Country Club at Woodmore Golf Course Operations

Golf Courses and the Environment

2012-02-02T10:47:00.001-05:00

Congratulations are in order to Jay Nalls, the Golf Course Superintendent at Norbeck Country Club in Rockville, MD. Jay is a member of our local chapter of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America (GCSAA) and has been given the 2012 Excellence in Government Relations Award. The following is an excerpt from an article detailing Jay’s efforts:

Jay Nalls, golf course superintendent at Norbeck Country Club in Rockville, Md., has been selected to receive the 2012 Excellence in Government Relations (EGR) Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

A 10-year GCSAA Class A member, Nalls spearheaded a group effort among golf course superintendents in Maryland to help lawmakers draft policy to help clean and protect the Chesapeake Bay. The action came in response to an Executive Order (No. 13508) by President Obama in January 2009 calling for the federal government to lead a renewed effort to restore the bay.

The award will be presented at the 2012 GCSAA Education Conference during Celebrate GCSAA! presented in partnership with Syngenta, Feb. 28. The conference (Feb. 27-March 2) will be held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show (Feb. 19-March 1) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"We congratulate and thank Jay for his tireless efforts in helping to reach a positive resolution for the golf industry and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,” said GCSAA President Bob Randquist, CGCS. “The outcome is a case study for those who want to be engaged in the legislative process. Using data and sharing golf course nutrient management practices with lawmakers, Jay provided a basis drafting the final policy. A byproduct of the effort was the highlighting of golf courses as community assets.”

Nalls was the government relations committee chair for the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents (GCSAA-affiliated chapter) when the green industry came together to address the Executive Order. He communicated with a variety of stakeholders to make sure they understood how golf courses could be impacted and what efforts they could take to proactively address state and federal actions. As an active member of GCSAA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Stakeholders Group, he helped to guide the association's efforts in addressing the issue. Nalls attended regular public meetings sponsored by the Maryland Department of Environment, made several trips to the state capital to testify to committees, and held a series of conference calls with the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Nalls’ efforts were rewarded May 19, 2011, when Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed the Fertilizer Use Act of 2011. The law is designed to reduce nutrients washing into the bay from non-agricultural sources, and give golf course superintendents access to the resources they need to manage golf courses.

For the complete article, click here.

Golf Course Update

2012-01-13T14:07:00.001-05:00

Its cold out and I haven’t seen most of you out here in a while. I wanted to provide a little snapshot as to what is happening around the golf course right now.

We are installing drain lines in the landing area in #4 fairway.

#1 bunker has been completed.

Mike is topdressing low areas in fairways.

We have been performing tree removal in necessary areas to provide more sunlight and air movement to the turf.

Check back often as we will continue to provide updates on the latest news and projects going on around the golf course.

Course Updates

2012-01-09T12:18:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! As you can see below, the bunker on #1 is nearly complete. We are currently sodding the surrounds and expect to be finished by the end of the day. The new bunker is more playable, aesthetically pleasing, and easier to maintain than what was in its place before.

Also, we are having fairly good success in regards to goose control with the fencing that was mentioned in an earlier post. We will be installing the same fencing around the water on holes #6, #8, and #9.

#1 Bunker Renovation

2011-12-20T13:38:00.001-05:00

The original bunker was small and angled down at the green

We are currently in the process of renovating the back right bunker at #1 greens complex. This bunker has always been small, shallow and relatively out of play for most golfers. Its steep forward pitch caused a great deal of sand to be washed toward the front face and, in extreme cases, out of the bunker on to the green surround during bad storms. In addition, its proximity to the property line did not allow enough space for our trim mower to cut all away around it.

Jeff digging out the new bunker contour

We are performing a small renovation on the bunker in order to alleviate these issues. The bunker has been moved closer to the green and away from the property line to allow for more efficient maintenance. The bunker all drains to the middle, as opposed to the front edge as it did before. Also, the back face has been softened to allow for a more playable shot to the green.

Mike and staff members doing some fine grading on the new bunker

Check back often as we will keep you posted to the status of this project!

And the Battle Continues…

2011-12-13T13:03:00.001-05:00

As many of you know, we have a severe problem with Canada geese on the golf course. We have tried many different control measures from decoy coyotes to pyrotechnics to dogs to control them. The conclusion that we have been able to reach over the years is that no one method is the answer. However, by rotating a combination of different strategies, we have been able to reduce the resident populations on the property. Therefore it is critical that we continue to learn ways to rid the property of these pests and stay diligent in our efforts.

At a recent seminar, we learned of several area golf courses having successful goose control with temporary fencing around the perimeters of their water lines. If you come out and brave the cold, you will notice that we have installed a fence of rebar and fishing line along the 18th hole. This is just one more tool that we will be using keep the geese from damaging the golf course. Check back soon as we will keep you updated on how it is working!

Rebar and fishing line goose fence along the 18th hole

Maryland’s Golf Economic Impact

2011-12-08T09:39:00.001-05:00

Too often, I believe that people view the game of golf as a luxury item, reserved for the privileged and wealthy. The following are several excerpts from a recent study performed by an organization called Golf 20/20. The study demonstrates the game’s impact on the our local economy and the community around us.

First an overview of the national study:

Golf is so much more than just a game. It is a significant industry, a major contributor to the American economy and to the economic vitality of individual states. GOLF 20/20 published its first national report in 2002, which demonstrated that golf in 2000 was a $62 billion industry, bigger than the motion picture and recording industries combined. A follow-up report in 2007 confirmed that golf had grown to become a $76 billion industry, with a total impact on the U.S. economy in 2005 of $195 billion.

Additionally, the recent report indicates that golf is responsible for contributing about $3.5 billion annually to charities across the country, more than any other sporting activity.

In 2006, along with research partner SRI International, GOLF 20/20 developed a template with which individual states can affordably quantify golf’s impact on their economy; to date 20 states have used or are currently using this template, and the resulting reports have been successful in establishing golf as a critical cog in the state’s economic engine.

And specifically, the state of Maryland:

With 189 golf facilities and playing host to the 2011 U.S. Open, golf in the “Old Line State” is more than an enjoyable pastime—it is a key industry contributing to the vitality of Maryland’s economy.

In 2010, the size of Maryland’s direct golf economy was approximately $727.2 million. This is comparable to revenues generate by key industries in the state, such as medical equipment and supplies manufacturing ($457.7 million), agricultural crops ($691.6 million, and data processing ($1.648 billion).

Golf brings visitors to the state, spurs new residential construction, generates retail sales, and creates demand for a myriad of goods and services. In 2010, Maryland’s golf industry generated a total economic impact of $1.3 billion, supporting nearly 14,700 jobs with $407.6 million of wage income.

The continued health and growth of the golf industry has a direct bearing on future jobs, commerce, economic development, and tax revenues for a large number of Maryland’s communities and industries.

I hope this helps to open people’s eyes to the true impact that golf has each of us. Remember, each time you use your club, you are not only supporting the facility, you are also helping to spur the local economy.

The full economic impact report for the state of Maryland can be found by clicking here.

The Limb is Gone!

