Weather Update

The Frost is Delayed

Is it November? You wouldn't think so with the warm days we've had.  It's looking like winter is coming late this year. I hope everyone is taking advantage of this beautiful weather and enjoying the golf course.  With temperatures in the 80's, who wouldn't want to golf this time of year?  We've had a few cold days, and it feels like spring again, but the night temperatures are starting to fall. The Weather Channel is calling for low temperatures in the 30's by this weekend, and you know what that means. The frost is on it's way.

We've had a few cold nights and a touch of frost the past few weeks, but nothing heavy.  You will notice the warm season bermudagrass is starting to off color and shut down for the winter.  The cool season grasses have slowed down a bit, but tend to hold color later into the winter than warm season grasses. The plant is starting to shut down for the winter, and is storing nutrients in the root system for next spring.  The grass is susceptable to damage this time of year, mainly from the frost.  It's not the frost that hurts the plant, but golf cart and human traffic, driving or walking on the grass, which causes the damage.

Frost delays, why are they necessary? Frost poses the most serious threat to turf health and appearance during winter months. Unfortunately, there is really only one way to avoid frost damage, and that is to avoid all traffic from golfers to golf carts to maintenance equipment until the frost has melted. When weight is applied to frosted turf in the form of foot and vehicular traffic, damage will result.  This is because frost transforms turf from a soft, springy surface to a fragile, brittle surface that cracks when pressure is applied causing the cells of the plant to rupture.  Traffic on frosty turf results in damage that appears 2-3 days later.  Turf is slow to recover, leaving unsightly brown areas for weeks or even months.

We ask for your continued support and patience during frost delays because it is only for the protection of the golf course.  We may ask that you keep your golf cart on the cart paths until you reach a particular hole or time. We've begun 9:00 AM weekend shotguns to avoid delays.  The frost is mostly melted by that time and safe for golfers to play.  We do have the occasional day where the frost hangs on until 9:30 - 10:00 and may have to delay your start, but know we always try to get the golfers out as quickly as possible.

Here are a few examples of frost damage I pulled off the web.  This is not our golf course.

Frost Damage

Frost Damage

Frozen Footprints

Maintenance Update

Aerification Update

We have completed fairway and rough aerification on the front 9. We will be taking a break during the week of October 15 - October 21 due to the upcoming Men's Club Member/Guest tournament. The tournament will be held Friday the 19th through Sunday the 21st of October.  This gives us the opportunity to focus on other areas and prep the course for the tournament.  There are still plenty of open spots available.  Check with Gregg or Johnny in the pro shop if you are interested in playing.
Aerification will resume on the back 9 starting Monday October 22nd. Thank you for your patience during this process. I know it can get a little messy with all those plugs around.  Remember, it is for the long term health of the turf.

Maintenance Update

What is it?

I have been asked several times, "What are those dead spots on the greens next to the collars?"

These areas are where we sprayed bermudagrass that was encroaching on the greens.  Our greens are mostly a combination of bentgrass and Poa Annua . Some golf courses have bermudagrass greens, but we don't want this grass invading our greens.  Bermudagrass loves the heat and spreads rapidly during the summer months.  We use a selective herbicide specifically designed to kill bermudagrass.  You may notice the bentgrass and poa yellowing or becoming discolored, but it will heal with time. 

Bermudagrass encroachment on greens

Golf Course Update

What a Summer!

This summer was definitely a battle! All across the country, golf course superintendents were challenged by Mother Nature.  I would say most of them probably experienced some sort of climate change. We had record setting temperatures all across the country and many areas experienced drought conditions.  I would say many golf course superintendents had the hardest summer of their careers, and are glad to see fall and winter rapidly approaching. 

We had triple digit temperatures most of the summer, but the killer for me was the unrelenting winds.  They were blowing consistently hard most afternoons and evenings.  It made it hard for us to irrigate efficiently at night.  That is why you would see several of my staff hand and spot watering during the day.  We also had a lot more humidity this year.  High humidity increases the disease pressure on turfgrass.  We struggled keeping the Pythium in check for most of the tail end of the summer. But all in all, even with the drastic climate challenges, we won the battle.  

