Bulk Fertilizer Application

Beginning today we will be applying our bulk organic fertilizer to all of the short cut turf areas around the golf course. This will include tees, approaches and fairways. I am a big fan of using organic products on the golf course and the 8 tons of 8-2-2 fertilizer that will be applied is exactly what our sand based fairways are in need of this time of year. Unfortunately with any organic fertilizer comes an aroma. To most, that aroma is not very pleasant



If you are on the course over the next few days, you will know what holes have been fertilized and which have not. The timing is perfect for us to make the application as most of the fairways have been core aerified and the forecast is for more rain to begin tomorrow. Once the rain starts and begins to break down the fertilizer, the smell will go away and all things will return to normal at this wonderful facility. Thanks, and we'll see you on the golf course!

Greens Update and Fairway Aeration

GREENS UPDATE

Two weeks out from our core aeration, despite the cool and wet weather, the greens are coming back nicely. The picture below was taken on #17 green on this past Saturday after just 10 days.

The tricky part of aerating the greens this time of year is timing the process around the weather, rain and member events. Because the greens were so wet due to the March rains (5.38 inches!) we were unable to perform our entire greens aeration that was to include a deep, solid tine aeration as well. This process will take place over a 2 day period on April 9 & 10. Monday, we will solid tine the greens on the back nine and putting green. Tuesday April 10th, the front nine will be closed for the solid tine aeration. This will include a light application of sand and will be of minimal disturbance.

FAIRWAY AERATION

To my knowledge, the fairways here at Claremont have never had a true core aeration. As we all know, the intensive fairway sanding over the last 12 years has built up a fantastic sand base and now it is time to change our approach to how we manage that base. Below are pictures that will take you through the sequence of events during our fairway aeration.



Core Aeration on 12 Fairway

 




















Seed applied over the top of the Fairway






















The sandy cores and seed are driven over with the Core Buster Drag Mat.
This process breaks up the cores and disperses the seed into the hole and
Throughout the fairway.





Once the plugs are broken up and seed is dispersed, the remaining debris is
blown into the rough to be mowed.



Up close view of cores on the fairway. Notice the dark thatch rings on each

core. Great example of why we need to aerate!






















Up close view of the finished product.



Knowing this is a new process to Claremont, much thought has been given to effectively accomplish our goals for the golf course all the while minimizing the impact to our membership and their guests. Yesterday and over the next week, if you are on the golf course, there is no doubt your round of golf will be impacted at some point. We will do all we can to minimize the impact by working efficiently and scheduling creatively. The remaining fairway aeration schedule is below:



Wednesday April 4 : Holes 9, 16 & 17

Thursday April 5 : Hole 11

Friday April 6 : Holes 15 & 6

Monday April 9 : Holes 1 & 18

Tuesday April 10 : Holes 4, 5 & 7

Thank you and we'll see you on the course!

Now is the Time!

It's that time of year again ladies and gentlemen, time for the process you've all been waiting for...The Punching of the Greens!

As you all know, the spring aeration is one of the most important practices there is to ensure healthy and resilient turf throughout the growing season. The important thing is the greens and surrounding areas are firm enough to hold up to the heavy traffic that takes place during the process. The slide below depicts the effect of aeration in the soil and to the turf.

We appreciate the flexibility given by the membership to properly perform the spring aeration. When putting the club calendar together late last year, much thought was given to the timing of these aeration's and a decision was made to block off a four week period starting March 12th for weather dependent aeration. This is an important step in putting the golf course first as this time of year, the weather will dictate how and when we can implement this all important practice. Looking at the forecast we feel that now is the time.

The putting green and BACK nine will be closed Wednesday the 21st.

The FRONT nine will be closed on Thursday the 22nd.

Thank you for your cooperation with this process and we'll see you on the course!

Golf Industry Trade Show and Conference

Last week, Randy Gai and I had the great fortune of attending the Golf Industry Show in Las Vegas. The Show is put on by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America  and  despite this years conference location being known as Sin City, the focus of our four days in Vegas was on education, new equipment and technologies and the many networking opportunities that are available at any Golf Industry Show. The following details my week at the show.



