Oops I Did It Again

No, we aren't talking Britney Spears here ladies and gentlemen, we are talking about millions of holes in our golf greens at Glen Echo CC for a second time in 7 days!!

We completed our Dry-Ject contracted service on March 23rd and we spent parts of 4 days this week doing our Verti-drain Deep-tined Aeration. Our process includes the following:

• Burying each green with about a ton of sand
• Then using our Verti-drain deep-tined aerator with 1/2" tines going about 8" deep into our green profile
• We then blow the sand into the holes
• Brush the green with a drag brush behind a cart
• And Roll the greens

This work assists our .125" tall bentgrass (30 pieces of copy paper tall) in a number of ways:

1. Deep channels assists water to move through the green profile. 
2. It creates channels for new roots to form and grow.
3. Oxygen moves into the subsurface assisting root growth and soil microbiology
4. Reduces excessive thatch which can make a green spongy and be susceptible to foot traffic during wet conditions
5. The additional sand assists in protecting crowns which is the growth center of the plants where roots grow down and leaf shoots grow up. The sand also assists in filling blemishes, ball mark holes and improves ball roll out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd9I0M7PaLA

                                      

                                                 Skip topdressing our greens with sand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFbiCiySwXE

Russ deep-tine aerating our greens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jay2BYmSI4Q

It didn't happen if you don't show it in SLOOOOWWWMOOOOOOOO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDDVmAaQujo

Tom blowing sand in holes. We also use backpack blowers in tight areas.

 Pretty much the finished product. We've brushed and rolled the greens a couple more times this week which assists in spreading the heavier pockets of sand around the green surface. We expect the greens to be completely healed over the next 10-14 days. Work took about 150 man hours to complete.

Tree Management Plan includes removing dead and or dying trees throughout the season. It also includes a few planted when needed. Staff installed 3 trees on the right side of #9 red tee toward the fence line on 9. These trees were grown in our nursery over the last few years and we then transplanted them. From left to right, Black Gum, European Hornbeam and Yellowwood to replace the Carrico tree which died over the winter.

Skip mowing fairways for the first time. Not a real tight mow and used an old set of reals since there is so much small debris on the fairways. We blew and hand picked up as much as we could. This got a little bit of the winter fluff off of them. 

Same Story Different Week With Course Being Closed and Winter Dormant Zoysia Spray

Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but conditions remain  frozen and or thawing here at Glen Echo. Just beginning to thaw today and I only give it a 1/10 of 1% chance of playing on Valentine's Day so I guess some would say there's a chance. Looks like snow and some colder temperatures over the next few days so golf looks like a no go for a bit longer.

We were out spraying some fairways, tees and approaches with our dormant herbicide spray. The turf must be dormant because we are spraying a non-selective product that injures and or kills green weeds and or grass. We are trying to kill any poa annua that has germinated on these surfaces and it also will kill any knot weed that has germinated. It appears the knot weed is still sleeping from the cold weather. If allowed to grow in the fairways during the spring, poa annua seeds profusely adding the more plants and can get rather clumpy before the fairway units beginning mowing. It also can invade more shaded areas and slow the health and progress of the zoysia Poa becomes active pretty quickly during warmer, sunny weather in the winter to early spring. A few days in a row over 45-50 and it becomes active. The plants will absorb the spray from the warmer weather as it becomes more active. Even if the temperatures turn cold, the chemistry is designed to stick on the leave of the plant and when it becomes active a few days later it will begin to kill the plant. The spray will show up over the next 2-3 weeks by yellowing the plants and will turn orange, brown and then die. Poa annua has a long growing period and reproduces millions of seeds. It loves moisture and shaded areas for the most part but will live in full sun is well so it is very adaptive.

We put a second product in the tank that helps to prevent crab grass and goose grass which germinate into the spring and summer. The product we utilize binds itself to the soil which allows it to be sprayed now and is on the soil surface when needed during April,  throughout the summer. Microbial activity begins to break down the product by the end of the summer but the zoysia is rather tight and keeps the soil surface shaded. Thinner areas of zoysia can develop some weed infestations because the soil is exposed to light and more moisture which can germinate weeds. We try to place enough product on the surfaces that will prevent weeds from germinating through August into September.

We were able to spray holes 1-7 today and the tees associated with those holes.

Below is a video with discussion regarding this spray application.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyMgXCVZPKo

Fairway Bermuda Eradication #10

Video below discusses our ongoing Bermuda eradication work within our fairway and intermediate. I could not be more pleased with the results we are having but we must continue to reduce the Bermudas ability to spread by pounding it with our chemical treatments before fall sets in and it goes dormant. Hopefully mother nature will give us some help this winter and freeze more of it out!

https://youtu.be/5Vu7iDmB3bM

Fairways Sprayed(Bermuda Eradication Program)

I made the first spray of the spring season to our fairways as a part of our Bermuda Eradication Program. I would expect at least one more spray in the next 30 days or so and than a little break in the program allowing the sodded areas and some pretty significant golf events to get completed and we will then spray probably 2-3 more apps in late summer/early fall.