You may notice the course is alittle on the dry side right now, and I can't blame this one on Mother Nature.  For the second time this summer, we experienced irrigation computer problems.  The basestation that sends the signals out to the field satellites started to overheat.  When it overheats, the signals don't get sent and the sprinklers don't come on.  So as it would cool down, some signals would be sent and some wouldn't.  We found the problem last Saturday morning and weren't able to get the new basestation until Tuesday. The course took a hit from four nights of inconsistent watering.  Again, you will notice my staff trying to catch these areas up by manually watering.  Because of this problem, we have put a hold on the fairway and rough aerification until we can get the course rehydrated and the irrigation problems solved. We are hoping to start aerifying again starting next week.  So far, holes 1,2,3 and 9 have been punched. 

I would like to thank everyone for your comments about how hard my staff works to keep the course beautiful.  They take a lot of pride in the golf course and it shows in their work.

Hole #17- Par 4  Photo from 2002

Audubon Update

Wildlife Sighting

White Crane at #6 green

Hanging out with his duck buddies

Maintenance Schedule Update

Fall Aerification Schedule

Greens - September 4th and 5th

Tees - Week of August 27th

Fairways and Roughs - Starting week of September 10th

Hole # 3 - Par 3,  Photo from 2002

Audubon Update

Wildlife Sighting

We've had quite a few Canadian Geese stopping by the course lately.  Most of them don't stick around too long this time of year.  After a quick bite to eat and some rest, off they go to their next destination. 

Canadian Geese on hole #7

Audubon Update

Wildlife Sighting

We are still working towards our certification with Audubon International. Our goal is to finish the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. To achieve certification we must complete six categories. 

Two categories we are working on are Wildlife and Habitat Management and Outreach and Education. I am using my blog as part of the Outreach and Education category to communicate to members about the Audubon program and other information pertaining to achieving certification. 

One part of Wildlife and Habitat Management is creating a wildlife inventory.  This includes any wildlife we have seen on the course, past and present. With help from Lea Ann Ogden, Audubon Committee leader and a member of the club for many years, we have started creating our wildlife inventory. Lea Ann lives on the golf course and enjoys watching the birds and waterfowl from her back yard.  Also, I would like to thank Jim LaDow for sending me this picture of the owl located on hole 7. 

Photo courtesy of Jim LaDow

If you are interested in helping us with wildlife photos, displays or educational projects, contact myself or Lea Ann Ogden. 

Golf Course Update

It Finally Rained!

The thunder woke me at 3 AM last night! Could it be? Is that the sound of rain I hear? I jumped out of bed and headed straight for the door. And what did I see?  A sight for soar eyes!  It's pouring rain! And it was coming down hard. The showers lasted off and on until 7AM.  I checked the rain gauge and we got 3/4" in four hours.  As most of you know, when we get that much rain in such a short amount of time we get rivers running through the golf course.  There is usually a lot of debris to clean up after the water stops, but I'll take the extra work with the rain any day.  The course soaked up much of the water, but we still have many wet spots in low areas.  The weather channel is calling for thundershowers for the next couple of days, so this might not be the end of the rain.  Try to remain on the cart paths as much as possible and please avoid any low areas because they will be saturated. If you see muddy golf cart tracks, go around that area. 

Another bonus from the rain is the ponds get full.  I know many of you express your concerns about the water level getting low in the pond on hole 13.  This pond, as well as the pond on hole 18, was designed as part of the drainage system throughout Spring Valley Lake.  They fill rather quickly when we get this much rain.

