Patrick's Golf Course Blog

Winter weather words

2012-01-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

As of Friday morning, the winter of 2011-2012 has been a non event from a winter weather standpoint. I've never lived in the area of Washington DC, or coastal Virginia or North Carolina, but I am guessing our winter this year is similar to a normal winter there. In other words, we're seeing a nice warm winter for Rhode Island residents and for our golf course's turfgrass!

Most years, we enjoy (and promote) a thick blanket of snow during January and February. Snow cover protects turf from extreme cold and winter winds that can dry out and cause springtime havoc for golf playing surfaces. This year it has not been cold enough for desiccating winds to do any damage. Our long range forecast tells us next week will continue with above average temperatures with colder, more typical winter weather returning during early February. Even if we get a three to five week winter beginning on February 2nd or 3rd, its short duration tells us our spring turf conditions should be better than after most New England winters.

Now there is some good news to start 2012 with!

We hope to see everyone very soon!!!

Merry Christmas (Greens are still open) Update

2011-12-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

So far, we are happy that true winter weather has stayed away. December weather has allowed cold weather golf for our bravest golfers. As of today (Monday Dec 19th) greens remain open and based on the forecast I suspect they will be open for a few days beyond Christmas. Persistent below freezing cold or significant snowfall closes greens for winter. Once closed, they won't open again until warmer March or April weather returns. We will alert everyone again when greens are closed for the season.

Greens and tees were sprayed to prevent winter diseases last week. A high rate of iron was added to the tank. Iron helps plant functions continue into January despite cold temperatures. Additional photosynthesis means deeper roots for next season and better turf. The final greens application for the year will be completed this week and involves applying the dark green waxy colorant that protects turf in case of a dry, open and snow free winter.

We have begun addressing a few tree issues on the golf course. We have removed dead and unsightly trees and a few affected by Hurricane Irene. Clean up will be an opngoing winter project. We will also look to remove some lower hanging limbs on trees this winter to allow better access for both golfers and mowers.

Sincere thanks to everyone for the wonderful support during 2011. Our golf course is ready for its long winter rest while my staff and I prepare for an even better 2012.

Update and Annual Meeting Notes

2011-11-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Friday November 4 BIG Cup Weekend

I have posted below a summary of my comments to the Annual Meeting last week. Thanks to the Board of Governors for allowing me to speak! Feel free to call or email your comments or questions.

Greens were treated with dark green organic fungicide Civitas this week. The fungicide protects plants from snow mold fungi infection and cold November winds. The dye will last a week or so and then fade. The green protective paint that we’ve used to protect greens the last few winters will be applied with final plant protectants later in November or early December.

We will work to improve a few bunker edges next week as we wait for the majority of remaining leaves to fall from trees. We plan on preparing many of these areas beforehand, then plant sod during one or two days late next week or the week after. Thanks for your patience during the process!!

Soil samples were taken this week that will help us better manage essential element nitrogen. Besides telling us how much nitrogen is present in soils, these tests will reveal its pattern of release. Plants need a known amount of nitrogen monthly. Test results will reveal exactly when the nitrogen will become available for plants and will direct us to apply just the proper amount needed. Applying the exact amount will save funds and may prevent excessive nitrogen runoff into ground water and surface waters of Narragansett Bay. Technology rocks!!

Irrigation system will be shut down and pipes prepared for winter during the week of November 14.

A down payment is currently holding our second electric greens roller. A fleet of two practically new rollers to use next year will significantly improve greens conditioning.

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful support during 2011. We are already looking forward to 2012!!!

Golf Course Report 10/27/2011
Patrick Gertner CGCS

2011 REPORT
• Fairways had minor ice damage but recovered nicely during April and May.
• Springtime roughs were thick and penal partly because of 6.5” of April rainfall. In the future, we will be quicker to address this problem when it arises.
• RIGA Stroke Play tournament conditions were well received.
• August and September were wettest on record and among top ten in warmth since weather records have been kept. (119 years)
• Member donated roller arrived at Potowomut in September.

FAIRWAYS
• In July, back nine fairways were weakened by a growth regulator application. This chemical will NOT be used again.
• All fairways and some roughs were damaged by Grey Leaf Spot (Blast) disease in September.
• GLS’s pathogen is extremely rare most years; although common to RI golf courses in 2011 that have ryegrass present in fairways.
• Late season disease hits ryegrass only, one of three of the most common Potowomut fairway grass types.
• Commonly seen in hurricane years due to the warm and wet conditions they bring. (9.50” rainfall at Poto from Aug 28 to Oct 4.)
• Best remedy is to plant non-susceptible turfgrass varieties. (creeping bentgrass) Fairway overseeding completed on 10/12/2011, used 500 lbs. seed. (2.5 billion seeds) More seeding may be necessary in spring. Rough seeding projects are ongoing.
We are looking to purchase two different seeding machines this winter to be able to quickly address golf course seeding needs.
• Fairways were fertilized early this year (October 17) to speed recovery and again in spring 2012 if recovery is not progressing at satisfactory pace.
• Fairways will be in excellent condition for spring 2012, barring winter weather turfgrass damage.

2012

2012 Golf Course Maintenance Operation

The golf course will still be a joy to play next year for members and guests. The proposed budget includes equipment purchases. We plan on controlling turfgrass pests just as we have in past years. You will still play on lush fairways and tees and fast greens. Greens will be mowed or rolled daily and the driving range will have its divots seeded regularly with more aggressive and disease resistant creeping bentgrass. Growth regulators will continue to be used on greens, tees, and fairways for excellent playing surfaces. Above all, we will continue to strive to make Potowomut the best it can be, where you will be proud to bring family and friends.

2012 Greens operating budget highlights:

Health and playability of the golf course remains the top goals. 2012 spending budget is being built from the ground up addressing products and services for turfgrass health first.

• Green, tee and fairway disease management will be unchanged.
• Greens will be painted with the waxy green protectant for winter.
• Crabgrass will still be controlled using same chemical program used in 2011. 100% coverage
• All other weed control programs remain unchanged.
• Insecticide program will be maintained for all turf areas, upgraded on fairways where weaknesses showed in 2011.
• Includes 100% coverage for grub control; identical program as 2011.
• Hyperoides weevils (annual bluegrass weevils) control on golf course fairways and roughs to be significantly upgraded.
• Growth regulators, which are used to provide excellent playing surfaces, will be unchanged.
• Maintenance of irrigation system will not be neglected.
• No changes to rough mowing, green and bunker surround frequency. (New mowers will improve quality)
• Use of greens rolling will be expanded for increased playability.
• Use of weekend labor continues at or above 2011 levels.
• Intermediate rough maintenance will be upgraded. On many procedures, intermediate rough will get more intensive fairway maintenance, as opposed to being treated as rough turfgrass as in the past.
• Early ordering of ALL golf course chemicals will save Potowomut thousands. Newly available generic (off patent) products will be used.

2012 ADJUSTMENTS

• Frequency of mowing may be adjusted to twice per week on fairways and tees many weeks. This change may be imperceptible to golfers because stronger growth regulator program will better slow turf growth.
• Greens will be mowed at height of cut they’ve been mowed at from Aug 25 until aeration.
• Triplex greens mower will be used in shoulder seasons of April through early May and again in October and November. Labor saver.
• Greens will be rolled only many days instead of mowed and rolled. Labor saver. (Have located, and are looking to purchase 2nd greens roller.)
• Greens fertilizer program will utilize less expensive materials. Greens may not be as deep green in color as we are used to, but playing surfaces will be excellent.
• New equipment purchases will decrease funds needed for equipment repair.
• Hurricane Irene cleanup work will be saved for after this season which will enable us to apply those 2012 labor charges into insurance claim.
• Thousands of dollars in labor savings have been identified that have the least impact on the golf course. More part time employees.

We are already excited about 2012 plans. Problems that arose in 2011 have given us awareness to address golf course issues that need to be strengthened. 2012 budget provides for these changes. New equipment pieces will give improved golf course conditioning and will allow us to become more financially efficient.

2012 CAPITAL PLANNED PURCHASES
Highlights of new equipment include:

New fountain for pond
(2) New rough mowers
Topdresser
Fairway bunker rake
(2) Seeders for greens and roughs
2nd greens roller

Questions, answers, facts and a request.

2011-10-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

Questions, answers, a few facts and a request......

1. Question: Fairway and rough ryegrass is diseased with grey leaf spot (GLS). Why aren't greens affected? What about tees?
Answer: Greens have no ryegrass, so they cannot get GLS. Tees have ryegrass and can get GLS. Tees were sprayed on 8/23 and again on 9/26 with fungicides that prevented disease. We spray tees with higher quality fungicides that prevent a wider spectrum of diseases compared to less expensive materials used on fairways. Fairway fungicides used after August 15 target only a single disease, dollar spot, and no applications applied this year would have prevented GLS because of the high cost ($ 20,000+) to prevent it. Rough is never sprayed for any disease.

2. Question: What else are we doing to get rid of GLS unsightliness?
Answer: Besides the overseeding projects mentioned in an email last week, fairways and intermediate roughs will be fertilized heavily to get them to fill in quickly. Growth regulator use has been suspended until sometime next spring after fairways have fully healed. At this point, we need to aggressively grow grass and not impede healing in any way!!

3. Question: Will GLS come back?
Answer: For this year, it cannot because GLS needs consistent warm temperatures to remain active, especially at night. Yes, it could come back next year or in a future year, but it is a very rare turf disease. During 2011, we had the "perfect storm" for its development late August and September with a warm hurricane and almost every day rain occurrences in the weeks after. Total rainfall over a 38 day period was 9.5"

4. Question: How many types of grasses do Potowomut fairways contain?
Answer: Many. The predominant two species are ryegrass and Poa annua (annual bluegrass.) These two species are also the two grasses most prone to disease outbreaks in our climate. Fairways also contain Colonial Bentgrass, Creeping bentgrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and miscellaneous Fine Fescues....a true hodgepodge!

4. Fact: Ryegrass has not been added to fairways at least since we began at Potowomut in 2005. Seed bottles** hold colonial bentgrass and fine turf fescue. We go out of our way NOT to add ryegrass to fairways because of GLS and other potential disease problems. Ryegrass's best quality is fast germination; seed comes up in 2 to 3 days and can quickly "rescue" poor turf areas and turf managers. However as tempting it is to use ryegrass to reseed poor areas with fast ryegrass, we won't do it. Ryegrass is a quick fix grass that just kicks the can down the road a bit. Creeping bentgrasses, once established, provide the best playing surfaces and reliability over the long term and will be the only seed added to fairways in the future.

5. Question: Why do we add so much sand to greens after aeration?
Answer: For a couple of reasons. First, after the aeration machines pull soil cores, they are removed by the crew with shovels. We add sand because we are changing the soil we grow the greens in. Out with the old, in with the new!! Instead of original soils, we add a USGA tested sand that resists compaction, helps drain water from greens, aids golfers by accepting a properly struck golf shot, and to keep putting surfaces smooth and fast.

6. Important Request: Creeping bentgrass is a wonderful turf for fairways, but it makes for terrible rough. Please help us by only using seed bottles ON FAIRWAYS ONLY!!

**Seed bottle bentgrass will be changed from Colonial Bents to Creeping Bents before next year, to take advantage of the creeping bent's ability to laterally grow over time, combined with wonderful member participation to aid the cause. Fescue seed will be removed. Today's fairway conditions demonstrate the need for more bentgrass on fairways and far less ryegrass.

Thanks to Owen Zimmer, grandson of Richard (Paco) Zimmer and our many members who are helping us to seed divots in fairways! Please remember to replace an intact divot first, and use the seed bottle as a last resort!! Also thanks to member Larry Bonoff for helping to coordinate the Greens Staff and Bag Room Staff about the divot program.

Another wet soggy post...

2011-10-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

We are writing today to again report about our poor attitude about weather, especially the wet and cloudy kind. Over the last 38 days, 9.5" of rain has fallen on Potowomut, when probably 4.0 to 4.5 inches would be considered normal. Turf has not been able to dry for any length of time, it has been constantly wet. Wet turf is prone to diseases, no matter how strong the preventative fungicide program. Constant wet weather has also caused earthworms to come to the surface often, causing thousands of unsightly worm casts on fairways.

Everyone has seen poor performing fairways and roughs, especially on the front nine. Fairway and rough ryegrass turf was diagnosed with Grey Leaf Spot which is also referred to as blast disease because of the quick and devastating nature of the pathogen. (When blast disease shows up in the Northeast, it often occurs after the rains and warmth of a hurricane.) Chemical controls to prevent Grey Leaf Spot are too expensive for most golf clubs in our climate as a single fairway treatment exceeds $ 10,000 in cost, which is almost 25% of our yearly outlay for fungicides. Preventing the disease during the season would require two treatments.

We communicated this week with friend Dr. Lane Tredway, turf pathologist at North Carolina State University. He advises clubs not to try and prevent the disease but instead install resistant varieties of turfgrass to fairways. Resistant turfgrasses such as bentgrass and fescues do not get Grey Leaf Spot, and planting seed is less expensive than fungicide treatments that may or may not work.

Therefore, within the next week we will be hiring a contractor to re-seed ten to twelve acres of damaged fairways with creeping bentgrasses. Poor performing rough areas will also be re-seeded using a borrowed seeder from Quidnessett CC. Forecated warm October weather will help seed germinate quickly and fill in turfgrass voids on the golf course.

Earthworm casts present huge challenges for Superintendents. Again, chemicals are available that control earthworms, but they are very pricey and last for only two weeks making repeat applications necessary. Many clubs in the Northeast topdress fairways with a half inch of sand per season which also discourages populations.

Today we began aerating greens and completed six of them. Aeration is the process where we poke holes in soil to relieve compaction, improve soils by adding lost pore space and add sand. Excellent soil is comprised of 50% soil particles and 50% pore spaces. Over the course of the season pore spaces are squeezed away from soils from foot traffic, and from the weight of rainfall and maintenance equipment. Pore space is needed in the soil as space for roots and for water movement. Aeration helps soils breathe and allows us to maintain healthy, well draining greens during the season.

After greens are aerated and cleaned, we apply a fine layer of USGA tested sand to fill holes. Sand is a better growing medium as compared to existing soils that are removed and also smooths surface imperfections. Greens built with sands drain better and accept well struck golf shots.

We expect to complete the operation on Friday. Greens aerated in October can be slow to heal because of cold nighttime temperatures. However, warm weather over this weekend may speed the process a bit. Greens will be fertilized to speed growth, and thus, recovery. Also this year, greens will be overseeded to one of the improved Penn State bred varieties of low growing bentgrasses.

Please join me in welcoming the next five or six days of dry weather!!

Post Tropical Storm Update

2011-09-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

Apologies for taking such a long time to get to the blog....Also, please follow me on Twitter at PotoGreens for more frequent 140 character golf course updates!!

We have been through quite a bit during the last few weeks. Irene caused havoc and mayhem on the golf course and we continue to literally pick up the pieces and move forward. Remnants of Lee also came through RI and dropped four inches of rainfall last week...but that was a needed soaking!! I'll briefly recap a few highlights from Irene and again get back to writing about more everyday type issues we face in September and October.

As the storm moved through Sunday September 4, we reserved a rental on a brush chipper from the Cape area. Twenty equipment rental agencies were called before we had success. We had employees at the Club on Sunday to deal with situations that needed immediate attention, and this proved very worthwhile. Both storm drains at the Clubhouse building became clogged with tree debris early and were cleared during the day. If this wasn't done, the clubhouse building certainly would have been flooded through the front door and in the 19th hole.

We hired Warwick Tree Service before the storm left Rhode Island to perform necessary tree work to put us back in business. I am not sure what we would have done without them because golf course damage was extensive. Besides the obvious uprooted and downed trees, we had many dangerous situations with precariously hanging limbs that needed to be pruned. Warwick Tree was here for three of the first four days of cleanup despite their long list of affected customers.

