The Minikahda Club Grounds Department

Ice Skating Rink

2011-12-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years we have made significant improvements to the scope of our outdoor winter activities. Paddle tennis expanded from 2 courts to 4, we have invested in a more powerful snowmobile for pulling the cross country ski groomer, we purchased a larger and more technically advanced ski trail groomer and we continue to provide improvements to our skating rink.

This year, due to the warmer temperatures, it's taken a few more weeks into December to have the skating rink ready for action. One of the biggest improvements you will see is in the form of the night lighting. We replaced some lights on court 4 of the paddle courts and utilized the old lights for the skating rink. We hope you enjoy the improvement.

Skating is open all day and into the night until 10pm. Please be aware, if the temperatures rise above freezing we may need to close the rink to protect the ice from becoming damaged. Also if you are using the hockey nets, please remove the nets from the ice and place them off the rink. This will also insure we maintain quality ice through out the season. With the late start to the outdoor skating season there are only about 6 weeks remaining before the sun begins to warm enough on a consistent basis where we can no longer maintain the ice. So please come out and enjoy the limited season that we have this year.

We had a great freeze and have some really good ice to skate on.

The new lighting system for the rink. More powerful lights and better coverage of the entire rink.

Attention Turf Students, Now Accepting Applications

2011-12-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

This is a first for me, posting an Internship opening on my blog, but what the heck, why not? Every year Turfgrass students have the opportunity to work on our staff and learn valuable experiences, experiences that will hopefully, add to their viability in the job market down the road. Our staff usually consists of 1-2 students from the United States as well as an International Trainee.

The Minikahda Club Grounds Department has been host to 8 trainees in the past 11 years. Trainees have come from Scotland, South Africa, France, Germany (3) and this year we hosted a Trainee from China. This is actually this trainees second tour to The Minikahda Club. Hao Wang, aka Tony, first joined us in 2008 as a complete greenhorn, but we enjoyed Tony so much in 2008 and he enjoyed his experience as well so he came back to learn from us for a 2nd time. International turfgrass students interested in an opportunity to learn here at The Minikahda Club or in the United States can contact Communicating for Agriculture, (www.caep.org) in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. They can assist you with placement as well as the application process. We really enjoy the experience the International trainees bring to our staff and it can become an excellent learning experience for both parties. With the friendships I have made I also see it as a great way to set up my future world golf tour ;)

Turf students interested in a internship, please read the post below:

The Minikahda Club is a private, 18-hole, Donald Ross design golf course, entering our 114^th year of operation. In 2003 the club finished a major restoration project that included rebuilding tees, bunkers, green expansions, and the installation of a new irrigation system. Currently the club just completed a $1.2 million renovation of our practice facility and tennis courts.

Requirements:

Must be currently enrolled in a 2 or 4-year turf program.

Previous golf course experience

Interns will be required to obtain a Minnesota pesticide applicators license which will be paid for by the club.

Wage:

$10.50-11.50/hr

Benefits:

Meal-plan

Free golfing privileges,

Uniforms

Housing

Attendance at local MGCSA events as well as fees paid for MGCSA membership.

Excellent working environment

Quality learning experience

An opportunity to work at one of the finest country clubs in the country.

Interns will have the opportunity to gain experience in a majority of aspects in our maintenance operation. We have developed an extensive training program that will allow the trainee to gain the practical experience needed to get a head start in the business. You will have one on one opportunities with me as well as my assistants and have every opportunity learn as much about the business as you desire.

The application deadline is January 15th, 2012

If you have questions regarding our program, please call me at 612-926-4167.

Cover letter, resume and references should be mailed or emailed to:

Jeff Johnson

Golf Course Superintendent

The Minikahda Club

3205 Excelsior Blvd.

Minneapolis, MN 55416

jjohnson@theminikahdaclub.com

The Golf Course is Closed

2011-11-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

Sunday was the last day of golf for the 2011 season. Our staff is now making our final preparations to prepare the golf course for winter. The final snow mold fungicide applications will be applied to greens, tees and fairways starting today. All golf course accessories will be brought in and stored and today we are hauling the greens covers to the respective greens. We may begin covering greens as early as Tuesday. There are still plenty of leaves on the course. We will keep seasonal staff around this fall as long as we can in order to get the course as clean as possible as we head into winter.

