Winter Golf Play

This winter we have been extremely fortunate to have had mild weather, which is conducive for winter golf play.  That being said, the Green Department must continue to monitor the ground conditions closely to ensure the golf course greens will not sustain permanent damage.  I can assure you that the Green Department does not take the decision to close the golf course lightly.  We understand the disappointment and the inconvenience it causes for our members and their guests.  We consider many different factors before reaching a decision for golf course restrictions.  Damage caused in the winter months can effect the health and playability of the turf for the following golf season.  For the long-term benefit of the golf course, play must be delayed or prohibited during frosty or frozen conditions.  

It is difficult to explain to golfers that they should not play on greens that are thawing during a warm and sunny day following very cold weather.  Golfers are eager to return to the course on the nice days following long periods of cold weather.  During the winter months it is common for the putting greens to freeze one to two inches in depth after only a few days of below freezing temperatures.  During the winter months, day lengths are much shorter than the summer months, allowing only minimal time for the golf course to dry and or thaw after periods of wet and cold weather.  This time of year, soil temperatures generally determine if the golf course greens can endure golf play.  All greens usually do not dry and thaw at the same time.  Shaded greens are the last to thaw, and more damage often occurs on these greens because it is difficult to keep golfers off the course any longer.

Generally, frost conditions are easily seen and understood.  However, deciding whether to allow play on greens with frozen soil is more difficult to determine.  Factors include depth of freeze, moisture content, carts vs. walking and amount of golf traffic.  The turf is not actively growing during the winter months, therefore it does not recover from wear such as ball marks, divots and foot traffic.  Any turf damage associated with playing on slow-growing turf is cumulative, not immediate.

The greatest damage occurs to the turf when the top layer of soil thaws while a frozen layer remains deeper in the soil.  The thawed layer will be saturated with water and becomes a sponge.  Walking on turf with this condition will cause foot printing and can cause the surface of the green to become uneven.  Severe turf damage can result from shearing off the roots as the thawed turf moves above the frozen layer.  The damaged areas around where the hole is located will result in weaker turf in the following year.

Hopefully the weather cooperates and we still have a few weeks of golfing weather yet this year.  Hope to see you on the course.

Drainage

Relatively mild weather has afforded us an opportunity to continue our end-of-season work on the golf course.  Final applications of fungicide, fertilizer, and sand topdressing have been made; golf course accessories (such as ball washers and tee markers) have been removed; and leaf and debris cleanup is nearing completion.  We are also in the midst of an important course-improvement project…DRAINAGE!

As you may recall, the spring of 2015 was a wet one that resulted in several course closures and event cancellations.  Without adequate drainage, low-lying areas collect surface runoff and create pools of standing water.  Without intervention, these puddles can take hours or even days to percolate into the soil.  Inadequately draining soil can be detrimental to a golf course.  Unplayable lies, unpleasing aesthetics, insect and turf-disease breeding grounds, and potential turf loss are all possible results of waterlogged soil.  Not to mention the cost of labor involved in having to repeatedly pump water puddles and then hand-mow the remaining soft and sensitive playing surfaces.  Yikes!

Due to the flat nature of the property, several areas on the golf course are prone to holding water, specifically on the west side of Chatham Road.  While the maintenance staff does its best to expedite post-rain recovery, the only real preventative solution is to re-grade these areas and install drainage.  We have recruited the talents of contractor Larry Denton to help avert our drainage issues.  Again, with limited options available based on how incredibly flat the west side of the golf course is, coming up with a solution to move surface water certainly is no easy task.  Larry, whose pedigree includes working with golf course architect Pete Dye and a long career with the PGA was up for the challenge. 

Most of Larry’s work has been focused in the fairway and rough areas of hole-4 and hole-5.  These areas saw the most turf damage during last spring’s rainstorms.  New catch basins and lateral drainage pipe have been installed, and connect into the existing drain lines that were installed during the bunker renovation project.  In addition, mild re-grading has been selectively performed to help move water toward the catch basins.  Final grading, seeding, and sodding of the work area will be completed in the spring.

Behind #4 Green

Front Right of #5 Fairway

Pumping Fairways

Walk Mowing Wet Fairways

Drainage Work Left of #4 Fairway

Catch Basins Right of #5 Ladies Tee

Prepared by, Curtis Keller

Frost!