Our Potowomut crew arrived on Monday to a golf course littered with tree debris everywhere. Photos were taken to document damage for insurance purposes. Our employees went hole by hole raking, blowing and picking up sticks, branches and small trees. The chipper arrived Wednesday morning. We started cleaning on hole ten because damage was less on the back side, and knew we could open those holes the soonest. Thanks to Shawn Campbell, Seth Force and bag room and restaurant employees for their help on Monday!! They were invaluable!! As of this writing, major debris has been picked up, piles of leaves still need to be picked up, and many areas need to be re-visited and cleaned again.

Also, much tree work remains for outside tree professionals to complete. All snapped and hanging branches will be pruned. Root balls from uprooted trees will be removed and stumps will be ground and established with turf. Turf damaged from tree work will be renovated and re-seeded. There are entire trees that still need to be removed because of storm damage, (see photo below of a huge new crack on a Maple left of #1) including some sizable ones. Yes, we are open and safe for golf, but please know that much work still remains.

Back to storm details. Power was lost to irrigation pumps Sunday during the storm. A National Grid Engineer arrived Tuesday and told us power probably wouldn't return until the following Sunday or Monday. The golf course can't survive long without rainfall or irrigation water, neither of which were possibilities on Tuesday. Before the Engineer was off the property, we called our pump supplier, DAF in Connecticut and reserved their only diesel powered pump that would enable us to pump water into our pipes at a third of the capacity we are used to. (Later in the day, the service people told me before Tuesday ended numerous Westchester County and suburban Connecticut clubs, including many with name recognition all over the United States wished they had called first.) The pump was installed on Wednesday and irrigation was initiated to drying greens and fairways. We arrived to work on Thursday morning surprised to find power in the pumphouse; the pump quickly was moved by DAF to another powerless golf course in New Canaan CT.

Power to the irrigation system controls comes from the maintenance facility. (Our generator was powered up to run irrigation satellites, but it proved to be too small.) Even though we could pump water, we could not tell which irrigation heads to run and for how long. For this reason, Assistant Superintendent Dan Virgulak and I had to visit each sprinkler head (we have 1100) to turn them on and off individually. Because of the diminished capacity of the pump, we could only run eleven heads at a time, compared to the thirty five to forty that run when fully operational. This is why irrigation was running while you played golf...it took a long time to irrigate 35 acres of turf under these conditions!

Power was restored to our shop on Sunday September 3, and we were completely back in the irrigation business! As of today, all irrigation is again operational.

TURFGRASS
Rain last week helped the golf course to recover from a few summer issues. All fairways had a bad reaction to a different growth regulator product applied in July and August. You may remember the off color appearance from a few weeks ago. Safe to say, this product will not be used again on fairways; we will return to the more expensive yet safer alternative. To aid additional healing of fairways, we won't apply more growth regulators this year. To thicken them up, we will encourage growth that we are usually trying to suppress.

Edges of greens that are thin or non-existent will be seeded with help of an aerator attachment purchased for this purpose. We will seed the areas to a newly developed creeping bentgrasses designed for extremely low heights of cut.

Tees will be aerated later this week or next. After tees are completed, we will begin fairway aeration. Greens will be aerated beginning on Wednesday, October 5th.

The areas where sod was taken from the turfgrass nursery (chipping green by the practice tee) will be renovated and seeded within the next few weeks. We used quite a bit of our home grown sod the last few years and it has been slowly shrinking!!

Sincere thanks to my wonderful and hard working crew for Irene clean up efforts. As usual, they went way above expectations to get the golf course back in play for members. Also thanks for many enthusiastic positive comments from members during the last few weeks.

Miscellaneous ramblings

2011-08-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

Some people have heard me say that I am never happy with the weather between May and November. That statement is untrue, as I was thrilled with the rainfall we received last Saturday night. As the precipitation continued on Sunday and Monday, I again turned anti-weather thinking of possible disease outbreaks caused by excessive soil moisture.

We went through an very hot and dry period from July 14 until August 6. In July, the irrigation system pumped 5.11 million gallons, the most ever in a month at Potowomut. (Some was used to water in July grub insecticide applications.) Increased heat promotes more damaging turf diseases to all areas as parts of two fairways were hit with minor outbreaks of pythium blight, a turf killer that visits Rhode Island only once or twice in ten years because of continued 95 to 100 degree heat needed for its development. Lower temperatures and fungicide applications stopped its progression but some damage was done on 7, 14 and 15. Patch diseases were also seen on fairways despite three preventative fungicide applications.

With cooler temperatures of late August approaching, the golf course is poised to be in great condition for fall golf. Thin areas of intermediate rough will be seeded soon, as will areas of 14 fairway. Greens will pick up significant speed with lower height of cut and cooler morning temperatures. Fall greens aeration doesn't happen until October 4th or 5th, so September will be a great month to enjoy your golf course.

If you haven't, please sign up in for the Green Committee's "Adopt a Hole" program. You can sign up on Foretees or in the Pro Shop for a single hole that you and your family would take a few extra minutes and repair ballmarks, replace or seed divots in fairways, or rake a bunker needing attention during your round. Thanks!!!

Follow us on twitter at PotoGreens!!

Tidbits.....Insecticide applications (greens, tees, fairways and roughs) for grubs were completed on August 3rd...Nematode counts are WAY down in samples sent to UMASS this year; experimental control methods seem to be working. Many reports of courses in the Northeast are seeing high populations this year....Pumped 11 million gallons of irrigation water through August 11....Diesel engine in the rough mower failed and is being rebuilt; we are renting the machine we are using now....Thanks to Mike Kirejczyk and Matt LaCroix for their efforts this summer as they return to college....

July Update

2011-07-19T05:53:00.001-07:00

Greens held up very well during extra stresses placed on them during the 106th Rhode Island Amateur. In preparation for the event, greens were topdressed and groomed numerous times. (Grooming, a less aggressive form of verticutting, helps grass blades stand straight up, as opposed to laying over as they prefer, adding ball roll distance.) Water and fertilizers were held back. Each morning of the event, greens were double mowed at our lowest height of cut and rolled twice a day. Turf was under stress, yet performed very well. Thanks to Steven Willand Equipment of Brookfield CT for letting us borrow equipment we needed for the event!! Also, thanks to Assistant Superintendent Dan Virgulak and our wonderful staff of professionals who again went above and beyond what was asked for. You guys rock.

As your Golf Course Superintendent, our stated goals are to provide season long reliable and consistent putting surfaces for members and guests. On small (average size 4111 sq ft) Poa annua and bentgrass greens in our climate, numerous environmental issues are always in play to kill turfgrass from May through September including turfgrass disease, root eating nematodes, golfer foot traffic, insects, heat and humidity. The faster the greens, the more prone we are to turf damage and death from the above factors. Trying to add six to nine inches of stimp meter speed is not worth risking severe decline in greens' quality or the significant higher expense involved. My fellow colleague Steve Kurta uses a turf roller at the private club where he works with the phrase "Speed Kills" prominently displayed. Steve's roller speaks the truth!

BUNKER RAKE CHANGE
Beginning this week, the Greens Committee asks you to place bunker rakes INSIDE bunkers, instead of outside. Please put rakes inside the bunkers, parallel to the bunker edge on the low side of bunkers. The Committee feels it will be easier to locate rakes that are inside bunkers.

NEMATODES

We are one of a few northern courses experimenting with a new control product for nematodes, with the financial help of supplier Agrium Inc. Nematodes are small soil pests that feed on and eliminate turfgrass roots quickly during warm summer months. Today,(Wednesday) soil samples were pulled to determine nematode counts before Agrium's MultiGuard was applied to 15 green. We will sample Friday to again count nematodes to determine the product's effectiveness. (Samples will be sent to the University of Massachusetts Nematology lab where technicians physically count how many nematodes are in each sample.)

We will keep you informed how well the product is performing, or join me and observe the 15th green's turfgrass quality as you play the next few weeks!! (15 green has the highest nematode populations of all 19 greens, similar to China of world population)

COURSE UPKEEP
Finally, as we get further into the summer, we need your help to maintain your golf course. Ballmarks on greens become an issue the further we get into summer. Always repair your ballmark plus one other. Please view the following link which shows the proper method to repair a ball mark:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NiBpLs5n7I&feature=player_detailpage

Bunkers are also an area where you can help. Here is a link that shows how to properly rake a bunker. Hopefully, we don't hit into too many bunkers during a single round, but the time you take to rake a bunker affects the golf course for future players. Also, notice that the gentleman uses two hands, as a one handed bunker raker cannot provide a quality surface under any circumstance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciYITPB28Ag

Also thanks again to everyone who uses sand and seed bottles on fairways. I truly believe we have one of the best programs in the country for sanding and seeding divots and am heart warmed by our membership's grasp of the program. Please remember however, we prefer you replace a turf divot versus using the sand and seed, as a significant turf divot will heal much faster than the seed will germinate. If the sand and seed is needed, only fill divots flush with surrounding soil. A divot filled with too much sand damages delicate mowing reels and bedknives and causes poor mowing quality.

Secondly, please remember that seed included in the bottle is for fairways only! The seed has been specially selected for fairways in our climate, but it makes for terrible rough turf. Again, thanks!

Thanks for every one's continued support!! I am quite sure there is not a more supportive membership of a Golf Course Superintendent and staff than here at Potowomut Golf Club. Sincere thank yous to everyone, as we hear so many positive comments each and every day.

Back to my hose....

JUNE UPDATE

2011-06-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and we have been busy improving the golf course for you and your guests. Included in our work is improved bunkers with new sand, and less Poa annua on greens!!

We also have seen a pest (hyperoides weevils) do some turf damage early during 2011, and we will explain what our plans are to control this insect pest.

BUNKERS
Greenside bunkers were edged last week. We are also adding new sand where needed. To date, we have added 100 tons to greenside bunkers. We are addressing bunkers with the highest needs first. We plan to continuing this project for the duration of the summer. **Please remember that newly filled bunkers will play a bit differently than they did before they were filled.**

We will continue bunker improvements later during the summer and fall by beginning to rebuild bunker edges. Many of the edges of bunkers have deteriorated over the years due to age, erosion, use and raking processes. On many bunkers, the edges have become a no man's land of bunker and/or rough, and our goal is to again create a clear and concise border of turfed bunker edge and rough. This will be done by clearly identifying bunker edges, and replacing sand that has spilled over the edges with new topsoil and sod. The lack of a edge on the low side of greenside 16 bunker is the best (or worst) example of a bunker needing this work.

GREENS
Greens are off to a strong start. As mentioned earlier this season, growth regulator Cutless is being used this year to increase creeping bentgrass populations by stunting the Poa annua. To date, we are extremely pleased. With higher populations of creeping bentgrass on greens, less Poa annua, greens will be more reliable and consistent over the long term. We expect this project to take two or three years, but the goal of nearly pure creeping bentgrass greens will be worth the wait!

INSECT DAMAGE
Annual bluegrass weevils (hyperoides weevils) have made an appearance and damaged turf this spring. These insects lay eggs into green, tee and fairway areas in early spring. Grubs, two to three millimeter sized, hatch in May and begin feasting on turfgrass roots. The area most affected to date is 11 fairway which shows moderate damage, despite insecticide applications made on May 2, May 17 and June 16. Greens, which show no damage, have been treated five times this season with two different insecticides.

We may see five or six generations of Annual Bluegrass Weevils during the summer, so continuing insecticide applications into August will hopefully keep turf damage to a minimum.

Tidbits.....we have pumped 3.8 million gallons of water as of today, 5.2 million as of June 28 last year....RI State Amateur Tournament begins July 12th here at Potowomut....have almost completed herbicide applications to give you a nearly 100% weed free golf course....we have a dedicated employee in 2011 (Divot Dan) whose only job is to fill divots with seed and soil on tees and practice tees...my thanks to our wonderful 2011 staff....follow us on twitter at PotoGreens...

Golf Course Update

2011-06-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

After a cool and wet April and May, we've had perfect golf weather during June. Additionally, it has been dry the last two weeks with only a tenth of an inch of rainfall since May 24th. Not coincidently, growth of the rough has slowed dramatically.

A new set of tee markers were put out today. Anyone can use the new tee markers. These yellow markers were added for beginner or junior golfers who would prefer to play a short golf course. This is a trial program and will be evaluated later in the season. This short golf course has not been rated by the Rhode Island Golf Association. If the length of holes is overwhelming, come on out and learn to play our wonderful game, executive style!!

Trees were planted to the left side of 16 tee last week. These Serbian Spruces will serve as a protective screen from drives hit left from 17 tee. We purchased the largest trees (7-8') that tree nurseries keep in inventory. Larger trees would have been far more expensive to purchase, and would have been more difficult to handle and install.

We have begun edging and repairing greenside bunkers. We will be able to put an improved edge on these bunkers by mid July. Seventy five tons of sand (2 trailer loads) will be used to fill bunkers by a priority established by Greens Chairman Sal Soscia and myself. After the initial edging process, we will tackle more bunker projects as the season progresses toward fall.

Leaf Spot Disease

2011-05-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

"Rain? We don't need no stinkin rain!" Or wind, clouds, or cold for that matter.

As late May approaches, we are observing injury from disease "leaf spot" on fairway turfgrass. Leaf spot, caused by fungi drechslera, has been present since April, and usually does not alarm turf managers. However, extended cold and wet conditions this week is helping the disease to spread and become more damaging to plants. If left uncontrolled, leaf spot can take out large areas of turf and make for unhappy Golf Course Superintendents and golfers.

If and when the wind and rain stops this week, two fungicides will be applied to control leaf spot in a single application. Most years leaf spot disappears as quick as it comes as warm weather slows, then stops growth of the fungi within the plant. This is not a normal year, so far....

Hit it straight!!

2011-05-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

The rough is growing at a rate keeping both golfers and maintenance people unhappy. I'd like to provide a little information about this situation.

1. Rough turfgrass grows fastest in spring.
2. Since April 1st, 6.50" of rainfall has fallen on Potowomut. This factor is the most important one affecting unruly rough conditions today.
3. After a brutal 2010 summer, rough was fertilized to aid its recovery last fall. This also is affecting rough height and quality, especially when combined with both factors above.

The height of cut on Potowomut rough is 2.50". This height of cut is NOT changed during the year. Lowering the height to 2" would result in thin, less reliable rough during summer months because of the corresponding shrinkage of the turfgrass root system. Larger areas of rough would go dormant in summer months, or would die completely. During a past year, 2" rough was maintained as an experiment and was a rated a miserable failure because of poor rough condition during July, August and September. Remember, most rough turfgrass is NOT irrigated during summer because the sprinkler heads don't throw water far into the rough.

Normally, it takes us a full 40 hour week to mow the rough one time. The operator begins Monday morning at 6AM, and completes mowing eighteen holes by late Friday afternoon. For an example, rough on the 10th hole was mowed on Monday morning May 2nd, and will not be mowed again until Monday morning May 9th. Mowing rough twice a week would require investment in both new equipment and more manpower to complete.

For this month, we are working extra hours to try and stay ahead of the rough. We will mow holes with the thickest rough a second time during the week or during the weekend. We expect the rough to slow down during later May and June if normal weather patterns return.

On a positive note, we have begun mowing the "first cut" of rough this week, three weeks early.

This won't hurt a bit.....

2011-05-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

"Now roll up your golf shirt sleeve, this isn't going to hurt a bit."

Greens are scheduled for aeration beginning Monday May 2.

We are using non invasive bayonet tines to aerate greens this week. We will NOT pull soil from the greens, we are only poking holes into the greens with a thin 6" long knife like tine. We will aerate in two directions. Greens will be lightly topdressed with sand. Greens will again be in nice condition two days after they are aerated.

