Course Closed For Covering

We will begin covering greens Tuesday morning and will be closed until this next wave of arctic air passes.  As of now, it looks like we will remain covered until sometime Saturday.  Please check with the pro shop as well on the blog for updates as to when we may take the covers off!  Thanks so much, stay warm, but come out and play tomorrow before the arctic blast gets here!  It should be a great day for golf!

Those dreaded Covers...

I know covering prevents golf...But really do you want to play when it is 35 degrees out and 15 mph winds?  Okay, I know there are some of you extremist out there!  So back to the covers and why we need them.  The diamond zoysia grass is a warm season turf that needs protection due to the low mowing heights that exposes the crown of the plant to much harsher conditions.  Covering greens is a common practice done on ultradwarf (bermudas and not technically Diamond Zoysia, but it is close enough that I typically call it an ultradwarf) putting greens during the winter months. This process helps our greens hold heat in the soil profile, prevents plant desiccation and protects turfgrass plants against extreme cold temperatures and wind.  Desiccation is basically dehydration.  This in turn during the cold makes the plant even more stressed, thus causing the plant to die or what we call "winter kill."  This is something I don't ever want to see on our putting greens.  This is why sometimes you may be thinking, "why in the world is he covering greens?"  Well it is always better to be safe than sorry.  I have many factors that determine when I cover.  A few of these factors for not covering even though the temperatures do dip below 25 degrees include how much moisture is in the greens--if we just got 3 inches of rain, the rain has heated up the soil surface just enough to keep us safe--unless it is prolonged coldness.  This factor is for usually only one day after the rain. If it is going to be windy and 25 degrees with daytime temperatures not getting to 50 degrees, then you will see the covers come out.  Duration of the cold is another factor.  If it is only going to be 23 for 15 minutes, and then the temperatures may jump up quickly and the day was warm before (above 50 degrees) then you will not see covers.  As for this last spell that we had, you saw record low temperatures that were accompanied with very cold winds, thus we left the greens covered for 6 days.  This kept the moisture from the previous rain in so the desiccation factor, plus the extreme cold was a textbook case of a no brainer cover.  Soil temperatures under the covers during that extreme cold only got as low as 33.  I would of course love to have them warmer, but I do not feel any anxiety considering the temperatures outside were 6 degrees.  In summing this up, if temperatures are below 25 degrees, there is a good chance the greens will be covered.  But--like I say, there are many factors that determine if I am going to cover.  If I am ever in doubt or unsure, you can bet they will just go ahead and be covered.  Winter kill is nothing to mess around with in the spring, so therefore it is better to be safe than sorry!  As I write this blog, the forecast for next week could be putting this practice into use.  As of today, it looks like we may be covered for an extended time period.  Check back later to see if we cover, and when we plan to reopen!  I hope you found this helpful in understanding why we bring out "those dreaded covers."

On a side note:  if the forecast will allow, we will sometimes use the practice of uncovering half of a green for daytime play, then recover during the afternoon for the night.  Because of this, we usually put the pins up front anytime we cover where this could be a practice we use.

If there are any questions please never hesitate to ask!

Winter Update!

Well it has been way too long since my last post.  A lot has happened since September.  We've had record colds, rain, more rain, and more rain in the forecast.  Did I mention it was cold?  Over the next few posts, I plan to really go more in depth on a few maintenance practices, projects in the works or those that are completed.  I'd love for some feedback in the next few weeks and I'd love for some questions or ideas.  We have many big plans in place to complete before the "season" begins.  Some of these will be included in future posts.  I plan on an upcoming "series" of posts that will do in depth on covering of greens, painting of greens, winter management practices, winter practices, and lastly some issues we have, or have been seeing that each of you can help assist us make these areas better.  I will post many pictures, and invite each and everyone of you to come out and play a round at River Falls!  When we are dry--that's a big when--the course conditions are favorable for a fun round of golf!

September--Fall is in the Air

After an unusual summer, that was honestly just plain crazy, we are now in a "drought" as I like to say now!  We seriously are very dry.  This is not a bad thing for the golfers though, as the greens are firm (almost getting a little too firm) and the speeds are rolling very consistent with speeds that are making a lot of golfers very happy.  I noticed due to this very weird weather pattern we are having where the days are mild, and the nights are cool, with such dry air--seed heads are trying to form again on the greens.  I once again treated with a herbicide called Princep (simazine is the active ingredient for all of you chemical junkies).  This is still a culture shock to me to spray such a thing.  I did mix a Minor nutrient package along with iron--just in case we get an off color stunting from this spray.  It is very intriguing that this is the recommended spray, and is something for all the turf managers and superintendents reading this blog to really almost scratch your head and say, "really--on green turf?"  It worked excellent in the spring, and I'm hoping to get some Poa annua control out of this this fall as well.  On to bigger and better things--the sod that we installed on the course is doing well.  It isn't growing as fast as I had hoped for, but it is healthy and doing well.  This weather pattern of cool nights and mild days, along with absolutely zero rain isn't helping it to grow in, but it is still a healthy stand of turf.  We will begin to use these tees very limited throughout the fall and winter, and once the grass begins to grow in the spring and summer these will be the primary tees as I plan to re-work the other tees on these areas.  I'm excited to see all of the visitors out here coming to play as all the bentgrass courses are healing in from aerification.  That is one positive about the diamond zoysia is that we aerify one time, in the dead of summer when its almost too hot for golfers any way.  We have great greens when the bent guys are healing in, so as a sales pitch to those golfers of other courses that read this, come out!  The finished product for the waste bunker really thrilled me, and I have enjoyed each of the comments that I have received on this new addition.  How do each of you like the red carts?  I think they have an appealing look on the golf course.  I wasn't sure exactly how I would like them at first, but I think they really pop and look sharp!  As summer winds down, so does our maintenance crew.  Its not the hustle and bustle of cut cut cut cut cut the crazy growing grass, but lets make progress.  Lets get projects done!  I look forward throughout the fall and winter and upgrading and bringing new and improved areas that I hope that each of you will enjoy and make your River Falls golfing experience one of a kind!  Fall color is soon for us to enjoy, come out and play golf and enjoy the beauty of fall.