With cooler nighttime temperatures becoming more prevalent, there is greater potential for frosty mornings.  The course experienced its first light frost of the season yesterday, and looking at the forecast, we will likely have significant frost over this weekend as well.  When frost is present we must refrain from allowing traffic (both maintenance and golf) on the turf, or else risk plant injury.  While frost delays are an inconvenience, they are detrimental to the health and playability your golf course.  Please take a moment to read this informative article regarding frost delays, courtesy of the GCSAA:

Understanding frost delays

Presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

In many regions of the country, golfers occasionally face frost delays in the spring and fall, thus pushing back starting tee times. When frost is present, golf course superintendents delay play until the frost has melted. This is done to prevent damage that affects the quality of the playing surface and could potentially be very expensive to repair.

Frost is basically frozen dew that has crystallized on the grass, making it hard and brittle. A grass blade is actually 90 percent water, therefore it also freezes. Because of the short mowing height (sometimes as low as 1/8 inch) and fragile nature of the turf, putting greens are most affected by frost. Walking on frost-covered greens causes the plant to break and cell walls to rupture, thereby losing its ability to function normally. When the membrane is broken, much like an egg, it cannot be put back together.

Golfers who ignore frost delays will not see immediate damage. The proof generally comes 48-72 hours later, as the plant leaves turn brown and die. The result is a thinning of the putting surface and a weakening of the plant. The greens in turn become more susceptible to disease and weeds. While it may not appear to be much of an issue if a foursome begins play early on frost covered greens, consider that the number of footprints that may occur on any given hole by one person is approximately 60. Multiply that by 18 holes with an average of 200 rounds per day and the result is 216,000 footprints on greens in a day or 6,480,000 in a month.

As golf enthusiasts, superintendents do not like to delay play, but they are more concerned about turf damage and the quality of conditions for the golfer. Frost also creates a hardship on a golf facility's staff, as all course preparations are put to a halt until thawing occurs. Golf carts can cause considerable damage, therefore personnel cannot maneuver around the course to mow, change cup positions, collect range balls, etc.

One technique employed to reduce possible frost damage is to raise the cutting height of mowers to create a hardier surface. It may also be possible to reroute play to holes where the frost melts more quickly. But regardless of these methods, the best medicine is for all to understand the hows and whys of the delay, and in turn gain a greater appreciation for the golf course. It would also be wise to give the course a phone call before heading out to play to see if tee times have been pushed back due to frost.

For more information regarding golf course maintenance and etiquette, contact your local superintendent, or the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America at 800-472-7878 or www.gcsaa.org.

This photo of hole-9 was taken in early November of last year.  Notice that while the frost has melted on the elevated and sunny slopes, it is still very heavy in the low and shady areas.  Frost must be clear from all playing surfaces before it is safe to tee off.

This photo, taken in March, shows damage to a tee surface caused by someone walking across the turf on a frosty morning. 

Prepared by, Curtis Keller 

Aerification Dates

 It’s almost here.  Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes our fall aeration process.  This cultural practice is a necessary part of maintaining the health and performance of our playing surfaces at Illini CC.  In addition to helping relieve soil compaction, aeration enhances water, nutrient, and oxygen flow to the plants’ roots, promotes surface drainage, provides channels in which roots can grow, and reduces thatch.  All of this leads to healthier turf and a faster, firmer playing surface.

After Labor Day, the maintenance staff will begin chipping away at the tees and fairways.  We will be doing a mixture of solid-tine aeration (holes only) and hollow-tine aeration (pulling a plug) depending upon the specific needs of each area.  We will not be closing the golf course during tee and fairway aerification, but rather will schedule this activity around golf play.  We will make efforts to have as minimal impact on golf play as possible.

Greens aeration is scheduled to begin on the front nine greens on Wednesday, September 23^rd while the back nine remains open.  On Thursday, September 24^th, the front nine greens will be open for play while we aerate the back nine.  Unlike last fall, we will not be doing the Drill and Fill process, but rather a process similar to what was performed in the spring.

As always, please remember that the entire healing process usually takes approximately fourteen to twenty-one days depending upon the weather.  We will be applying fertilizer and maintaining higher moisture levels to expedite surface recovery.  Members will experience softer, slower, bumpier greens containing many sand-filled holes during this time.  Once the surfaces have sufficiently healed, we will return to our normal watering practices and the greens will dramatically improve in firmness and drainage.  We understand cultivation temporarily disrupts the ball roll and is an inconvenience for the golfers but keep in mind that the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary disruptions. 