I would expect the Zoysia to turn slightly off color for about 10-14 days. My hope is that we've timed it properly to knock down some Bermuda significantly but to also reduce the amount of seed heads we will have from our Zoysia. If we are able to reduce the seed heads this will allow the zoysia to save energy that it would have used in producing seed. Lets keep our fingers crossed. I posted a video below regarding this program. Miss you girl.

https://youtu.be/ml3O_4MHnP0

Leaking Water Line, Sod Laying, Mulch Spreading, Zoysia Grass Greenup, and Stump Sodding Oh My!

A number of items to cover as we go into this weekend. The weather has been really kind to us with average temperatures 6-7 degrees above normal for March. That means our warm season grass has awakened early this year. Normally we mow fairways around the 20th of April give or a take a few days. Might be a little early this year but will evaluate a little further early next week. No promises but we are looking at it closely.

The staff noticed the other day a water stream above the 14th tee water fountain. Skip has investigated and believes the leak is coming from under the cart path. Sure, lets make it real difficult. We plan to cut the cart path next week and dig up the leak. The line feeds the water fountain on 14 so it is shutoff for now. Sorry for the inconvenience.

The view looking down from the cart path on 14 tee. Red dots are the water line. We believe the water line is leaking from under the path. Water line comes from Lucas & Hunt. It feeds the Field Bar, goes cross country to the pro shop and to our building. This was the original water line that fed the old clubhouse at the tennis courts.

Free is always good when it comes to our department. We try to think of ways of doing things that do not require additional expenditure. One of these ways is using oak chips from the tree trimming and of course when an oak is dropped we chip those limbs as well. Its not the fanciest mulch but it works well enough in our shrub style beds like along Wallingford Drive along the short range and especially #9 Woodland Garden. We would probably need another thousand dollar load of regular mulch if we used it on these areas. Along with mulching comes continued removal of sweetgum balls. Alphonso worked all day today on about 8 different trees picking up and hauling away gumballs.

Nice sized pile for us to use. You would be surprised how quickly it goes.  Latrell and Randy spreading product along Wallingford.

The staff spent most of the day Wednesday and part of the morning on Thursday sodding the ground stump areas on the course. We still have a few spots that we will seed in the next few days. 

This worked involved hauling dirt which was discussed the week before, packing it and then cutting out the edges and laying the sod. I will circle these areas in the next couple of days to allow you for a free drop from this new sod as well as warning you when driving your carts so that you will not drive over the top of them. It will take a few weeks for them to become solid and to become fully rooted.

Becky came up with the idea to make some additional planters out on the course from the hollowed trees that were removed this winter like she has been using at the Field Bar the last few years. Should be a colorful addition to a few tees on the course this season.

                                                        10 tee with 3 new planters

Last but not least. Greens are healing well from aeration. They were brushed and rolled today after Wednesday evenings rain. We don't do much to them except brush and roll when they are dry. 

11 days since our first and 4 days since the second. If they grow enough over the next few days, we will put a mow to them next mid-week. Biggest issue effecting growth is the fact that we are in the middle of growth regulator time because of seed head development as well as trying to keep the poa annua in a stunted position with another regulator.Yes the greens are a little extra sandy but as they begin to grow through the sand this should give us some excellent smoothness to our surfaces. I would expect the greens to be in great condition for opening day coming up next Saturday for the Men and the following Tuesday for our Ladies.

New Year,Excellent Videos on Trees and the Golf Course

A nice balanced video from the USGA regarding trees on the golf course. Also a second video which I've posted before on the blog. It discusses the need for light and air movement on our main play surfaces(greens) and the negative impacts that can be placed on this most important surface from trees planted in the wrong location.

Beginning next week we have contracted removal of a few trees that are hazardous and too large for us to drop without first having the limbs trimmed off. This will then allow our staff to remove the totem poled main trunk safely. We drop the logs and haul them to our maintenance area for splitting or placed in our dump for grinding in the future. This work will begin on Monday and Tuesday(for the contractor) and will probably take most of next week for our staff to get the logs removed, area raked and material hauled away. The staff have been involved in splitting and stacking tree parts that were removed during the season to make room for the trees that have been approved for removal by the Green Committee and Board.

Tracking in Fairways

Green committee meeting last night and a question was posed regarding tracking lines or vehicle lines in fairways. Normal for this time of year with us blowing leaves off fairways on a daily basis. The fairways have not been mowed in over 10 days. Mowing will clear up traffic lines as well as the darker green color of the grass but no growth equals no mowing. Went out this morning to see if we would get any grass mowed but not tall enough to cut anything off. Depending if you are on the tee or the green and looking out toward fairway, the off colored grass is laying over and more pronounced in its look because of its lack of dark green color and its length.

No more traffic than normal. That is one of the issues we face with tree lined fairways and 3-4 rows deep in trees. Now if you remove more ..........., less leaves to blow, less traffic on fairways. Have a great day! 

Great Couple days For Golf Etiquette 101

Sloppy conditions and 5 days from The Invitational calls for the better side of our members and the need for proper etiquette regarding repairing pitch marks, divots etc.

