Temporary Greens

What a great couple of months to end the season! With the extremely cold mornings, the soil temperatures have really dropped off and the greens are remaining frozen into the afternoon on some of the shaded greens. While we are able to push the greens farther than most courses because of our bentgrass greens and sand based profile, we do not want to push them to the point of damaging the plants. The temperatures will be dropping this weekend and we need to be prepared for the switch to temporary greens. During the afternoon on Friday, we will be switching the pins to the approaches/rough before the freeze occurs on the holiday weekend. Happy Holidays to you and your families. I am looking forward to another great year!

Waterfall Update

The pipe from the original pit to the outlet is in place and ready to go. We will be measuring the pond at the top of the waterfall this week so we can price out a custom liner to fit our exact specifications. This will give us less leak points by not using adhesive. Over the winter we will be building a sled for the pump to sit on, keeping it out of the debris and allowing us to pull the pump easily for maintenance. The final step will be chiseling a hole out of the vault and running the new inlet pipe down to the pond. The project should be completed my mid-April.

Bunker Maintenance

This off-season, we have already attacked a few bunkers by taking out the sand, re-lining, edging to the original shape, and filling with clean sand. The liner in these bunkers was torn and had become a nuisance to the golfers and my staff, peeking out at us on a regular basis. Once the sand finds a way underneath, it is very difficult to stop the liner from pushing up. We will continue working on bunker edging and cleaning until the ground freezes over. Below are some of the pictures from the process:

The entrance point to this bunker had crept in a good 3 feet on the edges from golfers walking, machines entering, and wind blowing sand out

The old liner is ripped out and the bunker is edged back to the original shape

New liner installed to fit snug against the bunker lip (cut with a blow torch)

The new type of liner staple is designed to stay in place during freezing/thawing

This is a bunker we have to attack. You can see the lip on the left and back that needs to be removed

Hopefully you enjoyed the great golfing weather in November.......the cold is near

Firming up perception

If nothing else, it adds some valuable yardage to your drives

Unfortunately, the public perception of golf courses is not always the greatest, but Superintendents are doing everything they can to clean up that old image of “chemical dumpers” and “water hogs”. RiverCrest was designed with over 40 acres of native grasses, which don’t need fertility or irrigation to thrive and actually are ideal without it (this is why the natives get so thick with rainfall). 

We have effectively cut down water usage the last two years by 26% over the previous five. The plant will slowly adapt to its environment, creating stronger turf that can handle times of drought stress. Next year we are continuing to dial in our programs which includes moving sprinklers to more effective locations, using different soap based products to break surface tension and move water more evenly through the soil, and adding additional connections for watering localized dry spots with hoses.

One of my big pet peeves is driving by an office building or home and watching the sprinklers run because of the day of the week or time instead of necessity. We set our irrigation computer daily based on plant needs, weather patterns, or an occasional fertilizer application that needs to be watered in. Hopefully you all know that RiverCrest is doing its part to help the environment and prepare our course for the future, while also providing firm playing conditions throughout the season.

I found a little tidbit while I was doing some reading: There was a recent study that showed Golf courses in the desert of Las Vegas used 37% less water than homeowners to maintain their turf. 

Below is a video with some interesting data about the turf we grow and golf on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K-aoWqM85M

Frost!!

With our first frost delay of the year this morning, I just wanted to update the membership on what our plans are for the rest of the year (as long as the weather channel is wrong in saying 6" of snow on Saturday afternoon). The cool temperatures will really slow the plants growth and cutting will be minimal from here on out. We will continue to topdress the greens weekly, helping to protect the crowns of the plant through the winter. Our plan is to soil relieve the greens and tees one more time before winter to eliminate any compaction and oxygenate the soil. It is a similar look to a pencil tine aerification, but instead of poking a hole straight down, it kicks and shatters the soil profile.

As far as winter play is concerned, weather dictates everything, but here is my plan. We will cut the cups in the fairways/rough in early December, but wait to switch the flags over until December 22nd. Squeeze in a few more rounds while you can!!!