Although green, tee, and fairway aeration will be our primary focus, we will be also be performing several other fall maintenance practices throughout the month of September.  These include seeding, fertilizer applications, and many other on-course projects.  Again, we understand the inconvenience this causes for golfers, and we will do our best to perform our duties with as minimal disruption as possible, while always maintaining our courtesy to the membership.  The Golf Course Maintenance Department greatly appreciates your cooperation and patience as we complete these important projects.

Prepared by, Curtis Keller

Rain, Rain and More Rain

#14 Fairway

These are the conditions the golf course has been under in the last few days.  The golf course has received over 7.00" of rain since Memorial Day.  Now, the remnants of former Tropical Storm Bill is slowly working it's way northeast with possibly more rain.  The over-saturated soils have been accompanied with warmer than average temperatures and high humidity, creating extreme disease pressure.  All three big diseases (pythium, brown patch and dollar spot) have already made their introduction into the rough grass areas.  At this moment the grass appears to be healthy, lush and green, however excessive growth and waterlogged soils lead to shallow, dysfunctional roots in a matter of weeks.  Usually you do not see the effects of shallow roots until a dry and warm weather pattern prevails.  Once surfaces dry out, the roots are too shallow to utilize the moisture from deeper within the soil profile.  The grass prematurely wilts, thins and can even die.  The next few weeks we will be in defensive golf course management.  As soon as conditions allow, we will try to combat some of the negative effects that the weather has placed upon us.  Solid tinning playing surfaces will help to dry and add oxygen into the soil, allowing roots to breath and remain deep.  Water management will be crucial, keeping the soil dry without allowing the grass to wilt.  Also, timely fungicide application will play a key role in maintaining the health of the turfgrass.

         

On The Edge

Many golfers are surprised to learn that following greens, sand bunkers are often the next most labor-intensive features on a golf course.  In addition to normal raking, there are several other maintenance practices that our bunkers require.  As per our maintenance standards, mowing and trimming bunker slopes will be performed a minimum of one time per week throughout the growing season.  Slopes are push-mowed to a height of 3”.  The grass/sand interface is string trimmed to maintain a crisp and neat transition.  Another practice that is required when managing bunkers to the highest level, is maintaining the bunker edge.  At a minimum of once per season, bunker banks are probed to locate the original bunker edge.  Once the edge is located, any encroaching sod is cut back to within 2” of the bunker edge, and then rolled down over the edge, completely covering the lip.  Leaving this 2” of sod creates a buffer between the bunker sand and the soil edge, thereby protecting the lip from eroding and contaminating the bunker sand, while also maintaining the intent and integrity of the original bunker shape and design.  The final step in the annual bunker-edging process is to evaluate the sand depth.  Sand will be added and/or redistributed as needed throughout the bunker to maintain a consistent depth and fair playing conditions.

You may see the crew conducting this bunker edging process during your golf round in the coming weeks.  Should your ball land in a bunker while maintenance is being performed, please play the entire bunker as Ground Under Repair.

Prepared by, Curtis Keller

Poa Seedheads

It's that time of year again.... The dandelions are in full bloom, the Oak pollen and Maple Samaras are pouring down out of the trees, the rough is thick and lush and the Annual Bluegrass is producing seedheads by the ton.  Annual Bluegrass or "Poa" that is producing seedheads can cause greens to become temporarily slower and bumpier during peak seedhead production.  Every year we experience the annual Poa seedhead production. However, this year seems worse than previous years. There are a few factors I contribute to this years unusual flush of seedheads. First, this spring has been ideal for Poa, COLD!  While the Poa can thrive during cool frosty conditions, bentgrass prefers warmer, sunny conditions.  During the month of April the bentgrass remained dormant, while the poa continued to grow aggressively.  This gives the Poa a competitive edge to out compete the bentgrass and dominate the putting surface.  Second, last year was an unusually cool summer and an even cooler and wetter fall.  Instead of the Poa becoming very weak and unstable during the summer months, it was able to survive and the bentgrass was unable "creep" into its space. 

