Fairway Topdressing

Our fairway topdressing program at the club is in full swing and this year marks the first year for all the fairways to receive sand.  The newly added fairways to the list include 1,2,3,7,10,14 & 18.  

The program is in various stages and the picture below shows the effect the sand is having to the soil profile.  For example, 4 fw is in its 3rd year, while 4 approach has been getting topdressed for 5 years.  The sand accumulation is dependent on how often we topdress and how heavy the application of sand was.  Initially, 4 approach, 10 approach and 6 fw were aggressively topdressed with a number of heavy applications of sand spanning the first 2 years.  Our current program on all of the fairways is much lighter so the sand accumulation in those profiles will be slower.  

May Newsletter

Hello Everyone.  I hope you all had an enjoyable winter.  Spring is here and the grass is beginning to grow even though the past week or so has been unseasonably cold.  The current forecast for next week does show a welcomed warming trend. 

The second and last phase of the tee project was finished last fall and the tees have grown in nicely.  Both 16 and 17 Tee complexes have seen a major change and will be a nice improvement both in aesthetics and functionality.  The new tees on 17 are open for play, while the rough around the tees is still growing in.  While the grow-in process is going on in the rough please stay on the older grass or the path.   

16 tee rough was sodded last fall and is doing nicely, while the tee tops are still growing in.  Currently, the tee markers are on the temporary tee to the right.  I anticipate with normal May weather the new tees on 16 will be open by mid May. 

18 tee is also in the grow in phase and should be open for play by mid May.  The forward or red tee top is currently waiting for more sod to be added to it from the back range t/sod nursery.  Last year we harvested from the nursery what we could and had to stop because the sod was falling apart.  My hope is that between then and now the grass on the nursery will have matured enough for sod harvest. 

11 tee complex is also open for play.  We have a bit of tidying up to do in the form of better defining the rough/native line and then a few miscellaneous items around the perimeter.   Otherwise, the new shape of the tees will blend in well with the new tees on the rest of the course. 

Each winter the staff and I manage the trees on the course.  Last year was no different and trees that were either weak, dead or dangerous were removed.  Additionally, trees that affected turf growing conditions were either trimmed or taken down.  The decision to remove a tree is never taken lightly and with help of the greens committee touring the course each fall we have been able to implement a management plan that is well thought out and effective.

The Grounds Staff and I look forward to seeing you on the course and, as always, please repair your ballmarks, rake the bunkers and replace your divots.  With your help, we can continue to make Chikaming a great place to play.  Thank you!!

For more up to date information please visit our blog at:  www.cccturf.blogspot.com

Eric Rank

Director of Grounds

Winter Work

Every winter the crew and I tackle a number of things to make work go more smoothly during the growing season.  One of our annual winter projects is tree management.  Below Paul Ardissono and Mike Petro are clearing and chipping brush from behind the range tee cart path.  The area they're working in will soon become new parking for golf carts.  The proposed area will provide spaces for cart parking while the membership makes use of the practice facilities.  

A long standing idea of mine has been to install additional irrigation during the winter months.  A tough task considering it's winter.  But this year I bought an insulated ice fishing shanty.  It pops up in less than a minute and with the help of a little propane heater the person inside is warm and cozy to work with his hands adding quick coupling valves to existing sprinkler heads.  

A major benefit of doing this work during the winter is the lack of water in the lines.  Every fall we blow all of the water out of the lines so the water in the lines doesn't freeze.  If left to freeze the pipes would burst and shatter from the expanding frozen water.  A disastrous scenario. 

These pictures were actually taken on a warm day around 45 degrees, but Forest Galanda (in the pictures) has used this setup in temps in the 20's and been very comfortable.  

Tee Project 2015 - Completed and Our First Mowing

I forgot to post this last fall.  Sorry.....

After a few rain days the tee project was finally finished  a few weeks ago (The week of September 28).  11t was a big change and we chose to sod the tee tops with shade acclimated sod from 18t.  As you can see below the 3 new tee tops are strikingly different.

View from the new 11 blue t.

18 red and yellow were also split into 2 tees.  The yellow tee is considerably larger than the other yellow tees on the course in anticipation of using the back portion of the tee for an occasional white tee placement.

The tees on 16 and 17 were mowed for the first time this week.  Each tee top has been covered and the grass under the covers is growing quickly in current weather.  As the temperatures drop the covers will help prolong the growing season.  On a sunny day the temperatures under the covers can be as much as 10 degrees higher than the outside air.

Storage Building

Last fall the crew and I began building a new storage building.  A 3 sided shed or "run in" shed".  The shed will be a great addition to our storage buildings for it will store all of the large and miscellaneous items that have been sitting outside all of these years.  Replacement costs of these items range from $400 to $40,000.

The time and money spent to build this new shed will be well worth the investment in the long run.  Also, because of the location, I believe the building will help reduce noise traveling from our maintenance facility to the course.  

Sodding

I forgot to post this last fall. Sorry....

Last week (The week of October 12th) we started a sodding project that focused on undesirable grasses in the immediate rough perimeter of a few of our fairways.  9, 14, 15 and 18 fairways were earmarked as the worst for having bentgrass in the rough next to the fairway.  Bentgrass does well below 3/4", but as it begins to grow above 1" it begins to become thatchy and puffy.  As the summer heat arrives these areas begin to suffer and die out.

Our solution involved sod cutting a 30" wide ring around each of the four fairways.  The sod cut from the ring was removed and either composted or saved if it was determined to be of good quality and free of bentgrass.  Dan Kaiser and his crew then laid new Kentucky Bluegrass sod around each fairway. 

In areas where the bentgrass extended outside of the 30" initial cut we extended our sod cutting/removal to include these areas.  Any sod that was saved from the initial first ring cut was then laid in these areas.

Greens Aerification

Last week we completed the aerification of the greens.  The process includes topdressing each green with a deep layer of sand.  After the sand dries we aerify with a machine that pokes 3/4" diameter x 11" long tines into the ground.  This year we chose to only go down to a depth of 5" due to a weather pattern that was not conducive to drying sand.  The more sand we have on the green the longer the dry time.  An ideal day for this project would include 10-20 mph wind and low humidity.

After the holes are punched the crew and I come back through with hand brooms and make sure every hole in each green is full of sand.  

By completing this process each year we encourage water percolation, deeper roots, reduced organic matter and reduced compaction.