Monthly update

This list is the cultural practices that were implemented for the month of August. 1.Verticut- 8 times 2.Top dress- 2 times 3.Growth regulator- 2 times 4.Venting- 1 time 5.Rolling 6 times #8 green was stimped today at precisely 10:00 a.m. rolling 9.3 feet.

Greens,Greens,Greens

Our greens are mostly all the blog topics lately because we are dealing with wanting perfect putting greens year round. As far as the golf course goes it is very healthy right now. We are realistically a few months away from our growing season changing from promoting warm season grass growth to cool season grass growth. Our greens are all cool season grass. We every year go thru pretty much the same thing with our greens. Spring and Summer = more growth, slower speeds, more attention to spot watering, etc. Fall and Winter = Hardly any growth, quicker speeds, less watering, etc. Its a trend that has always been the same, except for when mother nature periodically changes. Rain, wind, frost, etc. Why we do the things we do is based upon growth curve. If you take a look at the picture below it shows everything. The more aggressive we are with getting our greens quicker, and firmer in the summer leads to many cultural practices performed hence the lack of root growth. The reason why we have more growth in the summer is because the plant is harvesting more energy hence its stressing itself out leading to less root growth. We want healthy turf and at the same time fast and firm greens. "Oxymoron"? With that our greens were precisely stimped at 8:30 a.m. rolling 9.5 feet. Lastly for you that read the blog tell anyone and everyone about it. Its is important to get the word out there about are daily conditions and what we are dealing with on the golf course.

A much needed rain

Yesterday we had almost .50"inch of rain within a two hour period later in the afternoon. It was heavy at times and with that there was some minor clean up with storm drains, bridges, debris, etc. It also led to some soggy lies in fairways. Are prediction is that the golf course will be back to normal by mid morning Friday. Hopefully you have read this far into the blog because here is the best part. In the four days so far this week we have mowed our greens 6 times, verticut 2 times, and rolled all four days. Even with the rainfall they were stimped at precisely 10:45 a.m. rolling 9.7 feet. The fastest we have had them all summer so far. Expect an increase in green speeds as we cool down and approach fall.

fallen limb

On Wednesday afternoon a large limb broke off from the eucalyptus tree adjacent to the 18th fairway. What caused this is the natural pruning it does to itself. Unless we prune ahead of time this will happen when the limb has to much weight. We are removing the fallen limb by this afternoon. Lastly our greens were stimped at precisely 9:00 a.m. yesterday rolling 9.1 feet. Today they were stimped at precisely 8:00 a.m. rolling 9.2 feet.

So far this week

So far this week we have top dress and verticut one time each on our greens. With that are greens were stimped at precisely 8:30 a.m. rolling 9.5 feet. We also will be topdressing once again after lunch to increase smoothness, firmness, and speed.

Green speed

Our greens are turning the corner with some increase in speeds. We always stimp them in the morning right after mowing. This is always when the greens will be the fastest due to excessive growth throughout the day during our warm summer months. Earlier this month we were getting stimp readings around 9 feet. Last week was low 9's and this week they were stimped at precisely 8:00 a.m. rolling 9.6 feet. But just at 12p.m. they already had slowed down to 9.2 feet.

Monthly update

This list is the cultural practices that were implemented for the month of July. 1.Verticut- 11 times 2.Top dress- 2 times 3.Growth regulator- 2 times 4.Venting- 1 time 5. 13 times

Our golfing members might have noticed some discoloration on holes 10-13. This is a fungus called rapid blight. Over the past weekend we had humid mornings that lead to hotter temps and by Monday the fungus showed itself. We applied a chemical that will subside the fungus and should be back to normal in a few weeks. Our greens were stimped at precisely 7:30 a.m. rolling 9.3 feet.

green speed

Today the greens were stimped at precisely 7:30 a.m. rolling 9.2 feet.

More fairway updates

Yesterday we sprayed fertilizer as well as primo on our fairways. The reason why we have done this is the overall plant health, and better playing conditions with a more uniform turf. In fact this is our fourth time this summer applying and we will continue to apply until we get into the cooler months. This is all an attempt to create a dense canopy that will last us thru the winter months.

#6 fairway

We are following up on the condition of #6 fairway post fourth of July weekend. We hope that there were some conversations in regard to the aesthetic and playability for #6 fairway. Take a look at the pictures were the poa and rye grasses have now wilted. With that we have aerified, seeded, and top dressed all these areas with the intent to convert to an all warm season grass base throughout the year. Also the discoloration of the kikuyagrass has vanished with the aid of warm temps and an extra fertilizer application. Lastly our greens were stimped at approximately 11:00 a.m. rolling at a speed of 9.

