This weeks USGA newsletter had a great article on why turf goes brown in the winter...remember it's not dead, it's just brown...Click here for the article.

Also, last week we started the winter "3-hole" plug method to reduce old hole plugs on the greens during the winter months.  The USGA featured this method in their new video series "How it's Done" this week.  Click here for a link to the 9 minute video presentation if you interested in the process.

Welcome To My Office

The Georgia Golf Course Superintendent's Association released a new promotional video Monday; while we were at the annual meeting at the Atlanta Atheltic Club.  Everyone in attendence loved the video and I am excited to share it with you all.  The video is titled "Welcome to My Office" and gives good insight to what our daily life, as superintendents, is all about.  As the title states, we have one of the biggest and best officies out there.  Getting to work on the courses every day requires a passion that each of us as superintendents possess.  I hope this gives you a little look into how every day starts and progresses for each of us. 

The Landings Club and Chris Steigelman are featured in the video.  The crew came out a while back to film some of the segements.  You can see several shots filmed on both Plantation and Palmetto throughout the video.  The link to the video is below, just click on it and it will open the video.  Please take the time to watch it and share with others.  I hope you all enjoy it. 

***CLICK LINK BELOW***
Welcome To My Office

Finally some weed control!

While growing in new fairways, the grass is very susceptible to herbicide injury if the plant is not fully mature.  With this being noted, there is a stretch of 8-10 weeks where we have to stare at some unwanted weeds each day and look forward to the next mowing to keep them in check.  Fortunately, we are now to the point of applying chemicals again.  Over the next few days we will be concentrating on areas throughout the fairways and collars in preparation of re-opening the course.  

Thirsty Tree Roots = Dry Turf

Tree roots can be very detrimental to turf because they literally suck up all the water.  Turf usually suffers the most in areas where the tree roots monopolize the available water.  A prime example of this is the 13th green on Palmetto.  You may have noticed the large dry patch on the back left of the green.  We have known that the large oak tree roots were the main reason that area has stayed overly dry in the past.  The area has been hand watered on an as needed basis, but the heat has taken its toll.  The area became overly dry to the point we experienced turf loss and needed to be resodded.  Prior to resodding we decided to run the root pruner, up by the green, to cut the water hogging tree roots.  I was surprised at the number of roots that were growing up into the collar and green.  Its no wonder the grass was being out competed for the available water in the soil. 

Notice the size and number of roots we cut through while root pruning in the collar. 

Here is a view of the area after we sodded the green and the collar where we root pruned.  This picture puts a perspective on just how far the tree roots extend out from the base of the tree.   

Driving Range Update

We have started stripping the front range tee today, and the contractors will be onsite Thursday morning to apply the new Celebration. We are still on schedule to reopen Friday morning on the mats. A majority of the plant material for the new wall should arrive tomorrow morning and will be planted during the afternoon. While this has been a long process in the making, I anticipate the new tee, plants, and all grassing areas to be complete by early next week.

Sprigging Oakridge Fairways

We started the sprigging process on Oakridge fairways this week, the video below shows the process being completed on #4 for those interested in seeing how it's done. Thus far we have sprigged fairways # 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7. We expect to be finished sprigging all 18 holes by early next week.

 

Greens Contamination / Encroachment Repair

One of the major issues we are dealing with in the turf industry, particularly in the southeastern united states, is the encroachment of undesirable bermudagrasses into the putting surface.  Modern turgrass management strategies used to provide consistenly fast greens speeds are exacerbating the problem and since there are no selective herbicides to remove an "off-type bermuda" from a bermudagrass greens, we are forced to physically remove the contaminant to resolve the issue.  Many in the industry are trying to find the best way to do this and the USGA wrote an interested article on a repair strategy that we are trying on Oakridge this year. 

