Four for 4

Its been a long month for all of us. My thoughts and prayers go out to all that are struggling during this time. I know many of you have missed being out on the course and I wanted to take a minute to share some pictures and update you on whats been going on.
We've had our hands full working as a four man crew since the shelter in place order went into effect four weeks ago. Bill Sheer, Josh Tavelli and Armando Ramirez have done an amazing job keeping the golf course in shape and ready to go. I cannot thank them enough. We were all pretty stoked when the goats showed up a few weeks ago. While the goats did their thing in the natural grass areas, we were busy keeping up with mowing, making our regular product applications and getting to as many essential tasks as possible. Greens were aerated with a 5/8" solid tine and sanded heavy.  Tees, approaches and fairways were seeded with our fine fescue seed mix. Organic fertilizers were spread across all 35 acres of fine cut turf. 350 tons of sand was applied to approaches and fairways.  A weeks worth of tree work was completed on holes 4, 5, 6 & 7. All mowing equipment was sharpened, adjusted and serviced. A huge effort to be sure.

With the course closed to play we were able to get the goats in a few new spots. This area on 11 was close to 2' tall!

The view from the stone tee on 13 is on of my favorites for sure.  Especially after the goats have gone through.




























The bees arrived a few weeks ago. The property has really taken on an urban farm feel with the bees, the goats and the sent of organic fertilizers in the air.

We don't always mow stripes but when we do, it looks kinda cool. With all of the different types of grasses we have in fairways, spring makes for some varied growth rates. Mowing these areas in different directions helps to clean up any excess growth we see this time of year.  After a month or so of the stripeshow, we'll go back to the more traditional look of half & half.

Thankfully we were able to bring the full time staff back to work this past Monday the 20th. They will work a reduced (50%) and modified schedule until further notice. Seasonal and part time staff will not be coming back until further notice. Things will be different out here, as they are everywhere. We'll need to get used to some new practices and procedures. With more than 50% reduction of labor on the course, there will be many tasks we cannot complete. We will focus our efforts on down the middle conditioning and items deemed essential.

A huge THANK YOU to the membership, the Board of Directors and the Club's management team for their support during this difficult time. Its truly amazing to have such a group of individuals come together and take care of the staff the way you have. We can't wait to see you out enjoying the golf course again. Fingers are crossed. The sooner the better.

Working into a Routine

Following an extended rainy season with little to no spring-like weather, its nice to feel like we're finally working into a routine on the golf course. Greens have been slow to grow out of the Drill & Fill aeration performed in March thanks to the cool and wet weather. While holes have been visible, their effect on putting conditions has been minimal since the Oak Tree event on the 4th. I'm happy to say greens are 95% healed and as of this week, we are back at it with our routine applications of Plant Growth Regulators. We are very happy to see the forecast turn from rain to sun in the coming week.

We were able to work around the weather to complete a few more projects this spring. Most noticeable has been the sod work around 11 green. Like other areas on the course, the turf around 11 green had become an inconsistent mixture of various turf types. Sand splashed out of bunkers had resulted in collar dams. Sod and built -up bunker sand was removed. Collars and bunker tie-ins were returned to original grades and new Perennial Ryegrass sod was installed. We plan to resume re-sodding of collars this fall with the intention of completing remaining holes next year.

The goats have come and gone and at this point, we kinda wish they were coming baaaack. Natural grass areas were just about where we wanted them following the fine work done by the heard of over 500 seasonal workers. 

Natural grasses on 13 looking perfect after the goats are done

The 2.75 inches of rain that fell over the last week or so have these areas growing again. As a result, we'll be out trimming and mowing natural grasses with special attention being paid to in-play areas. The addition of goats to our springtime routine has become one of my favourite times of the year. Goats are an ideal weed control and brush clearing solution for hard to reach sites controlling invasive species while helping to restore native plant and animal habitats. A green, environmentally sound solution for keeping chemicals off the course, equipment in the shop and staff focused on the golf course. Each year, we intend to use the goats more with the goal of eventually getting them to each of our naturalized areas on the property. Have a look at the below link to a USGA article on the use of natural grasses on the golf course. 