One reason we aerate greens is to remove thatch, a coagulated layer of dead roots and decaying plant stems. Spring 2011 soil testing show that Potowomut greens contain LOW organic matter (around 2% thatch) content. Just five years ago, our greens contained "excessive" (6%) organic matter according to soil tests. Therefore, we hope to rely less on soil pulling core aeration during future springs and more on solid tine aeration. (****Other factors are also at work that may require spring core aeration, so no guarantees can be issued about which method we choose each sping****)

As a Superintendent, I'm thrilled we've had success to limit excessive greens' thatch. As a golfer, I am also happy to provide aeration to greens without severely impacting surfaces for putting....at least for spring 2011!!

Bye bye Poa annua seedheads??

2011-04-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

We've begun our program of slowing growth on greens with growth regulators. This is done to improve greens' speeds for putting but is also done to improve turfgrass health and stamina in summer. The program this year was also designed to prevent Poa annua seedheads from appearing during May and June.

Growth regulators slow growth by limiting the plants' production of gibberellic acid at the growing point. Less gibberellic acid limits the plant's ability to elongate cells. Under regulation, growth is slowed by more than 50%. Research shows that in addition to faster and smoother greens, the energies the plant puts forth toward manufacturing shoots and leaves is reversed. Simply, instead pushing out shoots and leaves, the turf grows more prolific roots. Deeply rooted turf can pull more nutrients and water from soils when summer heat usually causes root systems to die off.

Greens are populated by two vastly different species of turfgrass, creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) and annual bentgrass, (Poa annua.) Only the annual bluegrass produces those pesky seedheads in late spring that cause poor putting conditions. With some luck, we will not see as many seedheads this spring due to the change in our program. (Luck may be needed, as there is a narrow 48 hour time window for a proper application, six weeks before seedhead emergence!!)

Twitter

2011-04-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

I invite everyone to join me on twitter at:

PotoGreens

Bunker Update

2011-04-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Bunkers will be cleaned, raked and opened for play this weekend.

Springtime decisions to prepare the golf course for play are many. This spring, we have focused our efforts on cleaning a very dirty golf course after a damaging winter. The golf course cleaning process can be slow and arduous when mixed in with the first few mowings of greens, tees and fairways, putting out golf course equipment, irrigation start up other general duties. We try and accomplish course clean up as soon as possible because we cannot mow rough when sticks and branches are present. I guess you could say we are on a deadline.

This year, bunkers weren't touched until last week and were not finished for the weekend. All bunker rakes weren't put out for the weekend, and many bunkers were in very tough shape.

Next year, we promise to put a higher priority on getting bunkers ready for play during Spring. We also promise to provide better weather next Spring. We all know early Spring 2012 weather HAS to be better than what we have seen in 2011!
As always, thanks for your patience, support and feedback.

Chilly April Fools Update

2011-03-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

Few Notes....

While March weather has been cold the last few weeks, the golf course has been enjoyable to play in its firm and fast condition. April brings the promise of warmer weather and hopefully many smiles after well struck golf shots!!

Aeration holes are still present on greens from last October's process. Since that aeration, we've had virtually no warm weather that greens need to heal. Please be patient and join me in hoping for warm temperatures to get the greens growing and healing!

The irrigation system was successfully turned on today with only a few minor electrical problems to rectify. We were concerned about the possibility of pipe breaks because of the cold winter, but none were found.

Congratulations are in order for Assistant Superintendents (and brothers) Dan and Steve Virgulak. They both recently completed the Two Year Turfgrass Management Program at Rutgers University in New Jersey. This program is attended by students from across many states and countries because of its reputation for excellence. When you see Dan or Steve on the golf course, please join me in wishing them congratulations!!

Early Spring Update

2011-03-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Members,
The season is upon us!! February and March weather warmed us and thawed our thick snow layer a little ahead of schedule. Greens were opened despite the extension of winter-like temperatures from mid-March until today.
A thick accumulation of snow cover protected turfgrass from major problems this winter. Greens are in excellent shape as are fairways and tees. There are small snow mold patches present on fairways that will grow out quickly. The rough is matted down in places but will recover nicely with warmer weather. We did lose a few branches from trees and these will be cleaned up within the week. White pines behind the ninth green and along the seventh fairway were damaged significantly and will both be removed. The well we use to fill the irrigation pond was cleaned in early March and is ready to provide the golf course with water.
Improving greenside bunkers that see the most play is a priority for this season. These fifteen to twenty bunkers will have their sand fluffed using a small tiller and sand will be added if needed. If time permits, we will expand the scope of the work to include more bunkers. The landscape bed common to both the Clubhouse and Pro Shop formerly filled with unruly junipers will be improved by planting low growing perennials and annual flowers. A new hand railing for the 10th tee stairs will be installed this spring; thanks to member Bambi Soscia for this generous donation. Also, screening trees will be added this year along the left side of the 16th tee to protect golfers from errant tee shots from 17. Poor areas of the intermediate rough will be seeded during April.
Potowomut hosts the 2011 Rhode Island Amateur during July. My staff is excited to prepare and “show off” our great golf course for the best golfers in Rhode Island this year. More on this as we get closer to July.
Most maintenance plans are unchanged from past years. As always, the health and playability of the golf course remains our number one goal and will not be compromised during 2011. Plans include:
1. Crabgrass will be prevented wall to wall.
2. Grubs will be controlled during August wall to wall.
3. Hyperoides weevil control methods will utilize new technology this spring because of reported cases of beetle resistance in Connecticut and Long Island to insecticides we have used at Potowomut.
4. Disease control plans are unchanged for greens, tees and fairways.
5. Plant growth regulator use will continue to provide excellent playing surfaces.
6. Plant parasitic nematodes will be addressed during 2011 using experimental methods. New products are available in 2011 and they will be utilized.
7. Intermediate rough will be mowed from the middle of May through September.
8. Greens will be topdressed with sand every two to three weeks during 2011, providing smoother greens.
Other programs will be adjusted with virtually no changes evident to golfers. These include:
1. Greens aeration programs will be adjusted. Sand injection and deep tine operations that utilize outside contractors will be dropped in lieu of monthly spiking with deep bayonet tine aerification that will be done using Potowomut employees. These monthly operations are not invasive to the putting surface and will get adequate amounts of air into the soil profile to replace deep tine and sand injection.
2. Fairway fertilizer programs will be adjusted slightly and will still provide excellent playing surfaces.
We will also look to gain efficiencies wherever possible during 2011 to stretch your maintenance dollars.
As always, please help us take care of your golf course by replacing divots in fairways, repair your ballmark plus one other, and use the seed bottles only on divots that cannot be replaced. We are excited about beginning the golf season as like you, we want to forget the winter of 2010-2011 as soon as possible. Hope to see you enjoying your golf course soon.
Sincerely,

Patrick Gertner CGCS

Turf Report

2011-03-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

March Turf Report
Winter weather from late December through February had us concerned about winter injury to turfgrass. As a few die hard March golfers can attest, the golf course survived winter quite well and it should be in great shape for golf this spring. Greens are in excellent condition. Fairways and some rough areas have minor superficial snow mold damage that will grow out during later March and April.

Few New Englanders felt warm and fuzzy over our severe winter weather, but the heavy snow cover combined with extended cold temperatures helped turfgrass. The deep snow cover acted like a warm insulating blanket for turf, while the constant cold kept the snow from changing into damaging, turf killing ice. May all cold and snowy winters be just as nice as 2010-2011's!!

The golf course is somewhat messy with sticks and small branches scattered because of windy storms, but we are working to clean it. We lost a few trees and branches, and removed the dead pine on #2, and the large (and dead) maple on 18. If the golf course dries out quickly after this weekend's rains, I can forsee greens opening up somewhere between March 17th to March 24th with constant good weather. We will keep you posted.

Thanks for reading and we hope to see you soon!!

2011 Ice Age Is Over??

2011-02-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

In January, we wrote about ice accumulation on the greens causing potential problems for turfgrass this spring. As of today, (Friday February 18th) we have had 28 consecutive days of ice on greens. Research suggests that at least 40 to 45 days of ice accumulation is necessary to cause problems. The February thaw we are seeing this week is removing snow and ice from greens in an efficient and inexpensive way. As of this writing we are not planning to mechanically remove snow from the greens, or apply black sand to greens' surfaces to melt ice.

Although I don't like making predictions when dealing with fine turfgrass, it would appear that we can stop worrying about ice related issues at this time. Water is flowing between the greens' surfaces and the ice layer, providing gaseous exchange which plants need even in winter.

We can't wait to see everyone on the green golf course very soon. It has been white for far too long.

Mid Winter Update

2011-01-21T09:48:00.000-08:00

Winter is a time for us to recharge batteries a bit, prepare equipment for its future duties, seek out the best deals on fertilizers and pesticide products and attend education sessions to learn new developments from distributors and university researchers. Of course, we are always here to help the golf course get through its long nap unscathed. While the golf course sleeps under a thick protective blanket of snowcover, potential problems are on the horizon due to the thaw and freeze cycle we've seen this week.

The first month of winter with its La Nina sent winter weather provided consistent cold temperatures with plenty of snowfall. The impressive snow cover provided an excellent layer of insulation from the cold, and also protects turf from damaging winds. However, because of the rain and mini thaw we saw this week, combined with extreme cold we'll see this weekend and beyond, potential ice problems loom on the horizon for fine golf turf in New England.

An ice layer has formed and will thicken on greens over the weekend. Ice acts as an impermeable layer over the surface of turfgrass, choking off plants from oxygen. Even in winter, plants need to breathe. If the ice layer stays for over forty days, problems may develop for Poa annua plants present on the greens. Luckily, as yours truly came to Potowomut from northern hinterlands near Rochester NY, we have been through this exercise before. If conditions are unchanged by later February, we may need to clear the greens of snow, and apply a truckload of black sand to break the ice layer. Black colored sand directs warm March sunlight to the surface, melting snow and ice quickly. We will keep you updated.

A few golf course trees have been damaged by the weight of heavy snows and strong winds. We have cleaned up a few, but more remain to be cleaned up when snow cover dissipates. Also, dead trees have been removed on 2,8 and 18.

As mentioned in my last post, the well that provides irrigation water will be serviced this winter. The contract has been signed and this work will be completed before we need water in late March or April.

A new nematode control product was introduced to the marketplace just after January 1st. (Nematodes damaged several greens last July.) I have scheduled meetings with the manufacturer and with the most learned nematode researcher on turfgrass, Dr. Wick from the University of Florida during a scheduled trip in February. Like the experimental walnut extract product we used last year, this is a bio-nematicide, a product applied that isn't a pesticide. Azaguard uses neem seed extract to shrink nematode populations because nematodes and neem seed extract act as two "north" magnets pointed at each other. Nematodes won't live under neem trees and the material acts as a deterrent.

We are excited already to get back to work on the golf course. With some luck, the golf course will remain unscathed through winter and will be open as soon as conditions permit. Back to regularly scheduled winter activities, and thanks for reading!!

2010 Summary

2010-12-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

As of this morning (12/16), the greens are closed for the season. Snow mold fungicides have been applied to greens and tees, as has the green paint we use to protect the greens from desiccation in case we have a dry and snow free winter. We were unable to apply a fungicide to fairways to prevent winter diseases as in the past because in September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) eliminated pesticide material PCNB from the marketplace, a material that prevented snow molds at relatively low cost.

Reflecting back, 2010 was a unique and difficult golf season that I will remember for quite some time. After an average winter, we had eleven inches of rainfall and golf course flooding during a single 500 year storm event in late March, extreme heat and humidity during summer, a cold fall and early winter chills from late November until today.

Your golf course performed well during the season, but we did not survive this difficult year unscathed. Greens had high populations of stunt nematodes and these root annihilators showed their handiwork by damaging the edges of some greens. Because nematicides are no longer available to treat turfgrass, we formulated a control program based on increased fertility (fertilizers) to grow plants at a faster pace and with more ability to grow new roots after they disappeared. Also added to our program this year was as experimental nematode suppressing material based on walnut extract. This material will be applied next spring to suppress the nematode population before it explodes with warmer soil temperatures of summer.

A few fairways and rough areas declined this summer because of the condition known as "wet wilt." Wet wilt is a condition where weakened turfgrass roots cannot pull water from unsaturated soils to cool itself. Turf dies ironically, because it wilts in areas where soil moisture is more than adequate but the roots are incapable of moving it. In our case, thunderstorms dropped rainfall onto extremely heated soils during July 23rd and July 24th. During the next six days the heat ramped up again keeping soil temperatures high. Despite adequate soil moisture, roots were too sick from the heat to use the water and areas of turf perished. Many of these areas were overseeded this fall, and damaged rough and fairway areas will be re-seeded in early spring to aid recovery.

Professionally it was a challenging year for Golf Course Superintendents here in Rhode Island, and nationally. Golf courses in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast states were devastated, especially from Washington DC to Boston. Many golf courses closed for up to eight weeks to re-establish turf, and famous big budget big name golf courses were not spared. All in all, ours was a successful year for the golf course, especially considering our conditions versus spending less than our original budget. Based on 2010, we will tweak programs again to improve golf course conditioning, and expect an even better golf course during 2011.

Special thanks for all your wonderful support during 2010. I am extremely fortunate to work for such a positive and supportive membership! I speak with other Golf Course Superintendents from across the area and country, and I don't always hear positive stories that I tell about Potowomut. Thanks!!

Tidbits....Also, thanks to my wonderful and dedicated crew for all their hard work during 2010....Pumped 17.5 million gallons of irrigation water, and another 5 million during our special "keep the pumphouse from flooding" project in late March....We will clean the well that provides water for irrigation during winter 2011as we saw thick iron deposits on the well screen when it was last cleaned in January 2008....Read about wet wilt here: http://psuturf.blogspot.com/2010/07/wet-wilt-and-heat-related-injury.html

Aeration Dates

2010-09-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

Greens will be aerated three times beginning October 6th. A contractor will begin with the Deep Tine Operation, followed by conventional aeration performed by our staff. Thirdly, a different contractor will sand inject the greens during the week that begins October 11th. Throughout the process, temporaries will be installed while individual greens are being worked on.

Tees will be completed today.

Fairways will be completed (slowly) beginning Monday. We usually complete fairways in three to four weeks.

Also during the next few weeks, areas of rough that failed due to the extreme heat and humidity of summer will be seeded, and sod plugs will be installed to thinned areas of greens.

Rope a Dope

2010-08-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

Way back in 1974 Muhammad Ali beat hard punching George Foreman using a defensive strategy famous trainer Angelo Dundee described and was later named "Rope a Dope." The idea was that Ali could cover up defensively while Mr. Foreman tired himself throwing unconnecting punches in early rounds. The plan worked perfectly as opportunistic Ali knocked out an exhausted Foreman in the eighth round.

Although not quite the same as the "Rumble in The Jungle," we are employing defensive strategies maintaining the golf course as advised by United States Golf Association Agronomist and good friend Stanley Zontek. (His July 2010 article is presented below.)

The summer heat, humidity and now four days of wet weather continues to throw punches at turfgrass, and we are using defensive-like Rope a Dope strategy to absorb the blows and produce a winning golf course.

During a twenty eight day stretch of late July into late August, the golf course saw only .28" of natural rainfall. This was one of the driest stretches of weather I have ever observed during my career in golf. Then, shocked that the raindances were actually answered, we had four days of constant wet weather from Sunday until Wednesday where we received 1.83".

A heavy disease punch landed during the last few days. Disease anthracnose came on very strong during the wet spell, especially on the 13th green. Between raindrops, affected greens have been sprayed five times this week and have already improved. The most disease laden greens (1,8,13) were spiked this week to get air into soil profiles. All remaining greens will be spiked before late next week. Also, heights of cut were raised .010" (ten thousandths of an inch) on all greens today, because of a very hot forecast for the next two weeks. They will be lowered again once the summer of 2010 tires a bit, like Mr. Foreman in 1974.

Tidbits.....Always replace any substantial divots as opposed to using the sand mixture! If your divot disintegrates, only then use the seed and sand mixture to repair your divot. Also, the seed in the bottles is appropriate for low grown fairway turfgrass only! DO NOT USE SEED BOTTLES IN THE ROUGH....Thank you....Repair your ballmark plus one other....Pumped 13.7 million gallons for irrigation to date.....Pond is again full....we have only purchased 125,000 gallons of water from the city of Warwick during our hot summer at a cost of $ 400....

