Be Careful What You Say

Many people have brought to my attention the local golf stories in the September 6th edition of the Journal's sports section. My initial thoughts were that Curtis Stock should stick to reporting hole in ones and opinions about his favorite courses and how nice the conditions are and such. I can live with that. Why he would feel compelled to quote one greens superintendent and his thoughts on some critical course maintenance issues and then imply that because of how great Stony Plain GC is he must have something that the rest of us are missing is beyond me. I'm sure Stock would deny any implication but hey, 1+1=2 doesn't it? Not Quite.

I, for one, would love to have large area, sand based greens not surrounded by shade producing trees with multiple entrance/exit points. Lots of early to mid day sunlight, plenty of room to move pin locations around and air movement I would kill for must be nice. Try putting 35,000 rounds through #16 at Highlands then not aerating all season. It would take a better man (or woman, sorry Jenn) than me to keep it alive.

There is also a comment about foliar based feeding of turf as if its something new and innovative. Those dedicated Toro sprayer units you see on our course almost every week? We aren't whistling Dixie. Before I get too carried away with my rant I want to state my main point. Every course is unique. The agronomic conditions are unique and superintendents are in place to assess and develop turf maintenance programs that fit THEIR place of employment.

Is Stony Plain GC in great shape? Yes. Is their superintendent an intelligent, skilled manager of turfgrass? Absolutely. But he can be added to a long distinguished list of my colleagues that work at small daily fee clubs all the way up to the exclusive private facilities. I am offended at the "cerebral" tone of the super and the "lap dog" reporting of Curtis Stock.

Well enough said. I probably should have waited until tomorrow to whip up this blog but whatever. I guess this topic is personal and not something we should lose sleep over. So on that note. Goodnight!

"That's not right"

"That's not right". I heard that exact line from a member today (Saturday) regarding how difficult it was to put spin on a wedge shot from our fairways as compared to a much newer golf course with totally different fairway grass. Now I'm a little confused here. The other course in question has a fairly pure stand of Kentucky bluegrass cut quite short and in good condition. We have fairways that are mostly annual bluegrass (Poa annua) cut quite short (1/2 inch) and in good condition (at least for how old they are and how much business they see). Is it easier to spin a ball from a fairway lie where a ball sits up due to the very upright growth habit of Kentucky bluegrass? Yes. But one should be able to do that at Highlands as well as there is very little grass getting between the club face and the ball. Maybe not on a Sunday afternoon but certainly during the week. What's not right? The fact we don't have the same fairway turf? That Highlands is about 70 years older? That conditions aren't the same at every course all things being equal? Which they certainly are not as we all know full well! That annual bluegrass isn't Kentucky bluegrass? Our fairways are not going to be mowed any shorter any time soon. We're doing what we can to improve the soil profile and we use our irrigation system correctly in order to improve the fairways. What is "not right" about different conditions? I'm not talking about drastic differences here but more subtle ones by the way. Golfing at other courses in our area is not another stop on the PGA Tour where conditions are standardized for the best players in the world.

I, for one, love going to other courses and playing in conditions that are different and maybe even better than Highlands. But before lamenting the fact we don't have this or we don't have that and somehow it's not right, all variables must be considered and appreciated. Then again enough money can change anything I guess. Although looking in my crystal ball I don't see a conversion to Kentucky bluegrass fairways in the near future.

Some might say I'm being defensive here. I'm not. I'm defending Highlands from an unfair comment. That's my nature. On the other hand if someone makes a comparison or point that has validity I will be the first one to agree. Usually. After I'm hit over the head a few times. Anyone laughing yet? Yes I can be stubborn but it is your golf course and I work for you. So say what you must but be ready for a response sometimes. Please enjoy Highlands for what it is. A pretty damn fine course in a great location that is improving year after year. My promise to you, the members, is to give you the best conditions that my budget, my staff and my expertise can deliver. Now, I'm going to go polish off a six pack of Diet Coke.

See you out there.

"That's not right"

Rough Around The Edges

I played on Saturday and there's nothing like it to really get a close look at the course. Aside from the usual divots and ball marks that I blather on about day after day and year after year the course looks very nice. A few people need to pick up their feet on the greens though. What did stand out for me was the rough. I know we have had our rough mowers out most of the time but it doesn't look like it. Now I'm asking myself what's the problem here? The weather is one of the answers. It has rained a lot and so be it. The rough has really flourished. Another reason as to why it is so thick is probably the fertilizer we applied earlier this season as well as the residual effects of fertilizing the last few years. Increased moisture and with it increased microbial activity has released locked up nutrients and boom!!! Deep green grass. Better than brown though.

