14 and 15. No golf carts on the back nine. These two holes remain soaked, tee to greens. 14 and 15 will open when standing water disappears from roughs and fairways.
We are amazed how wet 14 and 15 are a week after the storm. 15 remains unmowable, due to standing water, especially from road to fairway. When trying to mow greenside 15 fairway today, the greensmower we used scalped turf before we abandoned the project. When play resumes on 15, this damage will be obvious. We are confident that most of 14 fairway will be mowed later today, and available for play later in the week.
On the front side, we have kept the pump running on #1 to lower pond water level since Friday. However, much of the water we have removed has been water that has flowed into the pond since Friday. See math below:
PUMPED FROM POND SINCE FRIDAY
IF:
Gallons per pump hour: 20,000
Hours Pump has run: x 50
TOTAL GALLONS PUMPED= 1,000,000 gals
AND:
GALLONS WATER PER POND INCH 70,000
POND LEVEL DROPPED 7 INCHES x 7
GALLONS REMOVED FROM POND= 490,000 gals
THEN
+510,000 gallons of water has flowed into the pond since Friday.
While not trained in hydrology, we are assuming that the high level of water in the pond is slowing percolation of water into soils, especially on 15. Also, ground water levels are extremely high, adding to our issues. For these reasons, we will continue to pump down the pond level using both our small 333GPM pump, and irrigation pumps.
And, to add some irony to your day, greens have dried out a bit since last Thursday, and will be hand watered within the next few hours.
We are amazed how wet 14 and 15 are a week after the storm. 15 remains unmowable, due to standing water, especially from road to fairway. When trying to mow greenside 15 fairway today, the greensmower we used scalped turf before we abandoned the project. When play resumes on 15, this damage will be obvious. We are confident that most of 14 fairway will be mowed later today, and available for play later in the week.
On the front side, we have kept the pump running on #1 to lower pond water level since Friday. However, much of the water we have removed has been water that has flowed into the pond since Friday. See math below:
PUMPED FROM POND SINCE FRIDAY
IF:
Gallons per pump hour: 20,000
Hours Pump has run: x 50
TOTAL GALLONS PUMPED= 1,000,000 gals
AND:
GALLONS WATER PER POND INCH 70,000
POND LEVEL DROPPED 7 INCHES x 7
GALLONS REMOVED FROM POND= 490,000 gals
THEN
+510,000 gallons of water has flowed into the pond since Friday.
While not trained in hydrology, we are assuming that the high level of water in the pond is slowing percolation of water into soils, especially on 15. Also, ground water levels are extremely high, adding to our issues. For these reasons, we will continue to pump down the pond level using both our small 333GPM pump, and irrigation pumps.
And, to add some irony to your day, greens have dried out a bit since last Thursday, and will be hand watered within the next few hours.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Back Nine Comments, Delayed Opening (Tuesday??)
We opened the front nine Friday morning, and many members welcomed back sunshine and golf to begin their holiday weekend. Golfers playing today saw nine holes that still had wet areas throughout. To me, it is remarkable that even half the property is available for golf so soon after 9" of rain. Meterologist and member Mr. Stevens believes this was a 200 to 300 year storm event.
We have heard from some unhappy members today, commenting on the lack of availability of both golf carts and the back nine. These decisions are not made lightly, but were easy ones to make. It is our estimation that golf carts will be available for the front nine before any golf is played on the back nine, as the back nine is soaked. I have not seen conditions this wet at Potowomut since my arrival 1,887 days ago. (5+ years) To detail conditions hole by hole:
#10 Extremely wet by the green. This was a water collection point during the storm, creating a few small lakes here.
#11 Entire fairway and green surrounds are extremely wet. Walking on the fairway today, heels of my shoes were depressing in muddy turf wherever I walked on #11. Golf and walking traffic here would ruin playing surfaces.
#12 The green on 12 was the only turf exposed all day Tuesday and Wednesday. A lake formed here as well, from the fairway and right side bunker to the 13th tee.
#13 From the tee to the hill at 200 yards is extremely wet.
#14 Rough on both sides is still full of water, 2" to 4" in depth. Traffic and golf would damage playing surfaces for remaining 2010.
#15 First fairway has standing water everywhere. Much of this fairway was squeeged and pumped today. The second fairway is still extremely wet from the huge lake that formed here, especially at the green.
#16 Dry except for the right side and back of the green surrounds. Water is percolating out of the soil down the entire sloped right side of the green complex, making this area wet and hazardous. Water is also coming off the 14 tee complex, crossing the road adding to the above situation. All this water is moving, ending up in the second fairway on 15, slowing its ability to dry out.
#17 17 Fairway was the area that took the pumped water from the lake on 15, therefore the landing area is still extremely wet.
#18 Dryest hole on the back side, although very wet from the pond toward the green.