Once again, here is Mr. Stanley Zontek's article written to Superintendents and golfers:

The summer of 2010 is on a pace to break all temperature records in most of the Mid-Atlantic region. As of today, the month of June was the warmest in history for Philadelphia. The Washington, D.C. area has had forty days of 90+ degree temperatures and we are still in July.

The agronomists of the Mid-Atlantic Region believe it is necessary and appropriate to send special letters to USGA member courses on “defensive maintenance and management programs” as long as these weather extremes continue. Obviously, extra care must be taken to pamper the grass through this difficult weather. Equally, extra understanding from golfers can help achieve that goal. It is a common problem for everyone. If we all work together and do what is best for the grass, the summer of 2010 will one day be nothing more than just a bad memory.

This letter also will be sent to golf associations and regional golf course superintendent organizations. In this way, information can be made available to all golf courses, whether or not they are USGA members (and we hope most are).

The letter follows:

WEATHER ALERT & TURF LOSS ADVISORY

Periodically, the agronomists of the Mid-Atlantic region send letters to USGA member courses pertaining to extraordinary weather conditions and turf-loss-related matters. The weather experienced during the summer of 2010 has prompted this letter.

Our goal is to alert golfers and turf managers alike that this extended period of heat and drought -- followed by heat, humidity and thunderstorms -- has caused and probably will continue to cause turf stress and turf loss problems throughout the region. No two golf courses are alike, having different grasses, soils, course features and golfer expectations. It is important that golf course superintendents use “defensive golf course maintenance and management programs.” That is, be conservative. Pamper the grass. The turfgrass is under intense weather stress, which is compounded by an increase in disease pressure. Be more concerned about plant health than green speed!!! There is an old adage in our industry -- “slow grass is better than no grass.” This is not a joke. It needs to be taken seriously.

Suggested “defensive” management programs include:

•Compress spray programs. With heat, humidity and thunderstorms, fungicides do not last as long and disease pressure is greater. There is no better money spent than to protect the grass from disease.
•Raise mowing heights and use sharp mowers. This can help the grass survive.
•Mow less…roll more. The goal is to reduce mechanical stress to the grass plant.
•Switch from grooved rollers to solid rollers, and protect collars from the turning of mowers.
•Spoonfeed the grass. Spray weekly with light rates of nutrients, iron (to keep the grass green), and growth regulators. Excessive grass growth depletes carbohydrates (plant food).
•Air drainage. On shaded or pocketed greens, prune limbs, use fans and generally keep the air moving. When you are hot, you stand in front of a fan to cool yourself. When the grass is stressed, it needs good air movement as well. Drier turf is also less prone to disease.
•DO NOT OVER-WATER. Hand water if possible. Lightly syringe the turf with the nozzle -- never going past horizontal. Any mid-day watering should be focused on cooling the canopy. If you are wetting the soil, it’s too much! Remember, you can always add more water, but wet, saturated soil can damage roots, increase disease and contribute to turf loss via the Wet Wilt Syndrome. If corrective watering needs to be done for dry spots, the extra water should be applied in the early morning or late in the evening. Do not over-water the grass in mid-day heat.
•Surface aerate the greens. This allows the soil to breath, excess moisture to escape, and roots to regrow, thereby helping the grass to survive.

In summary, be careful. This may be one of our hottest summers in decades. We all share the responsibility of keeping the turf on our golf courses as healthy as possible during this period of extreme weather. Again, be careful and have realistic expectations for golf course playability.

The Mid-Atlantic Region agronomists are part of your agronomic support team. If you have a question or concern, give us a call or send an e-mail.

Please pass the rain....

2010-08-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful summer continues...

Please refer to an article written by John Paul Newport for the August 7th Wall Street Journal about the difficulty of maintaining golf courses during the hot summer of 2010. You can find the link in my "links" section on the right of the blog.

Our golf course is drying down after nineteen rainless days, with no rain in the forecast at least until early next week. Rough turf that are dormant haven't been irrigated due to either a lack of coverage from the irrigation system, or because we are not running rough heads to save water.

Fairways have three irrigation heads evenly distributed across their widths. In most cases, there is a single irrigation head in the center of the fairway, with the other two heads located in the rough. Even though two thirds of fairway irrigation heads are placed in the rough, the responsibility of all three heads working together is to irrigate fairway turf. Turfgrasses in the rough require more water than fairways, and providing adequate water to maintain thick and lush roughs would cause a myriad of problems for fairways, in that they would be overwatered. The problems include increased disease pressure, poor playability, inconsistency within individual fairways, and increased water requirements. To quickly summarize, the irrigation system irrigates fairways as designed, and provides a quantity of water to roughs, even though in a drought year like 2010, it isn't enough.

Dormant turfgrass in the rough will quickly recover after rains and cooler weather. (Mr. Stevens advised his eastern Golf Course Superintendent clients today that the second half of August will provide needed rainfall to aid rough recovery)

Green edges were overseeded as described previously on August 3rd. As there are four million bentgrass seeds in a pound, the seventy five pounds of seed we used represent 300 million potential new bentgrass plants. Unfortunately, asking a single bentgrass seed to germinate into an existing green is a most difficult proposition for many reasons we won't discuss here. If even 0.5% (half of 1%) of the seeds germinate, this would mean 1.5 million new bentgrass plants will be present into the perimeters of the greens....and success!!

We will continue to install seed into thin green edges beginning next week. This will be a more concentrated operation using small hand spikers, salt shakers to apply seed and a light application of sand. Since the germination rate is low, persistence will help to establish more plants. Small areas completely void of turf will be sodded in a few weeks.

Notes......We have treated all fine turf areas and some rough areas with an insecticide to prevent turfgrass damage from grubs. Areas with irrigation were watered in; we are worried about failures to areas without irrigation because this material needs to be placed into soil with irrigation or rainfall. We will keep you posted.....Greens and tees were treated with a fungicide to prevent diseases today. (Friday)....Minor outbreak of disease anthracnose is present on two greens this morning, we will continue to monitor and treat accordingly....Irrigation gallons now exceeds 12,500,000 for the season....Dry areas of fairways are being hand watered because my big hose will always be the most efficient method to apply water where it is needed most!!

On a personal note, son Benjamin and wife Laura are the proud parents of Violet Caterson Shields, born in Los Angeles on July 14th. Granddad Patrick can be seen many days sneaking peeks at pictures of Violet on his phone while he drives from green to green this summer....

Green Edge Seeding, and Dark Green Greens are Coming

2010-07-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

GREEN EDGE SEEDING

After two relatively tame summers during 2008 and 2009, the summer of 2010 will be remembered by turf managers. Heat, and humidity have been relentless and have taken their toll on turf. Some areas of the country have seen excessive rainfall which has the affect of cooking turfgrass. Golf courses, especially in the Midwest and through the Washington DC to Boston corridor have been under severe stress since June. We have heard of golf courses that closed during the last few weeks so crews can re-establish turfgrass on severely injured sites. My heart goes out to fellow Superintendents, their staffs and frustrated members who have been affected by severe weather and damaged turf.

While we remain in decent shape, green edges have been damaged by nematodes. When heat and humidity are increased, biological activity also increases. This activity takes the form of insect population booms, higher incidence (and damage) caused by numerous turfgrass diseases, and a spike in nematode populations. Add to the equation the presence of weak Poa annua turf, weakening root systems, and being trampled by mowers, maintenance workers and happy golfers desiring fast green speeds, and you may begin to see how turf can be negatively impacted.

Next week, we will seed damaged green edges with creeping bentgrass seed using a specialized seeder. With these areas weakened, there will be less competition for new seedlings after they germinate, increasing the likelihood of a successful seed catch. Also, grass seed germinates fastest when soil temperatures are warm; they won't be any warmer after the temperatures we have seen the last thirty days or so. This process is non invasive to golfers, yet the benefits of increasing populations of creeping bentgrass to green edges will hopefully be seen next year.

Establishing creeping bentgrass plants is the best method available to eliminate damage from nematodes. Nematodes prefer weak Poa annua plants that heavily populate the green edges that were damaged this season. Changing the grass type present will help these areas to be stronger in the future.

DARK GREEN GREENS

During the next day or two, we will apply the environmentally friendly material Civitas to our greens to fight potentially devastating turf disease anthracnose. This application takes the place of a pesticide application. As a part of this application, a heavy green colorant is added according to manufacturer's (and Environmental Protection Agency) direction. Therefore, greens will have a dark green look for four to seven days after the application.

POND LEVEL

We have maintained higher water levels in our irrigation pond this season. Knowing in advance (thanks to the Meteorologist to Golf Course Superintendents Mr. Stevens) that 2010 was going to be a warmer summer than average, efficient water management became an important goal. In a 24 hour period during an extended hot and dry spell, we use 250,000 to 280,000 gallons of water. During the same 24 hours, the well that provides water to the pond provides around 180,000 gallons. As you can see, water deficits occur because irrigation use can exceed our supply. Town water is available to us if our supply becomes low, but at significant cost. Therefore, we have tried to hold as much water as possible this summer, to keep us from tapping into expensive Warwick water. Also, we have been able to enjoy the enterprising koi fish explore a new food source this summer.....the rough on 17!!

Tidbits.....July 2010 will be the warmest July at Potowomut since 2005, with high temperatures averaging 87.49 degrees since June 24th...We may also break our record for plant water loss in July because of the heat.....We have used 9.5 million gallons for irrigation to date, double the amount we used last year to date....

Please thank my wonderful crew for a job well done, they are excellent!!

Bentgrass is good, Poa annua is bad

2010-07-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

Greens have continued to excel, despite high populations of nematodes along greens' edges. Nematodes are not moving into centers of greens where the percentage of bentgrass is higher. Because these turf root munchers are content to stay in the edges, we are back to managing the greens as before nematodes were discovered.

Growth regulator (Primo) has again been applied, and mowers have been lowered .010 (ten thousandths of an inch) and will remain at this height into September. Greens' speed and quality has already improved as of Friday morning.

The summer of 2010 will be remembered by turf managers. Many golf courses are struggling with a host of issues nationally because of hot, dry and humid weather. I have heard of numerous outbreaks of different diseases, insect and nematode damage and even bacteriological problems that are unsolvable with pesticides. Once again, we are shown that Mother Nature is truly in charge of our turfgrass. However, we tilt the balance toward success by proper spring and fall aeration, tree and shade management, intelligent use of irrigation including hand watering, natural organic fertilizer use and keeping pest populations controlled through chemical management.

Another important factor in maintaining success I discussed in my last blog posting, proper species. In the July 8th posting, I wrote about Poa annua being the grass mostly affected by nematodes. If our greens were 100% Poa annua, it is safe to say that greens would be in big trouble from nematode damage (or any of the above listed problems) this summer. For this reason, we discourage Poa annua from further proliferation into our greens, and we encourage bentgrass to spread twelve months a year. You could call these ideas the centerpieces of our maintenance programs.

Our extremely successful divot program on fairways is also in place to keep Poa annua away. (Thanks to you all for helping us here!!) The seed placed in the bottles is a combination 70% Chewings Fescue and 30% Colonial Bentgrass. Both these grasses are best adapted to golf fairways at our height of cut in our climate, and their combined performance is far superior to Poa annua, especially in resisting damage from disease. This seeding, in combination with using different growth regulators is helping bentgrasses thrive (and become more populated) on Potowomut fairways.

Go Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, Penn State and bentgrass!!

Always learning....

2010-07-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

POA ANNUA AND NEMATODES

Despite a very stressful week for turf, greens' quality has improved since last week because of measures we took to prepare for an invasion of a pest with no effective chemical solution. We are still concerned (we always worry about greens in summer) but I believe we will weather this storm.

A great thing about my business is that basic lessons learned at Penn State are reinforced all the time. Long term members know that we expanded the perimeters of greens during 2004. Most greens edges were pushed out two to three feet that was lost over many years because of mowing errors. It took a couple of years to successfully lower the heights of cut on the expanded greens. It was a painfully slow process.

The grass that is predominant in these green expansions is Poa annua. Poa annua is a weak grass that no Superintendent wants, but is a weed grass that encroaches into greens instead of the creeping bentgrass that was originally established. Like it or not, since it ends up comprising sometimes 80 to 90% of greens turf, we are forced to manage it and play golf on it.

Poa annua has weak, thin root systems, dies quickly because of summer heat and drought and of all the grasses we manage on a golf course, is most prone to many different diseases, insect damage, death in winter because of cold and snow, and of course nematodes. If a Poa green dies, greens are dead and need to be re-established.

In nature, the strongest survive. Poa annua is weak, and is under attack. Poa is failing and once again the basics of turfgrass management are brought to the forefront.

Creeping bentgrass is the preferred grass for putting greens in the northeast. It is much stronger than Poa annua as it better survives from all the stresses listed above. Bentgrass plants are deeper rooted and healthier during summer. Lucky for us, except for the edges of the greens, most of our greens' area (70 to 80%) is comprised of creeping bentgrass, and this is why we will survive a nematode invasion to the Poa.

And, we haven't even talked about those nasty seedheads the Poa annua produces in late spring, which is another negative feature of Poa annua to write about another day.

DROUGHT

The golf course has been dry the last few weeks. Our goal during a drought is to keep fine turf areas (greens, tees, fairways) playable. While not under water restrictions, we are limited to the amount of water available for irrigation by our well, which puts water into the pond on #18. With this recent dry spell, we use more water than the well provides. For this reason, we eliminate irrigating rough areas, causing some grasses to go turn brown until fall.

Personally, I love the golf course with its different shades and hues of greens and browns during summer. Remember, our grand game was born in Scotland along linksland, and this summer look is as close as Potowomut gets to looking like a golf course from the good old UK.

Greens' problems and solutions

2010-07-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Members,

The edges of some greens have not been performing well all season. With diligent hand watering, we helped these areas limp along until recent early summer heat caused conditions to deteriorate.

Parasitic nematodes are small microscopic sized, wormlike animals and are the most populous animal on earth. They reside in soil and given the opportunity, will feast and thrive on living root tissue. Soil samples were pulled this week and sent to the University of Rhode Island Nematode labs. Results revealed late today that nematodes are causing the problems on our green edges. For example, #1 green had 14,000 of one type nematode in a pint of soil sampled, 15 green had a count of 8,500. Acceptable levels are both below 1,000 nematodes per pint of soil.

With high populations on green edges early in the summer, we need to assume that the nematode populations are also high throughout all greens' soils, even though greens are in wonderful condition today. A long and stressful summer is staring us down on July 2nd, and we need to prepare for root systems that have been compromised.

A few years ago, we would have simply applied a nematicide (Nemacur) to control the nematodes and control the population. Numbers would be reduced, roots would again grow and the greens would improve. Long time Potowomut members may remember closing down the golf course to apply this material in the past, due to its high hazard potential.

The Environmental Protection Agency cancelled the registration of Nemacur in 2005, leaving us with no pesticide available to control nematodes. To a Golf Course Superintendent, this is similar to a physician suddenly losing the only drug available that successfully treated a serious illness or condition.

Nematode infestations are challenging to turf managers in 2010 desiring to provide quality and fast greens for their members. However, let me outline our strategy and reasons to get green edges back and performing as expected.

1. Greens height of cut will be raised .015. (fifteen thousandths of an inch) Turf that has added leaf area can produce more food (plant sugars) using photosynthesis. Sugars are stored within the plant by growing longer root systems.
2. Thursday night, a fungicide and an insecticide were applied that have shown to reduce nematodes.
3. There are experimental plant extract treatments (black walnut) that have shown in some testing to decrease populations in some cases. One will be applied early next week.
4. To grow roots faster than the nematodes can feed, increased fertilizers will be used.
5. Growth regulator use will be suspended, temporarily.
6. While greens themselves will be mowed daily, green edges will be mowed every other day.
7. Will be thinking of different ways to combat nematodes during the next few sleepless nights....