2011-11-18T12:45:00.001-05:00

The number one inquiry about the golf course that I have had this year is in regards to the limb that overhung the fairway on #17. For the few of you that have not been trapped underneath of this tree, I’ll explain. As anyone who has played the golf course knows, #17 is an extremely tight driving hole. Over the years, a limb on the large elm to the left of the fairway has been getting longer and lower and had effectively tightened the shot even more. This past season the limb eventually overhung a fair portion the fairway and was only about 7 feet off of the ground (lower when the tree was wet and the leaves were heavier). It was very possible to hit a tee shot in to the fairway and not to have a look at the green.

If we were to have removed this limb in season, the tree would have had increased susceptibility to a severe pathogen known as Dutch Elm Disease. This is a fungus carried by beetles and any cut that we made to the tree in season would have increased the likelihood of losing it. We did not want to take this risk seeing as how important this tree is to the design of the golf hole.

We waited until have had several frosts and the beetles are no longer active so we could safely perform this much needed pruning. Below are a few pictures of the process. Thanks for your patience this season and were sincerely apologize for any match this might have cost you.

Greens Aerification Process

2011-10-14T09:54:00.001-04:00

As members, many of you see the postings, emails and other reminders of greens aerification but I am not sure everyone knows the full scope of this important agronomic practice. During our aerification this past Tuesday, I took a few photos to hopefully give some insight on the process.

Greens are aerified with 3/8” side-eject tines. This typically takes 30-45 minutes per green.

Plugs are pushed and piled around the outside of edges of the green, scooped in to carts and hauled away.

Greens are then fertilized and amended. This process is different for every aerification because the products used are based off of our most recent soil tests and state guidelines.

Golfers favorite part…topdressing! The addition of the sand in to the upper profile provides better drainage and rooting and a faster, truer putting surface.

The sand and fertilizer is then worked in to the holes using a cocoa fiber drag mat.

Tire ruts and footprints are then rolled out of the green.

And finally the green is brushed in several directions with this specifically equipped triplex mower. This further works the sand and fertilizer in to the holes and small ruts that are left.

A finished green three days and a few heavy rains later! I hope that this provided some insight of what goes in to the greens aerification process.

Why is the grass white?

2011-10-01T12:22:00.001-04:00

In some areas around the golf course, I am sure that you have noticed several large spots of the turf that have turned white. No, we did not spill bleach on them as one member suggested—this is a side affect of a herbicide known as Tenacity. We are using this herbicide to help to control the infestation of Bermudagrass in the rough. The herbicide will not kill the the Bermudagrass (no product has been shown to be 100% effective for this) but it will severely injure these plants. It is our hope that if we send the Bermudagrass in to dormancy this winter in a weakened state, we can reduce the populations heading in to next season.

Golf Course Update

2011-09-20T10:51:00.001-04:00

The weather of late August and early September pushed us significantly behind where we would have liked to have been at this point in the season. Upon completion of the clean up effort last week we were able to get back in to our normal routine and try our best to catch up. Here are just a few of the projects that we have going on right now.

We are verticutting fairways to remove thatch. We will lightly topdress in to the slits that this process creates. This will result in healthier fairways that will play firmer through the season.

The above is what was left after the the water receded off of the sixth fairway. We removed as much silt as we could but as you can see, we lost a fair amount of turf in this area. These areas have been re-seeded and we should begin to see recovery in the next several days. These areas will probably not be in play until early November. We thank you in advance for your understanding as we restore the golf course to pre-flood conditions.

We have constructed a bentgrass nursery green that closely mirrors the the construction mix of the bentgrass/Poa greens on the golf course. We will be able to use this green next season to repair the voids that appear on several of our greens due to the Poa thinning under summer heat stress.

Tropical Depression Lee: Deja Vu

2011-09-08T13:55:00.001-04:00

Just a few short days after the golf course opened back up in the wake of Hurricane Irene, tropical depression Lee rolled in. The golf course has received 9.5” of rain since the afternoon of Monday the 5th. This is substantially more than the 6.5” that fell during Irene.

The rain began to subside today and we had our first real opportunity to get out and inspect the damage. What we found, not surprisingly, was another flooded golf course. While we do not have nearly the tree and debris issues that we did with Irene, we have a great deal more silt and debris deposited on the fairways and some greens as a result of the extend period of time that they were under water. In addition to this, the bunker and mulch washes were much more severe than with Irene. While they look very similar to the Irene photos, I took some pictures today to give you and idea of what we are dealing with on the golf course. Notice the blue tees on #15 are totally covered with water and the amount of debris that has been deposited on #15 green. This is common of any area that was flooded in this most recent storm.

Tropical Depression Lee

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USGA Mid-Atlantic Update

2011-09-04T06:23:00.001-04:00

The following is a regional update written by Stanley Zontek, the USGA Director of Agronomy for the Mid-Atlantic Region. It highlights some of the challenges that we have been facing this season.

The transition zone, the climatic region where the northern extreme in the adaptation of warm-season grasses (e.g. bermudagrass and zoysiagrass) meets the southern extreme in the adaptation of cool-season grasses (e.g. perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, creeping bentgrass and Poa annua) is recognized as one of the most challenging areas to grow grass in the United States. That reputation is intact this summer.

(1) Record heat. The month of July was the hottest July on record and May was record tying.

(2) Record rainfall. As of August 26^th, the month of August is the wettest in history with more than 13 inches of rain measured at the Philadelphia airport and that doesn’t count the contributions from Hurricane Irene. If this were snow, we could have more than 13 feet.

(3) Hurricane Irene. Hurricanes that hit the Mid-Atlantic Region are a rarity, but here we go with all the consequences that go with it.

(4) An earthquake. Who have guessed it?

All of this speaks volumes to the challenges facing golfers and golf course superintendents practically every year that they try to grow grass and play golf. It is less well known to the average golfer, course official, course owner or any golfer who wonders why the golf course is not in perfect condition at the end of the summer in Philadelphia, Baltimore, metro-D.C. or Richmond, VA. Prolonged periods of high temperatures, high humidity, drought or excessive rainfall causes problems with grass.

Hurricane Irene: The Cleanup

2011-08-30T20:29:00.001-04:00

Let me first apologize for not posting any updates sooner. As many of you know, power, much less the web, has been hard to come by in our area recently.

I can assure that you that my staff, as well as the in staff of other departments as you will see below, have been working feverishly to get the golf course and grounds back in to shape. As you can see from the photos, we have made a great deal of progress over the last three days but we still have a lot to do.

I am confident that the golf course will be nearly full restored by this upcoming Labor Day weekend. Enjoy the photos and I look forward to seeing everyone back at the club!

Progress!

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Hurricane Irene Photos

2011-08-28T11:39:00.001-04:00

Now that Irene is through us, let the fun begin! The golf course escaped without any major damage, but we still have a lot of clean up to do. We lost around 40 trees on the property, only one of these would be considered a key tree (See #11 below). We had major flooding on 6, 14, 15 and 18 and a great deal of debris everywhere. The front nine is much better than the back and we anticipate being able to open these nine holes much faster.

The following is a set of photos that I took on my initial trip around the property. They don’t really do the damage justice, but I hope it gives you an idea of what we will be dealing with for the next several weeks. Click on any photo to enlarge.

Hurricane Irene Photos

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Rough Renovation

2011-08-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

We are currently in the middle of a two part rough renovation project that I would like you to be aware of.