Very important to repair ball marks, step down your divots and place some sand on tee ground areas. Maybe take that scoop from your cart out to the middle of your fairway for a quick throw down of sand. We will try to get out and move tee markers mid day to reduce damage to our teeing grounds and will follow up in morning with sanding of tees and pitch mark repairs that were missed.

Your assistance to the players behind you I am sure will be appreciated as our playing surfaces appreciate your effort as well. 

Video Regarding Tee Aeration, Juvenile Red-tailed Hawks and Other Information

Rain put a damper on our tee aeration plans today. We will probably finish the work next week. Video discusses that work as well as the fairway turf situation, greens bunker edging and a couple of other areas. Photos below also add to discussion later of these subjects later in the video.

Our Red-Tailed Hawks picked up stakes and moved to the Sycamore near 5 White/Blue tee this year. I had kind of lost track of them this season until Ms. Herrin mentioned where they were located. If my eyes don't deceive me I think we have 2 juveniles about ready to take off on their 1st flights soon!

https://youtu.be/0kS6uzl8yzU

Bunker edging. Sand was deep enough along edge I had to use a spade shovel to reform the edge. Back 9 are complete as is  Holes 8-9. Hope to finish the rest of the front next week.

From time to time you will notice some black algae appearing on greens. This usually occurs because of climatic conditions, warm and humid conditions and sometimes and the end or past time for a fungicide application. The past 6 weeks have seen a weekly application of some type of required spraying product either it be a growth regulator, summer root disease management product and wetting agents to keep profile consistent in its moisture content.

This is from the 2nd green and the ugly reddish colored turf is poa annua which does not like Paclobutrazol, a growth regulator product we have been spraying every 30 days or so to help reduce the impacts of poa on our greens. My last application last week was 1/2 the rate of the month before.  As we get into summer, we cannot over stress the poa annua or it becomes poa deadua.  Too much poa annua dying quickly could contribute to yours truly's untimely demise. This type of condition does help bentgrass grow into the area and improve our total amount of bentgrass coverage. Losing 20-50 poa annua is something I do not want to see in my lifetime unless I was spraying Round Up and trying to kill it. 

Carts Off The Paths

Carts will be off the paths and restricted to fairways only effective Friday, April 18th as long as the rain stays away tonight. Please follow signage which will direct you away from seasonally wet areas.  Have Fun!!

Walk Mowing, carts on paths and grass driving ranges

It's that time of year when many firsts occur.  Today is one of those days.  The staff is beginnings the the millions of steps and the thousands of miles it takes to walk mow our greens and collars.  We will walk mow a majority of the days with a day per week or so using the riding mower depending upon our work schedule. Rolling greens with our riding mower vibratory system will occur 3-4 times per week. When we use 4 staff members to mow, it takes a little over 2 hours to mow 2 acres of greens.  When 3 staff mow, it takes about 2.5-3 hrs to mow the greens.

Jason walk mowing #1 green.

We are still a week or two away from allowing carts off the paths for the season.  The zoysia must green up enough and be mowed for the first time before I allow carts off the paths.

The driving ranges also will remain on the mats until sufficient growth occurs so they will begin healing once divots are taken from the surface.  The overseeded section of the long range(right half) has been really slow in growing out of its winter freeze and the overall tee is extremely wet. I would hope to open this part of the tee once there is sufficient drying to reduce excessive damage. A little fertilizer and some warm days should give the ryegrass over seeding a little kick in the pants.

We appreciate your patience as we transition into our spring season.

Aeration information/updated video

I did some editing of the original video from last week's aeration work and placed some short clips of the rest of the process at the end.  I will try to incorporate more video in the blog as time allows.   Maybe purchase a camera instead of using my phone which is convenient but does not make the best movie clips. We still have just a few things to aerate. 6 approach as well as a few more of the last 20-30 feet of some of our greens approaches will still need some work.  The long range tee needs to be cored and will still plan on doing a solid tine to both our warm season and cool season tees.

Fairway Aeration Day 1

Darkness is falling on Glen Echo and our fairway aeration has been completed for the day.  We were able to get through hole #13 today.  Sounds like the weather is not great for trying to knock out maybe #15 and another hole tomorrow but we will see when we get up in the morning.

Check out the video below with some discussion of the work that was accomplished today.  I will have a little more time to put together some additional details for you over the next couple of days.  I was kind of right in the middle of the action today so not a lot of time for pictures etc.

Zoysia fwy/tee Fert apps

The tees and fairways were fed a little today with a granular fertilizer application.  You should see a little color response in the be t few days and then some growth response as the soil temperatures continue to increase with the air temperatures.  This will be our main app of the season for the fairways with a smaller application occurring toward the end of July.

Fairways at summer height

Even though our temperatures indicate we are far from summer, we just mowed most of them @.625" which is our regular season mowing height.  There are still 3-4 which did not get completed before the rain yesterday but I would expect to get them completed by Friday.  Overall, the fairways are coming along well considering the cool wet temperatures.  The Bermuda took a hit with Saturdays low near 30 but should continue to green up with some warmer weather.