The next step is to lower the height of the secondary rough mowers. Those are the big Toro 4000 and the Toro 328D's. They cut the rough in the tree lines and surrounding the fairways. You know? The area most of us spend our time in while playing golf.

Now that the Club Championship, Member Guest and the Edmonton Amateur are long over with its time to see if we can go lower without scalping too badly. The height will go from 2.5 inches to 2 inches on Monday. The height around greens will stay the same at 1.5 inches. We just need staff to drive the equipment. That is becoming an issue as well (the usual end of season routine).

I personally love the rough the way it is but I realize that a majority of the membership is having a tough time out there and I need to meet the demands of that majority. So with lower rough heights, a slowdown in the growing season and less moisture conditions should improve in the next few days. It was great while it lasted. Highlands is no pushover but the last few years made us a few strokes easier than usual. This year made up for it. Golf is a great sport and even greater when conditions change and you as a golfer have to adapt to the changes. Now, I have to go look for that Pro V that's in the rough on the right side of #10 somewhere. Later.

Summer's Almost Over. Now What?

It's the most wonderful time of the year. If you're a parent and the kids are going back to school that is. If you are a golf course superintendent its not so wonderful. The older "kids" can't get their 2 week notices in fast enough. Oh well. Its the same story every fall at most golf clubs. The good news is that there is certainly no shortage of work for the remaining staff. The same is true at Highlands. Aside from getting control of the rough and conditioning the bunkers after several Biblical rainfalls we have a few more projects lined up that will keep improving the course.

The week of August 23rd to the 27th has been scheduled for some irrigation work down the left side of the 18th fairway. What's that I hear?: "What for? Its so lush right now". The situation has been reversed in the past and we all know what a dry summer turns the course into. So lets add a fix or 2 (or more) until the irrigation system is eventually replaced. The same technique used down the right side of the 10th hole will be employed on #18. With 5 or 6 new sprinklers and the water robbing giant poplars removed this winter you had better hit it down the middle next season.

Remember Ted Locke and the Long Range Improvement Plan? I'm sure many of you were wondering if it would ever see the light of day again. Planning is underway for the renovation of the bunkers on #5. Ted will be here to meet with myself, the contractor and Ray to finalize the work that is scheduled to begin in early October. More details will follow on both my blog and through the Board. Suprised? Don't be. This project was budgeted for last winter and talked about by me throughout the golf season. That hole will go from "pretty good" to "tough" by next season. In my humble opinion anyway.

The worn out edges on greens 2, 3, 5, 7, 16 and the putting green can be attributed to three factors: too much shade, too much foot traffic and lastly, the equipment. The foot traffic cannot be changed. However steps can be taken to deal with the other 2 issues. When you have too much shade you reduce or eliminate the cause. Enough said. We all know what that holds in store for #2, #7 and #16. The equipment issue we are working on for next season (changing the mowing technique or the equipment type). As fall arrives and we raise mowing heights we will remove the worn out turf, modify the soil profile and then resod from our nursery. The foot traffic will be reduced in the fall as well so the sod will have a much better chance of surviving. The putting green on the other hand is going to be trouble. I have seen countless people standing in the worn out corner swinging a driver and twisting their feet on the green. To make matters worse it seems to be a gathering point for everyone. I might as well build a deck there. I'm not laying blame but its just our nature to hang out and chat, warm up, etc. while we wait for a tee time. I've likely done it myself too.

Oh ya. One more project. We're building a new maintenance facility this fall!!! On behalf of my staff I would like to express my sincere thank you to the membership for approving and funding this exciting project. We cant wait to see the finished product. I hope you will be at the open house to held next season. I'm sure free food and refreshments will do the trick. This is Edmonton after all. Later. Wade

Greens in a Box and other Thoughts

Greens on a golf course require a lot of "input". If you are a farmer you know what input costs are. As members you realize that a lot of work goes into preparing the greens for the winter and then getting them ready for opening day. You also see us out there verticutting, topdressing, rolling, etc. What you don't notice is what's happening below the surface after constant play, rolling and other abuses. Jamie and I do notice however. That is why the greens were sprayed with an innovative wetting agent and then mini tine aerated immediately following. Simply stated: water was not moving down to the roots and it was powder dry underneath the turf in many areas. A biological change was in motion and I took steps to stop it. Did it cause everyone grief? Yes. Was there little lead time to notify the membership? Yes. Were the greens ready for the Club Championship? Yes. Are we the only course that disrupts the golf season on occasion in order to solve a problem? Of course not. It just seems that way because you aren't playing those other courses all the time. I may be coming off a little abrasive here but I am only concerned with giving you the best conditions that time, budget, weather and my knowledge can deliver. A golf course green is not like an iMac. You don't just open the box, plug it in and run it 24/7 with no problems (sorry pc users).