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2019/04/3-things-naturalized-areas-golf.html

We hope you enjoy your time on the golf course this season. Please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or the members of our Green Committee with any questions you may have.

Not According to Plan

Sometimes things don't go according to plan. When April 1 falls on a Monday, you can pretty well bet whatever plans you made will be wadded up and tossed to the side. Yesterday was that kind of day. While much of what we set out to accomplish was done so with precision and to completion, our main objective was not met. The sand spreader truck broke down after completing just a few fairways. First with a large hydraulic leak on 12 followed later by a broken drive chain on the same hole. As to be expected we were unable to find a replacement part nearby. Nearly 600 tons of sand still sits in piles around the property on this dreary Tuesday morning. 

2018 Spring Topdressing - hey look blue skies!

With the forecast for more rain over the next week we are going to do our best to get the sand out by the end of the day Wednesday (tomorrow). Please be advised - If you are playing golf tomorrow and it is not raining we will be working on spreading and dragging sand on all the fairways. You will be impacted to some degree throughout your round. If it rains at all, we will be unable to make the application and will wait for the course to dry. It would be nice were Spring to finally make an appearance. Keep an eye out for an email update and we appreciate your understanding as we work to complete this important process.

Long Time No Blog

Long Time No Blog is right! I guess it has been a while since the last update. Sure we've been busy on the course and off but that's no excuse. We'll look to be more regular here on the Blog in 2019 so keep an eye out. Check back often. As for now, here goes your winter update...

The winter season to date has been pretty well ideal. Timely rains have allowed us to keep the course mowed, make our product applications and complete a few course projects in between weather events. As you can imagine, following the last stretch of wet weather, the course is saturated and winter conditions exist throughout. The staff worked hard to repair bunkers and clean debris from the course yesterday. We are out setting up the cups and raking bunkers today but many greens still have standing water on them and are too wet to mow or roll. Rain total for the week was 4.13 inches. February rain total is now 6.53 inches. Season to date rain totals are now 18.38 inches!

Winter Projects

The breaks in between storms have allowed us to pick a few winter projects off the to-do list. The collar around 3 green was stripped, bunker sand build up removed and new sod was installed. Its hard to believe this collar had almost 12 inches of bunker sand built up after just three seasons. While working on 3, we went ahead and stripped the collar around the practice putting green as well. This collar had a mixture of different warm and cool season grasses and did not blend well with the new sod that was laid as part of the new Golf Shop and 1st tee project. The staff did great work on the areas as seen below.

For some time now the retaining wall on 16 has been in a state of disrepair. The two sections that have been repaired over the years were out of necessity. The wall was damaged as a result of a tree falling tearing out a section of the wall and a car crashing through the fence and out onto the course. Not wanting to wait for the next incident we went ahead and replaced the remaining sections of wall. Again, kudos to the staff in the Turf Department for working on this over the last few weeks!



New Penalty Areas

The natural grass hillsides between 12 / 13 and 13 / 14 are now marked with red stakes as penalty areas. The USGA made changes to the rules of golf and as such we are now able to mark these areas red as a local rule during the winter season. Once the hillsides dry out and the goats have come through to do their thing, the stakes will be removed and play will resume as it always has... Play it as it lies!

Progress

One week later and greens have healed up nicely. The process of aeration is especially important this time of year as we head into winter . The rainy winter weather can result in soils that are saturated for extended periods leaving little to no air for roots. The solid tine aeration will help to ensure our turf is in shape and ready for the winter season and all that Mother Nature will bring.

Over the next few days we'll work to catch up with mowing greens and getting speeds back up to standard. Progress has been made this fall. The course is shaping up nicely for our final events of the year.







Early mornings on the golf course are always a treat. This weekend we had our first few days of crisp fall temps and partly cloudy skies to start the day. Enjoy a few pics from a nice morning on the course.