Part one is a Bermudagrass/Bentgrass eradication project. As you play the golf course you will notice rather large areas that have been killed in the roughs. We are controlling an infestation of undesirable grass species that has become increasingly worse over the last several years. The areas that we chose to renovate were threatening to encroach on to fine turf areas such as greens, fairways and intermediate cuts of rough. If we did not do this now, we faced the possibility of a more costly, labor intensive repair in the future. We have already made an application of non-selective herbicide and these areas were seeded Thursday, August 25^th. We should see germination of this seed in the next seven to 10 days and the areas will be playable by the beginning part of October. These areas have all been marked as ground under repair and should be played as such.

Bermudagrass area that has been killed, prepared and seeded on #2

Part two of our renovation is to continue with our annual inter-seeding program. In this process, we seed stronger, more stress tolerant tall fescue in to weak areas of our Kentucky bluegrass/ryegrass roughs. These areas are then kept wetter than normal to encourage seed germination and growth. Over the past four years, we have seen steady improvement in the quality and stress tolerance of our roughs by sticking with this program.

We thank you in advance for your patience as we continue to improve your golf course.

Greens “Renovation”

2011-08-18T10:08:00.001-04:00

The majority of problems that we experience on greens are a result of the high populations of Poa annua. The Poa does not root nearly as deep as the bentgrass, thus it is not as equipped to hold up to the harsh weather conditions that a Mid-Atlantic summer can present. Poa is also more susceptible than bentgrass to many turf diseases. It is because of these factors that you notice thinning on several of our greens in July and August.

#2 green after it has been seeded. The greens looked a little bruised after the inter-seeding process but recovered in a few days will some help from mother nature.

Commencing immediately, we will begin a program of inter-seeding bentgrass into the greens. We will be using a newer variety of bentgrass known as “Alpha”. This variety has been used with success by other club’s around the country trying to accomplish the same thing that we are.

Green surface after it has been verticut and inter-seeded

In order to give the bentgrass the best chance to thrive, we will be inter-seeding when the Poa is at its weakest. In general this will mean a June and August inter-seeding at our club. We performed our first inter-seeding August 11^th. After inter-seeding, it is necessary to keep the greens a little on the wet side to encourage establishment of the new bentgrass. As our populations increase, we will then be able to change our management programs to benefit the bentgrass, rather than the Poa programs we are on now. This will further encourage the bentgrass to take over.

A Big Thank You to Our Staff

2011-07-27T12:43:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday, literally one of the hottest days in the history of Washington D.C., we lost power to our pump station from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. This means that sprinkler heads did not work and we lost our ability to handwater hot spots around the golf course.

In the face of this adversity many of our crew members stepped up and handled the situation admirably. We found any container we could that would hold water—trash cans, coolers, empty storage drums—and filled them up by dipping them in to the lake or from a potable water hose at the shop. We took these containers and dumped them on greens around the golf course through the hottest parts of the day. The work was not easy but I did not hear a single complaint from our staff all day.

Assistant superintendent Jeff Rice rigged up one of our sprayers with a hose and was driving around watering down greens to keep them cool in the intense heat.

I would like to use our blog as a place to publicly recognize these efforts and extend a big thank you to our staff. Their quick thinking and hard work turned a potentially disastrous situation to a mere one-day headache. In addition, I hope that this enlightens the membership to a little of what can go on behind the scenes in order to maintain a golf course.

Turf Canopy Temperatures

2011-07-19T15:02:00.001-04:00

The temperatures that you see on your local news or on your favorite weather website are generally taken in a vented, shaded enclosure. Actual temperatures in direct sunlight are much higher. The picture below was taken on the second fairway at one o’clock in the afternoon—the forecasted high for the day was 94 degrees.

This is one of the reasons that we as turf managers start to get a little nervous when we see long term forecasts with several days of 90+ degrees in a row. Actual temperature in the turf canopy is much hotter and these extended periods of stress can put a great deal strain on the turf system.

Hand Watering

2011-07-11T11:55:00.001-04:00

The summer is upon us and I am sure that you have noticed members of our staff using hoses to hand water greens. There are several reasons for this practice. Each are outlined in the animation below.

Green Speeds

2011-07-01T12:21:00.001-04:00

The most common question that I am asked after our annual Men’s Member Guest Tournament is “Why can’t we keep the greens this speed all the time?”. There main reason for this is simple—the management practices required to obtain these speeds puts a severe amount of stress on the turf. Leading up to the Member Guest Tournament we will groom, verticut and lightly topdress the greens more aggressively than in any other part of the season. During the event, we double cut and roll the greens each morning and single cut and roll the greens in the evening—often when the temperatures are in the low 90’s.

While difficult to see, the walk on area on #1 ridge severely thinned out during the three days of our Member/Guest tournament (click to enlarge)

Our greens consist of a mixture of Poa annua and creeping bentgrass. This mix varies from 40 to 80 percent Poa from green to green. While the bentgrass does fairly well under these aggressive management practices, the Poa starts to thin out and eventually die. If we were to keep up the type of management practices, required to obtain our tournament speeds, we increase the potential for severe turf loss.

A close up of #1 green. If aggressive management practices were to continue, we run the risk of large scale turf loss on greens (click to enlarge)

Why are the tees black?

2011-05-31T13:03:00.001-04:00

The black segregation that you may have noticed on the tees is a weed known as green kyllinga. In just the last 10 years, this has become a highly problematic weed in turfgrass in the Mid-Atlantic region. If left untreated the kyllinga will spread quickly and requires costly renovations to control. Even then, there is no guarantee that you will fully eliminate the weed.

We use a combination of products to keep the kyllinga from spreading. The black that you are seeing is the weed several days after a herbicide application. We will continue these applications throughout the summer to continue eradicating the problem.

Repairing Ballmarks

2011-05-10T14:54:00.001-04:00

As we head in to the busy part of the season and play begins to pick up, I am noticing more unrepaired ballmarks on greens. As a courtesy to other players, please repair your ballmarks as you enjoy your round. Below is video on several methods of repair.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation!

#2 Pine Trees

2011-04-15T06:42:00.001-04:00

As most of you have seen, we lost two of the three pine trees behind the second green this past winter. These trees provided screening from the house behind it. I have had several questions regarding our plans for this bed. Last Tuesday we replaced these pines with flowering trees and shrubs. When the trees grow, they serve the same purpose as the pines as well as improve the aesthetics on the golf course.

Greens DryJect

2011-04-04T15:45:00.001-04:00

One of the main challenges that we have in managing our greens is their internal structure. The greens on our golf course were built at three different times with three different methods. The oldest tend to hold more water and play slower than some of the newer constructions. It is a daily challenge to maintain consistency of both speed and firmness.

DryJect Aerification being performed on the first hole.

The club is making a commitment to addressing this issue with the addition of DryJect aerification in to our normal maintenance program. This practice will allow us to change the internal structure of the green with minimal impact on play. The DryJect aerifier uses a high pressure stream of water to fracture the soil. As the water moves down through the ground, it creates a vacuum which pulls either sand or other greens amendments through the top 2.5” to 3” of the root zone. When performed over time, this practice will greatly increase the consistency of the greens’ surface. The DryJect leaves only a slight layer of sand on the surface and the green is very playable just after the treatment. For more information, please visit wwww.dryject.com.