About 6 years ago I thought we had seen the storm of the century when the parking lot flooded and the hillside ended up on the 9th green. Well Monday night came close to matching that storm. Fortunately we had taken steps to mitigate damage from future storms. The drain line behind the curbing worked (to a point) until it was overwhelmed. I know because all the runoff ended up on the 18th green. The waterfall area hung in there with some damage behind the 1st tee (my staff had it repaired in 2 hours). The wood chips washed out on the clubhouse slope. Again my staff had the area cleaned up by noon. The amount of water on the course was shocking but it has almost drained away except for the usual areas. The bunkers were wiped out but they should be pumped out and adjusted shortly. I'm betting many of you have no idea how severe the storm was and were suprised we were closed for awile on Tuesday. My staff pulled off a minor miracle in cleaning up the mess especially the disgusting "runoff" from the sewer blowouts on #9 and #4. Compared to the wind storm this was almost a relief! My thanks to my staff. We are now off to our own staff tourney at Pioneer Meadows today. Maybe they were motivated to work like dogs yesterday as I had told them we would likely delay the staff bash for a week in order to make sure the course was ready for Friday. I felt awful but they understood. A little bird told me they had their own private discussion afterwards and took matters up a notch. They made Jamie and I very happy. See you later.

Of Divots, Sand/Seed Bins and Deep Rough

A few members want more sand/seed bins on the course. We have bins at the backshop, at #5 tee, #7 tee, #10 tee, #12 tee and #15 tee. I know of no other golf course that has so much sand/seed available all over the property. I deem them as a necessary evil so we will not be adding more bins. They are rarely empty at the end of the day. If they are, great! What we should be seeing is more divots returned to their original location. Its kind of like repairing ball marks. If you see a fresh divot and feel so inclined, find a crater to put it in. It doesn't have to be a perfect fit. It seems to me that a sand/seed bottle can sometimes become a convenient alternative to walking a few yards and replacing a divot. Am I wrong in making this assumption? In the end though, it is your course and your choice.

Cut the rough!! If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that in the last 2 weeks I'd buy a share. Well, not really. Just to reassure everyone: we are "cuttin the loong grrrass by the puttin grreen" to quote a former greenskeeper. Its just thicker and growing faster than it has in recent memory. Constant rain and timely fertilizing will do that. I for one welcome the change. Remember it won't take too long for it to brown off if the rain subsides and temperatures rise.

It does make the course more difficult doesn't it? Thats the beauty of golf. You must deal with changing conditions and "dig deep" at times. Seriously though, we are doing are best to keep it in control. Thank you for your patience.

At the last board meeting (Monday night) I mentioned we were planning and costing some small projects. One of those was to install a paving stone path for cart traffic behind the 3rd tee box. Without going into too much detail it has been deferred to next season (mainly due to the cost). We will still be doing a small walk off paving stone path behind the 4th green and adding some sprinklers later this season but as I was standing at the 9th tee this morning I got fed up with the mess between the the 2 tee complexes. I knew the whole path area was on our list for aesthetic improvement so I decided to get started. It won't affect your round but it will look much nicer when completed. Wood chips and boulders will be utilized in the open beds. Air movement and sight lines have been improved immediately and when the cart paths are eventually repaved and curbed it will be a huge improvement. It will be a work in progress but not looking "unfinished" as funds become available and it is completed over time.

Don Stenson will be posting a schedule of projects on the website a soon as I make a few changes to the document. These projects are smaller in scale but in addition to Ted Locke's Long Range Golf Course Enhancement Plan. The bunker work scheduled for the 5th hole later this fall is a continuation of Ted's plan.

Wade

The Politics Of Tree Removal And Pruning

Everyone loves trees and shrubs. They look great, create shade, help clean the air of CO2 and produce oxygen. Older trees remind us of longevity and history. The problem, as far as greens and tees are concerned, is that they rob the turf of moisture and nutrients and the shade they produce restricts sunlight penetration and air movement. Critical factors for healthy golf course turf growth.

Do I wish we could remove trees at will to open up those areas here that are diifcult to maintain turf? Of course but we are on leased land and the City of Edmonton has a very restrictive river valley tree policy. We abide by it but some trees do have to come down and that is why we plant new trees in areas away from greens and tees or on the north side of these areas.

Pruning on the other hand is less restrictive and does help us manage tree growth. Unfortunately there are some variables involved here that don't work in our favor. They are: money (labor), time, weather and debris disposal.