Other work happening this week, Tim's Tree Service will be here for the next two weeks taking care of tree removals and our annual tree trimming. Red Pederson Utilities is also here and will be installing a new 10"High Density Polyethylene mainline. This pipe will replace the old cast iron mainline that goes from our main well to the mainline by the 18th green. This is going to be a very interesting process. The process is called pipe bursting and they will literally pull the 10" pipe through the old 8" cast iron pipe which bursts the old pipe as they pull the new pipe through. I will have more about this project as the week goes on.

Driving Range Project

2011-11-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

We nearing the end of the range project. Today asphalt is being laid for the cart path and the final lift will be applied to the tennis parking lot and the drop off area. The tee has been dormant seeded and by the end of the week the final pallets of sod will be laid. Of course there will be plenty of detail work that needs to be completed, but we will sign off on the majority of the work by Hartman Co.at the end of the week. Final decisions on plantings will need to be made for the gardens at tennis as well as some retaining wall and brick paver work. We will complete what we can this fall and the remaining work will be completed in the spring.

This has been a wonderful project. When completed the members will have a golf practice facility and tennis facility they will be extremely proud of. Thank you to Golf Course Architect Kevin Norby, building architect Scott Newland, Hartman Golf Course Construction and Landscape Divisions, Doboszenski & Sons, Inc, Phehal Asphalt Company, StoneScapes, West Lake Landscapes, Tennis West, Jirik Sod, Plaisteds Co., EC Design, Red Pederson Utilities, Frazier Morris Electrical and Zeeman Construction. This project has taken quite a team of contractors to complete. Hartman Company was the lead contractor and did a fabulous job keeping this hectic project on schedule as well as working with such a large group of sub-contractors.

There's no doubt we will have our work cut out for ourselves next spring, but the majority of the work is complete. Now lets hope and pray for an early spring so we can get the bentgrass seed up and growing on the tee, fairway and target greens.

Driving Range Project

2011-10-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

The Driving Range project continues to move in a forward direction. The retaining wall is complete, the irrigation system for the fairway has been installed, plant material on the back slope has been installed as well as irrigation and prairie grass seed mix. The concrete has been poured for the hitting mats and the foundation for the range house has also been poured. The next major step is to seed the fairway with creeping bentgrass and sod the rough. By the 21st of October the majority of the project will be near completion leaving us with asphalt work for the cart path, the parking lot by the tennis courts as well as some landscape work by the retaining wall and the tennis court area. It's great to see the project nearing completion. Contractors will easily be here until the end of October and probably into November, but at least the majority of the work load will be behind us.

Concrete pad for hitting mats

Kevin Hanson from Hartman Co. Irrigation Installation Specialist

Irrigation installation on the range fairway

Installation of the Tennis courts hydration system

Completed lannen stone retaining wall by StoneScapes

Irrigation system pressurized! Now it's time to seed and sod.

Bunker and Tee Construction Projects

2011-10-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Our staff has been very busy the past few weeks completing the construction of bunkers on 2, 7 and 17 as well as new tees on holes 7, 9 and 17. I'm pleased to say these projects have been completed. The bunkers, designed by Ron Prichard, have turned out quite nice. The bunkers on 2 and 17 need to be reconstructed following the loss of American elm trees in both locations. The bunker on 7 was an additional bunker placed on the inside of the dogleg, in order to make the hole more challenging for the lower handicap player.

Hartman Companies was contracted to complete the shaping of the bunkers and install the drainage. All of the finish work, the irrigation changes, the installation of the burlap bags, the rough grading and the sod work was all completed in house. My main goal was to make sure the bunker shaper was able to construct the style of the bunker to look exactly like the other bunkers we built in '02-'03. Even though Prichard has designed all the bunkers Hartman was not involved in the renovation and we needed to insure the new bunkers did not take on a look of their own. I have to say Hartman did a great job as did our staff. A special thank you goes to Assistant Superintendents Nick Folk and Rick Krause for their leadership with these projects.

Construction Update

2011-09-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

Progress for the Driving range/tennis project continues to move in a positive direction. Yesterday Tennis West signed off on the sub-grading for the location of the tennis courts. Hartman Construction is now complete with that phase of their responsibility via the tennis courts. Their efforts can now be completely focused on the completion of the sub-grade work on the range and bringing the tee surfaces to grade.

