Video from USGA regarding Tree Management in fine turf areas on the course

Very good video regarding Tree Management Programs around fine turf areas of the course from the USGA.

Interesting story on golf courses and water usage

The following story was on the golf channel a few months ago regarding golf courses and water usage on the west coast.  This story is playing out all over the country as sustainability of clubs and its management of resources are continuing to be evaluated.

Great weather, come see us.

Not bad on Friday but above normal mid-50's on Saturday.  Come out and see us.  Cleaning up leaves that fell after snows of the last couple of weeks.  Course is looking good!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and your families during this special season.   Hopefully through all the hustle and bustle, you have some moments of solitude and reflection.  Thanks for all the support you give our staff's at Glen Echo.

Course Closed Sunday Dec 22nd

The course will remain closed due to wet conditions. The course received 1" of rain which was very much needed to bring the moisture levels up in the soil.  Low moisture levels in winter can lead to drier conditions like we had for the season of 2012 which could contribute to monster water bills!  It can also lead to damage to turf, trees and ornamental plantings due to low levels of moisture in plants and severe cold.  

Ditto from Friday, Course remains closed

Not a difficult call to make this morning with rain predicted all day, the course and practice areas will remain closed all day on Saturday, December 21st.

Course/practice area remain closed

Due to severely wet conditions, all golf facilities will be closed on Friday, Dec 20th.  Range balls will plug in the mud and greens are foot printing and bringing up moisture when walked upon.  With no drainage lines in our greens, limited evaporation potential, and slippery playing conditions on all other surfaces of the course, the proper choice is to keep the facilities closed.   We are sorry for any  inconvienence this creates for you.

I'm a golf green, not a sponge! Course will remain closed.

The warm weather of the last two days has eliminated most of the snow cover on the golf course.  We still have a few  greens that are covered and the overall conditions are too wet for play. Below are a few pictures I took this afternoon that illustrates the problems  we are still facing on the course.  Greens 5 and also had minor accumulations of snow still on the greens. The rough and fairways areas are completely saturated from moisture and are dangerous for foot traffic as well.

Walking on cart paths without clubs will be the only activity that will be allowed on the course at this time. We are sorry for any inconvenience this creates for you.

I am a golf green but more like a sponge at this time.  Practice green and water coming up from my step.

3 green covered in snow and water.

4 tee sloppy from snow and water.

11 green snow covered.

Course conditions and repairs to Lean To Storage area

The airport reported about 4.5" from the weekends storms which is about what we had here at Glen Echo. There was some snow and ice on the ground from the weekend before which added to the total  Nice warm temperatures the next couple of days but 99.9% chance that we will remain closed because of the snow, frozen and melting conditions.

The view from the main road looking toward #7 and the Field Bar.

The staff have been working on the Lean to Building doing some clean up and removing some old carts that are no longer in use.  The engines were blown and we made the choice to not put them back in service. Parts are being removed for future use on similar carts that are still operational and the rest of the unit will be sold as scrape.

The front cover of this cart will be used on another cart.  The remaining front end will removed in case we need in the future.  

The doorway to the pallet-ed fertilizer area does not allow our backhoe with forks or delivery equipment from our vendors to enter into the building.  The building was constructed before I arrived in 2008.  The door entrance will be raised to the ceiling allowing taller lifting equipment to maneuver within the fertilizer storage area.    

The entrance to the fertilizer storage area.  The header board frame will be removed giving us a couple of extra feet of head room for loading equipment to enter and exit.

Fertlizer storage area after guys cleaned things up yesterday and arranged.  We could have up to 6-8 pallets of additional material in the building during spring and early summer.

Header and frame removed.

Weather Stats for Sept, Oct, and Nov

I had failed to put the last few month's weather stats on the site so here they are for September through November.

A much warmer than normal September led us into an average October and below normal temperatures closed out November.

The moisture levels began to lessen in September and continued the trend into October and closed out as the 16th driest November ever.