#18 green completed and open for play

Annual Bluegrass Weevil Prevention

2011-03-15T08:58:00.001-04:00

As many of you may remember, we experienced a great deal of issues last year with an insect known as the Annual Bluegrass Weevil, or ABW for short. Control of these pests is extremely difficult because they are tough to detect. Due to their life cycle, you often do not know that you have a problem until the turf begins to decline.

The adults spend the winter in the perimeter areas of the golf course (woods, rough, pine straw). In the spring, they begin walk out of these areas and begin a march towards the short grass (fairways, greens, approaches). They then lay their eggs inside of the individual pieces of grass. The eggs hatch and the larvae begin eating the plant from the inside out, resulting in large areas of damaged turf.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to control the adults in the early part of this cycle. You may have noticed our “bottle traps” (pictured below) around the golf course. As the ABW walk out of the woods they will walk across these traps, fall in to the pipes and slide in to the collection bottle. When we observe the peak of the adult migration, we will apply an insecticide to control this population. By controlling the adults early in the season, we will drastically reduce the insects capability to cause substantial turf injury.

Bunker Projects Update

2011-02-24T07:53:00.001-05:00

Last Monday, sod was installed around the renovated bunkers on #7 and the new bunker on #11. The projects are nearly complete. We are expecting several rains this weekend that will help to firm up the new sand. After these rains, we will use a plate tamper to further compact the sand. It will be necessary to wait several weeks for the sod to root before we can remove the wooden forms from high sides of the bunkers.

Click the below images to enlarge the photos.

#11 Change

2011-02-15T10:20:00.002-05:00

If you have made a trip to the golf course in the last several weeks, you probably noticed a major change on #11. The pines that penalized a shot in to the right rough came down as a result of an ice storm in December and it was necessary to replace them with something to influence a tee shot. We chose to add a bunker in at the narrow part of the fairway. This decision was based on a long term architectural plan drawn by Ault, Clark & Associates in 1998 where they had actually proposed the same change.

This bunker will mainly influence the low handicap player who is trying to get as much distance as they can off of the tee in order to go for the green in two. A poorly executed shot will go through the fairway and in to the fairly flashed bunker.

This change will make the hole more playable for the higher handicapper who hits a high fade (a shot that I know very well). Before, even a tee shot in the fairway could be influenced by these trees. Now, a good tee shot will be rewarded with a clear look at the second landing area.

Snow Covered Golf Course

2011-01-30T07:32:00.001-05:00

Most people do not get a chance to see the golf course when it is covered in snow. Here are few photos that I took after the storm last week (click to enlarge). Enjoy!

#7 Update

2011-01-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

Shaping the left bunker

Installing plywood to form the bunker

Starting to look like something….

Installing drain lines

Remember to check back often for more updates on this and other projects.

Winter Cart Restrictions

2011-01-04T13:35:00.001-05:00

I was recently approached about the reason for the restrictions on golf carts even though there were very few people playing on that particular day. On days in which temperatures get in to the 40s, it allows the top layer of the turf (1-2 inches) to thaw while everything below this remains frozen. The turf is much more susceptible to damage in this situation. The cart causes this thawed layer to shift, shearing any roots the turf has grown during the past fall and making it substantially weaker going in to the spring. In extreme cases, like the one shown above, the thawed layer gives way to the cart and causes a large rut in the playing surface. We thank you in advance for your understanding of any restrictions that might be in place on the particular day in which you choose to play.

#7 Bunker Update

2010-12-31T10:50:00.001-05:00

All of the sod in the area has been removed and soil is being brought in to grade out low areas. Sand has been piled for removal and the main trunk line in the new drainage has been installed.

Check back soon as we will be updating this project as it progresses!

#7 Bunkers

2010-12-28T15:09:00.001-05:00

Well, the extreme weather of 2010 looks like it is sticking around through the winter. The month of December has been seven degrees colder than normal and the small amount of snow has stuck with us much longer than it normally would. So you may ask yourself what we have been doing on the golf course.

As of this week, we have started to renovate the fairways bunkers on #7. They have traditionally been among the poorest performing bunkers on the golf course. They do not drain, the sand is inconsistent in comparison to the other bunkers and the bunker surround has a metal pipe that protrudes from beneath the cartpath that is a potential hazard to golfers and club employees. In addition, these bunkers have very straight edges and sharp corners that are not consistent with the overall design of the golf course.

Over the course of the next several weeks, we will be removing the sand from the bunkers and cutting all of the sod within the work area. We will then re-grade the surrounds to encourage positive drainage and make slight adjustments to the contouring of the bunkers. Internal drainage will be installed in to each of the bunkers and catch basins placed in the lows around them. Finally we will add new sand and re-sod the area to an improved variety of tall fescue.

Check back as I will be posting pictures of the project as it progresses!

#8 Drainage

2010-11-30T13:09:00.001-05:00

Over the past summer, we experienced severe turf loss in #8 fairway. The majority of this was experienced after a heavy thunderstorm that left a great deal of standing water on the fairway. In the days following the rain, temperatures were in the upper 90s and low 100s. These temperatures, combined with standing water, essentially cooked the turf over the course of a week.

In order to prevent this from happening again, we are installing a large drain field in the middle of the fairway. We are removing the native soil and replacing it with pipe and gravel. We will then put sand over the gravel as a growing medium for the turf. A series of basins will be installed to more rapidly remove water from the turf surface. In doing this we are creating a growing environment that encourages a stronger plant that will better stand up to the stresses of a Mid-Atlantic summer.

Fairway Amending

2010-11-10T20:25:00.001-05:00

As I am sure anyone who has played in the last several days has noticed, we have been busy preparing the the fairways for next season. As I have stated in previous posts, the summer of 2010 taught us a great deal about the weaknesses of the fairways and we are aggressively trying to address these problems. In the last two weeks we have completed core aerification as well as applied sand topdressing and a granular fertilizer in to the holes. These process will all promote plant health and improve playability over time. In addition we have sprayed additional fertilizer to further encourage growth and improve density.

I realize that these practices may adversely impact your round in the short term, but it is important to remember that everything that we are doing is for the long term benefit of your golf course. Again, I thank you for your patience as we continue to complete these necessary processes.

Fairway/Approach Aerification Notice

2010-10-27T08:20:00.000-04:00

I would like to remind everyone that we will be commencing with our fairway aerification and topdressing programs next Monday, November 1st. As I have stated in previous posts, this past summer has shown us that we need to be more aggressive in our thatch management programs. As a result of this we will be going back to core aerificaiton on fairways.

This will be a slightly different process than in years past as we will perform the aerification in house as opposed to contracting an outside company to do it. We will core, clean and topdress 2-3 fairways a day (as weather permits) in effort to have a minimal impact on the playability on the golf course. We will not close the course at any point and we appreciate your patience as we complete this disruptive, but vitally important, process.

Tropical Storm Nicole

2010-10-01T08:36:00.010-04:00

Over the past two days the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole brought heavy rains and gusty winds that have caused significant storm damage and flooding. Over 5 inches of rain has caused the lake to overflow its banks. As you can see from the pictures, the water has caused a few fairways to be unplayable and some cart paths are impassible. For this reason, the golf course will be closed until the lake recedes to its normal level.

