The Perennial Ryegrass is Here and Playing Conditions are Ideal

The Perennial Ryegrass is here and playing conditions are ideal. The golf course overseeding program has been a huge success both agronomically and aesthetically. The ryegrass turf conditions are healthy and attractive, offering our members a different playing surface from recent winters. The overseeding program was the first step in moving the golf course towards "pre-construction condition" as described in your recent club newsletters. Below are some pictures of the Ryegrass establishment process from start to finish:

SCALPING THE BASE GRASS

USING THE GRADEN TO BREAK THROUGH THE MAT LAYER

SCALPING BASE GRASS BEHIND THE GRADEN FOR THE SECOND TIME

USING THE SUPER VAC 500 TO VACUUM THE CLIPPINGS AND DEBRIS

CLIPPING PILES FROM #18 FAIRWAY

SCUFFED UP BERMUDAGRASS AWAITING TO BE SCALPED

THE STAFF DROPPING SEED

A LARGE DRAG MAT USED TO ACHIEVE SEED TO SOIL CONTACT

SEED GERMINATION

SEED GERMINATION

THE STAFF HAND WATERING POORLY GERMINATED AREAS IN THE FAIRWAYS TO ACHIEVE RYEGRASS UNIFORMITY

THE STAFF HAND WATERING 18 FAIRWAY

THE FIRST MOWING AT 10 FAIRWAY

A SHOT FROM 3 GREEN LOOKING AT THE ESTABLISHED RYEGRASS PLAYING SURFACE A MONTH AFTER THE FIRST MOWING

#5 GOLF HOLE DEMONSTRATING A SPLIT MOWING PATTERN IN THE FAIRWAY A MONTH AFTER THE FIRST MOWING

A LOOK AT THE ESTABLISHED RYEGRASS AT #9 FAIRWAY WITH CHERRY HILL HOUSE

Winter Cover Will Be Deployed This Weekend

Saturday and Sunday afternoon winter covers will be deployed.


This weekend we will cover greens. Covering greens is a common practice done on ultradwarf putting greens during the winter months. This process helps our greens hold heat in the soil profile, prevents plant desiccation and protects turfgrass plants against extreme cold temperatures and wind. Covers will only be deployed on the front nine greens and practice green where shade and air pockets are a constant challenge to turfgrass health.
We will deploy covers at 3:00 PM in the afternoon prior to overnight temperatures forecasted to be below 40 F. If you plan on playing an afternoon round of golf, we suggest checking the overnight forecast before teeing off so you are not disrupted by the covering process. We will remove the covers after the frost has lifted the following morning (see frost blog).
We will communicate with the golf shop when we do cover the front nine greens. In the afternoon, the back nine greens will be available for play during the course of front nine turf blanket deployment.
Please contact the golf shop with any questions you may have.

Frost Delays Are on the Way

With colder temperatures upon us frost delays are coming. When frost is present play will be delayed until the frost has melted. This is done to prevent damage that affects the quality of the playing surface and could potentially be very expensive to repair.

Frost is basically frozen dew that has crystallized on the grass, making it hard and brittle (Figure 1). A grass blade is actually 90% water, therefore it freezes. Because of the short mowing height, putting greens are most affected by frost. Walking on frost-covered greens causes the plant to break and cell walls rupture, thereby losing its ability to function normally. Once the membrane is broken, much like an egg, it cannot be put back together (GCSAA.org).



Figure 1. Close up photo of frost on a turfgrass plant.

Damage from ignoring frost delays will come 2-4 days later (Figures 2,3). Thinning and off color turf will result. Because of the cold temperatures the grass will not be able to regrow in the area leaving thin turf or even dirt.

Figure 2. Damage to grass after carts have driven through frost (photo courtesy Tommy Witt).

Figure 3. Footprints on a putting green after someone putted during a frost delay.

Here is a USGA educational video explaining further the effects of frost.

Please do your part to keep our grass healthy during winter months by adhering to frost delays. Call the pro shop on chilly mornings to see what time the frost delay is tentatively scheduled to be lifted so you will not be inconvenienced.