Trees on 1

Number 1 and 4 greens are taking much longer to recover from aerification and the overall health of these two greens are consistently lower than the rest. Both are smaller greens as far as pin positions to spread out traffic. They are also located in the worst growing environments on the property. Air movement and morning sun are very scarce throughout the entire season, causing much weaker turf during stressful periods. We dodged many bullets and proceeded with caution to get us through another tough summer, but any little change in weather would have broken our thin ice. Unfortunately, there is not much more we can do on 4 as last winter we thinned out some trees on the right and cleaned up the underbrush between it and 16. We were going to wait until the winter to remove the grove on 1, but with the effects it had on slowing the healing and delays it would have caused with frost, we decided to move forward and strengthen the turf for next season. Below are some of the pictures taken at 9:00 before the removal and if the sun shines in the next 2 weeks, I will add some updated pictures. We will be adding some smaller plant material this fall to fill in the void we created, but in the meantime we are just letting the green breathe.

Range Tee

I was not pleased with the range tee during the 2010 season and the quality of turf we provided for you to practice on during the summer months. I knew the heat and drought stress contributed to the thinner turf in July and August, but we also made other adjustments over the winter to improve this season's playing surface. We enlarged the tee with hopes of allowing members to use the grass portion from Thursday to Sunday. We also heavily seeded with the fastest germinating turf (ryegrass) and continued to add divot mix and additional seed every Tuesday. We encountered another tough summer with a lack of rainfall and some steady stretches of above average heat and once again the grass did not fare very well on the tee.

Excuses don't go very far in our industry and you just play the hand you are dealt by the often relentless Mother Nature. With that being said, we are making another adjustment to the tee and switching the turf over to bermudagrass. It is a southern turf which aggressively grows laterally and is better suited for drought conditions. This "Patriot" variety was established for athletic fields to handle the wear and tear of football and soccer in the Mid-Atlantic climates. The one challenge we will tackle with overseeding is dormancy. Bermudagrass goes dormant in October and does not green up until May. We will utilize ryegrass to maintain the surface in the shoulder seasons.

I did not want to rip up the tee again this fall to make the transition so we came up with a clever way to switch it over without any disruption to play. We swapped out 600 cup size plugs throughout the tee with the new Patriot bermudagrass. It will establish itself this fall, but we probably will not see much lateral movement with cooler temperatures late in the year. In May we will switch some of our practices to favor the lateral growth of the new turf are hoping by season's end the tee will be almost completely transitioned (it will actually choke out the rye as it pushes to the side). I will keep you updated with progress as we move through next season and hopefully we can utilize the turf portion of the tee on a consistent basis in the future.

Irene

The hurricane was not as damaging as predicted, but still left all of the sand in the bunkers washed to the bottom and debris everywhere. We did have one totally uprooted tree by the shelter on 8, but it fell out of play and easily cleaned up this morning.

The good news is significant rainfall jump started the greens into recovery and many of the holes are already closed. We were able to get a roll and a cut on them this afternoon and they should be fully healed and ready for the holiday weekend.

Hope to see everyone at the softball game tomorrow night!!! I know after a full day of shoveling bunkers, my staff will be in great shape to run a few bases.

Conditioning the soil

The goals for fall aerification were to remove as much of the top organic matter as possible, give the roots oxygen to breath /create a gas exchange, relieve compaction, and create sand channels to increase water infiltration to the rootzone. The turf is very worn down at the end of the season and precaution must be taken with the turf to ensure proper recovery, therefore we perform a portion in-house and have a contractor bring in their less aggressive machines to finish it off. We began by pulling smaller cores from the top 4" on a very tight spacing, allowing the top layer to breath and dry out from all of the rain. The plugs were pulled to the side, hauled away, and any remaining debris blown off. We topdressed heavily with sand and brushed over the green two times to fill most of the holes. On Tuesday we rolled the greens after they were dry to eliminate sand sticking to the drums and creating a mess. This set us up for Dryject to bring in their machines on Wednesday. These sand injection machines are the best at punching a straight sand channel through the profile. We adjusted the pressure way down for our greens to aggressively attack the top layer with a fat channel. This procedure is very labor intensive as the machine needs to be filled with buckets (we used nearly 40 tons of sand for three machines). We followed that process with a brush and another roll before we added the organic fertilizer as the finishing touch. All goals were accomplished and the healing process has already begun. Below are a few pictures of our three day adventure:

The core aerifier pulling plugs from the green with the box attachment dragging them to the side, reducing foot traffic before the holes are filled.