 Poa is considered a weed on most golf courses.  It's many biotypes, ability to survive in most environmental conditions and its mass seed production makes it very challenging to control.  Poa is a winter annual, which begins it's life cycle with seed germinating in the late summer and early fall.  The plant matures in the fall and lives through the winter months and then produces seeds in the spring and usually dies during the heat of summer (depending on the biotype).  There are products on the market that can suppress seedhead production, however its a catch-22.  The suppression is NEVER 100%.  By suppressing the seedhead production you are actually strengthening the Poa by preventing the plant from completing its normal life cycle, which is to produce a seed, weaken and die.  The ONLY true way to reduce or eradicate the Poa population in the putting greens is to make conditions more favorable for the bentgrass.  In order to do this we would have to eliminate all shaded areas (limbing, thinning and removing trees), improve drainage and introduce newer, more aggressive varieties of bentgrass.  In the mean time we will continue to manage the Poa and try to smooth the putting surfaces out with other cultural practices; such as verti-cutting, topdressing, rolling and applying plant growth regulators.      
     

Poa seedheads almost look like broccoli

April Course Update- Early spring, or late winter?

The past few weeks have been very busy in the Golf Course Maintenance Department.  Greens aeration was the main focus at the beginning of the month.  The aeration process itself went quite smoothly.  The only obstacle has been dealing with the weather.  In years past, greens aeration has been a 2-3 day event.  This year, however, it took just over a week to complete the process, as we were forced to dodge rain storms.  (See our previous blog post regarding aeration and soil moisture.)  We essentially worked through the course in three “waves” in order to avoid the rain.  After the rain impeded our aeration process, Mother Nature decided complete her “double-whammy” in the form of low temperatures and frost.  Nighttime temperatures have been dipping into the upper 30’s this past week.  The cold snap has slowed the rate of growth on greens, which in turn has slowed down the aeration recovery process.  To combat this issue, and to provide the best playable conditions possible, we are steadily feeding the greens light, frequent applications of fertilizer.  In addition, they are receiving extra water, topdressing, and selective mowing/rolling.  The challenge has been keeping all the greens as consistent as possible, while dealing with the fact that the greens in each “wave” of completion is in a slightly different stage of recovery.

While the frosty mornings have hindered our operations on the course, they have afforded us an opportunity to focus our labor in other areas.  With the extra help of our crew members, our horticulturist Robin Brockmeyer has made great strides in cleaning up and adding fresh mulch to the landscape beds throughout the course and clubhouse grounds.  The area surrounding the bridge on #18, and also the lower tee on #1 have been graded and prepped for sod, which we will be installing on Tuesday.  We have also taken advantage of these frosty mornings to catch up on maintenance and organization around the shop.

While the weather has certainly been a bit of a challenge, it’s nothing that we’re not used to in Central Illinois.  We appreciate your patience as the course continues to recover.  Think spring, and see you on the course!

Prepared by, Curtis Keller

Spring Aerification

Monday April 6th will mark the first day for spring aerification. Our plan is to aerate the front nine greens Monday April 6th and the back nine greens Tuesday April 7th.  So, Tuesday April 7th the front nine will be open for golf play while the back nine remains closed.  Weather permitting, we should have all eighteen holes open for golf play by Wednesday April 8th.  That being said, conditions need to be as dry as possible to properly complete the aerfication process.  As of now, rain is in the forecast for most of next week, which would push our aerfication date back to the next available dry day.  We will monitor the weather and conditions, and update you as soon as possible.  Once greens have been completed we will begin solid and deep tining the tees and fairways in conjunction with golf play. 

 There are many different reasons why we aerate, as you can see in the USGA video below.  At Illini Country Club our biggest concern is the layering that lies within the first six inches of the rootzone.  Our greens were originally built in the late 1950's and have developed multiple layers from organic matter accumulation and inconsistencies in sand particles and topdressing applications.  The layers create a significant difference in water retention between the surface layers and the lower layers.  Instead of a homogeneous rootzone, through which water (drainage) and air can move in a steady downward pattern, the surface will tend to hold more water.  If excessive water is being held in the surface layer, the roots are not encouraged to grow deeper, which is healthier.  Shallow roots may be sufficient during times of low stress, but as traffic or environmental stresses increase, the turf may not have enough root mass to survive.  The turfgrass also becomes more susceptible to disease pressure as well.  When we aerate and topdress the greens we are essentially removing and diluting the layers of organic matter (thatch) with the goal in mind to create a clean and consistent rootzone.  The more root mass we can develop during the growing seasons the better we can manage the greens more aggressively e.g. lower mowing heights, frequent rolling, grooming/verti-cutting, and less pesticide/nutrient/water requirements.  All of these things makes the turf healthier and result in a smoother, faster and more consistent playing surface.   