#6 fairway

We had posted a blog a few weeks back in regards to fairway conditions. As you can see there are a total of 4 pictures that prove that our revolver herbicide application to #6 fairway has taken effect. It has been a total of 9 days since the application and we did not see any visual results until Monday this week. Going forward there will be increased fertilizer applications to help strengthen the kikuyagrass as it does not do well with the application of spraying for rye and poa grasses. We hope that you all enjoy your holiday weekend!

stimpmeter today

Greens were stimped at 11:30 a.m. rolling 9.2 feet

Monthly update

This list is the cultural praactices that were implemented on our greens for the month of June. 1.Verticut- 9 times 2.Topdress- 3 times 3.Growth regulator- 3 times 4.Venting- 1 time 5.Roll- 8 times

Fairway conditions update

We are in the sixth year of not overseeding the golf course fairways. The plan was that by not overseeding the fairways we would have a better stand of warm season grass in the summer that when dormat would give us a playing surface until the grasses start growing again in spring. Although this has worked to some extent, we still have clumps of poa and rye grass that are surviving and causing unsightly fairways and bad lies. An example would be north facing slopes, low areas, and poor drainage. All of these areas have cooler temps and retain more water that allows the grass to survive even when it is hot. This year we have a list of four practices that are to be implemented to improve our playing conditions: 1. Fairway fertilization will be increased to a monthly foliar application and height of the fairways will progressivly increase throughout the summer. 2. Aerifcation will be increased to relieve golf car compaction where thin areas of turf are. 3. A more agressive traffic control system will be implemented to help improve bare and or thin areas. 4. Applications of "Revolver", a chemical used to take out poa and rye grass in warm season grasses will be sprayed as needed. Last year there was a 50% success rate but had an affect on kikuyu grass that stunted its growth as well as stressed the plant to the point of a yellow discoloration. Going forward the plan is to stick with the plan listed above. Bottom line for improvement: 1. A more uniform turf in the fairways year round 2. Ability to use less water 3. Less fertility 4. More resistince to golf car traffic damage Lets face it where in a warm season climate that has a better success rate of promoting warm season grasses year round.

quad tining, venting

As we approach the summer months there is a significant amount of growth even on our greens. Knowing that it is necessary for more watering, more fertility, etc. This means that there is more compaction and a "barrier" if you will that does not allow for water infiltration at a good rate to get to our grass root zone. So what we do from June thru September is called a quad tine, or venting the greens to allow them to breath and have more of a chance to uptake the water and nutrients that they need to survive thru the hot summer months. Its about a two day process for us from start to finish. We first mow, then quad tine, then roll. As you probably notice the greens become a bit more soft. Also with opening up holes into the green with warmer temps means more chance for air to dry out the sides of the holes. We have had to water the greens enough for them to stay hydrated and by this weekend the firmness and tightness that you have seen in weeks past will be back to normal. Are greens were stimped at 9.6 at precisely 1:00 this afternoon.

Monthly updates

In our greens commitee meeting today we came up with a good idea that will share our cultural practices on a end of the month basis. So in detail the key things being like: how often did we roll? verticut? topdress? spray? etc.? In the month of May our extra than normal cultural practices on our greens were that we rolled 7 times, verticut 11 times, topdressed 2 times, and sprayed a growth regulator 2 times. These numbers will vary from month to month depending on growing conditions, other projects of importance, tournament prep, etc. Last week we started to get a big flush of growth everywhere on the course and hence our greens slowed down. So far this week we have verticut 3 times, rolled 2 times, sprayed a growth regulator, and they have considerably helped make the greens more consistent throughout the day. We have stimped the greens 5 times so far this week. Starting on Tuesday at precisely 1:30 p.m. they stimped at 9.3, on Wednesday at precisely 7:00 a.m. they stimped at 9.6, that same day at precisely 1:30 p.m. they stimped at 9.6 even though we had rolled them after lunch. Thats because of the inconsistent growth of diffrent strands of poa annua grasses that we have in our greens. They were last stimped this morning at 10.1 at precisely 7:00 a.m.. You will notice a diffrence in speed, true roll, and frimness going forward as we attempt to "manipulate" the greens to our liking.

Diffrent colors of grasses on greens?