To provide maximum green speed in normal maintenance mode, we do everything in our power to slow greens' growth. The less grass grows, the faster and smoother they are. Healthy greens have deep root systems that help greens become reliable despite
any environmental or physical stress.

We now find ourselves in an opposite situation. Today we need to promote grass growth so turfgrass can again grow healthy root systems, and thus, reliability, into our greens. This is why the steps above almost all promote turfgrass growth, some even to overdose levels.

Our goals are to keep greens at their current condition. Speeds may slow while we attack a pest without an available pesticide solution. However, full turf coverage is better for all members than fast greens that may be far less than perfect, in my opinion. We will update any changes as warranted. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Gertner, CGCS
Golf Course Superintendent

Its June already??

2010-06-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Few random thoughts.....
Greens have rebounded quite well from their aeration processes in early May. We are within 5 thousands of an inch of out lowest mowing height and expect to lower mowers to their final height during the next week or so. Disease anthracnose has not been seen, despite its presence on a few greens last year. We have shortened the interval between fungicide treatments this spring to combat this disease nemesis and will continue this practice all summer.

Dual Bladed Shaving Technology Comes to Turf Maintenance
In the early 1970's, double bladed razors were introduced to the marketplace with the Gillette Trac II razor. The idea behind the razor was: if the first blade didn't work, the second one would. Well, this idea is now being utilized by our greens sprayer. Greenleaf Technologies manufactures nozzles for golf course sprayers. The new nozzle is actually a dual nozzle designed with front and back outlets, set at offset angles. Half the product is applied with each nozzle.

The benefit for the golf course is superior coverage....if the first nozzle doesn't cover the turf with product, the second one will. The sprayer travels at a quick 3.8 MPH while spraying, and better coverage will help the products we apply to work better and last longer, ultimately saving maintenance dollars.

Today we aerated more green edges that were extended a few years ago. (1 and 4) After plugs are cleared off, we fill the holes with an orangish Montmorillonite clay product that will help the soils in these areas hold more water. Turf in these areas have been prone to wilting, and the clay product should improve turfgrass quality. This process has been completed on nine greens. We expect to complete the other nine during the summer, two or three at a time.

We also plan on establishing more creeping bentgrass to these green extension areas during the season, using a contractor with a specialized seeder.

Tidbits....We are stockpiling irrigation water in the pond on 18 in preparation for upcoming hot summer weather....Excessive soil moisture last fall and this spring aided weed germination in the rough, and maybe your home lawn too. We have applied twice the amount of herbicide versus what we used during entire 2009 to combat weeds such as clover, dandelion and chickweed....We were quoted in a May 2010 article in "Golf Course Management" magazine on a newly released variety of perennial ryegrass we have been using on our tees. This new grass, developed at The Ohio State University, has regeneration properties similar to creeping bentgrass....Pumped 3.5 million gallons for irrigation this year, as compared to 2.4 million last year at this time....The water table has dropped in recent weeks, but is still higher than we have recorded since 2006.

My Rhode Island roots deepen....Daughter Zoe will attend Bryant University in North Smithfield this fall. This proud dad couldn't be happier to have her close by!!

Green Aeration Schedule

2010-04-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

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.

18 holes again!!

2010-04-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

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.

Progress before more rain....

2010-04-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

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

Excessive water report

2010-04-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

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!!

Seven More Holes Open Thursday

2010-04-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Back Nine Comments, Delayed Opening (Tuesday??)

2010-04-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

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.

9 Holes Open Friday!!

2010-04-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

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

Weds Update

2010-03-31T07:33:00.000-07:00

Rain has stopped and totaled 8.80" at Potowomut. All pump components are safe for August or September when irrigation may be needed again. I remain on the proper side of the law, at this moment.

We are pumping out the new lake on 15 with our 3" portable pump. A second (rented) pump will be installed within the hour to speed the process. We expect to clear the area of water sometime tomorrow.

We lost no trees during the storm. The only damage will be the remnants from excessive water on 15, severe washing out of golf course bunkers, and an enlarged pond for an unknown period of time. This March storm will always be remembered, but not by the damage it caused on your golf course.

We see nice weather forecast for the next few days. At this time, it is difficult to say when the course will be available for play. Rest assured, we will open the golf course as soon as it allows.

Thanks to everyone for continued support.

5:30PM Update

2010-03-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

As of 5:30 PM, 7.41" of rainfall has fallen on us since yesterday.

As you can see in pictures below, lower 15 is covered in water, including 1.5 to 3 feet of water on the green. Beginning tomorrow morning, we will pump water from 15 using our portable pump. **(We would love to locate another trash pump with a 300-400 gallon per minute capacity if someone has one to lend.)**

A call to our USGA Greens Section representative assured us that the turfgrass itself will survive with no issues. If, however the flooding occurred during warmer weather, turf survivability would be a consideration.

Warwick police suspended our irrigation pumping operation this afternoon, after complaints from neighbors. I was told I was guilty of being a "public nuisance," because of perceived fears that irrigation water was contributing to flooding in Potowomut basements. Instead of handcuffs, I decided I could be of better use on the property.

The short break in rainfall between 3PM and 5PM has helped to keep the pond from rising dramatically. We are still winning the battle for the pumphouse, as pond level is still 5" below levels from this time yesterday. This 5" represents around 300,000 gals of water.

Thanks for everyone's wonderful support....we are determined to preserve pumps and golf course for a great 2010.

Flooding pictures

2010-03-30T10:54:00.001-07:00

From Behind 15 Green

100 yards From 15 green

On 5 Fairway looking right toward 4

Near Pond on 1 looking right toward 4

Desperate Times.....Desperate Measures

2010-03-30T08:02:00.001-07:00

Soggy greetings,

Excessive rainfall since mid March, combined with the current storm have turned our golf course into something quite different this morning. (I will post pictures on the blog later today.) Water level in the pond is high enough to threaten our pumping plant inside the pump building. As of 6 PM Monday night, if pond water level rose another four inches, pumps, electrical systems and pump control computers and software could have been damaged. Based on the forecast, this scenario was entirely possible, if not probable.

To prevent flooding, we looked to an unconventional, yet so far successful strategy. These are pumps that pump water we are looking to protect! Through the night last night, we filled our irrigation pipes, and turned on the irrigation system to do what it does best. Since 10PM Monday, we have pumped 1200 Gallons Per Minute of water out of the pond, to the sprinklers. Yes, as you read this, 40 to 50 sprinkler heads are running dispersing water to save the pumps. Despite constant heavy rainfall, water level in the pond has dropped significantly. We will continue to pump at this rate until the threat has diminished. Please note that we are throwing water only to holes that do NOT drain right back into the pond.

We have already received phone calls this morning from neighbors, members and the police. Yes, it sure does look strange irrigating during this deluge. However, there are always reasons for the sometimes odd methods we employ to maintain your golf course. Let's hope this one works.

Sincerely,

Patrick Gertner CGCS

Hot Spots

2010-03-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

People coming off the golf course today are saying fish are biting, especially near the 11th tee, 15 at the green, and on the 1st fairway.

Back 9 Closed

2010-03-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

We have a very wet and partly unplayable golf course this morning. 6.87 inches of rain has fallen on the golf course since March 13. There are NO carts available until further notice, and back 9 holes are also closed until further notice.

Hopefully, drying winds today combined with our sandy soils will speed the drying process.

I have only seen the golf course this wet one other time during my 5+ years of employment at Potowomut. Please think "desert" thoughts for us the next few days....

Hope to see everyone soon!!

Late Winter Update

2010-03-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome back!!

First, I am once again thrilled, humbled and honored that I was offered an extension of my employment contract. I have had many happy moments at Potowomut, and I expect many more over the next few years after accepting and signing our new agreement. Thanks to everyone for your wonderful and unwavering support!!

Not much happened on the golf course since late December when she laid down for winter slumber. However, we do have a few things to tell you about.

First, brothers and Assistant Superintendents Dan and Steve Virgulak began a two year golf turf education program at Rutgers University's Cook College just after January 1st. They are learning from many of the world's most respected turfgrass professors and researchers. Upon completion next March, they will earn a Certificate in Turfgrass Science which will enable them to expand their horizons in the exciting world of turf maintenance. This is an exciting time for both Dan and Steve. As a graduate of Penn State's Agronomy program years ago, I am thrilled they have both invested in their careers, and am excited for their bright futures. Dan and Steve return to work on March 22nd.

The golf course weathered winter weather with A+ grades. Greens, tees and fairways are in excellent shape. Greens were mowed and opened for play on 3/9. Warmer spring weather is due in a few weeks, when combined with our current conditions will provide for an amazing early year for golf at Potowomut. Please tell your friends!!

Over the winter, despite fewer crew members, we concentrated on keeping the golf course clean. After each storm or wind event, Mac was out raking and picking brush and debris from the course. Thanks to him, we are far ahead of where we would have been without his efforts. This will enable us to delay bringing back many employees for a few weeks, saving valuable budget funds. He also continued our work to saw through those pesky tree roots evident growing above ground. Using our stump grinder, he severed hundreds of these tree roots, as you will see the first few times you play during March. We will work to replace the root shavings with soil and seed as soon as possible.

We hope to see you soon, holding golf bags instead of snow shovels. Please excuse me, as I have a meeting with some pine cones on the 9th hole.

Greens Are Open!!!

2010-03-08T12:21:00.001-08:00

Dear Members,

Greens are open!! Greens are dry, and will be mowed on Tuesday and Wednesday. They are in very nice condition, but won't putt true and smooth for a few weeks yet.

Carts will be available, but food and beverage service from the clubhouse is a few weeks away, according to Dan-Post Kennedy.

Hope to see many of you here during the next few days!!!

Sincerely,

Patrick Gertner CGCS
Golf Course Superintendent

Greens closing notice

2009-12-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Members,

As of Saturday, December 19th, the greens are closed for the season. Golf carts will no longer be available. We will have significant snow accumulation over the weekend, with cold temperatures forecast to persist well into January.

There will be temporary greens located in fairways.

Happy holidays to everyone!!

Sincerely,

Patrick Gertner CGCS

PS. Thanks to member Mr. Herb Stevens for his 2009 weekly weather updates sent to us at no cost to Potowomut. This is an invaluable service that enables us to better plan events, and saves us thousands of dollars per season!!

Protecting greens and green dye.....

2009-12-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

As we have moved into December, we can tell you about our efforts to prepare golf course turf from winter snow and ice, cold extremes and drying winds. This week, snow mold fungicides were applied to greens, tees and fairways. These materials protect plants from two winter turf diseases that form with or without snow cover. The fungicide materials provide protection for the entire winter. Also included was a high dosage of nutrient iron, that will encourage the growth of deep turf roots well into winter months.

Scheduled for next week, the green dye used in previous years will be applied to greens. The dye is a dense waxy covering that protect greens from winter winds. The material's thick viscosity requires two complete and separate applications. Drying winter winds that blow on greens, without snow cover, can dry plants to the point of killing turf. The "Wintergreen" product we use insulates turf similar to fiber or cloth coverings you may have seen protecting greens at other northern courses.

Also this year, we will protect greens with a layer of topdressing sand left over from greens aeration. The sand must be used this year because we have no way to store this special "oven dried" sand during wet winter months. So, the leftover sand will give greens an extra layer of protection from the harshness of winter.

Finally, colder temperatures will arrive this week compared to the last few weeks of great golf weather. Depending on how much snow we receive tonight, we may be able to keep the greens open depending on conditions we see during the next few weeks. We will keep you posted!!!

Update

2009-11-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

We completed the greens aeration project this week. We finished by aerating and heavily topdressing perimeter areas of greens that were extended a few years ago. These "green extensions" as we call them, are predominantly comprised of weaker grass Poa annua, and performed poorly during 2009. We believe that between the greens' three aeration processes and the additional one done to the extensions, greens will be much healthier in 2010.

We are very encouraged over how well greens have healed since their aeration during the last week or so. Greens that go into winter with no visible holes will help to aid my winter slumbers. Winter desiccation damage can be a springtime problem, especially on exposed greens with aeration scars.

We fertilized fairways and the driving range today. We continue to use less fertilizer to maintain fairways, which is safer for the environment and saves precious dollars. We use less fertilizer because with strong aeration programs in place, we continue to eliminate the thatch layer and also provide channels into soils for fertilizers to enter. A significant thatch layer acts as a barrier, similar to a sponge, preventing the healthy flow of rainfall, irrigation water and fertilizers into soil. With less thatch, a higher percentage of fertilizer enters soil as compared to a thatchy fairway where fertilizer particles get tied up and wasted.

Roughs will be fertilized during the next few weeks. The timing of this application will encourage turf to grow healthy roots instead of leaves that need to be mowed. Strongly rooted turf is more reliable turf and will perform better next spring and summer.

Tidbits......Our well contractor performed tests this week on the well that provides irrigation water. Results (unavailable at this time) will give us information on the condition of the pump and underground piping, as well as the well itself....Irrigation pipes are tentatively scheduled to have water removed from them (with compressed air) on November 23-25**....Snow mold fungicides will be applied around those dates as well to greens, tees and fairways....12.1 million gallons pumped during 2009, 7 million less than during 2008......We are lowering the level of water in ponds in preparation for winter....

**To blow out irrigation pipes with water, we usually rent a compressor in the 700-900 CFM range. If you have one to rent to us, please contact me. We prefer to keep the business within the Potowomut family!!

Why So Much Sand??

2009-10-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-10-20T12:29:00.001-07:00

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....

2009-10-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

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!!!

Aeration, dry soils, Caddyshack and tidbits....

2009-09-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Aeration, anthracnose and lingering summer issues remain....

Fairway aeration is well over half done, and will continue until completed. Not all fairways have messy soil cores brought to the surface, due to equipment ruining rocky conditions. Fairways with rocky soil are aerated with a solid tine where we only poke a 3/4" round hole down four inches or so. Read below for a few reasons we aerate turfgrass. Thanks for everyone's patience!!

Anthracnose continues to injure a few greens in small areas. (Disease first appears as dime sized or smaller, yellowed damaged areas of turfgrass that can spread and kill turf overnight) Mostly greens 1 and 6 are affected. This disease is still present in late September despite 20 fungicide applications designed to combat this "scum, slime and menace to the golfing industry." Apologies for the (Caddyshack quote), but it's getting too late in the season to see this turf disease on greens day after day, despite its minor presence from my viewpoint. Colder temperatures and continued vigilance to its control should eliminate Anthacnose remnants very soon.

You may have noticed areas on a few greens' that have weakened during the last week or two, especially on a few outside edges. (1,3,8,11,12,13,15,16,17,18,PG) These weakened areas' soils are dry, despite adequate and sometimes excessive irrigation. We can explain the condition, and what we are doing now and in the future to re-wet the soils, and thus improve these turfgrass areas.

A few factors are involved here. Many greens' soils are now somewhat "hydrophobic," in that they are resisting wetting, they are repelling water from any source instead of accepting water, which we as turf managers obviously desire. Standing with my trusty hose attempting to add water to a few areas has been a bit frustrating the last week or two. Instead of disappearing into soil to be used by roots as is normal, irrigation water is puddling on some greens' surfaces, rendering them un-puttable (and strangely, still with dry soils.) Today, I watched a 2 minute irrigation cycle on the 2nd green form a river of water in the center of the green after only 60 seconds. No water was entering the green.

Typically, sandy soils have higher potential for being hydrophobic; and it is not a coincidence that the top few inches of Poto greens' soils are comprised of sand. (Despite hydrophobic soil conditions, sandy soils remain the preferred growing medium for golf turf, because of its excellent drainage and playability characteristics.)

We have applied wetting agent materials during the last week. These "soap like," waxy chemicals are designed to pull water into the soil profile, and the product we used works very well for our current situation. These applications have helped the hydrophobic situation but have yet to totally change conditions.