We only have so many staff to do so many tasks in a day of work. Tree pruning generally falls under Tim's responsibility and we give him help when he requests it. I tend to give Tim direction as to what needs attention as I am always looking for those areas that need the most pruning (as staffing and time permits). The weather is a factor when storms create additional work or when rainfall finally allows the trees to really flourish. Like now. We have noticed unusual high growth patterns this summer. Another factor we must consider is where to put all the debris. We own a powerful log splitter, a very good chipper and a medium duty stump grinder. Regardless of that we are out of room. The high road, behind 15A and our yard are full. The last point to remember is that we are an old woodland golf course and by the nature of the beast we will always have shaded areas and overhanging limbs to contend with.

Right now we have opened up the back of the 6th tee box and done some other work you may not have noticed. Also I have just given Tim a list of dead trees that need removal as well. Members tend to notice dead trees and wonder why they aren't cut down sooner than later. We know they are there but it all comes down to priorities. More staff and more equipment solely dedicated to tree work would go a long way but is it really necessary? We will get to the task at hand eventually. Without going into great detail think of the area between the 5th green and the 8th tee and the back of the 10th green. Some "pruning" has changed conditions for the better. We need to proceed cautiously here. If anyone needs clarification contact me on a secure line :) .

If you are reading this before playing this weekend the course was flooded twice this week. Tuesday was the first storm and my staff did a great job pumping and adjusting the bunkers yesterday. I told them to take a picture because more rain was forecast and guess what? Thunderstorms and heavy rains have flooded the course again. On a Friday before a weekend as well. So please be patient as the bunkers won't be at their best and the rough will be a tad deep in spots. We will be hard at it again on Monday when we have a full compliment of staff. The only chance we had to roll greens was Thursday and with the soft conditions please understand that the greens speed will be lower.

Wade

About Greens Speed

Greens speed is probably the most talked about, most volatile and most difficult issue to address in the golf maintenance industry. For some a green cannot be fast enough and for a few greens are always a little too quick. As a superintendent I am in the position of trying to find a common ground among all the members and at the same time maintaining the health and appearance of the most important area on the course. I am a fairly decent player and I do like fast greens. My definition of fast being subjective. What I also like are greens that roll true with very little or no bumpiness and "waggle" (subtle side to side movement).

Achieving the above is not just a simple matter of "shaving the greens down", a phrase I cannot stand. It involves aeration, topdressing, verticutting, brushing, fertilizing, irrigation, mowing heights, reel and bedknife design and rolling. I won't go into the details but firm greens tend to be faster and "soft greens" tend to be slower. Of course something most golfers overlook is the design of a green. Sloping greens give the perception of being faster. Flatter greens are deemed slower when one compares our greens to lets say Blackhawk's. In fact our Stimpmeter readings are very similar to theirs (news flash: superintendents communicate with each other all the time). Unfair yes, but perception becomes reality in our world.

What I need to strive for are healthy, consistent and fair greens at our course. I'm getting a little off topic but I just want to stress how many factors can affect greens speed on a day to day basis. In addition to all of our maintenance factors the weather can cause speed changes as well. Case in point. We had the greens rolling true and very fast (by USGA standards) on the weekend. Too fast for regular play, great for tournament play. The fast speeds being attainable in the future by altering our maintenance practices. We didn't roll on the following Monday (you cannot roll everyday) and they slowed down slightly. We planned to brush, cut and roll on Tuesday but heavy rains arrived and so the greens were not touched until today (Wednesday). We could only cut them as they were too soft to brush and roll without potentially causing damage. Are the greens even slower than Monday? Yes. They went from 11.5 to 9.5. Exactly what I expected.

For the remainder of the summer and part of September we will strive to maintain the greens between 10 and 11. The Club Championship and The Member Guest will see speeds similar to The Martell, all conditions being equal.

I encourage everyone to visit the USGA Greens Section (Google it) and read up on the history and the proper use of the Stimpmeter (and what in fact a stimp number means). You will also see the USGA's Stimpmeter numbers for slow, medium and fast greens speeds for both regular and tournament play. I use it as a rough guide. So here we have arrived at the following: using 14 blade reels matched with a super thin bedknife on our Toro 21" walk behind mowers to cut greens daily, setting the mowing height at .110 inches and rolling 3 to 4 times/week we can attain a stimp reading of 10.5. Remember that weather and our practices such as verticutting (will actually slow down the greens) and light topdressing (will actually speed up the greens) can change everything. Read the update boards at the pro shop!!

