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!!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Post Tropical Storm Update
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.
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.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Miscellaneous ramblings
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....
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....
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
July Update
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....
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....
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
JUNE UPDATE
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...
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...
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Golf Course Update
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Leaf Spot Disease
"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....
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....
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