The USGA has named this method the "collar plug method," because of the use of aerification plugs as the viable plant material used to grow in the area.  The process includes chemically eradicating the existing off-type using 2 separate herbicide applications.  The dead turf is then physically removed.  In the next step, we aerified the green and pushed the aerification plugs into the voids left from the removed turf at the collar.  The area will be leveled with greens mix sand, rolled and grown in to match the existing greens elevation.  the benefits of this method over traditional sod or sprigs is that the area contains more of a similar organic content to the green, making consistent maintenance easier.  Also, it tends to blend in quicker due to the grain of the grass matching the existing grain of the green.  And the biggest benefit, since you are supplying your own plant material (plugs), is that it's cheap.  The downside of this process is that it takes time, we expect these areas to grow-in over the next 6-8 weeks.  Fortunately for us, due to the nature of the Oakridge restoration, we have time to try this method.  The photo shows the process taking place on Oakridge's greens this week. 

Marshwood Update

Everything is going as planned throughout the project, and the new fairway grass is now taking hold. We did have an issue during the major downpour 2 weeks ago that washed 60% of the sprigs to the drains on holes 7 and 9. Our contractor is scheduled to re-sprig these holes next Monday morning. Bunker work is currently on #9 and the tree company will resume work as soon as the weather clears.

Pulling the plug...

Last week we installed the new turf on the slope behind #5 green after the wall was removed and slope re-graded.  Now that the sod is establishing nicely, we felt comfortable removing the plug and allowing water to fill back into the lagoon.  Each high tide cycle will fill the lagoon further.  The last steps of the project will be to install native grass landscaping on the waters edge and portions of the slope to further stabilize the slope and add to the aesthetics of the area.

Marshwood Sprigging Update

The sprigging process is coming along nicely. We had problems on finding truck drivers for Sunday due to Father's Day to bring our last load to finish up 1/2 of #17 and the rest of 18. The picture below is of #1 fairway at 7 days since sprigging. We are already noticing a great amount of growth and will start our fertilization program this afternoon. If the growth continues at this pace, I foresee our first mowing being accomplished by early next week. The grass is currently chasing the sun while growing vertically. As soon as the mowing begins, we will be training the turf to move horizontally which helps begin covering the voids.

Sprigs Going Down.....

We started the sprigging process on Marshwood yesterday afternoon. All of the grass is looking great and our biggest objective now is keeping it wet. We're currently on #5 moving forward. We anticipate the contractor finalizing the work by Sunday afternoon.

Oakridge Photo Update

Here are a few progress photos from this week...

Aerification

Our first day of aerification went as planned. Mother Nature cooperated with with us and we were able to finalize all our objectives. The greens are being topdressed today which will take up the majority of the morning. The afternoon hours will be spent working the sand into the holes and cleaning up the golf course prior to opening. I've attached a picture of the vertical mowing process which took place prior to punching holes on the greens. This practice helps eliminate thatch, promotes firmer conditions, and forces the leaf blade to grow vertical. As you can see....there was no holding back. These practices are needed to ensure the overall well being of our greens. With the warmer weather now arriving, the greens should be fully healed within two weeks.

Concrete

Today we are starting the first of the new path installations. Our first priority is finishing the path work around the pro shop and front range area. We expect to be in that area for the remainder of this week.

We ask that you please refrain from driving through this area for the next 10 days as we allow the concrete to cure to full strength. Parking for the pro shop should utilize the main car parking lot until the barriers around the pro shop are removed. 

Marshwood Update

We are officially closed for the summer and work has begun on the course. The front nine collars were removed yesterday and 2 trucks of Celebration sod will be arriving shortly. Our goal this week is to have all front 9 collars re-sodded by Friday afternoon. Fairway preparation also began this week. We have started a deep vertical mowing to eliminate as much thatch as possible. This is the practice used to provide firm fairway conditions moving forward. This also helps provide more soil to the surface to allow the new sprigs a great environment to grow in.

Wall Update #5

We knew the wall on #5 was failing, although we really didn't understand the extent until we de-watered the lagoon and were able to see first hand the decay of the wood.  The photos below give you a much better appreciation for exactly why this work was necessary.  Currently we are working on establishing the rough grade of the new slope and anticipate installing the "turf reinforcement mat" beginning early next week.  We have scheduled grassing of the bank for June 11th and 12th.