This is the Dryject machine adding more sand to the profile

This is a picture taken last season after the spring aerification. You can see the distinct layer at the top that we have targeted with our agronomic practices

The top layer is not nearly as evident and a perfect sand channel was added from the dryject machines on the right. All of the small punctures on the playing surface are from our machines, while the larger ones are from the sand injection.

Aerification Update

We were very fortunate to have three great days with cool conditions and sunny skies to aerify the course. Michael had all of the equipment running to perfection and the Assistants kept the organized chaos moving full speed ahead. The crew took full advantage, working very long hours with no complaints and leaving very healthy turf behind. We still have a few fairways left to finish due to holding back the tractor on Monday with the soggy conditions. The first few groups will catch the slicer on 16 or 18, but that will be the only interference tomorrow and we do not need to close down any holes. I will attach a few pictures in the coming days explaining the process and reasoning in depth.

Chainsaws are sharpened and ready for whatever Irene may bring…

Aerification

For August aerification we will be utilizing a few different methods to reduce organic matter and add oxygen to the soil. Each is effective for its particular playing surface and will be beneficial in preparing the turf for great fall conditions and the cold winter months.

Greens will be aerified with small tines and topdressed on Monday and Tuesday followed by a contractor called DryJect arriving on Wednesday to inject sand into the top 4" on Wednesday. They utilize water and air pressure to create clean sand channels, allowing water to penetrate through the profile faster. The method is less abrasive than a standard aerification and encourages a faster recovery.

Fairways will be spiked to give them a breath of fresh air and shatter the soil profile from all of the compaction this season. Using the spiker will allow them to recover with no playability issues and no voids left for poa to germinate.

We began the tee slicing process on Wednesday with hopes of slowly poking away, but the rain has halted that operation until later next week. This machine is very aggressive and physically removes the thatch using saw blades. Below you can see a picture of how effective the slicer is at creating a channel through the organic layer. We hope to perform this process at least one more time this fall. We have a long way to go in eliminating the sponginess out of the tees. Trying to get water through the mat and into the rootzone has been a tough task the last two years.

Feel free to come see the process in effect on Monday thru Wednesday. If all goes well, we will have all 18 back in shape for Thursday golf.

Bouncing Back

The traffic areas at the ends of the fairways and green surrounds are bouncing back with some much needed rain and a little break from the heat. From a distance the color is still brown, but the picture below shows many new green leaves shooting up out of that recently dormant grass. We are letting the rough grow out of the stressed stage before we cut it again, so expect some diverse lies as you play the course this weekend. We will be back to normal business next week and the break should set us up for great fall conditions.

Cicada Killers vs. Yellow Jackets

Many of you have asked me over the past couple of weeks to spray bees in bunkers. I have found a couple nests and took care of them, but many of the insects you are seeing are actually Cicada Killers. They are larger than yellow jackets and much more intimidating, but do very little harm.

Cicada Killers will swarm over the sand, but are not an aggressive insect toward humans (even when we are raking the sand). The females utilize their stinger to attack cicadas for food for their larvae and the males have no stinging capabilities. Unless you grab one, step on it with bare feet, or happen to have one get trapped in your clothing, you should have no issues with them.

Yellow Jackets are extremely protective of their nest and will swarm immediately if you are even within a couple feet. They love to burrow in bunker faces and natives. You most likely will not even see them until it is too late. Please let me know if you see any nests out there and we will take care of them. We mark these areas during the day and spray them before the sun comes up to ensure most of the population is in the nest.




 Can't we all just get along???