Please give me your feedback. I will do what I can to satisfy your wishes (within sound agronomic practices and not beyond normal turf stress levels.

One more point. I know its been wet but its way better than 3 years of near drought conditions!

Wade

Have you ever wondered ..........?

Have you ever wondered how the daily pin placements are decided?

We don't have a rotation sheet or a guide and I personally do not tell our setup crew where to specifically locate the pins unless it is a major event such as the Henry Martell or the Club Championship. They are well trained as to our requirements and rules. They need to understand and play the game in order to get a feel for what they are accomplishing. They get better with time and by making mistakes or "pushing the limit" (read that as difficult placements that may be okay for certain conditions but not others).

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to mow the greens, tees/approaches and fairways?

It takes 2.5 hours to mow greens when using 4 walking greensmowers. 2 hours with 5 and 1.5 with 6. We rarely use 6 mowers due to available staff. It takes 3 hours to cut tees and approaches using 2 riding greensmowers. It takes 5 to 7 hours using 2 fairway mowers and 3 to 4 hours using 3 fairway units. Mowing fairways is the most difficult, demanding task at Highlands so we don't have as many trained operators available like we do for other equipment.

Have you ever wondered about the hard hats our staff wear?

They are government approved protection and being caught not wearing it at the appropriate time and area of the course means a session cleaning the wash bay and the sump that collects all those wet, rotting clippings. They also must wear approved steel toed footwear. We check by dropping a cement block on their feet (just joking). Hearing and eye protection is provided and we have a list of tasks that require the use of this gear. Remember there is some onus on the employee to wear the gear as instructed.

Have you ever wondered why the course is a little rough around the edges or the fairways are "shaggy" on a Sunday afternoon?

Simple. It all comes down to available labour and the budget. Oh and one more variable. Do you want rough mowers and the fairway units out there on the course until 11 or 12 o clock? No you don't and if you can find staff that wants to be out there mowing on a weekend in the summer for 11 to 12 bucks an hour let me know. Remember from above. You can't just throw anybody on a fairway unit 1 or 2 days a week and expect good results.

Have you ever wondered how nice my home lawn looks?

It doesn't. I have kids, a female dog, a wife that is also a golf course superintendent and a home to keep clean. Although with the weather this summer and my youngest mowing and weed whipping it does look okay. For now.

Wade

The Trouble With Divots

Okay. So you've taken a divot after an outstanding shot on the fairway or even out of the rough. Now what? Admire the result, pat yourself on the back and head off to the green? Don't worry about the divot because someone else will take care of it? Perhaps you don't care that the blemish will be there for weeks on end or the golfer behind you will end up hitting their shot out of the canyon you left behind. It won't repair itself. You have to do your part.

Find the divot or the pieces and patch the divot hole as well as you can. The odds are good the pieces will be full of Poa annua seed head and that a whole piece of turf will likely survive until the next irrigation cycle. This isn't Arizona after all. Last time I checked it rarely gets to +30 C here. If you have a sand/seed bottle sprinkle some on top as a layer of topdressing (all the better for recovery). As a last resort if your divot is AWOL use the sand and fill the hole completely.

It does take extra effort and a little extra time but the results are worth it. Smoother, better looking fairways. And believe me we have some nice fairways thanks to perfect growing weather and good timing with the fertilizer. Lets keep it that way and don't be too quick to blame someone else for "all the divots not repaired" or "it must be that shotgun we just had" (although they are major culprits as we all have seen the group of 4 out there!). Thanks for your help.

I'll be posting a video detailing proper divot and ball mark repair soon. Rehearsals are now underway.

Wade

What's Going On At The 7th Tee?

We need about 300 sq. ft. of Poa annua to resod the back of the 6th tee box. It's the only turf that will survive the shaded conditions at the back. We will be using an area of turf from the 7th tee. That area is an unused portion of the tee about 7 meters behind the deepest point the blue tee blocks can be set. It is also in front of the furthest point forward the red tee blocks are set. This area is not used and is actually divot free. Take a look for yourself.

The Poa will be replaced by Kentucky Bluegrass sod cut at side bank height. So what we will have now is, in effect, 2 separated tee zones on #7 and a repaired 6th tee that right now is not in any condition to be used for regular play. I expect some push back (as is usually the case with any change) but I am confident it will work out for the better.

We aren't using bentgrass as it flourishes under full sun. Actually we will be cutting down a few trees to get some light in there. Even Poa needs more sunlight than is presently shining on the back of the tee. When that tee is rebuilt (2011, I hope) more trees will have to go anyway.

This is my first foray into blogging. As I learn to edit I will add pictures, diagrams, etc.

Wade