Oakridge Project highlight - Practice Facility Plans

Beginning today, we close the Oakridge Practice Facility. We are incorporating work in this area to upgrade the practice facility as part of the Oakridge restoration project.  Current plans include:

• Conversion of asphalt paths to concrete
• Repairing root intrusion along the “member path” to the back range tee, along the #10 side of the range
• Removing redundant paths and improving the safety and flow of traffic
• Defining parking spaces and curbing to prevent parking on the turf
• Improving irrigation coverage and efficiency
• Defining range targets and enhancing the short game practice facility
• Laser leveling and regrassing of both range tees with Celebration bermuda grass
• Re-landscaping the pro shop and range areas

It is our desire to get the Practice facility re-opened to members as soon as possible and anticipate that re-opening within 2-3 weeks.  We appreciate your understanding on the closure while the work takes place.

Oakridge Restoration

The work surrounding the wall project behind #5 green at Oakridge started this week. Lowering the water level of the lagoon and sod stripping is taking place in preparation for mass grading to begin on Monday.

TPC Sawgrass Insights!

While not many spectators receive valuable information regarding the maintenance that occurred during this week's tournament, Chris and I are fortunate of knowing key people involved in tournament set-up for a lot of PGA Tour events. We get questioned quite a bit on how our green speeds are compared to Tour events. Sunday's stimp meter at TPC Sawgrass registered at 13 feet for the final round. The good/bad news for a lot of our members is that you were putting on PGA Tour speeds for the past 3-4 months here at The Landings Club while our greens were dormant. This past week, finally, Mother Nature is cooperating and we're capable of growing grass to provide enjoyable speeds of 10-11 feet on the daily stimp meter. Although 10 feet on a stimp meter is very good, we understand that it will take time to accustom to the standard stimp readings our Golf/Green Committees have set of 10.5".

Below is some info we gathered for The Players Championship set-up:
Greens -  mowed 8 times/day at .125, speed rolled 4 times/day
               TLC mowed 1-2x/day @ .120, rolled 3-4 days/week

Tees/Fairways - Mowed at .375, two times/day
                TLC mowed at .500, 3x/week

Rough - 2.5 inches
               TLC currently at 1.25"

TPC Sawgrass has an incredible volunteer program for this tournament including superintendents from all over the world. To top off their daily 70 full time staff members, the organization is able to bring in an additional 105 employees for the agronomy staff two weeks prior to the event. 

Weapon of mass destruction...

The long awaited day has arrived! Today we started the demolition of the existing cart paths on the Oakridge course. Meet the BoMag 1200, it's sole purpose is to grind up the asphalt paths and dump them into waiting trucks to be hauled off site.  We started today on #1 and will be working our way forward around the course.

Please remember for safety of all, the Oakridge course is now a construction area and access to the course is limited to construction traffic only. 

2 days after Round up treatment

#1 Marshwood fairway

It's official...

The Oakridge project got under way as the course officially closed yesterday. The construction contractor has started installing erosion control measures in anticipation of the demolition of existing cart paths later this week.

Additionally, the irrigation contractor has started installing laterals pipes and sprinkler heads since finishing the main irrigation line last week. Holes 1 and 2 are finished and currently using the new irrigation system, and they are working on #3 today.

You killed what????

This morning we began our first Round up/Fusillade application to the Marshwood fairways, approaches, and collars to start the No-till conversion to Celebration. Signs of decay should be noticed within a day or two, and would imagine a full kill by the end of the week. The greens were double cut this morning, but will be left alone Tuesday to eliminate the possibility of tracking the product back on the greens. This same application will take place 3 weeks from today.

Welcome

Welcome to the new TLC Agronomy department blog site.  We've developed this blog for those Landings Club members that desire to know more about what it is we do on a daily basis.  We'll use this in addition to our weekly email newsletter "Up To Par" in an effort to keep you as informed as possible regarding conditions of your golf courses.