We hope the dry conditions we see Saturday and Sunday will speed recovery and thus, playability. However, history teaches us that when back nine holes are this wet, days are needed as opposed to hours. During October, 2005, we had a six inch rainfall event, forcing us to close the back nine for many days until conditions changed. Because of the extreme wet conditions, we mowed back nine fairways with 22" hand greensmowers in 2005, as we will be prepared to begin this Monday. This will not be easy with our current four man crew, but we will get it done!!
Maybe we didn't accurately portray the storm's affects during previous communications. Nine inches of rain fell on our property from Monday until Wednesday, the most significant amount of precipitation that has fallen on Potowomut in possibly 55 years. Please be patient as mother nature takes care of business. We will allow carts on the front nine and open up the back nine for play and carts as soon as the golf course tells us it is ready. Promise.
We have heard from some unhappy members today, commenting on the lack of availability of both golf carts and the back nine. These decisions are not made lightly, but were easy ones to make. It is our estimation that golf carts will be available for the front nine before any golf is played on the back nine, as the back nine is soaked. I have not seen conditions this wet at Potowomut since my arrival 1,887 days ago. (5+ years) To detail conditions hole by hole:
#10 Extremely wet by the green. This was a water collection point during the storm, creating a few small lakes here.
#11 Entire fairway and green surrounds are extremely wet. Walking on the fairway today, heels of my shoes were depressing in muddy turf wherever I walked on #11. Golf and walking traffic here would ruin playing surfaces.
#12 The green on 12 was the only turf exposed all day Tuesday and Wednesday. A lake formed here as well, from the fairway and right side bunker to the 13th tee.
#13 From the tee to the hill at 200 yards is extremely wet.
#14 Rough on both sides is still full of water, 2" to 4" in depth. Traffic and golf would damage playing surfaces for remaining 2010.
#15 First fairway has standing water everywhere. Much of this fairway was squeeged and pumped today. The second fairway is still extremely wet from the huge lake that formed here, especially at the green.
#16 Dry except for the right side and back of the green surrounds. Water is percolating out of the soil down the entire sloped right side of the green complex, making this area wet and hazardous. Water is also coming off the 14 tee complex, crossing the road adding to the above situation. All this water is moving, ending up in the second fairway on 15, slowing its ability to dry out.
#17 17 Fairway was the area that took the pumped water from the lake on 15, therefore the landing area is still extremely wet.
#18 Dryest hole on the back side, although very wet from the pond toward the green.
We hope the dry conditions we see Saturday and Sunday will speed recovery and thus, playability. However, history teaches us that when back nine holes are this wet, days are needed as opposed to hours. During October, 2005, we had a six inch rainfall event, forcing us to close the back nine for many days until conditions changed. Because of the extreme wet conditions, we mowed back nine fairways with 22" hand greensmowers in 2005, as we will be prepared to begin this Monday. This will not be easy with our current four man crew, but we will get it done!!
Maybe we didn't accurately portray the storm's affects during previous communications. Nine inches of rain fell on our property from Monday until Wednesday, the most significant amount of precipitation that has fallen on Potowomut in possibly 55 years. Please be patient as mother nature takes care of business. We will allow carts on the front nine and open up the back nine for play and carts as soon as the golf course tells us it is ready. Promise.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
9 Holes Open Friday!!
Dear Members,
We will open the front 9 tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM. NO CARTS will be available, but pull cart and electrical power caddies can be used. Greens will be mowed tomorrow at first light.
The only issue with playing the front side tomorrow will be the new stream** that is running across the first fairway. (See photos in Blog) Golfers will be instructed to walk from just before the stream on the first fairway, across the area behind the third green, to the fourth cartpath and small bridge, crossing back over to one via four. Sounds confusing....but it isn't.
A picture is on the Blog of the new lake on 15 which has dwindled considerably, exposing the entire green and most of the surrounds, except for the left side. The rest of the back nine is still very wet, and will open as soon as drainage and expected drying conditions permit.
We are constantly thinking and praying for our many members, neighbors and friends coping with flooding and related issues.
Patrick Gertner CGCS
Golf Course Superintendent
**Assuming the stream is still present tomorrow...
From 1 tee
15 From 100 yards this afternoon
We will open the front 9 tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM. NO CARTS will be available, but pull cart and electrical power caddies can be used. Greens will be mowed tomorrow at first light.
The only issue with playing the front side tomorrow will be the new stream** that is running across the first fairway. (See photos in Blog) Golfers will be instructed to walk from just before the stream on the first fairway, across the area behind the third green, to the fourth cartpath and small bridge, crossing back over to one via four. Sounds confusing....but it isn't.
A picture is on the Blog of the new lake on 15 which has dwindled considerably, exposing the entire green and most of the surrounds, except for the left side. The rest of the back nine is still very wet, and will open as soon as drainage and expected drying conditions permit.
We are constantly thinking and praying for our many members, neighbors and friends coping with flooding and related issues.
Patrick Gertner CGCS
Golf Course Superintendent
**Assuming the stream is still present tomorrow...
From 1 tee
15 From 100 yards this afternoon
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