Audubon Update

Two Steps Closer To Certification

I am pleased to announce we are getting closer to our certification in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.   The two categories we acheived certification in are:

Water Quality Management

Outreach and Education

The last category we need to complete is Wildlife and Habitat Management.  Thank You to LeaAnn Ogden for compiling our wildlife inventory list, and to the many homeowners located around the course that have hung bird and hummingbird feeders along the golf course property.  If you are interested in helping us promote our wildlife, contact myself or Lea Ann to become involved.  

Hole #2

Hole #2

Hole #7

Hole #7

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