The maintenance crew is busy working to repair bunkers and clean up. We expect to open by late morning on Friday but it may take all day today and some of tomorrow to get all the limbs and debris cleared off the course. Carts will be limited to cart path only for a few days but hopefully the wind will help dry out the course as soon as possible.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF A "SAINT"

2010-09-24T12:24:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, the Woodmore family lost a former employee and a great person. The following letter from our Head Golf Professional, Mark Russo, explains everything that I can not put in to words myself right now. Brian, you were a true friend and will be missed dearly....

Dear Members,

I wanted to take a moment to let you know that yesterday our former assistant golf professional, Brian St. Louis, passed away suddenly of an apparent heart attack. He was 27 years old.

Brian left Woodmore in 2008, but left as a loved and respected staff member that was known for his easy going manner and great way with people. Always quick with a smile and ready to the job, Brian was a valued member of the staff.

He left the Club to take on a dream job of sorts: the hockey director at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, the practice facility for the Washington Capitals. Brian had a lifelong love of the game and grew up playing locally, and this job was a perfect fit for someone who was meant to coach and instruct--and he was great at it.

Having known him since he was 8 years old, I can tell you that this is a tremendous blow to all of us who knew him personally away from the course and rink. He will be missed beyond words.

He leaves behind a wife, Emily, and an unborn child due in March. I will keep everyone updated on any information regarding services, and please know that we will be planning a golf tournament in his name and you all are welcome to come out and help celebrate his life with us.

Thank you,

Mark A. Russo, PGA

Head Golf Professional

Please see the sidebar to the right of this article for information on how you can help the St. Louis family.

Fairway Topdressing

2010-09-14T13:51:00.005-04:00

We have begun to apply light applications of topdressing on the fairways. This sand provides several benefits to the golf course. These include a firmer, more playable surface, increased drainage capacity and a better tolerance of cart traffic. These applications made now are also giving the new seedlings a medium in which to grow as well as helping the sod seamlessly knit in to the existing turf.

Fairway Restoration

2010-09-14T13:25:00.005-04:00

The weather has finally changed and we are ready to put this past summer behind us. In the last week we have been hard at work to restore the golf course. We have sodded out the hardest hit areas in the fairways and have been diligent in our seeding program. We are seeing great results from the efforts and with some cooperation from mother nature, we are looking forward to a fast recovery.

USGA Regional Update

2010-09-03T10:02:00.004-04:00

The USGA Greens section is one of the leading authorities on golf course maintenance in the country. Unlike many superintendents who are limited to seeing their own course everyday, the USGA sends consultants to courses all over the region. Because of this, they are able to provide a broader perspective as to what is happening on golf courses in any region on the country.

For those that are interested, click here to view a video summary of the USGA's observations of the 2010 golf season in the Mid-Atlantic. While it is fairly long and targeted towards superintendents (who actually think this stuff is interesting), you can gain some very good insight to issues that many golf courses in the region have faced. The most pertinent portion to our golf course is near the beginning when the narrator is discussing wet wilt. While we did not see this on our greens, this is exactly what happened in many of the swales in our fairways.

What Were They Doing?

2010-09-02T10:23:00.004-04:00

Many of you may have seen Jeff Rice, our assistant superintendent, along with some of the staff swimming in the lake on Thursday morning. No, this what not a reward for a tremendous effort during a hard summer. He and several staff members were cleaning plant material and debris away from the intake to the irrigation system.

When too much matter accumulates around the filter for this intake, the pumps are not able to draw the amount of water they need to operate properly. In order to protect themselves from a total failure in this situation, they will shut themselves down. If this were to happen in the middle of the night, we would not put down the appropriate amount of water in order to keep the turf healthy the following day. This problem creates the potential for serious turf injury.

So Jeff and the crew were not just hot and have not lost their minds (totally). They were just performing some preventative maintenance on the irrigation system. I hope that this provides some insight on the diversity of tasks that are involved in maintaining a golf course.

A Change In Thinking

2010-08-26T09:47:00.005-04:00

The year of 2010 will be remembered along the east coast as having some of the most extreme weather patterns that we have ever experienced. Although we have had our share of challenges this season, our department is viewing this experience in a positive light. We learned a great deal about the weaknesses and strengths of the golf course and will use this knowledge to prioritize our focuses and improve for the future.

Our main weakness has been the fairways. We have observed that in this stressful weather pattern, fairways 7 and 15 did noticeably better than the rest. These fairways were converted earlier than the rest of the golf course and are a different variety of bentgrass known as L-93. The rest of the fairways have Declaration creeping bentgrass. We believe the reason for the Declaration's poor performance is the increased growth habit and thatch production.

Because of this, we will be changing our aerification philosophy in fall of 2010. This summer has shown us that we need to be more aggressive in our thatch management practices to reduce the potential of this type of damage in the fairways again. We will be going back to a combination of core aerification combined with aggressive verticutting commencing this November. Because we now own our own aerification equipment, we will be able to complete the process in house, one fairway at a time, and have a minimal impact on play.

In addition, we will be repairing all of the damaged areas with different, more proven varieties of bentgrass that will increase the overall stress tolerance of the fairways.

Stay tuned for more...

Seedlings!

2010-08-17T13:02:00.008-04:00

We have started to see the emergence of seedlings (click on the images for a larger view) in the fairways and the roughs. If the weather continues to cooperate, it will not be long until the problems that we experienced through the course of this past summer are a distant memory.

Because the plants are especially susceptible to stress at this stage of their life, we are asking you to avoid driving and walking in these areas whenever possible. Thank you ahead of time for your cooperation as we continue to restore the golf course.

GREENS AERIFICATION POSTPONED

2010-08-10T15:02:00.002-04:00

Greens aerification is scheduled to take place this coming Monday, August 16. Due to the weather pattern we are in and the current condition of the greens, we do not believe that the turf is healthy enough to withstand a traditional core aerification combined with sand topdressing. We will be postponing this process until the middle of October.

We will however, still be opening up the greens surface with a small solid tine this Monday. In addition, we will be applying fertilizer at this time to promote plant health and aid in recovery. Thank you for your understanding and support as we work through this difficult summer.

Wall Street Journal Article-Golf in the News

2010-08-09T12:26:00.002-04:00

Click here to read an article from the Wall Street Journal on how the weather of 2010 is affecting golf courses all over the region.

Golf Course Updates and Observations

2010-08-03T09:57:00.004-04:00

We believe that we are in our first weather pattern that will allow us to successfully start seeding the fairways. Commencing today, you will notice that we are aerifying and drop spreading bentgrass seed in to the injured areas. For the next couple of weeks it will be necessary for us to water the seed several times a day to ensure the success of the young turf.

One interesting phenomenon that we observed this summer is that for the most part, fairways 7 and 15, as well as the approaches on 6 and 12, have not had the same problems as the others. These areas on the only spots on the golf course that contain a varieties of bentgrass known as L-93 and Providence. All of the declining fairways are made up of Declaration creeping bentgrass. Based on how the Declaration handled this tough summer, we will not be using this variety during the restoration of the golf course. We will be seeding stronger, more proven varieties back in to these areas. By incorporating different types of bentgrass, our fairways will be that much stronger moving in to the future.

Annual Bluegrass Weevil

2010-07-12T11:02:00.004-04:00

As I am sure most of you have seen, we have been fighting a battle with mother nature on the golf course this year. We just experienced the hottest June as well as the 20th driest Jan-June on record. This is pretty amazing when you consider all of the snowfall that we had during the early part of the year.