Golf Maintenance Celebrates the Holidays With a Feast

On Friday December 21, 2012 the Golf Course Maintenance Crew celebrated the Holidays with a grand feast of Turkey (provided by Bulloch Fertilizer Co.) corn, green beans, gravy, baked potatoes and a dessert cake. It was a great time for the staff and managers to relax, have fun and eat some good food. Nick Cassala, General Manager at The Ford, even stopped by to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hand out Christmas Bonuses to the staff.

Alan Bussey, Equipment Manager, carves the turkey provided by Bulloch Fertilizer.

Nelson Caron serves up the side dishes as Mr. Nick Cassala, General Manager, looks on.

Golf Maintenance staff eagerly waiting in line for to get a piece of that Turkey. Good Job Alan!

Not much talking going on as everyone is enjoying the great meal.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 From the Ford Plantation Golf Course Maintenance Staff:

Levi, Armin, Bersain, Mateo, Darinel, Jason, Eliezar, Jose, Angel, Pedro, Zach, Sean, Brian, Greg, Brandon, Jared, Brooks, Matt, Alan, John and Nelson

 

Please Repair Your Ball Mark

Repairing ball marks on greens is an important etiquette that preserves green playability and roll through out the day. Properly repairing a ball mark is the best way to ensure all golfers can enjoy their rounds with out disturbances on the green.

Unrepaired or incorrectly repaired ball marks can leave scars, raised turf prone to mower scalping, and bumpy surfaces. Always try to gently push the outside turf into the cavity without tearing the turf. A good practice is to always fix yours and find one more that has not been repaired.

Proper way of repairing a ball mark as suggested by the Golf Course Superintendent's Association.

Below is a United States Golf Association (USGA) video showing how to properly repair a ball mark.

Please help and do your part to ensure speedy turf recovery and a smooth playing surface for everyone by repairing your ball mark!

Winter Covers To Be Deployed



Friday and Saturday afternoon winter covers will be deployed.

This week we will cover our greens for the first time this winter. Covering greens is a common practice done on ultradwarf putting greens during the winter months. This process helps our greens hold heat in the soil profile, prevents plant desiccation and protects turfgrass plants against extreme cold temperatures and wind. Covers will only be deployed on the front nine greens and practice green where shade and air pockets are a constant challenge to turfgrass health.

We will deploy covers at 3:00 PM in the afternoon prior to overnight temperatures forecasted to be below 40 F. If you plan on playing an afternoon round of golf, we suggest checking the overnight forecast before teeing off so you are not disrupted by the covering process. We will remove the covers after the frost has lifted the following morning (see frost blog).

We will communicate with the golf shop when we do cover the front nine greens. In the afternoon, the back nine greens will be available for play during the course of front nine turf blanket deployment.

Please contact the golf shop with any questions you may have.

Figure 1. Covering greens can increase soil temperatures substantially. The picture on the left is from a green that does not get covered (45.8 F) while the picture on the right is from a green that gets covered (49.5 F

Assistant Experiences a Special Ryder Cup

Ford Plantation Assistant Matt Sumpter, volunteered for the Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. His jobs ranged from final greens set up (Figure 1) to mowing bunker banks (Figure 2). The jobs at Medinah allowed all the volunteers to experience various aspects that go into preparing for a major golf tournament.





Figure 1. Matt Sumpter standing on the 15th green after final inspection at the Ryder Cup.

Figure 2. Matt is putting the final touches on green side bunkers.

Matt, a former intern from 2010, had special ties to the course. Having spent a summer helping grow in the renovated fairways and greens, the tournament was especially exciting. "To go back, see how the golf course has come together over the years since the renovation and hosting The Ryder Cup was special." says Sumpter. For Matt, the experience was topped off by the opportunity to get to work side by side with past classmates, former supervisors, and industry professionals from all over the world.

 

Matt’s Ryder Cup experience is highlighted with other Purdue Alumni in the article by Purdue Connections.

Ford Assistants Volunteer at The Wyndham Championship

Assistants Jared Nemitz and Brooks Riddle volunteered for the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina (Figure 1).   Their primary job for the week was taking moisture meter data to maintain consistent moisture in the greens (Figure 2).  This was an integral part of challenging the best players in the world with firm, fast and consistent playing surfaces.

Figure 1. View of #16 green and grandstands from #15 green.

Figure 2. Brooks Riddle taking moisture meter readings on a green at The Wyndham Championship.