PGA Tour Set Up, Bunker consistency and Fall Maintenance

PGA Tour Set Up

























I had the great pleasure of helping out on the maintenance crew at Silverado last week for the PGA Tour's Safeway Open. Working for former Sonoma Golf Club Superintendent Mat Dunmeyer is always a treat and last week was no different. I especially enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones from all around the turf industry. My job assignment for the week was Back 9 bunker crew and I wanted to share an "inside the ropes" view of PGA Tour bunker preparations.
The vast majority of course preparations are spent in the weeks and months leading up to the event. Once tournament week arrives, the course is expected to be prepped and ready so the crew can get out and perform routine course set up without skipping a beat. When we arrived early in the week it was obvious the staff at Silverado had done well to meet their goals. The course was in fantastic condition and more than ready. This was especially true in the bunkers. Edges were crisp. Sand depths perfect. Ready for the big show. Then, leave it to Mother Nature and her ability to change even the best of plans. Rain fell Tuesday and while totals were low, it was enough to wet the bunkers and change conditions somewhat. Thankfully the rain let up early in the week leading to sun and perfect Napa weather. By the weekend, winds had picked up resulting in very dry bunker conditions and lots of debris clean up. My point here is...
The bunkers were prepared perfectly throughout the week and yet still, perfect consistency day to day and bunker to bunker was an impossibility. The preparation of bunkers was consistent each morning. The bunkers looked and played beautifully but conditions differed. A snapshot of reality for the tour and for day to day set up at every golf course. Please take a look at the below article from the USGA on bunker consistency.

Bunker Consistency - FIVE reasons why bunkers are not consistent - by the USGA

Despite the best efforts of any agronomic team, maintaining perfectly consistent playing conditions in every bunker is not possible.

Although golf course maintenance teams may spend more labor hours attending to bunkers than greens, golfers will still find that bunkers are inconsistent. Maintaining totally consistent playing conditions in bunkers is not achievable, nor is it necessarily desirable. Here are five reasons why the playing conditions in bunkers will never be perfectly consistent:

1.    Sand depth – The depth of sand on the bunker floor has a profound impact on playability. If the sand is too shallow, bunkers may be wet and firm. However, too much sand yields soft conditions that increase the probability of buried lies. Inconsistencies in bunker sand depth develop on a daily basis from events such as normal play, raking and wind exposure. The recommended depth for bunker sand is 4-6 inches but varies depending on factors such as the physical characteristics of the sand and the properties of the underlying material.

2.    Sun exposure – Bunkers that receive more sunlight will dry faster and play softer than those that receive less sunlight. For example, east- and southeast-facing bunkers dry faster in the morning than bunkers oriented to the west or the north, causing them to play softer.

3.    Wind exposure – Bunkers facing the predominant wind direction will dry faster and play softer than bunkers that are shielded from the wind or face the opposite direction.

4.    Play volume – Bunkers that receive more play will be softer and less consistent than bunkers with very little play. Why? Golf shots, foot traffic and raking disturb bunker sand and soften conditions.

5.    Irrigation – Many golfers wonder if irrigation systems can be designed to avoid adding water to bunkers. Unfortunately, such a design is impractical due to the shape and strategic location of many bunkers. Uniformly irrigating irregularly shaped playing surfaces such as greens, green surrounds and even fairways often places adjacent bunkers in the line of fire of sprinklers. If bunker sand is shallow, contains fine materials such as fine sand, silt and clay, or has been contaminated with organic matter, bunkers will retain moisture. Wet sand plays firmer than dry sand, so bunkers that receive more irrigation and retain more moisture will likely play firmer than those that are well drained and out of the way of irrigation. In the Southwest, where there is little rain and high water demand during summer, bunkers are often wet and firm due to frequent irrigation.

The bottom line is that golf is an outdoor game with inherent variability. For example, no two lies in the rough are exactly the same and, like it or not, the wind blows on some days while other days are calm. Sometimes the wind even blows from one direction in the morning and the opposite direction in the afternoon. Golfers are encouraged to embrace variability in the bunkers and throughout the golf course as a welcome challenge. Remember the wise words of the late Payne Stewart, "A bad attitude is worse than a bad swing." For additional information on bunker consistency, please review the Green Section Collection, “Managing Bunkers,” or contact a USGA agronomist.