While the hot and dry conditions have put a significant amount of stress on the turf, our main battle has been against a small insect known as Annual Bluegrass Weevil (ABW). They are about the size of a pencil eraser and are a very new pest to this part of the country. The first reported damage of this insect was in 1931 in Connecticut. The pest had stayed in the northeastern states for many years but has recently started to migrate south. It has only been within the last few years that they have been identified in the state of Maryland. Historically our golf course has not had any serious issues with the insect and thus, it has not been necessary to implement a preventative program to control them.

That has changed this year. The ABW have found there way on to our property and are causing a great deal of damage to the golf course. The insects will walk out of the woods in the Spring and lay their eggs inside the plants of closely mowed turf of the fairways, tees and greens. Then, when the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the plant from the inside out and destroy it. These larvae turn in to adults and the whole process starts again. In 2009, a golf course in the state of Maryland reported that this cycle occurred five times.

On our golf course we have already seen the first generation hatch and we are currently battling the adults. This has been a difficult process as the timing of these treatments can vary from one hole to the next. We continue to monitor the progression of the pest several times a day and treat outbreaks as necessary. This process will continue until the first frost when the insects go back in to the woods.

The good news is now that we know the insects are present, the problems that we are facing this year are preventable in the future. There has been a great deal of research done on these insects as they are quickly becoming one of the most damaging turf pests that we face today. Beginning early next springs, we will set traps around the golf course to monitor the adults progression as they move towards the fairways. By doing this, we can accurately time a pesticide application that will control these adults as well as protect the turf from the larvae if any adults do make it to the fairways. By preventing the initial outbreak, we greatly reduce the total population and will have much more success against any future generations.

I hope that this is not more information than you cared to know but I believe that it is important to keep the membership informed on the status of the course. If you did not learn enough about ABW here, you can follow this link (http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/turfgrass/abw.pdf) for more info. We appreciate your patience as we continue to navigate our way through this tough summer.

Cart Traffic

2010-06-26T09:52:00.004-04:00

We are in the midst of one of the hottest, driest late springs/early summers on record. I am sure you may have noticed the increased signs of summer stress on the golf course. The above damage was caused by carts driving over severely stressed turf. The weakened turf is not able to stand up to the added pressure of golf carts and it collapses under the stress.

While we will not be limiting cart access on most holes, we are asking for your help. Please help us limit the cart traffic and stress by pairing up into the least amount of carts possible in your groups when going out to play. In addition, we ask that everyone make an effort to avoid areas that look stressed by heat (light brown or discolored) and vary their driving patterns so that certain areas are not constantly beaten down by cart traffic. We appreciate your efforts in helping us to keep your golf course in the best possible condition.

What are the Pink Ribbons Around the Trees?

2010-05-21T06:28:00.002-04:00

I have been asked several times if we are removing the trees on the golf course that have pink ribbons around them. No, we are not.

The marked trees are ones that have been designated as specimen species or trees that are vital to the way the golf hole plays. These trees are in the middle of a preservation process that is being performed in several stages by an outside tree service. They will be receiving several treatments throughout the months of April, May and June. These include cabling weak limbs, deep root fertilization and fungicide treatments.

So we are actually doing the opposite of removing them. We are being proactive in our care of these trees to make sure that they are here for years to come.

Golf Cart Etiquette

2010-04-29T06:53:00.004-04:00

As you may have noticed, we have spent the last several weeks repairing the worn edges of the cartpaths caused by years of golf cart traffic. You can assist us in keeping the edges, as well as other surfaces on the golf course, in good condition by remembering to follow the few simple rules of golf cart etiquette outlined in the video below.

In addition I would like to remind you to exit the fairways before the black posts and, if at all possible, please try and avoid areas in the rough or fairways that have become discolored or matted down. By following these guidelines, you can help us in our goal of making Woodmore one of the premier golf experiences in the area.

Driving Range Tee

2010-04-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

The grass portion of the driving range tee will be open on weekends starting on April 10th. We will open it full time when the grass is growing aggressively enough to repair the divoted sections.

Two years ago, the driving range tee was converted from ryegrass to bermudagrass. I have been asked about the reasoning behind this conversion several times. Most of these questions have been because it is not traditional for a course to have different types of turf on your practice tee as the fairways. In the newest edition of the the USGA Greens Section Record, this very subject was asked to the USGA Greens Department by a golfer. The following is their response:

"When you have a small tee, it is difficult to recover from divots, especially during the summer months. Bermudagrass grows aggressively, while creeping bentgrass and perennial ryegrass do not. The tee can be overseeded with perennial ryegrass in early fall to provide a better winter and spring surface, although traffic levels need to be regulated during late fall and winter. Although bermudagrass may not match your fairway, it is better than practicing from artificial mats or dirt because your cool-season grass does not recover well during the summer months. Prominent courses as far north as Philadelphia have used bermudagrass with success on their practice tees."

Why Aerification is Important

2010-03-21T13:33:00.003-04:00

As we are in the middle of our spring aerification season, I wanted you to know the reasoning behind performing this disruptive practice. Although the following video refers only to greens, the principles discussed in it apply to all playing surfaces on a golf course and even your home lawn.

At our club, we traditionally perform two disruptive greens aerifications per year, one in the spring and the other in the late summer. These involve pulling a core and backfilling the holes with sand topdressing. In between these two we will perform as few as eight, or as many as 12, less invasive aerifications. These are usually done on a Monday without an outing and are performed using a four inch long "needletine" that is only 5 mm in diameter. Most of the time, the visible effects of this type of aerification are gone by the following afternoon. As the animation explains, aerifying the greens at regular intervals during the season allows us to push turf harder and provide you with the best possible playing conditions throughout the year.

GOLF COURSE WILL RE-OPEN FOR PLAY ON MARCH 9TH

2010-03-08T10:27:00.003-05:00

Snow Update

2010-03-05T14:44:00.001-05:00

The following pictures were taken on March 5th during the afternoon. As you can see many of the tees, greens and a significant portion of the some of the fairways are still snow covered. We have a great weekend forecast and hopefully be ready to open by next week. Click on any image to enlarge.

Golf Course Update

2010-02-25T09:39:00.002-05:00

When I started this blog, my intention was to give regular status updates on our work on the golf course. As you may have noticed, I haven't posted for several weeks. This is because the course has been under unprecedented snow cover and for most of the month, the cartpaths have not even been passable. At the present time, the amount of snow remaining is greatly varied around the property. We are able to see a small portion of #2 fairway today but there is still 18 inches on #3 green.

So what has happened on the golf course and what does it mean for you, the membership?

As of today, we do not believe that the snow resulted in any major problems. It did, however, cause minor damage all over the golf course. There is not a white pine on the golf course that did not lose several limbs and the weight of the snow knocked a tree over on #2. Luckily, it had several others behind it and you probably will not notice that it is gone. In addition to this, the amount of snow on much of our ornamental plant material has caused many of their branches to snap off.

The snow has put us behind on much of the work that we normally accomplish during this time of year. Despite the usually cold temperatures, the last week of February has always been the first week of spring for our staff. We usually apply our first fertility application of the year to greens, start mulching the golf course and are preparing for fairway aerification and topdressing. Obviously, we are not able to get to some of these tasks but we can force the issue on others. Today, we cleared the cartpaths from our facility out to #10 and #18 and are commencing with mulching.