That's RIGHT! Our greens are predominantly poa annua greens (annual bluegrass). Predominantly meaning almost 100%. We strive to maintain a true roll throughout the day as well as an average green speed of 10+. Knowing this we want to inform you that although we mow, verticut, roll, topdress, apply plant growth regulators, there are 20+ different strands of Poa annua grass growing on are greens. This means that given the right temperature there are certain strands that grow when its cool, hot, wet, dry, etc. Optimum temperature for poa annua grass is not to exceed 85F ambient, and 75F soil because it will start to wilt if it does not have enough moisture in the soil. We are constantly checking greens everyday even 3 times a day for this. As we get more consistent with warmer temps you will see many shades of Poa annua. One grows more than the other and vice verse. After a mornings mow, roll, etc. this is when you will see the most consistency. As the day progresses so does the turf. Inconsistent growth, slower speeds, and not a true roll. Bottom line: The more we mow, groom. roll, verticut, topdress, and apply growth regulators it will "trick" the plant to be as consistent from morning to afternoon. Warmer temps equal inconsistency, cooler temps equal consistency.

Extreme heat

So far this week we have had temperatures in the triple digits everyday as well as high winds. With this it has been necessary to irrigate more than just once during the day. Why we are doing this is to "COOL" the plant. No warm season grasses have been affected by this weather, in fact this is there optimum range of temperature to grow to there most potential. Are cool season grasses however tend to struggle in this heat. Not only syringing but frequent amounts of water when necessary to achieve a steady canopy temperature to reduce wilting. You only get one chance to keep cool season grasses alive. This is because they are a bunch type with no stolons or rhizomes like warm season grasses. It looks like we will get a steady break in the heat starting this weekend. Lastly are greens were stimped at 10.1 this morning.

Fairways and Tournament prep

Over the past three weeks we have lowered our mowing heights from 5/8" to 7/16" in an attempt to naturally transition our fairways into a more dominant warm season grass. Some fairways our almost 100% coverage while other fairways will take quite some time. Bottom line is a faster and tighter playing surface. Also we are our in tournament prep mode for the busy golf week. We have a tournament everyday except for Wednesday. So there will be more mowing, cleaning up debris, faster and smoother greens as well. Greens were stimped this morning at 10'2". Also expect much warmer weather starting next week. Could be into the triple digits.

Wind damage

So far this week we have had two unusual days with higher winds than expected. It not only dried the golf course out, but as well there were many areas of debris. We have had 4 guys spending all day Wednesday and Thursday cleaning up. Also are Green speed last week was measured at 10.3 and this morning was measured at 10.6. The higher speed is a little unusual but hence the wind that we endured dried out the grass. We expect to have the eucalyptus tree removed by Friday afternoon. Take a look at the pictures.

Green speeds?

Starting this week we will be measuring the green speeds on a weekly basis. As of today are greens were rolling at a speed of 9.2 on the stimpmeter. This was measured at 7:00 a.m.. The greens are almost back to everyday speeds, and we strive to get them on a everyday basis to 10 on the stimpmeter. The blog is rather lenghty today but you might find it very interesting what goes into typical green speeds throughout the year. This is a post on usga's website about green speeds in relation to the use of a stimpmeter. One of the most significant aspects of a golf course is the uniformity of its greens. Variations in speed -- whether from one green to the next or on different parts of the same green -- can do more to negate a player's skill than can ragged fairways or unkempt bunkers. Most golf course superintendents are well aware of this problem, and constantly seek better ways to establish consistent speed on all their greens. The problem they face, however, is extremely complex. Experience shows that trying to keep the speed above 10 feet on a consistent basis usually causes difficult-to-manage turf problems and is not recommended. The Effects of Management Practices The manner in which putting greens are managed has a tremendous influence on their speed and consistency. Most of these factors are known to some degree, but almost all are worthy of research. Following are some of the major variables that using the Stimpmeter will help us to understand more effectively: 1.Mowing height and frequency of cut are extremely important considerations. The mower's bench setting is no guarantee that greens are cut at a prescribed height. More over the condition of the mowers; the type of mowers (floating or rigid cutting units); attachments such as Wiehle rollers, groomers, brushes, and combs; all can make a difference in the cut and green speed. So does double-cutting, verticutting and rolling. The precise effect of each of these factors can be measured with the Stimpmeter. 1.Watering practices and surface moisture (dew) are crucial to green speeds. Moist turf will be slower than dry turf at any mowing height. 2.Fertilizing practices can be studied, such as the effects of rate and frequency of application, nitrogen source, and nutrient balance. 3.Grain is sometimes a deterrent to uniformity of speed. How grain is affected by changes in direction of cut, use of vertical mowing equipment, riding versus single unit mowers, etc., can be studied a they relate to green speed. 4.The effects of aeration, spiking, and topdressing can be measured, both before and after treatments. 5.Speed variations among the different grasses presently used for putting greens can be documented. For example, in spring, when Poa annua produces excessive seedheads, greens can be slower and more bumpy. Your records will serve as a reminder to topdress, begin vertical mowing, or schedule other practices calculated to help maintain the desired speed and consistency. General Comments Knowing the speed of the greens may assist in determining whether a hole location is fair or unfair. A green so fast (or a hole cut in such a position) that a ball cannot be stopped near the hole from any point on the green, for example, is an unfair challenge. Championship greens should be fast and uniformly paced, firm but resilient. They should place a premium on well-executed shots, while exacting a penalty for less precise shots. Close daily mowing, a light nutrient program, proper irrigation scheduling, a good topdressing schedule, and a minimum of thatch are the accepted means of achieving excellent greens. The test for determining whether a surface is properly firm but resilient is the type of ball mark that results from a distance shot onto the green. If the turf within the ball-mark depression holds together, the green has the firmness required of a championship green. Strive for championship conditions only for limited periods of time, principally for important club events. Turfgrass failure is common when championship conditions are maintained for too long or when adverse weather conditions occur.