 Fall Maintenance 

This fall our maintenance routine has changed from years past. A sure sign that the work we have accomplished over the years has paid off. Greens were aerated with a solid tine and given a medium amount of sand topdressing. Fairways and approaches were slit-seeded with blend of Fine Fescue seed. Tees were aerated with a deep tine. No cores pulled. Less surface disruption and less impact on play. This work was complete in just over a week despite a few equipment breakdowns and being a bit short on staff. As always we do everything we can to minimize disruption to the membership while performing these important "preventative maintenance" tasks. With the first rains of the season falling last week the greens are growing at a good pace and we should be back in shape come this time next week. 

My hat is off to the staff in the Turf Department for their efforts this season. Their work over the year and especially the last few weeks will ensure a strong finish to 2018 and will no doubt set us up for a fantastic 2019. We hope you enjoy the golf course this fall and we appreciate all the support in doing what is right for the health of the golf course. 

Good News / Good News

The first week of July typically signifies the beginning of summer at Claremont. The course and club will slow down as members and guests enjoy time away around the 4th of July holiday and the weeks following. Our Men's Invitational and all of the spring and early summer member events are in the rear view mirror. Good news is... the golf course has been in tip top shape since coming out of winter. And, the good new is... we'll begin work next week to ensure this is the case moving forward. 

The turf conditions we've enjoyed this season and over the last few years are a direct result of our efforts to modify the soil beneath. Consistent, firm and healthy turfgrass surfaces are the goal and our cultural practice routine, while disruptive for a few weeks, will ensure a strong finish to the season. Next week we will perform a contract aeration again called the DryJect. These machines inject a blast of water that fractures the soil 6 to 8 inches deep creating a void that is then filled by sand. The process has proved to be quite beneficial on our soil based push-up greens allowing for improved percolation of water and healthy exchange of gasses. We will follow the DryJect with our own core aeration using a ½” hollow tine. We will not over fertilise greens around aeration as this creates the exact situation we are attempting to alleviate with this process. Please expect a period of three weeks or so for recovery. The summer aeration schedule is as follows:

July 9 – DryJect aeration on greens

July 10 – Front 9 aeration (front 9 closed)

July 11 – Back 9 aeration (back 9 closed)

July 16 – Fairway sanding

July 9 to 20 – Solid Tine aeration on tees, approaches and fairways

July 9 to 20 – Sanding on tees and approaches

Please enjoy a few nice shots of the golf course from the last few weeks and remember, the reason we do things like aerify, verticut, spike, vent and sand top-dress is so we can provide the conditions seen below. 

The Turf Department hopes you enjoy summer with friends and family. Have a safe and happy 4th of July holiday!

Challenges

The last month or so has been a bit of a whirlwind. Spring aeration is behind us completed in and around significant late season rains. Playing catch up with mowing and course detail (YES we are cutting the natural grasses and hillsides).  Ticking the last of our seasonal projects off the list. Bringing on new seasonal staff and prepping for the first of many Member events. There is always so much to do this time of year that we simply cannot get to it all at once.

While we've had a productive start to 2018, not all things go as planed. The course came out of aeration shining thanks to some heavy rains and the staff pushing hard for the Challenge Cup with Bel-Air Country Club last week. All things were looking great coming off the weekend as we start prep for the MacKenzie in two weeks and then... Murphy's law rears its ugly head.

While topdressing greens this Monday our sand spreader blew a hydraulic hose leaking oil on the 12th green. The good: The oil spilled was not hot and did not burn the turf. The Bad: Grass does not like oil as it can smother the leaf blade resulting in death of turf. The area affected will be evaluated over the coming days with hopes that the grass will grow out. If needed we will re-sod next week. Unfortunately, these things happen.

We are always challenged when trees are close to areas of turf. This is especially true when close to greens. Roots from trees spread throughout the soil competing with turf for water and nutrients. When just a few feet off a green the challenge can be significant resulting in turf loss. As part of our spring/fall maintenance we send out the root pruner to address these areas but with a working depth of 6 to 8" sometimes that's just not enough. This week we used our trencher to root prune two of our most problematic areas. Left of 1 green (pictured here) and left of 15 green.