 

Working with the staff at Sedgefield, other industry professionals and directly with the PGA Tour Competition Agronomist was a great experience. Furthermore, Jared and Brooks felt the most valuable part of the week was getting to observe firsthand the different management practices performed at a PGA Tour Event.

Lengthy Rains Leaves Course Wet

These past few months have presented various weather challenges and they continue today. As I write this blog I am watching another inch fall on the golf course. From Beryl (Figure 1) to Debby and many days of rain this summer has made it a wet one.

Figure 1. Snapshot from The Weather Channel as Beryl dumps rain on The Ford Plantation.

In the last 42 days we have had 20 days of rainfall and very few days of sunshine in between. That is a whopping 48% of the time it has been raining. The below figure shows the percentage of days we received rainfall in the past four months with the amount of rainfall received:

                                                                    % d. rain     Rain (in)
                                                     May             29              6
                                                     June            29              6
                                                     July             32              3
                                                     August        52             11

The cloudy days have tested our Bermudagrass - a sun loving plant.  Members and guests can greatly help minimize the impact of the wet weather by avoiding wet areas with carts (Figure 2). Thank you for your cooperation.

Figure 2. Avoiding wet areas such as this one on #13 can help minimize turf damage caused by carts.

2012 Summer Interns

Brendan Davis and Steven Tyler were selected for the three month internship at The Ford Plantation and the Pete Dye Scholarship. Brendan is a sophomore from PurdueUniversity and Steven is a junior from the University of Georgia.

For the last three years, The Ford Plantation Golf Maintenance Department has been operating The Pete Dye Agronomic Scholarship program. This is a developmental internship program for young professionals with a passion for golf course maintenance. 

 This program has been met with enthusiastic support from the members of our club and universities.  Dr. Bill Thompson, Green Committee Chair, has graciously allowed interns to stay in his guest house, free of rent, during their three month internship. 

“The financial support we get for this program from our members is astounding. Without their help this program would not exist.” says Director of Golf Course Maintenance Nelson Caron.

Interns take part in all facets of golf course maintenance from daily course preparation (Photo 1) to spending time in the equipment area learning how mowers and equipment are set up (Photo 2). Along with learning the green side of our industry they also see what goes into managing the business side of our department (Photo 3). However, the capstone of the internship program is when each intern will get the opportunity to run the golf maintenance crew at the end of the summer.
 



Picture 1. Interns that come to the Ford Plantation are trained on a variety of equipment while they are here.



Picture 2. Interns take a hands on approach sharpening reels with Alan Bussey, the Head Equipment Manager.

Picture 3. Along with learning how to grow grass and operate equipment, they also learn what it takes to run the business side of golf course maintenance. 

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the scholarship fund please contact CW Canfield (cwcanfield@fordplantation.com) or Nelson Caron (ncaron@fordplantation.com).

Bi-Weekly Fairway Verticutting Has Begun

On June 4^th the Golf Course Maintenance Department began its bi-weekly verticutting process to the fairways (Figure 1).  Verticutting is the process of mowing into the face of the turf, or “3-Dimensional” mowing of the turf, using vertically rotating blades which are used to remove excessive thatch and grain.  This process enhances the playing surface by encouraging vertical growth, increasing firmness, removing organic matter, and opening the canopy to allow for more sand topdressing. 

Figure 1. Steven, our intern from The University of Georgia, verticuts #18 fairway. 

Traditional mowing equipment, such as mowers used on a daily basis, cut in a horizontal direction which helps manage the top growth of the plant. Verticutting blades operate differently by slicing down through the canopy removing lateral growth, thus causing the remaining plant to grow more erect which reduces grain (Figure 2).

Figure 2. An example of verticutting blades that are used to cut "3-Dimensionally" into the turf canopy.

Figure 3. Results of the light fairway verticutting before the excess bio mass has been blown away and mowed.

The amount of lateral growth removed will depend on the depth of the blades in relation to the turf canopy.  If the goal is to remove a large amount of organic matter, the blades will be set to cut more aggressively below the canopy in order to pull more organic matter out.

   

Similar to our greens verticutting, our bi-weekly fairway program aims to verticut shallower and more frequently. This process will allow us to verticut more frequently without causing large amounts of stress on the turftgrass.  This will enhance playability by increasing firmness (due to less organic matter) and allow the golf ball to sit more on top of the canopy.  Verticutting will also boost disease resistance of the turf by reducing the thatch content of the turf, where many pathogens reside.