TEMPERATURE(F)

September        Observed         Normal   Depart  Last year

HIGHEST                 99   09/09                                     93
LOWEST                  51   09/22                                     44
AVG. MAXIMUM          84.3                   80.2          4.1       78.9
AVG. MINIMUM          63.5                   60.6          2.9       59.9
MEAN                  73.9                   70.4          3.5       69.4

October

HIGHEST                 89   10/04                                     84
LOWEST                  30   10/25                                     34
AVG. MAXIMUM          69.3                   68.5          0.8       66.6
AVG. MINIMUM          49.0                   49.0          0.0       47.1
MEAN                  59.1                   58.7          0.4       56.8

November

HIGHEST                 80   11/17                                     81
LOWEST                  15   11/24                                     22
AVG. MAXIMUM          53.6                   55.5         -1.9       56.4
AVG. MINIMUM          34.1                   38.1         -4.0       35.6
MEAN                  43.9                   46.8         -2.9       46.0

PRECIPITATION(INCHES)      

           Observed         Normal   Depart   Last Year

September

TOTALS                2.74                3.13        -0.39       3.03

October

TOTALS                2.35                3.33        -0.98       2.50

November

TOTALS                1.02                3.91        -2.89       1.40

Goodbye Mary

As all of you know, our Controller Mary Martin has accepted a new position and her last day is Friday, December 13th.  She has worked here just short of 4 years but her impact to our operation has been great not only from a work standpoint but as a person.

She started under some tough circumstances but rolled up her sleeves and jumped right in.  It took her a few months to get things under control but she hit the ground running and has not stopped since.  She was new to the golf business but was a quick learner.  She was committed to the membership and her teammates.  She went above and beyond in her short time at Glen Echo.  Halloween hayrides, Breakfast with Santa, Summer holiday gatherings at the club were just a few of the extra duties she took on and helped to launch the book club with Heather.  A testament to her contribution was an overflowing room full of book clubbers and spouses for the final book club meeting that had to be moved out into the main banquet area.

 Thanks Mary for your contributions to Glen Echo CC.  You will not be forgotten!

Dr Seuss so eloquently wrote

"Your leaving?  You're kidding!  It just isn't fair-
your packing up Here and departing for There!

The Heres behind are bummed to the max.
Its hard to accept, but they have to face the facts-
there's nothing the folks Here can do but insist
you'll be warmly remembered and mournfully missed!

Just know, as you're headed off into the blue,
that a big piece of Here will be going with you!
when you've arrived There and completed your quest.
remember those Here wish you only best!

Interesting Golf Game, 'Foot Golf'

This was posted on one of the Superintendent web boards I checkout regularly.  Think we might gain some interest from the youngsters with this game?  Looks interesting.  Maybe an off season event at the club.

Winter Play/Removing course supplies

We thought winter had set in the last couple of weeks but the temperatures moderated over the holiday weekend and early this week which forced us to change some of our plans.  I thought I was finished mowing greens for the season but they were a little longer than I like so they were mowed on Monday.  We sprayed our last fungicide application for the season today that will keep our greens clean throughout the winter months.

The staff will be bringing in most of the course supplies over the next couple of days.  We will finish placing two holes in each green today.  The hole locations will be located either in the front, middle or back depending upon the flag color and the second hole will be located across the green from the first hole at the same depth as the first hole location.  Please move the flag stick to the other hole after you have completed holing out. This will help us during winter to spread wear and tear over two hole locations instead of one since the greens usually freeze enough to prevent us from changing holes.  We will also be removing the tee markers and broken tee caddy's to protect them from winter damage.  Please tee the ball from where you would like to play during this time.  This will help to reduce wear and tear on our teeing surfaces as well. Over the next couple of months, we will be bringing in our trash cans and the tee signs for painting as well.

We have left three ball washers on the first, 3rd and 6th holes on both 9's and filled them with windshield washer fluid to reduce their potential for freezing.  We will continue to clean up leaves as they fall and temperatures allow us to get out on the turf.  We have some tree removal planned and hope if some moisture gets into the ground to get some rough aerating completed if possible.  Still a great deal of  work to get accomplished before winter sets in.  

Pro Shop Holiday Sale

The Pro Shop Holiday sale will be Dec. 4-5 in the clubhouse.  Barrett and Abby should have some great deals for your Holiday shopping needs.  Gift wrapping as always will be available.