 Initial Plugging of #13 under the Tree--It is beginning to grow in extremely well.

Prepping for the waster bunker

Middle stages of #16 waste bunker

Almost ready.

Just a sneak peak of a close up of how great the Diamond really is!

uh oh!  Spots like we had last year trying to pop up!

'Take all root Rot'

Sprayed Torque and then 10 days later sprayed Heritage TL and today they are almost non existent.

Yes, this used to be the massive sink hole on 3 green!  It filled in nicely

6 tee box before our shaving it down to tee heights!

How bout these Candy Apple Red carts

Sod Finally is Here! Project week continued

Well we have been patient--but the day is finally here!  It's been around a month since the 100 year flood has kept the sod fields where they were harvesting from actually cutting the sod for us.  We chose a new variety of Bermuda sod called 'Tif Grand'.  It is the first sterile Bermuda (aka sod--or of higher quality) that is shade tolerant.  The areas that we are concentrating on, which really are our main issues anyways are shady locations.  Number 6 tees are a par 3.  The zoysia that used to be there just couldn't withstand the shade and excessive divots as it is a very short wedge par 3.  With the Tif Grand, I am expecting to see a much rapid recovery.  In order to correct the drainage issue that kept that tee box wet, we installed a valley with a drain and large rocks in order to divert the water around the tee that flows off of the road/gulley that runs along the side of this tee box.  We raised the tee box with river sand two inches as well and while we were waiting we had 0 water issues on that tee box.  I'm excited to grow this in and get it open.  I feel that you will be amazed with the tight low growth that the 'Tif Grand' possesses, thus allowing you to get a better feeling golf shot.  We have expanded the ladies tee on number 6 as well and resodded it.  If sod permits this year, we have intentions to reopen the old ladies tee on number 6 as well to give more options.  The heavy traffic area behind the green on number 6 is fixed!  Please respect the area, and try to avoid traveling in the same paths each time you play.  Number 13 ladies/seniors tee is upgraded!!  The back area behind 17 green is finished as well.  As we move on with the final pallets of sod, we are going to "plug" the area to the right of 13 fairway at the big oak tree, so once again, this area will be roped, so please respect these ropes and stay off of this new area.  It will be marked as ground under repair until area is allowed to grow in. Behind 12 green will get the much needed upgrade as well that has been waiting patiently. The new waste bunker on 16 will begin ASAP now that we have the sod to go around the collar and border the bunker.  This will help catch balls that go long and into the river, as well as eliminate the wear and tear as well as shade/traffic of a one way on one way off hole.  We will label the bunker as waste, so play it as one.  Soon I will provide the rules of "waste bunkers."  Last, but not least, we will upgrade as many of the tees on number 9 that we can!  These zoysia tees just don't recover like the 'Tif Grand' will, so I feel for the longevity of these tees it is important to upgrade as many of these as we can.  Enough reading!  Check out some photos and check back for more photos in the next few days

 Prepping number 13 Tee

 Getting closer!

 At lease 3x the original size and not under the tree! 

 Number 6 green before we resodded the green and now the exit.

Intern Jay swatting the crazy bugs that have been after him all Summer

 17 green repairing the green and the before of the area we sodded.

 First Kill off of Upper 6 tee.

 Upper tee rails is dead!

 Sprayed dead--waiting for sand!

 sanded 2" deep and digging the drainage

 drain around the tee

 Edge of 13 Senior/ladies tee box--will have love grass on the hill

 A foggy view this morning from the new Tee box on 13

 Sod is going down!

 Behind 6 green

 Just patch work left.

 we have grass on 13

Keeping us busy--can't say enough at how great this sod is. 

It was probably the best sod pieces I have ever laid.

 

Check back tomorrow for finished photos.

Or come out and see it in person.



Aerification

We core aerified our Diamond Zoysia Greens for the first time since they were installed back in 2010.  The issues we have had on our greens, in my opinion are the lack of core aerification.  It is a critical process that we must do once a year in early July when the temperatures are hot, to encourage rapid recovery.  A week prior to aerification we used a quick release fertilizer to get the greens growing at max.  The morning of aerification we lightly double verticut then we began the process.  On Wednesday, we fertilized the greens again with a more slow release, with many other beneficial nutrients and soil additives to ensure healthy turf.  We will consistently roll the greens to ensure that they become smooth and roll to the consistency we are accustomed to.  Below you will see the complete week of progress from the initial aerification to the progress the greens have made on Friday.  I could not have asked for a better crew during this week!  They worked extremely hard, and I know they gave all the energy that they had.  To that--I thank them.

Double Verticut Before Aerification.

Intern Jay Getting experience on the ProCore 648, Aerifying

We went with 1/2inch coring tines at a 2" Spacing

A close up of the Holes/Cores

Where's the Green? 

 

                                                       Clean up Process

Cores are all up.

A Top Dressed green

 

Dragging a green once Top Dressed to move the sand into the holes.

We used a "brush dragger" as well as a coco mat.

 

Sand all in the holes

 

Let the water fly to keep the greens moist and to knock the sand in!

A view after the first day.

This is the sod we laid last week on 3 green--all used to be the

"Elephant Hole" in the green.

Day 2

Day 2



Friday Morning after the mowing.

holes are disappearing