So when does the golf course open? If the forecast (mid to high 40's and sun through next week) holds, hopefully the golf course will be playable during the second week of March. When it is playable for you, this also means it is workable for us. As always, we will be respectful to you as you are playing but at the same time, we ask you to please remember that we have a lot of work to catch up on. I look forward to seeing everyone again once the weather breaks and hope you have a great 2010 season!

Woodmore, The Audubon Society and The Environment

2010-01-29T13:58:00.002-05:00

There is currently a national debate about the effect that golf courses have on the environment. I will tell you that most golf courses, either by choice or because of government rules and regulations, are extremely conscientious about how they affect the environment around them.

While I can not speak for other golf courses in this area, I can assure you that we run a very environmentally friendly operation. We perform numerous different practices to promote wildlife around us: we use only chemicals and fertilizers when and where they are necessary to protect playability, we maintain and monitor various types of birdhouses and bat-houses throughout the property and we have naturalized many of the out of play areas around the golf course in order to promote the introduction of new wildlife.

It is a goal of mine to have Woodmore registered as an Audubon Certified Cooperative Sanctuary. The process is extensive and can take several years. Last year, we completed stage one of program and were recognized by the Audubon society for our efforts in environmental planning. The next several set of steps of the program require us to document and present many different aspects of our operation to the Audubon Society to show them that we operate in an eco-friendly manner and have a positive influence on the environment around us. These range from subjects such as proper storage of chemicals to the installation of homes for wildlife such as birds, bats and butterflies.

As part of this study, we are required to take water samples around the golf course. I wanted to share these results with you, the membership. Samples were taken from the north side of the lake before the water comes in contact with the golf course, from the south side of the lake where water exits the golf course and from the creek on #6, the other point that water leaves the golf course. These tests show that the water had a higher concentration of ammonia, nitrates and phosphates (components in most common fertilizers) at the entrance points than it did at the exit points. In addition the water had a better pH and more oxygen as it left our property. From these results we can conclude that the water passing through our golf course undergoes a filtering process and it leaves in a better state than it started. This is not only beneficial to the golf course (we use this water for irrigation), but also to any body of water downstream from our property.

The next time that you hear someone talking about how golf courses are bad for the environment, please share results like these with them. I will keep everyone posted as to the progress of our Audubon Certification Program and more stories like the one here.

Bunker Renovations

2010-01-19T08:26:00.001-05:00

It seems that this unusually long cold snap has ended and we are finally able to get out on the golf course and do some much needed work. This week, our main focus will be to repair the two right side bunkers on #12. The bunkers had very little sand in them and the sub-grade underneath the sand is incorrect.

A correct sub-grade should allow for 2-3 inches of sand around the edges of the bunker and 3-5 inches in the bottom. The decreased levels of sand around the edges helps guard against "fried egg" lies and encourages the ball to roll in to the bottom of the bunker, providing the player with a better lie. The sub-grade of the bunkers on #12 required us to have 3-5 inches inches of sand in the center of the bunker, but 8-12 inches around the edges in to create a desirable interior shape. This caused increased potential for unfair lies.

In addition, these two bunkers have always been full of water after rain events and it has been necessary for us to pump them out. This is because these bunkers did not have any drainage installed in them. While we are repairing these bunkers, we are going to add a basic drain field to them. Because the bunkers will not fill with water, it will save man hours during the season as well as enable these bunkers to regain there playability more rapidly after heavy rainfall.

After we finish the work on the sub-grade and drainage systems, we will refill the bunkers with the correct amount of sand and compact it several times. These bunkers will play a bit fluffy for the next month or so but the sand will settle out by the start of the season.

Tree Removal

2010-01-13T11:01:00.002-05:00

Several times a year I take an arborist on a tour of the golf course and we evaluate the condition of each tree. From this, we will come up with a short and long term program about how we want to deal each individual issue. If a tree can be saved through increased fertility, a fungicide or any other means, we will try our best to preserve it. There are times however, when a tree is beyond help and it is necessary to remove it.

We use the winter months as an opportunity to remove these hazardous trees around the golf course. This is an important practice because these trees can be dangerous to anyone in their vicinity. A dead or dying tree also detracts from the aesthetic value of the golf course while reducing turf quality by blocking light and air flow. The picture shown here was taken today in the parking lot of the clubhouse. It was necessary to remove this pine (laying across the road on left) after a lightning strike last spring. The tree started decaying from the inside out and if it was not addressed now, it would pose more of hazard in the future.

Greens Update

2010-01-07T08:11:00.003-05:00

As I am sure everyone knows, we have had a record breaking winter in regards to both snowfall and temperatures. The ground froze earlier than usual and we have been spending a lot of time working in the shop. Below is a small snapshot of what we have been up to.

Adding a lean-to shed to provide shelter for to our larger pieces of equipment.

Refinishing trash cans and benches

Repainting traffic stakes and refinishing cooler houses

Cleaning each piece of equipment

Our equipment technician, Jim, working on inventory for the upcoming season

Snow Cover

2009-12-07T15:07:00.001-05:00

In the days following a snow storm, I will inevitably receive questions about the snow's effect on the golf course. The short answer is that other than inconveniencing you and making the golf course extremely wet, not much. The snow cover will actually help the turf by acting as insulation against harsh winter weather. In fact, a university study shows that prolonged snow cover on turf will speed up the spring green-up of the golf course because of the protection that the plant is getting from the wind and cold temperatures.

Snow cover is not always a good thing, though. When the snow turns to ice, we begin to see problems. A sheet of ice will form if the snow is melting and we suddenly experience an extended stretch of freezing temperatures. The ice forms a barrier that essentially suffocates the turf. In these cases, the golf course can have a large amount of winter injury or even turf loss. Fortunately, it is very rare that we see these weather patterns in this area.

I hope this answers any questions that you may have!

Waitea Patch

2009-12-01T11:32:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed a number of yellow rings on the greens appearing over the last several weeks. This is a turfgrass disease known as Waitea (wi-TEE-a) Patch. It is caused by a fungus that lives in the soil. It first appears in the fall and will continue to pop up throughout the winter. Waitea is a fairly new disease in this area and control methods are still being evaluated. Untreated, it can cause significant turf damage and even death in the winter months.We are currently on a spray program for the disease that does not completely eliminate the fungus, but it does keep the disease from killing turf and compromising the playability of the greens. Any rings that are still lingering at the end of winter will go away when soil temperatures begin to rise, probably in late March or early April.

#13 Landing Area

2009-11-18T11:15:00.005-05:00

The landing area on #13 and the rough just beyond it have traditionally been thin, weak and slow to recover. This is caused by several factors. The area is surrounded by tall trees that do not allow the turf to get the sunlight that is necessary for vigorous growth. In addition, the shade caused by these trees limits the area from ever really drying out. These conditions make the turf in this area more susceptible to damage caused by traffic and soil compaction.

Because the surrounding trees dictate the way the hole plays, removing them entirely is not an option. As a result, we elected to correct the problem by promoting proper drainage. We stripped the sod and regraded the soil to allow for faster water runoff in this area. After this was completed, we reseeded the rough and placed a cover over the work site. The cover will keep this area warmer than the outside temperature and promote growth and recovery throughout the winter months. In addition to this, we will also selectively removes limbs on the surrounding trees this winter in order to promote more sunlight and air movement.