These pictures tell the story well. Lots of trees roots large and small severed with hopes of giving
the turf a fighting chance. Side note: pretty cool to see the column of sand from the Drill & Fill just to the right of the radio. Three years later and the channels are still there doing their thing!

We are challenged with maintaining turf and managing wear and tear on a small property. The average urban golf course is 120 acres. Claremont, at just 84 golf course acres is small and compact. Golf carts were not in the picture when the course was laid out in the early 1900's. The new cart fleet was outfitted with a GPS system for the safety of members, guests and the golf course.

This picture above is a screenshot of just one day worth of cart traffic (in yellow). The areas in red are zoned off as carts are not allowed on greens or surrounds, on tees, in natural grass areas or in the creek. Yes, we've had to pull carts out of the creek. Combine this much cart traffic with course maintenance traffic and we can and will see significant wear and tear in our highly travelled areas. When using carts this summer, please keep this in mind by avoiding dry areas and areas of worn or stressed turf. Do your best to keep carts in the fairways. Drive on green grass. I encourage members to take a caddie and enjoy a fine walk around an amazing property. We are lucky to have a caddie program and should do all we can to support it.

Aeration Update

Here is a quick update on where we are with aeration. Tees, approaches and fairways 2, 3 & 9 were complete by the end of the day Wednesday. Rain yesterday and today has had us at a standstill. A total of 1.5 inches of rain has fallen this week. 

We plan to begin greens aeration on Sunday afternoon. The 1st tee will be closed at 4pm allowing me to follow the last groups and begin aeration on greens. This will give us a head start for Monday when we intend to finish the process. We will not perform the deep tine as we would normally due to the forecast for more rain next week. This process will be made up later in Spring. As always our work with aeration is weather dependent and if we receive too much rain in the next 48 hours we may not start on Sunday. It will be a game time decision. 

Please have a look at the attached articles for more information regarding aeration. Also attached is a brief USGA video on why we aerate greens. The question of why we aerate comes up each year. The simple answer is that we need to if we want healthy greens that will stand up to the pressures of golfers and maintenance. Our focus is on the long term health of our greens. Our cultural practices over the years have paid off with consistently firm, fast and healthy greens conditions. Conditions that have improved year after year. The second article speaks specifically to timing and recovery. Timing is key if we are to make the most out the practice. Aeration in March is a crap shoot here in the Bay Area. Low soil temperatures and possibility for heavy rains can result in delays in recovery and potential damage to the turf and soil below. The club events calendar dictates our timing which is not ideal but reality. 

http://www.usga.org/course-care/forethegolfer/why-do-golf-courses-aerate-so-much-.html

http://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/ticpdf.py?file=/article/gross-easing-11-16-12.pdf

Thank you. Have a great weekend and P.S.  The word is out... 4 feet of fresh in Tahoe by end of the day today!!!

Double rainbow all the way

Following a significant cold and dry period, rain has returned to Northern California just in time to to throw a wrench into our spring aeration plans. Rain is forecast to begin this Saturday and continue off and on all next week.  The Drill and Fill aeration that was planned will not take place this spring as a result. As many of you know, we set aside a four week period each spring for weather dependent aeration. We thank the Club for supporting the Turf Department in such a way knowing this important practice must be completed with cooperation from Mother Nature. There is a chance we will go forward with our traditional coring and deep tine aeration on greens Monday the 12th but that will be a game time decision. A detailed rundown of our spring aeration plans can be found in the March newsletter article. The important dates are March 12 to April 6 when we intend to complete aeration and sanding of the entire course. Fairways sanding dates are set for March 26 & 28. We cannot perform these practices if its at all wet and we will update the membership as soon as we make a decision to move forward.

We've been hard at work this winter on various projects both large and small. The most significant being the Eucalyptus removal along hole 11. The dry weather in January and February allowed us to spend weeks pruning and removing about half of this grove. While it may seem like just a dent was made to the stand, work here will result in significantly more sunlight and air movement across holes 9, 10 and 11 and we should see improved turf conditions as a result.  In the coming weeks a new fence will be installed and we will begin work to establish natural Fescue grasses in the area.