It is Getting Hot, Time to Irrigate

We are now entering the heat of the summer when greens need the most water. Normally putting greens receive most of the its water needs during morning maintenance. However, there are some days when greens require supplemental afternoon irrigation during the hottest period of the day.

Below is a United States Golf Association (USGA) video on why we irrigate in the afternoon, several techniques employed to irrigate a green and proper golfer etiquette during times of afternoon handwatering.

Why Are There White Dots Around The Edges of the Greens?

The golf maintenance department paints white dots around the greens to preserve the outer boundaries of the putting greens. These dots help guide our greens mowers around the edges of the greens to prevent expansion of the green or encroachment of the rough. This practice is also utilized around the edges of fairways and approaches to preserve crisp edges. 

Photo 1. Brooks Riddle, assistant superintendent, is seen here using the tool that paints dots to outline the edge of our greens and collars.

Photo 2. Finished product after the painting of dots is complete.

Photo 3. The dots allow the greens mowers to preserve the edge of the green.

Warmer Than Normal Spring

The weather at The Ford Plantation from January to June has proven to be one of warmth and periods of heavy rains.

We have experienced warmer monthly temperatures compared to the 30 year average by 2-9 degrees (Figure1).  In the world of growing grass these are substantial numbers. Higher temperatures caused the golf course to green up quicker and allowed us to begin managing the turf earlier than normal.

Figure 1. Temperatures have been substantially higher this spring bringing us out of dormancy much quicker than in years past (For larger image click on graph).

Nelson Caron Featured in Golf Georgia Magazine

Nelson Caron penned an article on practice tee divots for the May/June 2012 Golf Georgia magazine. The attached article outlines how a golfer on the practice tee can help divots recover faster. Click here for the rest of the story.

Bunker Etiquette Reminders

Following a few quick and simple bunker etiquette tips can help maintain the playability and aesthetic look of our bunkers.

1. When entering and exiting a bunker do so from the "low point" and NOT along a steep face where you can slide down, displace the sand and leave large indentations in the face of the bunker. If you feel like you have to climb in or out of the bunker, you are not entering/exiting from the correct spot. (Photo 1)

Photo 1. When entering and leaving a bunker, use the low side of the bunker.

2. Use the rakes inside the bunkers to smooth your footprints, where you have "dug in" for the shot and rake where your club blasted the ball from the bunker.

3. After raking the disturbed area in the bunker, please place the rake back into the bunker parallel to the bunker edge (Photo 2 C).

Photo 2. Photos A & B show incorrectly placed bunker rakes. Photo C shows a correctly placed bunker rake lying parallel along the side of the bunker.

4. If the sand is damp or wet, please knock/tap the sand from your golf shoes before walking on the green where it can interfere with another golfer's putting line. (Photo 3)



Photo 3. Knocking the sand off your shoes as you exit the bunker reduces the sand footprints tracked across a green.

Following these few simple tips can help maintain a consistent and fair playing surface for all golfers. Thank you for your help!

PROTECTING AGAINST WINTER INJURY

We will be deploying winter turf covers on the dates of February 11, 12, and 13.

Low Temps forcast:

Feb 11th = 24 DEGREES

Feb 12th = 25 DEGREES

Feb 13th = 39 DEGREES

The following is an excerpt from a recent USGA article written by Chris Hartwiger, SE Agronomist...

"There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Cold temperatures can damage bermudgrass. History has shown that unprotected bermudgrass putting greens often are the first part of all bermudagrass golf course to succumb in cold weather. Fortunately, a wide variety of turf covers that can dramatically decrease the chance for winter injury are available. Although there are many factors associated with winter injury, golf courses with ultradwarf bermudagrass putting greens in the transition zone need to have covers and must deploy them when conditions warrant".

Cart Traffic Control Update

The golf maintenance department has deployed large amount of ropes and stakes throughout the golf course to direct cart traffic.

During these colder months when the bermudagrass isn't actively growing, excessive cart traffic can leave unsightly tracks and wear marks for months at a time. By following the direction of the ropes, you can help us avoid excessive wear and encourage a healthier grass plant coming out of dormancy.