White flowering in fairway

Once again you have probably noticed are annual white filament, this is visible only in the fairways especially where there is 100% kikuyagrass coverage. It is the plants stamen, which is basically it's reproductive mechanism. This is the time for it to be flourishing, and so with that in mind, it will be a temporary existence which shouldn't effect play much at all.

New yardage monuments in fairways

We are in the process of changing out all the yardage marker monuments for the 250, 200, 150, and 100. Are first one was put in on #8 fairway. Notice the diffrent logo and they now will have grass in a few weeks right to the edge of them. We decided to get rid of the surronding concrete. Please do not drive over them until they have settled. You will also notice a few irrigation flags around them defering golf traffic and our equipment to not drive over them. Hope you all like the fresh look!

Aeration: a breath of fresh air for turf

 What is Aeration? Aeration is a type of soil cultivation that produces small hole in the soil surface as a means of relieving compaction. Typically twice a year first in spring and second in fall we punch with a 1/2" diameter tine that removes a small plug from the green surface.

What are the benefits? By "loosening up" the compacted soil, the movement of air and water are improved and root growth therefore gets a huge boost. In addition to providing more space for roots to grow and more air and water to keep them alive, aeration and sanding improve surface firmness and also address water movement and drainage problems. These all contribute to improved turf quality, appearance, and playability.

Here is a few pictures of the process of aerifaction at the club.

Notice at the bottom the aggressive verticutting, later after the holes top dressed with heavy amounts of sand. We hope that mother nature cooperates with the grow in of the holes from coring in a timely matter. Give it a few weeks and they will back to firm and fast!

Aerifying Greens

We will be aerifying greens next week followed by heavy topdressing. Expect slow and soft greens but with the right amount of sand you will have a smooth putting surface. It will take up to two weeks for the greens to fully recover from aerification.

spring aerifaction and upcoming weather

Fairway aerifying started last thursday and we completed 3 holes until the machine broke. It pushed us back until wednesday when we started up again. So far we have completed 7 holes. We will resume next week when the rain subsides. Watch out for the storm, its suppose to be a big one.

Fairway aerifacation

As we approach spring time we are starting to notice a consistent warmer temperature earlier than expected. Thus we feel that is a good idea to get started on our spring aerifacation of fairways. We will be done within two weeks. We apologize for any disruption in play but know that we will be providing you better playing conditions going into summer.

Benifits and repercussion of not overseeding

In response to question and concerns about the winter appearance and playing conditions here at Canyon Crest , we submit the following report prepared by Pace Turf Consulting concerning the topic of overseeding. We remind you that Canyon Crest is a kikuyugrass based golf course. Our experimental use of the recommended chemical control agent Revolver has had a success rate of only about 50% so progress will be slow in removal of poa and ryegrass clumps. Improving course conditions can be greatly aided by golfers replacing divots, staying on cart paths and honoring signage and staying off areas designated under repair.

Client: Bob MacBeth, Canyon Crest Country Club

Date: 2/3/14

Prepared by: Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D. and Larry Stowell, Ph.D.

Subject: Managing non-overseeed turf

Summary

The decision to avoid overseeding fairways and/or roughs has become much more popular

in the Southern U.S., as the golfing, financial and environmental advantages become

clearer. California’s current drought emergency will make this strategy even more

acceptable, as watering restrictions are imposed on golf courses.