Other factors have contributed to the greens' inability to get water. Soils close to greens' surfaces have been compacted, or squeezed out by foot traffic, mowing and maintenance equipment, and even the awesome weight of 25" of rainfall we've seen since April 3rd. Compaction happens when the important air component of soil is removed, squeezed out by weight and pressure. A healthy soil is comprised of 50% soil particles, and 50% spaces for air, water and roots. Imagine a time lapse photo of our 18th green from April until today. The effect of golfers, equipment and water are factors that cause soil compaction. Over time, pore spaces disappear. To me anyway, its affects are impressive.

With less pore space available because of compaction, there is less room for the water to go within the soil, which limits the amount of water the greens can accept.

Of course, the above diatribe partly explains the need to frequently aerate greens, as scarring the surfaces of the greens helps to address the problems mentioned above. Aeration (planned this year for October 13th, until completed) will help to change persistent hydrophobic soils and improve soil compaction issues. Aeration also removes the organic thatch layer that acts as a barrier between plant and soil. Aerating creates channels to direct water to soil, thus eliminating hydrophobic conditions. Aeration also cures soil compaction issues by physically creating additional soil pore spaces.

Late this fall, our greens aeration program will consist of three different processes. First, we will aerate greens with our conventional 4" deep aeration equipment. Soil plugs will be removed with snow shovels and oven dried sand will be added to fill the holes. Secondly, we will aerate with a deep tine machine to a depth of 8", with pencil shaped tines. The deep machine will add more oxygen availability to soils and create deep pore spaces for water. Thirdly, we will use the sand injection aerators that inject sand into fine small holes using high pressure water. (5000 PSI) This third machine also helps to smooth the greens after the three processes. Upon completion, I believe this is the best aeration program designed for greens in our climate.

Finally, we despise greens aeration almost as much as you do. At the same time, it is our only method available of cultivating soil, and the most important cultural tool to guarantee wonderful greens for the 2010 season. Again, thanks for everyone's patience and understanding!!

Tidbits......11,500,000 gallons of irrigation water have been applied so far this season. This is far less than the 18,000,000+ we pumped last year......Hyperoides weevils were able to munch on the 18th approach for a week or two before they were controlled. Turf damage was evident. Usually a late June or early July pest, the second or third generation of these small grubs caused the damage, which is rare. 2010 control programs will continue insecticide applications well into August......We have re-applied through Coastal Management to extend the three year permit for proposed berm work on 17........Irrigation system is in excellent shape as Assistant Superintendents Dan and Steve get more proficient diagnosing and repairing problems.......As mentioned earlier in the year, after selling a few pieces of older, unused equipment during winter 2009, we were able to purchase two pieces of the most modern reel grinding equipment available. An unbelievable deal for us!! (2002 original purchase price was close to $40,000 by Newport National) Quality of cut will improve drastically as we begin using both machines over the winter......

Summer reflections

2009-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I beg your apologies for the extended time since my last post.

The summer of 2009 finally arrived in August, and proved to be a challenging month for both your golf course and our staff. The combination of typical summer heat and humidity proved to be quite stressful for plants because of low August rainfall, combined with a prolonged battle against different diseases present because of earlier wet conditions. Two near misses from potentially damaging Hurricanes Bill and Danny added to our anxiety a bit late in the month. Sincere thanks to Meteorologist and Potowomut member Herb Stevens for many daily updates relating to both storms, as well as his valuable weekly updates throughout the year that he sends us at no charge.

All turf areas have performed quite well during the season to date. We worked this year to increase green speed and consistency, along with improved mowing practices for better fairways. Also, growth regulation programs continue to be fine tuned for Potowomut; greens and fairways were improved due to these programs as well. Roughs continue to improve because applied fertilizers work more efficiently due to our established liming programs. I would be remiss however, if we didn't mention that rough improvement was also due to ample rainfall that fell during May, June and July.

LINES ON FAIRWAYS

On fairways 15-18, you may have seen a 4" to 6" band of turf that appears in long lines up and down those fairways. (See picture below) This was caused by a single nozzle from the fairway sprayer that was spraying too much chemical in an incorrect pattern. The growth regulator herbicide that caused the damage is applied in very small amounts; this over-application actually removed the Poa annua (Annual Bluegrass) from these bands. What we are seeing is darker green colored ryegrass now dominated these areas, with no lighter colored annual bluegrass present. Potowomut fairways are comprised of many different grass species including perennial ryegrass, creeping bentgrass, colonial bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrasses, and fescues. We did catch problem after applying a single tank of the material. I expect these lines will not stand out as much during the future as the annual bluegrass will again invade these areas.

AERATION

As August departs, and with it the severe weather that stresses turfgrass, we immediately begin to prepare golf surfaces for next season. To legally assist the turf get as tough as a well trained athlete, we begin aeration programs. Aeration returns needed oxygen to soils, helps to relieve compaction and removes a thatch layer that slows or stops water, fertilizers and pesticides from entering. We will complete tees, green collars and approaches during the month, and will begin fairways during September as well. On some fairways we will pull a soil core, on fairways where rocky soils are present, we will only poke a hole with a solid tine to save our equipment.

As Shawn mentioned in an email last week, greens will be aerated beginning October 13th. We are planning on aerating with three methods between that date and October 23rd. The three methods are conventional aeration with a 5/8" tine, deep tine and sand injection aeration. We perform one operation, while contractors get the other two done for us. Greens need each of these programs this fall so they can perform as we expect them to during 2010.

PARKING LOT

On Wednesday, September 9th, a contractor will apply a asphalt based material to fill cracks in our parking lot. They will arrive early during the day and try to get parking areas closest to the clubhouse completed. However, we may need to direct some members to park in unconventional areas (maintenance shop, 10th rough, areas near the big rock on 13) so we may efficiently get the work done. We will be there to direct you that morning. Thanks for understanding!!

Money Saving Good News!!

2009-07-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

A fearless prediction:

We will NOT need to purchase any water from the City of Warwick this year.

Currently, irrigation ponds are holding about 1.4 million gallons available to us for irrigation, after last night's additional 2.5" of rainfall. This month's rainfall totals 7.78", with a week until August.

Anyone for a swim??

News for the week

2009-07-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

Happy spring again, Potowomut golfers!!

First, we have a correction. A few weeks ago, we reported an incorrect figure regarding gallons of water pumped this year. As of July 21, we have applied 4,100,000 gallons. The Excel spreadsheet was set up incorrectly by yours truly before that blog posting. Last year at this point, we had applied 8,100,000 gallons of irrigation water. Since April 1st, 17.55 inches of rainfall has fallen on our golf course. That is almost a foot and a half of precipitation!!

Fairway extensions are in place. We have not shortened the golf course, but we have shortened the distance from tees to fairways by around 225 yards. Hopefully, the golf course will be more fun to play for everyone. The irrigation system has been adapted to irrigate these extensions as fairway. In the fall, we will complete the project, aerating and adding more fescue and bentgrass plants via overseeding, then lowering the height of cut to fairway length.

Dead and ugly turf present on the 9th fairway was caused from a hydraulic hose failure from a fairway mower. The fairway area was sodded from our turf nursery, and the rough area will be aerated and seeded soon.

Grub control programs have begun. Grubs are small, white colored worm like creatures that feast on turfgrass roots. They begin feeding between August 10th and 20th. An untreated golf course in our climate would be devastated by both grub damage itself, and by skunks digging up turf looking for the grubs. 100% of our golf course and rough area will be treated within the next two weeks.

The hoses are back!! Crew members will be out the next few weeks cooling off the greens on hot and sunny days. If you encounter us "hosers" while playing, please be patient, as each green takes less than 5 minutes to complete. Thanks!!

Thanks also for everyone's wonderful compliments of our golf course's condition. 2009 has provided different challenges than previous years, and we have been lucky to stay on top of most of them...so far.

Problems repaired!!

2009-07-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

Pumped irrigation water has returned to the golf course. New components and software have been successfully installed, and irrigation is running tonight.

Thanks to DAF services of Windsor Locks, CT for wonderful support when we needed it most!!

Lightning damage report

2009-07-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

The severe line of thunderstorms that came through on Tuesday did major damage to our pump station. The damage is not visibly evident within the building or to the pump station. Damage was done from a heavy electronic surge and ruined the main pump computer, and the electronic module that controls the three main pump's speed. Without these components, we cannot move a single gallon of water.

There are many ways for the surge to enter the building and do damage. A lightning strike could have hit a tree near the building, hit the ground nearby and traveled back to the pump station, struck either pond, or even hit the ground and traveled into the pump station via pipe or wires. All this damage happened despite many protections installed within the entire irrigation system for lightning protection, including lightning rods on the building itself. Lightning is quite unpredictable.

After consulting with Club President Mr. Cianciarulo, parts were ordered today, will be shipped overnight and be installed by our pump station contractor on Friday. Estimates for parts alone is $ 6,600, plus the service calls to install and test the system.

We will investigate insurance possibilities.

Sounding like a broken record....

2009-07-02T17:44:00.000-07:00

After over 30 years on a golf course, I cannot remember another season quite like this one. Although June didn't set any records for rainfall at 3.32", it was the fifth most humid month we've seen since record keeping began four years ago.

Superintendents always prefer a dry year versus a wet one. In a dry year, we get to control how much water turfgrass surfaces see through irrigation. In a wet year, we have no control. Warning, you may have a control freak watching over your golf course!!

In simple terms, turf that doesn't dry and is mowed at heights for golf is going to become infected with one of many fungi caused diseases. The lower the height of cut, the higher chance for infection, despite any aggressive disease prevention regimen.

There are many costly fungicide options to prevent and cure disease. Some work by eliminating the fungi on contact when the fungicide is applied. (Contacts) The second method (systemics) is for the plant to uptake the chemical, protecting the plant from within. During "normal" summer weather, contacts usually have a seven to fourteen day window of effectiveness while systemics can last up to a month. Neither type lasts as described with constant rainfall we've had this summer, hence the issues we've discussed this year.

Rainfall of the first two days of July has compounded disease problems discussed in this and earlier postings. Present on some greens Friday morning are two different turf diseases that will need "curative" fungicide treatments during the next two days. You may begin to understand our frustration a bit, because rain remains in both short and long term forecasts. The forecasted heavy rains can either wash away an application, or severely shorten its effectiveness. We are now waiting for the proper time to apply fungicides to eliminate slight infections of "summer patch" and "anthracnose" diseases present on greens to be cost effective for the longest period of time. We enjoy applying chemicals that work as designed, and abhor spraying and wasting dollars from the sprayer!!

Please ask questions or email me if I have failed to explain these issues adequately!!

Due to member comments, we are shortening tee to fairway distances on many holes. Our plan is to maintain these new areas at intermediate rough height until later in the season. During August and September, these areas will be aerated and overseeded with our fairway mixture of fescues and bentgrasses. By next spring, fairway extensions will be maintained as fairway. As with the fairway re-contouring, we will make additional changes to these areas before they are renovated later this year.

Can anyone teach me and the crew the Potowomut anti-rain dance? Soup??

Rain Rain Go Away

2009-06-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

Despite all the rainfall we have seen this season, we still occasionally run irrigation cycles. You may wonder why.

This morning, (Friday) we ran a 12 minute irrigation cycle on fairways to water in the growth regulator that was applied on Wednesday and Thursday. This particular chemical enters turfgrass plants from roots only. Therefore, we needed to send the chemical into soil so it can be picked up and utilized by plants.

Other materials need to be watered in as well. These include:
1. All granular fertilizers. Salts present in these materials can burn turf leaves.
2. Insecticides applied to control subsurface feeders like grubs.
3. Pre-emergent crabgrass herbicides. These materials prevent seeds present in soil from germinating.
4. Most wetting agents. Wetting agent materials work to hold more water in soil so plants use less.
5. Fungicides that target soil borne disease, such as fairy ring.
6. Fertilizers applied that supply nutrients to cure soil deficiencies.

On the flip side, other materials do their work by staying and drying on turf leaves. If these materials are watered in, they move into soil where they won't work. These include:
1. Fungicides applied to prevent or cure fungi that attack turf leaves. (Anthracnose, dollar spot, brown patch)
2. Insecticides for surface feeders and for products that get inside plant cells where they do their work.
3. Foliar applied soluble fertilizers.
4. Herbicides applied to control existing weeds.
5. Growth regulators that work by entering plants through leaves, where they slow cell elongation, and thus growth.

Tidbits....To date, we have pumped 4 million gallons of water, much of which was used to water in fertilizer and chemical materials!! Last year we used 4.8 million gallons as of June 26th.

Turfgrass Disease Education

2009-06-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Cool and wet weather continues. Because of these conditions, we are witnessing outbreaks of different minor turf diseases here at Potowomut. Turf disease is more prevalent after periods of wet weather because these conditions favor development of the fungi that damage turf.

Please note that none of these diseases we will discuss today are severely damaging to the overall health of the golf course. I am not writing today to raise alarm; my purpose is to raise your awareness of these issues, and to further your turfgrass education!!

DOLLAR SPOT

On fairways, turf disease Dollar Spot is caused by the pathogen Sclerotinia homeocarpa. (See picture below) Annually, this is the most common disease we see on fairways during the growing season in our climate. Dollar Spot shows itself as silver dollar sized spots of damaged turf. If left untreated, Dollar Spot will coalesce into larger areas and kill turf plants, leaving an ugly playing surface that will need to be re-established. This disease is the focus of our preventative fungicide program on fairways all season long.

Our fairways have been treated twice for Dollar Spot, yet the damage we see this spring has "leaked" through preventative fungicides. Eventually, damaged plants will recover. Damage we see is aesthetic and not a huge concern, but rather a reminder that Mother Nature is always in charge!!

To help fairways heal faster, we will suspend the next scheduled growth regulator treatment planned for later this week. Allowing fairway turf to grow at its normal (faster) rate will hasten the healing process. Also, last week's fairway fertilizer application will help turf recovery, as dollar spot is a rare disease that is slowed by higher nitrogen soil fertility. Most turf diseases spread aggressively with nitrogen fertilizer applications.

LEAF SPOT

Another disease present (in roughs) is called Leaf Spot. It is caused by many different fungi from the Helminthosporium species. Leaf spot is present as partly circular patches one to two feet in diameter. (see picture below) Leaves of infected turfgrass have small brownish areas of damage evident. Again, we are seeing leaf spot this year because of the weather conditions we have seen. Warmer weather will stop the damage on plants, and turf should recover nicely during later June and July. Damage has not spread to greens, tees or fairways because all these areas have been treated with fungicides this year. Leaf spot present in roughs is not a serious situation that warrants expensive fungicide treatments.

FAIRY RING

Fairy rings are present annually and show up on greens and fairways around June 1st. Named from European fokelore because "inside the circles is where the fairys danced." Fairy rings can be both small (6 inch to 12 inch) or larger areas (up to 60 feet in diameter) of circular darker green areas of turf. The fungi use, then release excess nitrogen to the turf. The turf roots find the nitrogen giving the infected areas darker green turfgrass. Sometimes, toxic mushrooms also grow within the darker green circles.

We treat to control fairy rings on greens only, due to potential uneven putting conditions if left untreated. This year, fungicides were applied on May 28th. Fairy rings on fairways are not treated, due to expensive $ 1,500.00 per acre cost for fungicide treatments that would be necessary for successful control.

RED THREAD

Finally, we have seen a few patches of disease Red Thread this spring. Red thread is fascinating in that turfgrass infected has vibrant pink or red strands growing from mowed leaves. It tends to be injure turf in 4 to 18 inch sized circular patches of damaged turf. If left untreated, Red Thread can damage fairways severely, but we are safe because of the two fungicide treatments during 2009.

GOLF has been GREEN for a long time....

2009-05-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

We have again added bales of barley straw to the ponds on 2 and 18. Some biologists observe that barley straw's presence can reduce the populations of certain types of algae growing in ponds and waterways. Apparently, as it degrades, a chemical is released that hampers algae growth.