Storm run-off across #6 cart path

Storm run-off to #5 fairway

#5 Fairway- Avoid this area with golf carts

Golf Course Update

Battling Mother Nature

What a battle it's been keeping the golf course green this month. As of right now it feels like we are losing.  We expect to lose some turf during the summer months but with the high temperatures and relentless winds, we have more dry areas than we normally get this time of year. The temperatures have been in the mid nineties to triple digits most of the month and the wind never seems to let up.  Day and night it constantly blows.  Not only does this cause havoc with our irrigation at night but it makes it hard to spray during the day.  Another reason we have more dry areas is because our irrigation computer was down for three nights until I was able to get a replacement. We manually watered for three days but it doesn't compare to what a computer can do.  We are diligently working to keep the course green and the hot spots and turf loss at a minimum. You may notice us running sprinklers during the day and hand watering greens, tees and fairways. My staff tries to be as courteous as possible and stay out of the way  but sometimes they might miss getting a sprinkler head turned off before you come upon them.  June and July is the most difficult time for us in golf course maintenance, but as the days get shorter and we start to catch a break from Mother Nature, the course will start to look better.  I'm still praying for rain.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

  

Audubon Update

Golf and the Environment

From Audubon International - The Benefits of Naturalization

For many people, answering the question "Why Naturalize?" when posed by employees, committees, or neighbors can be an unsettling prospect.  Successfully communicating the many benefits of naturalization can make or break support for establishing wildflower or prairie areas, naturalized desert areas, naturalized pond or stream shorelines, and golf course roughs. 

The Environmental Benefits of Naturalization

• Maintains a diversity of plants and animals.
• Protects ecosystems and ecological communities.
• Improves water quality.
• Maintains the gene pool of particular plant and animal species, promoting hardiness, disease resistance, and adaptability.
• Minimizes erosion.
• Supports an aesthetic appreciation of natural beauty.
• Creates positive, progressive, and constructive attitudes about the natural environment.
• Promotes stewardship of the environment and contributes to the conservation of local wildlife species.

Additional Benefits of Lake and Pond Naturalization

• Maintains the food chain for a variety of wildlife species.
• Enhances "structural diversity" of plants along the pond margin. Plants of varying heights and types increase wildlife diversity.
• Provides improved habitat for amphibians, such as salamanders and frogs, especially in ponds that do not contain fish.
• Provides shelter for fish and freshwater invertebrates
• Supplies food for aquatic organisms.
• Provides waterfowl and wading birds places to feed and rest.
• Stabilizes shorelines and reduces erosion.
• Minimizes or eliminates chemical runoff, especially when combined with a "buffer zone" in which no chemical is applied.
• Improves water quality as plants take up excess nutrients and produce oxygen to aerate the water.

Financial and Labor Savings

• Lowers maintenance costs and reduces the need for high-intensity or time-consuming maintenance.
• Reduces equipment wear and tear.
• Reduces the need for gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, and water.
• Enables staff to concentrate where it really counts - highly visible areas or, for golf courses, the playing surfaces.

Additional Benefits

• Increase wildlife sightings.
• Adds distinctive contrast and natural beauty to the landscape.
• Provides places for nature study and enjoyment.

Event Update

Bocce Ball!

What is it? A new event we are holding once a month on the driving range tee. It is a ball tossing game for all ages. It continues to grow in popularity and is a great chance to meet new members. Check your monthly club event calendar for specific dates, or contact Johnathan Curci for more information.




Bocce (sometimes anglicized as bocci or boccie;is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and petanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire. Developed into its present form in Italy, (where it is called Bocce, the plural of the Italian word boccia which means "bowl"), it is played around Europe and also in overseas areas that have received Italian migrants, including Australia, North America, and South America (where it is known as bochas; bolas criollas in Venezuela, bocha (the sport) in Brazil), initially among the migrants themselves but slowly becoming more popular with their descendants and the wider community. The sport is also very popular on the eastern side of the Adriatic, especially in Slovenia (where it is known as balinanje or colloquial playing boče or bale from Italian bocce or palle meaning balls), Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Hercegovina (in Serbo-Croatian known under the name of boćanje or simply playing boće (colloquial also bućanje or playing balote), originating in Italian boccie).  In Southern France the sport is also popular and known as Boule Lyonnaise.