Tim Powers on the right; Superintendent at Crystal Springs GC in Hillsborough
National Award Winner for Environmental Stewardship
Congrats to my Friend and former Boss
























The week started early Monday with an all day seminar titled Reducing Chemical Use on Golf Course Turf. Professors Frank Rossi and Jennifer Grant from Cornell University put on a very educational and entertaining seminar with much of their talk focused on alleviating the amount of stress that our turf encounters at different times of the year thus reducing the need to treat chemically. I'm all for the reducing the amount of chemical use on our course and intend to seek out any methods that will help us do so.

A Plan Based Budget Will Help You Succeed was the title of my class on day 2. Full of much needed info and advise especially for the greenhorn Superintendent, the best aspect of this seminar was continual discussion between the more than 60 Superintendents from all over the world.

Wednesday the doors of the Trade Show opened at 9am for all the Superintendents, Assistants and Course Owners and Builders to look at the many new products and equipment available. The trade show floor is massive and it's quite difficult to take in everything in just a day. Much time was spent re-connecting with industry friends and networking with other Superintendents and we ended up walking the floor all day Wednesday and half of Thursday.

Thursday morning was the highlight of the show for me. The GCSAA hosted a general session for all attendees and the keynote speaker was none other then David Feherty. Click the link below for a short interview and highlight clip from his time with the GCSAA. Beware, the language is colorful to say the least.  In listening to Feherty for over an hour, we all came away having laughed, cried and feeling very lucky to be American.

http://www.gcsaa.tv/lasvegas/?obj_id=2013&gis_filter=1

I will say that I'm very happy to be back home. It's always nice to come back to California and back to Claremont and I intend to apply the many lessons learned in our department. We Superintendents are truly fortunate to be part of such a special profession and I want to thank the membership at Claremont for their continued support. I leave you with this: "What They Think I DO" as a Golf Course Superintendent.

Thanks to Brian Boyer, Superintendent at Cinnabar Hills for turning me on to this. So funny and so True!!

Thanks and we'll see you on the golf course....

New Faces in the Turf Department

I am happy to welcome Corey Beelke to Claremont Country Club as our new Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.

Corey's previous position was at Bayonet & Blackhorse in Monterey where he was Assistant Superintendent and prior to that, Corey was in Oregon at Eugene Country Club. Corey brings with him over 8 years of well rounded golf maintenance experience and single digit handicap as well. Welcome to Claremont Corey!

The other new addition to the the Turf Department is of the 4 legged variety. Introducing (thanks kids) Buzz Lightyear:

Buzz is a 12 week old Black Lab/Border Collie mix and is our new mascot for the Turf Department. While he has much to learn and little golf course experience, he has shown great potential and one day will give MacKenzie a run for her money keeping the course free of geese. Let it rain and we'll see you on the course!

Winter Update

Winter. What winter? With a rain total for the season of 3.75", all of which came in October and November and with temperatures in the high 60's, winter has yet to show her face. The last of the rains came and went in late November and since then, the staff in the turf department have been hard at work preparing the golf course for play. This time of year is when the staff is taking vacations and time off to rest up for the long season ahead. Please keep this in mind when you play the golf course as there is just not enough people to attend to all the details as if it were the summer. That being said, I am happy to say that we have kept the golf course in great playing condition and we've managed to complete a few good projects.

16 Tee Leveling and Re-Sodding:

Due to root encroachment, traffic and age, the back half of the tee on 16 had become uneven to the point we could no longer place tee markers on level ground. The turf was stripped, the ground leveled and the tee re-sodded. We hope to have the tee open for play in the coming weeks.

Drainage Addition #7 Approach:

Using our new trencher, the staff installed over 300 feet of new drain pipe to the approach on #7. This approach has been a notoriously wet area in both summer and winter and with this drainage addition we expect the area to play firm year around.

Maintenance Facility TLC:

Our new Equipment Manager Mike Newbould has been given the task of re-structuring and organizing the maintenance facility. With the help of some of the staff, Mike has made some major improvements to an area in desperate need of just that. With the removal of some antiquated equipment and a bit of reorganization, the facility has never looked better or been more efficient. The staff now has their own space for lockers, clothes racks, rain gear and changing area. The equipment all has a specific place and is put away neatly at the end of each day. Serenity Now! for the Equipment Manager... well we're getting there. Thanks to Mike and the staff for the work around the shop.

New Look for Blog in 2012!

I'm sure you've noticed the new look for the blog. The changes came courtesy of Peter McCormick at turfnet.com and I will say much thanks to him and everyone at Turfnet for helping with the blog and for all they do for us superintendent types. It's people like Peter that make this business so special to be a part of.