The rough has been in many conversations this spring. We won't further delve into the severity of the rough at this time. However, because of the health of the rough, a significant positive change can be reported and celebrated.

First, a little background information is needed.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an environmentally friendly management method for maintaining plants (and golf courses) that relies on less dependence of pesticides, irrigation water, fertilizers or any artificial methods that aids plant health. The IPM philosophy says that healthy soils will produce healthy plants that can withstand stresses from insects, disease, heat, drought and weed invasions. We employ IPM ideas constantly to give us a healthier golf course, a golf course that uses less inputs of pesticides and irrigation water than if not under IPM management.

We have touched on these IPM ideas previously without actually identifying them as IPM. Discussions that have centered on improving soil's health by adding lime and deficient nutrients is straight out of the IPM handbook, as healthier soils will support stronger, more reliable turfgrass with fewer inputs. Aerification of turf areas is an IPM method that provides air for improved soil/oxygen exchange. Providing the sharpest cutting blades for the cleanest cut prevents disease from entering poorly mowed leaf blades is IPM. Barley straw in ponds, rolling greens, thatch removal, using sand topdressing, and increasing sunlight penetration for turfgrass are all methods of Integrated Pest Management employed that lessen dependence on pesticides, fertilizers and water. (I could write for hours about how we use the IPM philosophy to manage Potowomut.)

Back to my original point, my apologies as I seemed to have wandered a bit.

Turfgrass in the rough is greatly improved after applying appropriate fertilizers the last few years as directed by Soil Scientists as a result of soil testing. During 2009, much less herbicide (weed killer) has been utilized to eliminate weeds, simply because there are fewer of them. IPM says healthier soils will provide stronger turfgrass plants that will choke out weed plants and their lateral movement, slow or stop germination of new weed seeds, and we are seeing those benefits this spring.

Ramblings

2009-05-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday's miscellaneous ramblings....

Today we applied to fairways sulfate of potash fertilizer, with an analysis of 0-0-50 (the numerical analysis refers to amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, listed as a percentage of weight in each bag.) Potassium helps prepare turf for the stresses of summer heat and drought. Research shows that potassium helps to toughen plants by strengthening plant's cell walls, improve the plant's response to disease potential, and also helps plants to use water as efficiently as possible. Fertilizer particles will slowly degrade during summer, allowing plants to uptake the nutrient when it is needed most. Potassium was applied to greens and tees last week.

Also applied this week were soil deficient nutrients manganese, magnesium and calcium to greens and tees, and a complete fertilizer to practice tees (30-5-10.)

You may notice some darker green streaks on putting greens this week. The streaks were caused by overlapping sprayer passes of a nitrogen based fertilizer applied last week. I expect these streaks to disappear early next week.

To improve 60 yards of right side rough on #7, two sprinkler heads at 145 and 168 yards were changed in irrigation programs this week. Instead of running infrequently as rough heads, they will now run more often since we designated them as fairway heads in the computer.

We hope to see you out tomorrow, or during the holiday weekend!!!

ROUGH

2009-05-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, the rough has been extra penal this spring. Sincere apologies from your golf course staff. Let me explain why the grass is extra long and feisty and tell you what is being done.

Let's start with a mini review of the problems with rough's soils.
1. Rough soils are extremely deficient in many important nutrients. Soils are deficient in plant available calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Soil pH is low, as are soluble salts. In summary, the supply in the soil for plant available soluble nutrients, or put another way, the amount of "gas in the soil's tank" for proper turfgrass growth is on empty. Let me provide quotes from March 2009 soil reports provided us by Harris Labs of Lincoln, NE.
a. "Immediate attention is required. Root growth has stopped...resistance to heat stress is poor, and membrane function is failing."
b. "Plant functions are in jeopardy of failing. Stomate (a plant cooling mechanism) is minimal so expect poor movement of water and nutrient throughout the plant."

To correct soil nutrient deficiencies, applications of proper fertilizer materials have been made, both last fall and again this spring. As these materials are slowly released to soils, plants are using them. Turfgrass in the rough is reacting positively or negatively, depending on your point of view, by actively growing with increased vigor during April and May.

Obviously, our long term goal is to improve the chemistry of rough soils. When soil can provide the nutrients plants need when they are needed, the rough can perform by providing an excellent playing surface for our members and guests.

Combined with fertility, the wet spring also aided aggressive growth of rough turf. 7.78" of rain has fallen on Potowomut since April 2, twice the normal amount.

We have two employees who each mow rough almost 40 hours each week. On Monday, we usually begin mowing rough on #11. Going in order they complete the rest of the back nine by Wednesday, and mow holes 1 through 10 Thursday and Friday. Each week, the rough is mowed once. Rough height differs depending on what day it is mowed.

Finally, both mowers' height of cut was lowered a half inch today. This adjustment should improve the situation a bit. We also plan on adding a third machine as time permits. We will do our best to continue knocking down the rough through May and June, when warmer weather should begin to slow growth.

May 8

2009-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Just a few notes from the week:

Greens spiking is nearly complete. Only #7 green remains to be done next week. This spiking process took the place of the heavy duty aerification and topdressing we normally do in early May. We spiked all greens in two directions, using our John Deere aerators set up with a slim "bayonet" shaped tine. We did not pull a soil core this spring, the spiking opens up the greens to improve soil and oxygen exchange.

For members who have not seen the greens since spiking, the surface disruption was minimal during this process. Greens are putting close to normal as of Friday evening.

We installed tournament cup liners today. The cup lines is an insert that sits on top of the cup, and simulates the painted cup look common on televised tournaments. Let us know if you like them...or not!!

Rough is extremely penal this spring, due our very wet spring and plenty of soil fertility. 7.63" of rainfall has fallen on our weather station since April 2nd. Waterlogged soil combined with 55 tons of lime and a nitrogen based fertilizer application to the rough last December are responsible. Growth should even out during the next three weeks.

All pre-emergent crabgrass applications are complete, as is a plant protectant applied to control Hyperoides Weevils, a potentially destructive root and crown munching small insect.

Play well!!!

2009-04-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

Miscellaneous Ramblings....

Greens aeration will be performed next Monday and Tuesday, weather permitting. As mentioned in an earlier blog entry, we are significantly changing our method this spring. We will aerate with a solid tine, a tine that only pokes a hole into the greens' surface. No soil will be brought to the surface, making this much less intrusive than in the past. We will topdress the greens lightly and roll the greens to return smoothness. If all goes to plan, greens will be back to normal by Friday or Saturday.

This aeration process will help the greens by providing air to soil. A healthy soil is comprised of 50% soil particles and 50% air space. Aeration is our method of returning the air component after golf traffic, equipment and weather compress soils and remove air over time.

Wednesday we aerated over half of our golf course tees. We expect to finish either tomorrow or Friday.

With recent warm weather, soils are warming quickly after a slow start. Warm soil temperatures turn the millions of crabgrass seeds present in soil from not viable to viable, ready to germinate, establish itself and cause headaches for both you and me. We treat 95% of our turf areas with chemical materials to prevent this crabgrass seed from germinating. Earlier than previous years, we are almost finished applying these chemicals to prevent this weed grass. This weekend, after your golf of course, would be a great time to apply pre-emergent crabgrass materials and fertilizer to your home lawn!! Remember to water this material in with a half inch of irrigation or natural rainfall within a few days of application.

Greens were sprayed today for disease Anthracnose, potentially destructive insects hyperoides weevils, and were treated with growth regulator. The growth regulator will help to add speed to greens for this weekend's Phil Tally tournament.

We continue our project of severing aboveground tree roots. This is proving to be a slow moving process, but we will continue to be diligent to get rid of the roots!!

Please enjoy your golf course, and email me if you have any questions!!!!

INVASION!!!

2009-04-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

We have become concerned with the ever-spreading cattails (genus Typha) present in our ponds on #2 and #18. Our concern is focused on the cattail's ability to choke off water flow between the two ponds, which would limit the amount of water available to us for golf course irrigation.

To irrigate the golf course, we use the "pump and dump" system. Our 60' deep water well, located near the stone wall bordering Potowomut and Goddard Park, "pumps" ground water and "dumps" it into our pond at the rate of 140 gallons per minute, until it is needed and moved to turf by irrigation pumps located inside the green pumphouse. We have the ability to store around one million gallons of water in our ponds for irrigation.

Because both ponds are utilized for water storage, it is important that water flows continually between them. The invasive cattails potentially could slow, or even stop this water flow, making it necessary for us to begin these control measures. No herbicides will be used; we plan on slowing the spread by frequent cutting back of the shameless invaders.

Thpha invasion!!

16th tee hazard

2009-04-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

Good morning,

We forgot to mention that we will be planting trees left of the 16th tee to protect golfers from errant shots played from the 17th tee. We will use Pitch Pines, similar plants to the trees present there already.

This work will be done during April.

Spring '09 Update

2009-04-04T09:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Spring!!!

We are happy to see everyone returning for some early season, yet mostly cold, spring golf. Rumor has it that warmer weather will arrive soon, despite its absence to date.

The golf course survived its winter rest in excellent shape. Our programs to improve and maintain the golf course continue to reap the benefits we spoke about since we began in 2005. We do, however need to continue and build on our success. A famous Golf Course Architect once told me "any golf course standing still, resting on its laurels, is in fact going backward." We have plans to go forward, despite less funding for golf course maintenance for 2009.

Because we have fewer funds for golf course maintenance, there will be changes in our operation. The changes will be due mostly due to using fewer labor hours to maintain the golf course. 65% of our operating budget is for labor and related expenses, and the dollars we have been asked to save versus last year's spending budget are significant. Some of the changes include the following: Maintaining the intermediate rough will be eliminated this year. Bunkers will not be raked as often. (Please be more vigilant raking bunkers after a bunker shot this year!!) We will use a triplex (larger) greensmower on some days. Tees will no longer be hand mowed; we will use a larger triplex mower. Greens may be only rolled some days, instead of mowed and rolled as in the past. Divots will not be filled as often. Some trimming tasks may be delayed.

Grass will still grow despite challenging economic times. Therefore, we will mow 95% of the golf course as often as in the past. Also, we are NOT eliminating or changing expensive fertilization or pest control programs on greens, tees, fairways or roughs. We will not compromise the health or quality of playing surfaces. Grubs and crabgrass will be controlled. Diseases and pests will be controlled using the best technology available. We will irrigate as we always have. We will continue to improve roughs, and will again apply lime this spring to repair severe calcium and magnesium soil deficiencies. Later this year, we will have home grown rough type sod available to us from a turfgrass nursery we established in the driving range area last fall. Finally, aeration programs will be altered in May. Greens aeration programs will not be as aggressive, saving funds by eliminating expensive sand topdressing. (I figure we may get some applause for this change...) We have plans to use a solid tine that pokes a smaller hole to the greens, bringing no soil to the surface. A lighter application of topdressing will be applied versus past springs. Decisions about our method of greens aeration for September will be made during August.

You may have noticed the painted lines placed on fairway edges. We are re-shaping fairways a bit, as they have enlarged over the years, according to some members and last year's Grounds Committee. Fairway mower operators tend to enlarge fairway edges over time, so the comments were not surprising to hear. We will not shorten the length of any fairway by reducing them at the tee side. Bringing fairways back to original size will also help us to control costs, because slightly smaller fairways will be cheaper to maintain. The new boundaries are not set in stone, as I expect to make some changes to the changes as the season progresses.

The drain by the clubhouse front door will be repaired during April. Somehow, water is not entering the drainage system as it was designed. Soon after the repair, the area excavated will be repaired with new asphalt.

We have plans to improve the quality of cut on fairway this year. Perennial ryegrasses comprise close to 50% of the turf species present on Potowomut fairways. Ryegrass grows quicker than the other species present, and like your dog, does not like to be trimmed. While being mowed, ryegrass leaves tend to be shredded, instead of being mowed clean, unless the mower's reels are perfect cylinders and adjusted perfectly. When fairway mowers go out for their first mowings in March, the reels are in this condition. Over time, however, after mowing acres of turf and encountering sticks, small stones, soil clods and sand present in divots, the reels become far from perfectly round. When in this negative condition, it takes Mechanic George four working days per mower to properly grind and adjust them. Based on our need to keep each machine operational all season, the result is poor cut quality almost all season. Our USGA representative Jim Skorulski spoke and wrote about this situation during his September 2008 visit.

Newer spin grinders from Great Britain will enable George to take a mower out of service at 7:00am, completely grind the mowers to perfect condition, and put it back in service at 3:00 pm on the same day. New spin grinders costs exceed $ 40,000. We have, however located a used set of grinders at very reasonable cost. After selling our old fairway aerator and two other minor pieces of unused equipment, we expect to have funds necessary to make an even swap.

Despite the economic challenges 2009 presents, we are still planning on a wonderful season. My staff and I will work very hard to present your wonderful golf course to you, and we will hopefully exceed your expectations.

February Greens Notice

2009-02-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

Our golf course re-appears….for a while anyway.

Winter 2009 has provided snow and cold to keep the golf course white for about six weeks. Recent warm weather has removed all snow and ice from your golf course. This warm weather respite was welcome to yours truly, as concerns about turf damage from ice cover began to move toward the top of my “Things to Worry About List” for 2009. However, greens and fairways are in wonderful shape at this writing on windy Thursday.

Will the spring-like weather continue? Meteorologist (and member) Herb Stevens says we should be ready to return to winter conditions within the next week in his weekly report to Golf Course Superintendents….enjoy the thaw while you can!!

Winter has kept your Grounds Staff busy. We have continued tree work, although on a lesser scale as in past winters. We have worked to open up the fifth fairway from shading issues. Work continues in the shop on all equipment and golf course supplies. New steps have also been installed to the 10th men’s tee.

As you may have heard, 2009 will be a challenging year financially. Club membership roles have declined since last year, and fewer funds will be available for maintenance. We plan on limiting spending in many areas, yet still provide excellent playing conditions for members. Since over 60% of our funding is directly related to labor, the majority of savings will be utilized by using fewer labor hours. There will be changes made to how we maintain the golf course. We will write more on this in future writings.

We are anxious to get back to the golf course and hope to see everyone soon!!!

Patrick Gertner CGCS

October 3

2008-10-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings Members,

After seeing remnants of two or three tropical storms, the golf course received 9.62" of rainfall during September. We went from the dry summer season with stressed, slow growing and thin rough, to a rough that is playing quite difficult. Apologies to golfers for thick rough, and we acknowledge the appreciation from golf ball manufacturer's accountants.

This wet week has interrupted the fairway aeration process. However, we will get back to this important process next week. Most fairways have taken the aggressive aeration quite well, except for shady #15, where obvious injury was apparent.

We are installing a bluegrass and fescue turfgrass nursery in the driving range, close to 18 fairway. This half acre area will enable us to grow and later install sod to turf areas that are mowed at intermediate rough height and higher.

To prepare the area, we first applied a herbicide to kill all existing turf. (This area will turn to a straw brown color in a week or so) After a few days, we will aerate the area to remove thatch and to expose soil. We will then seed with a seed mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and fine leafed fescues. After maturity, the sod that grows from this mix can be used in all areas mentioned above, including bunker bankings.

USGA Agronomist Visit Next Thursday @ 9AM

2008-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

USGA Agronomist Mr. Jim Skolurlski will visit Potowomut next Thursday, September 18th at 9:00AM. We will tour the golf course until 11:00AM or so. The purpose of his visit is to monitor our progress and suggest more ways to improve our golf course and our operation. Jim sees close to 200 golf courses per year, and always provides a wealth of information for both me and my staff, and members.

This meeting usually provides casual conversations with plenty of opportunity to ask a question or learn a bit about golf course maintenance.

Consider yourself invited!!

Aerification

2008-09-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

And the good news is......Greens have all been aerated and topdressed and are healing. With good weather, we expect the aeration do heal within a week or so.

