Greens Aeration Step 2

Here is step 2 of the greens aeration - a heavy sand topdressing.  Sand is applied to each green following core aeration.  Once the sand is dry, we will drag the sand around with a mechanical brush working sand into the holes. 

 

Greens Aeration Step 1

Here is the first step in the aerification process, the coring & clean up.  This step will take 12 staff members approximately 6 hours to complete. Enjoy and check back later for step 2!

Spring Aeration

Spring is here and finally, it's time to aerify these greens!  I sure that's exactly what you've all been thinking for the last month or so, right?  Maybe not.  Well, the clouds have parted and we've been given the green light from mother nature to get on with our springtime aeration.  The schedule is as follows:

Monday 4/4 - Back 9 greens & putting green

Tuesday 4/5 - Front 9 greens & chipping greens (front nine closed this day)

Wednesday 4/6 to Monday 4/11 - Tee, collar & approach aeration & sanding

Monday 4/11 to Friday 4/15 - Fairway Solid tine aeration (no disruption to play)

Monday 4/18 to Friday 4/22 - Rough core aeration

We will do everything possible to get the greens back into exellent condition and with our current forcast being ideal, this should be no problem.  We will be posting to the blog throughout the next few days detailing the aerification process for our greens.  There will be multiple posts and no email notice will be sent out so those of you interested, please check back here for the latest updates.  This is the most important time of the year for us and a succsesful aeration will set us up for great conditions throughout the year.

Thank You all from the Turf Department.

Etiquette 101

Good Day Golfers, Hack McDuff here to point out some correctable behavior on the golf course. A few weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, I came upon the forth green to notice a significant amount of sand on the putting green surface. I know for a fact the green's crew had earlier in the morning performed their cleaning, mowing and rolling operations so they could not be blamed for neglecting their duties. Clearly what took place was a player not taking the time to knock off the sand from their shoes while they were still in the long grass of the rough. Upon walking out of a bunker a light tap to the sole of your shoe with your club, while you are in the rough, will solve the problem. During the morning hours there is a significant amount of dew throughout the golf course and while walking your shoes become wet outside; as you walk into a freshly raked bunker the sand will attach to your wet shoes and will be deposited on the putting green as you walk. This amount of sand can be a real bother to a ball rolling on the green unless it is cleaned off. Please pay attention to the LPGA and the PGA players the next time you are watching an event on television, they expect perfection at all times and they are very careful not to leave debris in their own way. I am posting this photo because truly a picture is worth a thousand words. See you next time. Fore!

A Wet Spring Ahead!

As I write this post, all that comes to mind is rain!  Rain total for this past week is now at 3.5" and the forecast is for more of the same.  We in the turf department, like many of you in the golfing membership are itching to get on with our spring time practices but mother nature obviously has other plans in store. 

Looking at the bright side, we have nearly completed all of our winter time maintenance detail including:

• painting and re-finishing of all benches
• oiling and water-proofing of bunker rakes
• re-finishing wooden flagsticks
• raising and leveling of fairway sprinkler heads and installation of yardage markers on sprinklers
• six drainage projects (7, 14, 15 fairway, 18 approach, 8 & 10 green/collar)
• the leveling and re-sodding of #17 tee.

This winter has been quite productive despite the above average rainfall (23.52" to date) and needless to say, we are ready for the golfing season!!!

I've added a link below to a thread on the discussion board of Golf Club Atlas.com.  This website is all about the world of golf course architecture and is frequented by many of the big names in that field.  Last October, the golf pro from Cork in Ireland played the course during the RIX tournament and posted his thoughts along with pictures of the golf course.  Keep in mind, this is a discussion board with many people sharing their opinions, including our consulting architect Jim Urbina.  Many good comments to the golf course and the restoration work done here and all involved should be proud of the work accomplished.

Please enjoy the pictures and commentary on Claremont with the thought of summertime firm & fast golfing conditions planted in the back of your head!

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,46286.0.html

Greens Aeration Update

As per our spring aeration schedule, we went ahead with greens aeration on holes 1 through 9 on Monday.  Despite the forecast for dry weather, we received over .5" of rain throughout the day and were unable to topdress with sand following core aeration.  As we sit now, the forecast is calling for showers and/or rain for nine of the next ten days making it impossible to properly apply sand to the greens and obtain the desired results.  We have made the decision to postpone the aeration until the forecast changes to more of a dry weather pattern.

As you all know, spring weather in the Bay Area can be unpredictable at best.  What is important to the over-all health of the turf is that we pick the right time to perform this important cultural practice.  We in the turf department thank you for your understanding with this process.