Hand Watering

Watering the greens at RiverCrest is a challenging task and I need the crew to be able to focus on the turf’s health. We attempt to avoid play as much as we can, but certain greens need more immediate attention than others. If a worker is watering the green, please let him finish the task and get out of the way before hitting your approach shots. They are focused on the turf and cannot hear you yelling “Fore” with a nozzle blasting next to them. During dry, hot times like these, we will also have staff watering the green surrounds. They are trained to continue watering as you hit your approach shots, but please make sure they are looking up and see you coming before hitting in. Thank you for your cooperation.

Ponds

The waterfall on 16 has been temporarily turned off until we break out of this drought. We are currently lowering the top 2 ponds to help us fill the bottom pond, which is utilized for irrigation. There are many variables to consider as we fight through this stretch. The lower the irrigation pond goes, the higher the pH of the water becomes (which we adjust using our injection system in the pumphouse before used on the course). A shallow pond also effects the water temperature and watering stressed turf with warm water is not ideal.

We are still filling the pond with water from our emergency feed, but those numbers are mind boggling and strenuous on a brain and budget as well. 200 Gallons per minute = 288,000 Gallons per day = nearly $1500 per day when we utilize that resource. I will always prefer dry conditions over wet to maintain RiverCrest, but a full day of rain would not be so bad right now.....

A picture is worth 1000 words.........Turfscreen trial update

From the camera view, the right side was sprayed with Turfscreen a week prior to the picture being taken

 A few days after application, a significant difference in turf health is visible on the distant half

Dew patterns are a great indicator of plant health to Superintendents. The right side has been treated with Turfscreen, leaving a consistent dew pattern behind. The left is having a harder time recovering from traffic and heat stress.

Tree Damage

A promising new herbicide was introduced to the market last year featuring a 90 day control of broadleaf weeds in roughs and natives. This is music to every Superintendent's ears to control all of the tough weeds in natives with one application in early summer and one in the fall. Evidently, enough trials were not conducted on this product before it went to market and we have found out it controls white pines and spruce trees as well. We are currently working with the representatives of this company and other users to figure out why the damage occured, how long will it effect the trees, and if the trees will bounce out of the damage or continue to decline.

The top picture is the initial stages which curl the tips of the branches. The second and third pictures show the progression of the damage throughout the entire tree. The damage did not show up until 30 days after the application and we are hoping the trees will start rebounding within a month. It is a great product which has kept our natives very clean and we will continue to utilize the technology, but we learned the hard way to steer clear of any areas with pines and spruces.

13 Fan

The trees around 13 have grown to create a perfect barrier to the pool so golf balls cannot make their way in. This same barrier has created a lack of air movement that is essential for the turf on the green to flourish. Since tree removal is not an option, we did the next best thing -ordered a fan. This particular model is the most efficient, moving air over 150' and well equipped with a quiet oscillating motion. Hopefully you don't even notice it, but if you do, this tool is serving a great purpose.

Temperatures to jump at

The weather has been perfect to grow healthy turf and these last few nights have really allowed us to be aggressive with our practices. Yesterday we groomed the greens and cut them twice. The groomer helps us eliminate some of the grain in the playing surfaces and stands the turf upright, allowing the mowers to get a good clean cut.

This morning we brought out the brush which our mechanic, Michael created last year using the old bunker rake. It is a very aggressive machine and the temperatures and plant health have to be perfect or it can do some damage. We brushed all of the greens and had 4 mowers cutting the upright turf behind him.

We followed the cut by spreading 5 tons of sand over the top and brushing that in as well. This brushing process stood up more turf and with the cool temperatures lingering around all morning we decided to cut again.

Instead of trashing our good greens mowers, we used a triplex to make the final cut through sand. We left the baskets off to redistribute any of the sand the mower picked up.

All in all, a very busy and successful morning that will have a tremendous impact on the weeks to come. This is what makes my career so enjoyable. You sweat through temperatures and water until the sun goes down and the next week you are switching gears and beating up the turf to give the best playing conditions possible. All while making sure you are prepped for the next hot stretch so you can do it all over again.