We ask that if your ball lands on the cover, please play it as Ground Under Repair.

Supes & Golf Pros: A Working Relationship

2009-11-17T08:59:00.004-05:00

GUEST POST: Mark Russo, PGA

When it comes to important working relationships at a golf course, there may not be a more important one than the relationship between the Superintendent and the Golf Professional. At first glance, given the proximity of our offices and the nature of our jobs, we may not have much to say to one another. But that couldn't be further from the truth, as so much of what we do on a daily basis depends on communcation with Brandon and his staff. In our case here at Woodmore, we are very lucky that Brandon, Jeff, and Jason are easy to work with and Kelly, Tom, Mike, and myself enjoy working with them.

During the season, as a new month approaches, I sit down at my desk with a stack of tee sheets and few sharp pencils. I am armed with a monthly calendar of events for Woodmore and a good eraser, and I set out to set up the tee sheets for each day of the month. But this doesn't happen automatically, as I need to communicate with Brandon on starting times for events and so that he can get the course in the shape that he wants it before any event tees up their first ball. It's usually a juggling act that goes like this: I find out how many players are in a given event, then speak to Brandon and ask for something impossible, he rolls his eyes at me then says "We can do it." A little inside info: superintendents hate shotguns, but only because they are generally perfectionists and want the time to get every blade of grass in place. Joking aside, Brandon and his staff are great at being flexible to our needs; it's important when I set up a shotgun event to get the event through the first tee as soon as possible to open the golf course up for regular member play. In these economic times it is critical to maximize our tee sheet and the time available, and the grounds staff is a bigger part of that than people realize.

We also coordinate well on the practice range maintenance over the course of the year, as the grass tee and the landing area require a good deal of TLC so that they look sharp. Our bagroom staff and the professional staff coordinate and speak with Brandon a lot during the season on rope lines and how the tee is looking. If things are a bit rough, Brandon gives us his plan of attack for treating the problem, and we make sure our staff is following the plan with the ropes and balls so that the grounds staff can get their work done. My staff hates 2 nights of the week more than any others: Wednesday night (clean pick range greens) and Sunday night (clean pick entire range) - the work that we do on these nights helps the grounds staff do their job in the morning of mowing things down so we can pick the range easier and things look professional. A bad job on these nights by our staff will lead to some golf balls having a nasty run in with a mower blade in the morning, so we make sure to do our part so Brandon and his staff can do their part.

Hopefully this gives everyone a little insight into the relationship between our departments. It is a critically important one in my mind, and I know Brandon agrees. When you are lucky enough to have a great relationship like our 2 departments do, it makes work fun, and the members will reap the benefits of the teamwork that goes on behind the scenes.

What do you do all winter?

2009-11-06T13:11:00.002-05:00

I will get asked this question many times over the next several months. The truth is that the biggest gains on the golf course are made during the winter months. It is at this time of year that we are able to perform significant golf course improvements that can not be done during the playing season. These improvements are either too disruptive to play or we do not have the labor to complete them because we are busy maintaining the golf course for daily play.

It is during the off peak months that we will perform drainage projects, evaluate and repair bunkers, perform essential tree work, add mulch beds, fix cartpaths and perform any capital improvements that have been approved by the board. This winter we plan install drain fields in wet areas on #6 and #18. We are planning on rebuilding and resurfacing the forward tee on #4. We will add and rework bunker sand to ensure playability going in to next season. More rumble strips will be installed around necessary cartpaths edges and hazardous and dead trees and limbs will be removed. We will root-prune woodlines in order to reduce the competition between the trees and the turf and essential repairs will be done to the irrigation system.

In addition to all of the above projects, we also do a significant amount of off course work. Winter is a time for us to plan for the upcoming season. We will evaluate everything that we did the previous year and the management staff will brainstorm ideas and discuss how we can improve our operation going forward. In addition, we will plan our agronomic calendar for the upcoming year. This involves noting our important event dates such as member tournaments and outings, and then scheduling our chemical applications, fertilizer applications, and cultural practices in such a way that they have a minimal impact on play while still maintaining healthy turf.

Winter also gives us a time to make repairs and improvements at the shop (and give it a good cleaning) as well as perform all of our preventative maintenance and winter service of our equipment. With over fifty pieces of equipment to service and dozens of reels to sharpen, our equipment technician has no shortage of work during the winter.

There is a great deal that can be accomplished at a golf course during the winter months, much of which I have not discussed here. I hope that this provides the membership with some idea of what we do during the so called "off" season.

Cartpaths Only

2009-10-27T13:26:00.000-04:00

As it does most years, the fall has brought an increased amount of rainfall to this area. This raiunfall can make the golf course more susceptible to damage than it would be under dry conditions. The turf will not wear as well, divots tend to be larger and the ball marks are larger and more numbered.

As one measure to help us protect the golf course, we will keep golf carts on paths. Most people believe that this is to prevent rutting around the golf course and while they are correct, this is not the only reason for the ruling. Saturated soil is also more susceptible to compaction, a much larger issue than a rut. While a small rut can be fixed in a several hours, compaction can lead to larger problems that may not show themselves until a much later date. A turf plant growing in a compacted area is much more susceptible to stresses brought on by traffic, drought, heat and disease than a healthy plant would. Any of these conditions has the potential to severely damage or kill large areas around the golf course.

So the next time that we are keeping the carts on the paths, remember that you are doing your part to assist in the long term health and success of your golf course.

Frost Delays

2009-10-19T09:34:00.002-04:00

We experienced our first frost delay of the year this morning. We will generally see frost when temperatures are around 40 degrees and below. If you see night time temperatures in these ranges and have a tee time the following morning, it would be a good idea to call the Pro Shop for golf course conditions and estimated start times. I can assure you that the staff is constantly monitoring the golf course in order to get your round started as close to your tee time as we can.

So how does frost affect the golf course? Below is an informational video on how a simple footprint can cause severe damage to a putting green.

#18 Bentgrass Eradication

2009-10-08T08:45:00.001-04:00

The lakebank along #18 was recently killed with roundup in order to convert it to tall fescue. Previously the area was inidated with creeping bentgrass which often resulted in inconsistent lies as well as reduced aesthetics. The photograph to the left shows the area days after treatment and reseeding. The new turf is filling in nicely and should be playable within the next several weeks. The photograph below was taken yesterday.

Rubber Coyotes

2009-10-08T08:20:00.001-04:00

We have two populations of geese at our club; a native flock that has been here for years and the migratory flocks that just pass through on their yearly journey to different climates.

As part of our ongoing battle with the Canada Geese population we have placed a number of rubber coyotes around the golf course. The decoys have been successful at several other golf courses in the area. While it is not a silver bullet for solving the problem, the decoys have proved to be an effective deterrent over the migratory goose population in their first week of use. We have witnessed several groups start to land near the course and quickly move on upon seeing the decoys. The native flock, however, has begun to get acclimated to the presence of the decoys and we will continue to use other measures (dogs, addling of eggs, chemical deterents, etc) to control this population.

Initial Post

2009-10-02T09:25:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the Woodmore golf course maintenance blog! This site will be routinely updated with information about the golf course, daily maintenance practices, projects that we are doing, and answers to common questions that I receive about the course. You are welcome to join the blog (click follow on right side of this page) and keep up to date with golf course maintenance at Woodmore.