Keep an eye on the blog and in your inbox for communication regarding spring aeration. We will do
all we can to minimize impact to golfers and we appreciate your understanding during this important time on the golf course. We are looking forward to a great season of golf and recreation at the club!

And... That's a wrap!

After fourteen months of construction we put a wrap on things last week with the installation of new sod on the 1st fairway. With the sod down our focus turns to grow-in of the new turf. The first tee is open finally and I must say it's been quite the exiting time here at the club with the new facilities being met with overwhelming positivity. As is to be expected with anything new, an adjustment in routine when playing the course is necessary. Please keep the following in mind when playing golf this winter:

• The first tee is open for play but the sod on 1 / 18 fairway is not. Please keep all traffic off new sod. If your ball comes to rest in the newly sodded area inside the ropes, please carefully retrieve your ball on foot then drop and resume play from outside the area.
• The entire new area of sod including the 1^st tee and 18 green surround MAY be closed at some point this winter due to wet conditions. Please be respectful and keep off closed areas when asked.
• Golf carts are not permitted on the 1^st tee or any of the tees. Pull carts are always discouraged from crossing tee tops as well. Please use the cartpaths as much as possible when in the area.
• When playing 18 – as your ball reaches the green or surround please pull your golf cart left to the shared path between holes 9 & 18. Continue up the path and in-between the warm up tees  to the cart parking directly behind the green. Once finished on 18 it’s a quick drive up the path to the cart barn where the golf staff will greet you at the end of your round. The picture below shows a cart parked in the ideal location when finishing out on 18. 
• Walkers on 18 should also move toward the back of the green and finish their round at the cart path behind 18. Please do not walk up the grass slope toward the first tee. Walk off the back of the green toward the tennis courts and then up the path. Please use the cart return area to drop off clubs, pull carts and any other items prior to returning to the golf shop or cafe via the stairs to the left of the cart barn. 

  Kikuyugrass Removal

      With new sod heading our way we made the call to remove all turf on the slope right of 16 green. This area had become infested with the vile weed Kikuyugrass. This particular weed is invasive and difficult to control spreading aggressively on south facing slopes. In this particular area the contamination had reached the green. We chose to remove the entire apron leading up to 18 tee as the Kikuyu creates an inconsistent playing surface and had spread up the slope to 18. We will experiment with various control methods over the next few years in attempt to keep out the Kikuyu. The area will remain roped off until spring. Please carefully remove your ball from the new sod and drop in the drop zone. 

    

  With the New Year approaching I want to thank all of those that have made 2017 such a success.The staff in the Turf Department has accomplished great things on the course while the distraction of construction pulled at us daily. Led by Assistants Bill Scheer and Ismael Valadez and Equipment Manager Armando Ramirez, we had an amazing year for golf course conditions. Firm, fast and fun continues to be our target and I feel we met this in spades much of the year. Thanks so much to GM Steve Shaw, the Board of Directors and Green Committee for the continued support of our direction on the golf course. We do things a bit different here as we are allowed to present the golf course in a very natural fashion resulting in a rough, rustic look around the edges. I am so thankful to have the support from the membership as our approach would not fly at just any Club. We all know that Claremont is not just any Club but a unique place full of charm and quirk. It really is a special place that I feel so fortunate to be a part of. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Claremont Members and families and best wishes for a prosperous 2018!

Course Construction Update

 Phase 1 of course construction came to an end with the final roll of sod installed last week. The new

1st tee, 18 green surround and bunker, warm up tees and 9 green surround areas were all re-shaped and new irrigation and drainage installed. The tee surfaces were sand capped. All turf areas were sodded with a blend of Fine Fescues and Perennial Ryegrass.  The finish product is a wonderful improvement for the club and we are proud of the work completed with Jim Urbina and the crew from Earthsculptures. Phase 2 will consist of re-shaping the 1st fairway, installing new irrigation and finally new sod. Work here should take about two weeks and will begin November 27th. Sod is scheduled for installation sometime the week December 11. As always when working this time of year we depend on Mother Nature's cooperation and any rain during this time will slow progress. We've come a long way in the last 12 months!