Parts needed

We are working on a project at the club and are in need of a couple things. We could use about 12 old baseboard heaters (do not have to be working) and a small chest freezer that we could fit in the back of a maintenance cart. I have been keeping an eye on Craig's List, but if anyone knows someone who might be looking to get rid of them, please shoot me an e-mail sdb@rivercrestgolfclub.com. I will explain the project once the contraption is built. Thanks for any help

Divot trial update

We encountered an extremely wet stretch of weather which has boded well both for the divot recovery and seed germination. Here are the updated pictures after 14 days. The divots are adhered to the soil and recovering nicely, producing thick white roots. The seed is germinating at a good clip as well, but the seedlings remain tender and the root structure very immature.

Sunscreen Trials

 As many of you probably noticed last Friday, half of the fairways on holes 1-10 are a shade different. I know I just had a picture up stating do not spray sunscreen on the turf, but this is different. It is an all natural sunscreen produced by Scott May, the Superintendent at Manufacturers Golf and Country Club in Fort Washington, PA. I am running a test on "Turfscreen" to determine its ability to help us control disease, use water more efficiently, increase plant health, and improve turf recovery in regards to traffic and divot repair. Test results have shown UV rays have detrimental effects on the plants ability to photosynthesize which immediately affects the turfgrass health. This product will help by coating the fairways with a blend of sunscreen and a sticking agent which allows the material to adhere to the plant, even in periods of heavy rainfall. I plan to continue this trial through the entire season and believe it will be a valuable tool for us to use in the future. I will keep you updated with results as we continue the trial.

Bug Spray and Sunscreen

Please refrain from using spray on sunscreen and bug spray while standing on the green as it will burn the turf. Luckily, the individual waited until they arrived at Kramer's learning center green to apply, which is where we take plugs from to repair damaged greens :)

Divot Trial

One week ago today, I hacked up 40 divots side by side in our first fairway for a trial. That is one heck of a divot pattern, wouldn't you agree Kramer? I replaced 20 of the divots, some thick and some thin and filled the remaining 20 with mix and seed. The questions I am looking to solve are:
1.Which method is better from a playability standpoint
2. Which is more aesthetically pleasing
3. Is either more beneficial to the health of the turf

We have not had any significant rainfall and we keep our fairways firm...........

Even with the toasty top, the roots are impressive for 7 days old and the divot is pretty adhered to the soil. The roots are diving, searching for that drink of water

There are many tiny seedlings starting to pop up in the mix

After 7 days here are my quick thoughts:

• From a playability standpoint I would much rather hit a shot from the fairway off of a partially healed replaced divot than a miniature bunker of seed/sand/soil
• Aesthetically, I am at a toss up for a burnt divot compared to mix - You choose
• The replaced divot has established some dense roots while the seedlings are still in the infant stage -advantage replaced divot

I will continue to keep you updated weekly on the progress with a full report in the June newsletter

Range

 The Range tee was cut for the first time yesterday. We seeded the thin areas again where the rain and wind enjoy challenging the placement of our seed. We will try to cut it 3 times per week, lowering the machine each time until it reaches optimum height. This should take about a week and a half to two weeks. Cutting the turf will stimulate growth and accelerate the plants strength. We will re-evaluate the density of the playing surface over the next week, but I am still hoping to open up the tee in mid-May.

The chipping area is at its optimum height with just a little topdressing needed to smooth the surface. The chipping green is still a week away from its first cut and will be a similar process to the tee until it can handle any traffic. I am hoping the short game is ready for play by the end of May

Hydraulic Leak

Last Friday we had a hydraulic line blow out on 17 Tee while mowing. The operator noticed immediately and moved the machine to the path. He then grabbed a hose from the shop to water it in and cool down the turf. You will notice a dark green streak with yellow blotches on the tee. We use a vegetable based oil in our machines which does not burn the turf as severely and will not contaminate the soil for weeks to come. With the immediate action taken and cool temperatures I do not believe we will see any further damage. If we do, it is nothing a pound of seed cannot fix.