Rules and play

Bocce is traditionally played on natural soil and asphalt courts 27.5 metres (90 ft) in length and 2.5 to 4 metres (8.2 to 13 ft) wide. Bocce balls can be made of metal or various kinds of plastic. Unlike lawn bowls, bocce balls are spherical and have no inbuilt bias. A game can be conducted between two players, or two teams of two, three, or four. A match is started by a randomly chosen side being given the opportunity to throw a smaller ball, the jack (called a boccino or pallino in some areas), from one end of the court into a zone 5 metres (16 ft) in length, ending 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) from the far end of the court. If the first team misses twice, the other team is awarded the opportunity to place the jack anywhere they choose within the prescribed zone.
The side that first attempted to place the jack is given the opportunity to bowl first. Once the first bowl has taken place, the other side has the opportunity to bowl. From then on, the side which does not have the ball closest to the jack has a chance to bowl, up until one side or the other has used their four balls. At that point, the other side bowls its remaining balls. The team with the closest ball to the jack is the only team that can score points in any frame. The scoring team receives one point for each of their balls that is closer to the jack than the closest ball of the other team. The length of a game varies by region but is typically from 7 to 13 points.
Players are permitted to throw the ball in the air using an underarm action. This is generally used to knock either the jack or another ball away to attain a more favorable position. Tactics can get quite complex when players have sufficient control over the ball to throw or roll it accurately.

Our Bocce Ball court, the driving range tee

Bocce Ball being played in Italy

Weather Update

Wild Winds

So what's the deal with these winds?  The last few weeks we have been experiencing very high winds here in the High Desert. That's nothing unusual for us, we are used to the wind blowing most of the time, especially in the late afternoon.  You can almost set your watch by them but the problem is they just don't let up at night. The wind has been consistently blowing 20 - 30 mph during the night with gusts up to 40.  We may get the occasional night where they calm down but in the seven years I have been here at SVLCC, I can never remember a period where they just don't seem to be letting up.  As I write this, the Weather Channel is issuing a high wind advisory starting at noon today with a chance of gusts up to 50 mph.  You may also have heard of the recent damage in Lancaster where several telephone poles blew over.  We have had some minor damage on the golf course with medium to large branches breaking off and falling out of the trees. Many of you have expressed your concerns to me about trees in precarious spots or dead trees located around the course. I am aware of these situations and have been taking steps to minimize any risks. 

Wild Winds and Irrigation

The other problems we are experiencing with these winds is dry areas or as we like to call them, "hot spots" on the golf course.  When the wind blows all night long the distribution uniformity of the sprinklers is very poor.  The wind blows the water or mists it as it exits the sprinkler head causing very little water to make it to the ground or where we would like the sprinkler to water.  And after several nights of strong winds and daytime temperatures in the mid 90's, it takes it toll on the course because of the lack of irrigation. This is why we are looking so dry right now. Several weeks of these winds and the course is really showing it.  You will notice members of my staff watering during the day.  We hand water or manually spot water these hot spots to get some much needed water down. You will see employees hand watering greens and areas surrounding the greens, tees and even fairways.  It has been a battle, we apologize for any inconveniences you may have encountered during your round of golf but remember without the water we have no grass. Sometimes Mother Nature is a tough foe, this is one of those times, pray for rain. 

Audubon Update

Golf and the Environment

From Audubon International- The Benefits of Tall Grasses on Golf Courses

Weather you are a scratch golfer or a weekend duffer, you have likely noticed that many golf courses are allowing taller grasses in roughs and out of play areas. Chances are you heard or even said yourself:

"If they would just cut this grass I would be able to find my ball"

"Why are golf courses permitting maintained turfgrass to grow tall under the trees or along the edges of water features, in all the spots we are not supposed to land but sometimes do?"

"Is it because the staff is lazy?"

"Is the club trying to boost its golf ball sales?"

The actual reason for allowing taller grasses, prairies, or wildflower meadows to grow in out of play areas is not to penalize errant shots, but for the many environmental and economic benefits they offer.  These include:

Golf Benefits

• Provides distinctive contrast to the highly maintained playing surfaces
• Adds interest and beauty to the round of golf
• Enables golf courses to showcase the nature of the game

Environmental Benefits

• Creates needed habitat for plants and wildlife
• Adds diversity
• Provides travel corridors for wildlife to safely move through the course
• Reduces the need for regular pesticide and fertilizer applications
• Reduces water use
• Minimizes erosion
• Showcases the unique regional natural heritage where the course is located, and often helps to protect rare plants and wildlife

Financial and Labor Savings

• Lowers maintenance costs and reduces the need for high intensity or time consuming maintenance
• Reduces equipment wear and tear
• Reduces cost for gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers and water
• Increases funds for other needs and enables staff to concentrate where it really counts

You may have noticed naturalized areas around the golf course.  We are starting with natural drainage areas and will include waterways and shorelines. The area behind 12 green is growing in nicely and looks great.  Some of the other areas are just starting to grow in and should look better with time.