Greens were aerated using two different methods. (Conventional aeration and sand injection) The third scheduled process, the deep tine operation, was canceled due to high moisture levels in the soil due to rainfall (3.92") generated by Hanna last weekend. We had fear this equipment could cause greens surface damage for an extended period this fall.

Next, we will begin to aerate tees and fairways. We expect to begin early next week and will work into October to complete fairways.

Our apologies for the inconvenience of aeration, but these processes begins to prepare the turf for success next summer.

Fertilizer Costs

2008-08-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

We have all heard and read stories of prices rising this year due to the surge in oil costs. Higher prices are hurting us all personally, and will continue to in the future.

The cost of fertilizers on world markets is rising faster than anything I have read about to date. Fertilizer prices in the US have mostly doubled, and in some cases risen 500% during the last fifteen months due to many factors. Nope, the 500% is NOT a typo. Reasons for the cost explosion include:

-Surging worldwide oil costs.
-The United States' developing ethanol (corn) fuel dependence, causing higher
demand for fertilizer, and higher prices.
-Developing third world countries' demand for a modern diet, a diet that
includes protein based foods supported by higher yield plants and
animals grown with the fertilizers of modern agriculture.
-Mines and fertilizer refining plants operating at capacity, a problem
resembling oil refining capacity in the US.
-Hoarding by some national governments, driving prices even higher.

Obviously, costs to fertilize turfgrass have risen dramatically already this year for Potowomut. Fertilizer decisions, never taken lightly, have more ramifications today compared with last season.

Next time, I promise we will write about something positive!!

How to best the pests.....

2008-07-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

The past week, yours truly has been applying our grub protection for the season. We apply the insecticide "Merit" (Imidacloprid) to all property within our Rhode Island stone walls and forests. This process minimizes turfgrass damage caused by beetle larvae (grubs) feeding on roots, but also eliminates damage from large rodents that will search and destroy turf looking for a grub dinner later in the fall.

If the turf at your home has suffered from grub damage in past years, now is the proper time to apply any product that uses Merit as its insecticide ingredient. Products that use a different insecticide to control grubs should be applied between August 10th to 20th. Always read and follow label directions, and please remember that most materials need to be activated by rainfall or irrigation.

Friday July 25

2008-07-27T08:39:00.001-07:00

Rainbow Derby Greetings,

What a difference a couple of days can make!!! On Wednesday, we were just about to send an email telling you about lack of rainfall, record number of gallons pumped by irrigation the last two weeks, stressed turfgrass in the rough and a request for a Potowomut rain dance or two.

After the last two days, however, the story has changed a bit. The rain dance has worked. The thunderstorm we witnessed here on Wednesday afternoon was extremely severe. We saw heavy winds, constant cloud to ground lightning and an inch of rainfall in quite a short time. Lucky for us, we only lost a few tree branches, and the protections installed to prevent lightning damage to irrigation components were up to the task. (We also received some much needed rain, 2.90" in total.)

We will begin adding sand to a few bunkers during the next few weeks. We will address bunkers commonly hit into that are lacking sand. They include the front greenside bunkers on 3, and 4, 6 and 10 right bunkers, and 16. Other bunkers will be addressed if sand supply remains.

Bunkers with sand added will play a bit differently as sand settles. Expect it to take a year for sand to settle and play as other bunkers on the golf course. We will do our best to hasten the sand settling process by applying water and compacting new sands with heavy equipment.

Today, the project to pave the cartpath that leads from the 3rd tee toward 8 tee will begin. We will do out best to alleviate traffic problems as the contractor completes the project. The bottom binder will be applied today and the top coat of asphalt will be completed next week.

Tidbits....From July 7 to July 21, we pumped a 15 day record 3,421,000 gallons of irrigation water. Old record of 2,600,000 gallons was established last year between August 27 to September 10....We will continue to sever tree roots with machine, filling in with soil and seed.....Please continue to help your golf course by repairing your ballmark plus one other, and please only use divot sand on fairway divots only. Please use divot sand sparingly, as too much sand in some divots is damaging mowers!!

Patrick Gertner CGCS

Fine Tuning Irrigation

2008-07-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Even though we have been using the new irrigation system for three golf seasons, minor upgrades and changes within both sprinkler components and Rainbird software are still being made. Just this week, fairway edges on the 7th fairway began to dry excessively, showing weak coverage despite nightly irrigation. Larger nozzles that throw water farther were installed, increasing irrigation coverage to both fairway and rough.

We have installed larger nozzles (and increased irrigation coverage) to many areas since 2005. Larger nozzles installed last fall to green perimeter heads have improved green surrounds by increasing coverage. Larger nozzles installed at #2 green helped this green improve this year. I estimate that 25% to 35% of all heads have had a nozzle change since the system was completed in 2005.

We have written and use different irrigation programs that assign longer or shorter run times for each golf course area, such as greens, tees, fairways, roughs, practice tees, etc. On days the weather station computes maximum water loss in turfgrass plants, (such as almost all of July this year) longer run times are chosen for each different area.

From the irrigation computer, we can adjust each of the 1100 sprinkler heads. To "fine tune" the system even further, run times of individual heads can be raised or lowered as a percentage of the chosen run time. This adjustment is based on how the turf is performing at the location of each sprinkler head. For example, the sprinkler head located on the top tee of #14 is currently adjusted to irrigate 200% of the chosen run time because of its normally dry condition. Heads located on the left side of the second fairway of #15 have been adjusted to 50% or less because of the large shade causing beech tree located there. Heads throughout the property have different percentages assigned based on how the turf usually performs in that area. These percentages are constantly being monitored and changed.

OK....I had better get back to my hose, still the most important piece of irrigation equipment we own!!

The hues of summer....

2008-07-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Greetings!!

Summer dry periods give the golf course different shades of greens and browns, especially in the rough. Rough areas are irrigated, but are not given enough water to provide the lush and green conditions seen during wetter seasons of spring and fall.

Our irrigation system was designed to provide water for greens, tees and fairways. Fairways have three heads placed across their widths, except #7 which has only two, because of this hole's thinner design. Each of the three heads' main responsibility is to provide enough water to keep fairways viable. It doesn't matter if a sprinkler head is placed in the fairway OR the rough, its job is to irrigate fairway turf for golf. (Alternative irrigation designs that provide sufficient water for rough turf were cost prohibitive.)

Providing the additional water through these heads to perfectly maintain rough would cause wet conditions for golf, as well as increases in both turfgrass disease and insect activity.

Because of the above explanation, during the dry months of July and August the golf course rough takes on a few different colors of greens and browns. When turf is stressed as the rough is today, these rough grasses go into a dormant state that protects it from permanent damage. When significant rains of September and October arrive, the plants break their dormancy and again turn to the thicker, lush conditions that lead to greener conditions and more difficult golf shots.

We are fortunate to enjoy the wonderful game of golf during a great summer for golf in Rhode Island! One reason for my love of the game is because every golf course changes each time we play it. Enjoy the changes, the many different hues of summer, along with the less penal rough!!

(2) Friday Greens Applications

2008-06-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

With warmer temperatures, wet conditions and high humidity, different disease organisms become active and potentially destructive. If left uncontrolled, they would damage all short cut turfgrass before too long, rendering our golf course unsuitable for the game of golf.

Greens were sprayed twice on Friday, June 27th. In the morning, greens received these ten chemical materials:

1. A combination of two different fungicides. These materials were applied to prevent the disease anthracnose. Combinations of two or three different materials are always used to combat this Northeast disease. Like a boxer who uses two different punches, such as a body shot and a jab to topple his opponent, we are doing the same by using chemicals with different modes of action in the same application. Thanks to Dr. Bruce Clarke at Rutgers University whose tireless research has provided control strategies for Superintendents on anthracnose. If you would like to learn more about anthracnose, I have attached a Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England Newsletter that begins with a 2007 report from Dr. Clarke and associates. This can be found in the "links" section.

2. A growth regulator was applied to slow turfgrass growth on greens. While growth is slowed, plants use less water and provide superior putting surfaces in speed and smoothness.

3. A low dose insecticide was added to prevent damage from hyperodes weevil's second generation of the year. Larvae (small grubs) of hyperodes have caused problems at NE courses this year. To date, we are free of this pest that consumes turf stems, crowns and roots, and plan to stay that way!! This material also controls damaging cutworm, so we are getting broad spectrum control with this one application.

4. Six different high tech greens soluble fertilizers were mixed and applied in the morning application. Greens may take on a darker green appearance for the next week or so, and this healthy look can be attributed to these products supplied by Floratine and Rootex. Healthy plants withstand stress and provide the highest quality and most reliable putting surfaces.

This first application was allowed to sit undisturbed on plants all day, because leaves were absorbing these materials into cells where they will be utilized and
transported by the plants.

At close to 7:00 PM, we began the evening application.

First, a different fungicide "ProStar" was applied that works on soil borne disease Fairy Ring. This was used to eliminate the small and large dark green circular patches present on a few greens. Fairy ring damages greens, especially at later stages of disease development, and is quite difficult and expensive to control. This was the second treatment this month to eliminate Fairy Ring. I believe these patches will take a week or two to finally disappear.

Because this fungicide works in soil, we added a wetting agent material to the application. The wetting agent will help move the ProStar fungicide where the pathogen resides....into the soil. To assist the movement of the fungicide, we ran ten minutes of irrigation on each green, split into two five minute cycles.

Please feel free to email questions, or stop me to ask, anytime!!

Help!!!!

2008-06-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

We have begun to fill holes and voids in rough areas with soil and seed. Between irrigation cycles and the wet summer, we are seeing some early germination success!! We do, however, need your help on this project.

Seeded areas are being flagged off with small colored flags. Please help us by staying off these areas with both golf carts and foot traffic. Together, we can and will continue Potowomut's improvement.

These flagged areas will be painted and maintained as ground under repair.

As long as we are asking for favors, we also need help on greens. During July and August, we rely on more irrigation cycles to keep them alive. Increased irrigation can lead to ballmarks....and this is where we seek your help. Please help your golf course by taking the time to properly repair your ballmark plus one other. Pinch the turf toward the center of the ballmark, and smooth with your putter.

One more request....have a great summer and play well!!!

Update

2008-06-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

This week, we are working on a few projects.

1. Bunker edging has begun, and will be completed by the end of the week. Edging is done to contain lateral grass growth from the bunkers, and to give them a nice clean look. As part of this process, we are also re-distributing sand back to bunker bankings and higher areas caused by water erosion.

2. I am sure you have noticed the two drainage pipes that we have dug up and exposed. Drainage water was found gushing from the ground Sunday behind the 2nd green, and was spilling onto the green. The pipe here begins at the clubhouse entrance as it drains parking lot water under the clubhouse and into the pond on #2. During construction of this pipe, two old clay pipes met, and the mechanism that joined the pipes together crumbled. It appears this was repaired in the past, but the repair was done with a tar roofing material and failed again.

On #12, a dangerous sinkhole has been evident for months. The pipe here carries water from the small pond under the approach, to an outlet left of the cartpath. Since the pond is at the lowest elevation in this, the wettest area of the golf course, it provides an important drainage function. Sure enough, we found the old clay pipe had failed, as a four foot section collapsed, causing pond overflow water to divert around the pipe. Thus, the sinkhole formed. We expect repairing this pipe will provide drier conditions on the 12th approach.

Both pipes will be properly repaired within the next few days.

3. We installed a garden designed to supply habitat for butterflies near the 14th teeing areas. Plants Mac installed will provide food, water, shelter and places for egg laying and plants for young larvae to feed on. A butterfly house is on order and will be installed next week. A few monarchs have already found the garden. We are excited about watching the garden mature hope to attract butterflies in future years!!

Enjoy our wonderful Rhode Island summer!!!!

The Heat Is On

2008-06-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Late spring heat is here!!

Just like you and I, turfgrass cools itself by sweating water, but through pores on leaves instead of pores on skin. Turfgrass roots pull water from soil, cooling itself in a process called evapotranspiration. During many warm summer days, soil water can become depleted, causing plants to wilt. If turf wilts for enough time, death of the plant(s) may occur.

On the days plants on greens cannot find water it needs to cool itself, our staff takes over and cools the turf using hoses. When you see us pulling those heavy lengths of 100' hose, our sole purpose is to lower the canopy temperature. Like an athlete, the greens perform better after this cooling, or "syringing" process.

On tees and fairways, we may run sprinkler heads to spin once or twice, again to cool the turf.

Why don't we simply turn on sprinkler heads to greens to apply this cooling water? Each green has many different microclimates, and each has different needs for water. The perimeters of greens where greens were expanded a few years ago need more water than the centers of the greens. Also, wilting areas of greens need a bit more water to promote healing. The greens communicate to us what they need as we apply cooling water. If we applied overhead irrigation water afternoons to greens, ultimately areas of greens would get too wet, an unacceptable and unhealthy surface for golf turf.

As a part of your membership dues, staff is trained to cool anyone who asks!!

Stay cool!!

The Rough Is Rough

2008-06-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

The good news......

As detailed in our Spring 2008 Newsletter, our rough needs work and programs are in place to address problems. We applied 28 tons of lime and a spring fertilizer to roughs. Additionally, all bunker and greenside bankings received an additional application with an expensive silicone and micronutrient based fertilizer.

Soil pH levels in the roughs are rising that will allow more efficient uptake of nutrients by turf plants from healthier soils. These programs will be repeated twice per year to continue to thicken rough and to eliminate thin and bare spots.

And now for the bad news.....

This year's cooler temperatures and timely rains have produced a deep and thick rough to many areas of the golf course. Many players have expressed some level of frustration attempting to extricate their Titleists, Callaways and Top Flights during the last few weeks.

I do expect these conditions will ease as the heat of summer arrives during the next few weeks.

Please remember however, that your playing partners and opponents all play the same golf course.....and also remember one of the first rules written about golf, to "play the golf course as you find it." We are mowing as fast as we can!!

Peace!!

Birdhouses

2008-06-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

We installed four bluebird houses early this spring. As of this writing, we have yet to entice any bluebirds to these new accommodations. Bluebirds are a nearly endangered species whose numbers are steadily climbing during recent years due to nest box projects such as ours. For more information, please visit: http://www.auduboninternational.org/programs/acss/golf.htm

Instead of bluebirds, we do have a mating pair of Tree Swallows in the boxes left of the 5th hole.
Tree swallows, like bluebirds, are secondary cavity nesters, who rely on holes in older trees to build their nests. Golf course workers always enjoy the presence of tree swallows as they sometimes provide company with us as we mow turfgrass. The tree swallows artistically fly and swoop in circles around us, hoping to catch insects that we disturb during mowing activities.

We will nurture fledglings of swallows in a few weeks. and hope to lure bluebirds later in the season to Potowomut. Here is a pictures of a tree swallows on the 5th hole.

Tree Swallow Male #5

No Joy For This Koi

2008-06-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

June 5

Early Tuesday morning, irrigation pumps were turned off at 1:48am by an alarm triggered by pump control software. Wednesday morning, the initial diagnosis showed one of the three large irrigation pumps was not working properly. Our pump service professionals arrived from Connecticut yesterday. (Wednesday) We disassembled the affected pump, and determined that both pump and electric motor were fine. Further work revealed that somehow, one of our larger koi fish entered the pump suction line and was lodged in the pipe leading to this pump. A few hours and plenty of ingenuity led to the extraction of the doomed bright orange koi.

There is a filtering screen on the water suction line that somehow failed, allowing this intrusion. A diver arrives to the Club on Friday morning to inspect and possibly repair the intake pipe.

After 30+ years in the golf course business, I guess I haven't seen it all.....

Apologies for the graphic picture!!

June 6th

The diver swam to the bottom of the pond this morning and found that the filtering screen at the end of the plastic intake pipe had fallen off and was sitting on the bottom of the pond. This allowed our koi friend to get sucked up on Tuesday morning, when pumps were supplying 1200 gallons per minute of water to the golf course.

Mike was able to re-attach the screen, ending this odd saga. We will contact the initial installer of the intake pipe and question them about a problem that should have never happened.