Profile of #4 green at Illini C.C.

Example Of A Perfect Rootzone (NO LAYERS)

Why Aerate Greens USGA (VIDEO)

Golf Course Update

Things are progressing quickly on the golf course.  Just 1 week ago the majority of the golf course was still under snow and we had a significant amount of frost still remaining in the ground.  The combination of high winds with warmer than average temperatures over the weekend, and Monday's high temperature near 80 has expedited the thawing and firming process considerably.  Conditions have changed so much that we...

WILL OPEN THE GOLF COURSE FOR WALKING PLAY ON FRIDAY.

Golf carts will NOT be available at this time nor do we have a target date on when they will become available.  Please keep in mind the Green Department has only had a few days to prepare the course for play.  In past years the thawing and firming process has generally taken 2 - 3 weeks, allowing the crew to complete debris removal before opening.  In order to open the course and allow for play this week, the maintenance crew will need to perform our usual spring golf course prep in conjuction with play.  This week the focus will be on clearing greens, tees, fairways and bunkers of any debris such as limbs and leaves.  As the week progresses we will switch our efforts from course clean up to course setup which will include rolling greens, cutting new hole locations and new tee locations.  Hopefully with Mother Nature's help next week we could possibly perform the first mowings of the year.

“What do you guys do all winter?”

This is a common question that many golf course superintendents receive.  While winter does tend to be a bit more relaxing, the truth is, the off-season is equally as important as the golfing season.  Here at Illini CC, the winter of 2014/15 has provided a constant “flurry” of activity.  Crew members Jason Herbert, John Millslagle, and Mark Hammitt meticulously cleaned, inventoried, and organized all of our machines, tools, and course accessories.  The equipment was then passed onto Jack Rodems, Illini CC’s equipment technician, who thoroughly inspected, repaired, and serviced each item.  Jack has dedicated a tremendous amount of his time making sure that all of our equipment is in top running condition, and that all of our mowers will deliver the finest cut possible.  Jack also led the crew in repainting and organizing the service bay of the maintenance shop.

Bedknife Grinding

Detailing Equipment

 Equipment Inspection

Sawdust was flying as the maintenance crew undertook one of the larger projects this winter…the making of new tee markers.  Each year, the tee markers are removed from the course, inventoried, and repainted.  This year, however, the decision was made to update the design.  While the original theme of the capital-letter-I was retained, the new tee markers have a more intricate design and paint scheme.  Several prototypes were eliminated before reaching our final product.  We’re very pleased with the way they turned out, and believe they will exude an extra touch of class on the course.  It’s all about the details!!

New Tee Markers

Throop and Son Tree Service, Inc. assisted us with the removal of two large oak trees between holes #10 and #11.  The decision to remove a tree is always a difficult one, and great care is placed in determining the best possible option.  The health of the tree, health of the turf, golf playability, personal safety, and environmental impact are all taken into consideration. Ultimately, these two old giants were respectfully removed due to a loss in structural integrity.

(VIDEO) Oak Tree removal #10

Also on the course, the installation of a new bridge has begun below the tees on #18.  The steel and concrete work was performed by County Contractors, while all carpentry work will be performed by our crew in-house.  Work on the bridge will resume as soon as weather permits, and will be completed in time for the beginning of the season.

New Bridge on #18

In the office, Superintendent Kyle Sherwood and Assistant Superintendent Curtis Keller have been busy making strategic plans for the 2015 season.  They have been plugging away creating pesticide programs, updating policies and procedures, managing the budget, and general administrative work.  Kyle and Curtis recently traveled to Texas to attend the Golf Course Superintendents Association Educational Conference and Golf Industry Show.  This annual event gives Superintendents from around the globe an opportunity to meet, attend educational seminars, view new technology, and discuss turfgrass and personnel management.

Golf Industry Show in San Antonio

Finally, the maintenance staff has been diligent all winter about keeping the parking lot and sidewalks clear of snow and ice.  With our first snowfall occurring in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving, this winter has delivered approximately 26” of snow to Springfield.  The crew has selflessly sprung into action each time to ensure the safety of our members and their guests.

Snow Removal

As you can see, even in the “off season”, the Illini CC’s maintenance crew is still hard at work doing everything they can to provide top-quality golf course conditions and a great experience for our members.  It won’t be long now before spring clean-up will begin on the course.  In the meantime, I think I’ll grab another cup of coffee.

Prepared by, Curtis Keller