Assistants

Being a Superintendent is similar to being a head coach from many angles. There are many different methods to choose from, the fan base is extremely diverse, and you rely so much on the players you have to get the job done. The latter mentioned is one of the underrated key elements to success. In most cases when you take over a new job, staff assessment followed by terminating and replacing employees is part of the first phase. I was pleasantly surprised upon my arrival at the knowledge and work ethic I inherited. We added one more Assistant to fulfill my management style and we hit the ground running. The Assistants I am about to introduce had the opportunity to jump ship with a changing of the guard, but instead have diligently worked with me to change our philosophies and shared their knowledge and experience. They have passion for RiverCrest and a great understanding of what it takes to get the job done right. I get many compliments about the conditions that we provide, but I want to make sure everyone knows the leaders behind the scene who deserve all of the credit in the world.

Chris McKernan has been with the club since the Grand Opening and has complete understanding of all facets of the operation. He graduated from The Restaurant School in Philadelphia with one year as a line cook, spent three years as a Teaching Professional, and is currently working towards his Agronomy degree online from Penn State University. He grew up playing the great courses of the Philadelphia Area and enjoys the game of golf whenever he has time. When not on site, he usually can be found cruising down the highway on his Triumph.

Derek Mohler graduated from Penn State with a Bachelors degree in Turfgrass Science. Upon graduation in 2008, he joined the team as an Assistant Superintendent. Prior to RiverCrest he worked at Lancaster Country Club and Bent Creek Country Club both near his hometown of Lancaster. He enjoys Penn State Football and is one of only three people I have ever met to admit to being a Detroit Lions Football fan. Derek also enjoys the game of golf in his spare time.

Corey Forbes has been with us since June of 2010. He also graduated from Penn State last year with a degree in Turgrass Science. His previous course experience comes from Regents Glen in York. Corey is an avid baseball fan, but his true sports passion is following those Nittany Lions. He grew up outside of York, PA and his first words were We Are.

All three of them are headed to professional tournaments this year to volunteer for the entire week of course preparation. Chris will be heading to TPC Sawgrass for The Players Championship. Derek will be making the trip to Hamilton Farms in New Jersey for the LPGA Sybase Match Play event. Corey will be staying local and helping out at the AT&T hosted by Aronimink Golf Club. It is our way to lend a hand within our industry while learning different methods at other top notch golf courses. Make sure you introduce yourself to these young men as you enjoy your round, they thoroughly enjoy talking about the course.

Crabgrass

With these warm, wet days the window of opportunity to apply crabgrass control is closing quickly. You will see us applying it on the course tomorrow with rain expected Thursday to soak it in. If you have not put down your application yet, make sure you do so in the next week or so. For those of you who did any seeding, it is a great time to apply a starter fertilizer to help the seedling root quickly before the summer heat comes to take all of the plants energy reserves.

Plugging Poa

Poa is a very difficult grass (to us it is a weed) to control and once it gets a foothold spreads rapidly through seed. It is a weaker plant and more susceptible to things like winter kill, ice damage, and many diseases. Managing a new golf course with the majority of the turf being bentgrass, it is a battle worth fighting. Every spring we inspect the greens and remove the poa plants one by one. It is a week long process and usually takes two walk-overs to ensure the greens are clean. If you happen to spot us wandering across the green at a snails pace and heads down, the poa is in trouble. As you can see, the plugs removed are very minimal and replaced with fresh clean turf plugs. Thanks Coach Kramer!!! (we steal the plugs from his putting green)

Wrigley's Great Adventure

Wrigley loves RiverCrest and is willing to share the attention he receives here with no other animals. When he spotted a furry creature nearby, he immediately took off. There was an incredible showdown with a groundhog looking to set-up camp here and neither side would budge.

After a heated discussion that lasted nearly 10 minutes, Wrigley finally barked out "What can you do that I haven't already done to earn your place here?" The groundhog had no reply, just wandered over to the 10 ft. tree and climbed right up. Wrigley was dissapointed, but agreed to let the groundhog see another day. Who Knew that a groundhog had the abilty to climb a tree?