Non-overseeded turf is not without its problems, however. Clumpy and patchy fairways

and roughs are the most common complaint, and result for a variety of reasons including

mixed turfgrass stands, shady spots and in some cases, lack of effective weed control

products. Fortunately, this problem, and others that result when courses do not overseed,

can be successfully addressed, as described below.

Improvement will be gradual, and the first year or two after overseeding is halted will

produce some of the issues described below. But if a single warm-season turf type is

cultivated (preferably, bermudagrass), if shade is reduced, and if a serious weed control

program is initiated, good results should be observed within two to three years.

I. Why stop overseeding?

!

Provide the best fairway conditions for the majority of the year: In climates such as

those in Riverside, CA, overseeding gradually depletes the warm-season turf base,

so that bermudagrass and/or kikuyugrass turf becomes thin, patchy, and invaded by

weeds. This is most apparent during the warmer months (May-October), when

ryegrass is no longer present, and can therefore no longer mask the weakened

condition of the underlying warm-season turfgrass base. In contrast, nonoverseeded

turf does not have to compete for sunlight, water, nutrition and space,

and as a result, produces a more even and more appealing playing surface.

!

Effective weed control: The presence of overseeded turf, such as ryegrass,

precludes the use of the most effective weed control products, since most of these

products are injurious to ryegrass, as well as to weeds. When turf is not

overseeded, the spectrum of effective products available for control of weeds

expands greatly. This is especially true if bermudagrass is the desired turfgrass

species, since bermudagrass can tolerate many weed control products. If the

desired turf is kikuyugrass, the weed control options become much more limited.

!

Cost savings: Perhaps the most obvious benefit of non-overseeded turf is the

significant savings in seed, water, fertilizer, pesticides and manpower -- not to

mention down time during overseeding.

!

Increased sustainability: Reduced water use, reduced fertilizer and pesticide use

and reduced machinery use all contribute to a more environmentally conscious,

sustainable approach to turf management.

!

Public relations: Given California’s drought emergency, and given the public’s

growing interest in sustainable practices, a decision to stop overseeding would be

seen positively by regulatory agencies, and by the public in general. Taking

leadership in conservation efforts should be good for business, and for the

environment.

II. What are the issues?

!

Clumpy turf: Clumpy turf is the result of years of overseeding, which results in

patches of clumpy ryegrass that is very difficult to control. In addition, many

overseeded fairways are blends of two or more turf types – the bermudagrass that

was initially selected for use on fairways and roughs, and then weeds, such as

kikuyugrass, which invade the area afterwards. Kikuyugrass will thrive in areas of

moister soil (near irrigation heads, for example), and as a result, patches of

bermuda and kikuyugrass will contribute to a clumpy surface. In addition, wherever

there is shade, the more shade tolerant grassy weeds, such as annual bluegrass

(poa) will dominate. The end result is a mixture of four or more turf types, each

occupying discrete locations on the golf course.

!

Weed control: As long as the dominant turf is bermudagrass, there are several very

effective products available for removal of poa, clumpy rye and kikuyugrass. These

products, such as Drive, Revolver, Monument and Specticle, do not injure

bermudagrass, but provide good control of other key weeds.

If the dominant turf is kikuyugrass, however, the options are much more limited.

Products that are effective against clumpy ryegrass and poa all produce injury to

kikuyugrass. As a result, weed control in kikuyugrass fairways is less successful,

and takes more effort and expense.

!

Poa in shady areas: Shady areas will be invaded by shade tolerant weeds such as

annual bluegrass (poa). To maintain a uniform and appealing playing surface, tree

thinning or tree removal must be considered. If shade from a hillside or buildings are

involved, there is no easy solution. These areas will require periodic re-sodding

when weed invasion cause unfavorable clumpy weed infestations.

!

Winter color: As winter approaches, cooler temperatures will result in dormancy of

bermudagrass or kikuyugrass. The resulting buff-colored turf is pleasing for some

golfers, but others are concerned about it. Off-color turf can be treated with green

pigments, dyes and paints to produce a green color that resembles growing grass.

There have been significant improvements in these products in the past few years,

and they are being adopted widely in the southwest. Data is most positive for

products such as “Turf in a Bottle” and “Wintergreen Plus”, among others.

In addition to improved color, several products appear to hasten spring green up of

bermudagrass, due to the increase in surface soil temperature that they produce.

This will result in a shorter period of bermudagrass dormancy.