Naturalized Area between 12 green and 14 green

Drainage ditch across front of 15 leading to naturalized area

Drainage ditch left side 4 green

Drainage ditch left side 4 green looking toward tee

A Fond Farewell

Thanks Steve!

Steve Postma spending his last day as General Manager of SVLCC having lunch with the golf course maintenance staff. Steve has definitely left a lasting impression on us. I've had the opportunity to work with Steve for the past six years.  He filled our club with energy, fun and excitement. His leadership and friendship will be missed. 

Steve Postma & Golf Course Maintenance Staff

Aerification Update

A Breath of Fresh Air

Yes, it's that time again. Time to aerify the putting greens. But they look so good and are rolling so nice,  do we have to do it? I am often asked this question around aerification time and the answer is most definitely, Yes! Aerification is the most important cultural practice we do to the putting greens.  It is through timely, consistent aerification that we keep the greens in such nice condition. It is only one of many cultural processes, but probably the single most important.  There are many benefits to aerification:

• Allows air to more easily reach the root system
• Relieves compaction 
• Aids in the breakdown of any thatch
• Helps water and nutrients move throughout the soil
• Smooths out the putting surface   

Mother Nature threw us a curveball this year with rain showers on the second day of aerification. And with thundershowers forecasted for tomorrow, we might have to improvise this spring in order to complete the sanding. We had to wait for the sand to dry before we could drag it into the holes. Sometimes wet sand can "cap" a hole not allowing more sand to fill it. And a few days later when the sand dries out, you notice more open holes than usual. Rest assured they will recover nicely and be back to normal in no time.

Gabriel Salas aerifying #4 green

Jose Acevedo cleaning cores off green

Jose Barocio & Ramon Martinez cleaning core piles

Bernardo Torres topdressing green with sand

Sal Diaz using steel drag mat to fill holes with sand

Gabriel Salas using carpet for a final smoothing

Audubon Update

Achieving Audubon Certification, half way there!

We are currently in the process of becoming certified with Audubon International.  The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses helps golf courses to enhance wildlife habitats and protect natural resources for the benefit of people, wildlife, and the game of golf.

The Golf Program is part of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System, a nationwide network of conservation partnerships that includes backyards, schools, corporate and business properties, and golf courses.  It is administered by Audubon International, a non-profit environmental organization that spearheads education and conservation assistance programs that promote environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Achieving certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary demonstrates our leadership, commitment, and high standards of environmental management.

To achieve certification we must complete six categories. So far we have completed three out of six and are planning on completing the last three this year.




The categories we have completed certification in are:

1. Environmental Planning
2. Chemical Use Reduction and Safety
3. Water Conservation

The next category we are working on is Water Quality. One aspect of this is protecting our canal and lake system from unwanted pollutants entering the waterways.  You may have noticed areas where we have naturalized the shorelines. We are still experimenting which areas we can naturalize without impacting play. Also, we have identified out of play areas we are going to naturalize to aid in the completion of another category, Wildlife and Habitat Management.

Stay tuned for more Audubon information and benefits of naturalization!

Maintenance Schedule Update

Spring Aerification Schedule


Tees - April 16th - 20th
Greens - April 24th and 25th
Fairways & Roughs - April 30th - May 11th

Hole 13 Par 5 - Photo from 2002

A Warm Welcome!

Welcome to our new blog! This blog was created to help you understand more about what we are doing on the course. Stay tuned for important information about current and upcoming events, cultural practices, course maintenance scheduling, weather issues, capital projects, Audubon updates or other interesting facts about the course. Be sure to check back regularly as I will add more features to the site in the months to come.  Again, a warm welcome to our new blog from the golf course maintenance staff.