Topsoil has been removed and stockpiled and although we excavated more than we anticipated an estimated additional 1000 cubic yards will be required to complete the job. Plaisteds Company has begun the process of hauling the additional topsoil required for the job.

Although the photos don't show it, we're really not that far from thinking about irrigation installation. Sticks of PVC pipe have already been glued together and are now awaiting bringing the sub-grade to grade and shaping of the fairway and target greens.

Installation of the Lannen stone retaining wall has also begun. Stoneworks Co. has begun installation and with only 3 days into the job, they are making excellent progress. Footings and pouring of the foundation for the new range house will hopefully begin by the end of next week and construction of the building is slated to begin the week of October 3rd.

This job has required a lot of subcontractors due the various jobs required to be completed. Currently we have as many as 7 contractors on sight and maybe an additional 2-3 will be required before the project can be completed. Its quite the process to see it all orchestrated by Hartman.

Bunker Renovation

2011-09-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

This past week our staff stripped and re-sodded four bunker faces. Bunkers where turf was replaced was on two fairway bunkers on 5, the approach bunker on the left of 9 and the first fairway bunker on the right of 16. The turf on these south facing bunkers was in tough condition thus forcing us to replace the turf. Rooting of the sod will take a few weeks. In the mean time the bunker faces will remain Ground Under Repair and will be roped off. Please do not walk on the faces of these bunkers! Once rooted properly we will then remove the rope.

Bunker on 9 prior to stripping

Stripped bunker

Sod being laid

The sod consists of a majority of Creeping red fescue (varieties are Epic and Shoneline). By placing a fescue blend on the bunker face we are placing a turf species that will be better able to tolerate the drought conditions which the south facing slopes natural will have. This turf is also very consistent with the species of grasses that exist on the bunker faces surrounding all of our greens. Additionally on these particular bunker we will not be allowing the shoulders of these bunker to grow to seed head height. All of these bunkers will be mowed on a regular basis and will ultimately become a very dense stand of turf.

Course Projects

2011-09-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, the time when the grass starts slowing down and growing a little less, play begins to slide and we start gearing up for projects on the course. West Lake Landscape was here this week to begin work around the 10 tee house. The old timbers that surrounded the flower bed were removed and replaced with a lannen stone wall. This was a quick and simple job for them and the end result is fantastic! The look is consistent with other lannen stone work throughout the course. The next phase will be to replace the old blue stone with red brick pavers. That work is also scheduled to be completed this fall by West Lake Landscape.

Randy Boe from West Lake

Over the course of the next few weeks we will be working on multiple projects on the course. The first one will be to replace some existing turf on a few fairway bunker faces. The current quality and condition of the turf is less than ideal on the fairway bunker on 5 double bunker, the lower bunker on 5, the approach bunker on 9 and the 1st fairway bunker on the right side of 16. We have sprayed and killed the existing turf and beginning next week will will strip the sod and replace it with new sod. The most difficult aspect of this operation will be removing the sod from the steep faces. Once removed we can then easily lay new sod.

Approach bunker on 9 where turf will be replaced

Future 7th tee

Other projects will be the construction of tees on 7, 9 and 13. Our first job is to haul fill to raise the fill pads. for the blue tee on 13 we need to raise the height a least 6 feet. This we require close to 150 cubic yards of fill. When complete the tee on 13 make this hole play to a distance of 603 yards. Wow! The tee on 7 will provide the players a slightly different angle to play this par 5 dogleg. From a maintenance position it will provide us with an additional tee to move the markers and reduce the wear and tear on the existing white and blue tees. The addition of the white tee on 9 will provide additional length as well as a slightly different position for players to position their shots to the fairway. I really like this tee and I think both new tees on 7 and 9 will be a nice improvement for white tee players.

Future 13th tee

Bunker Work

2011-09-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

String trimming of fairway bunker faces

The day after Labor Day our staff started the process of mowing the tall fescue from the bunkers. Mowing of the tall fescue is a process that is typical fall maintenance practice. For the next two months of the season all 99 bunkers will be cut on a regular basis. Since some of the varieties of fescue growing on the faces have clump type growing habits, there are some voids that are visible on some of the fairway bunkers.

In an attempt to have the grass fill in theses voids we will be making regular fertility applications to the bunkers. Applications of soluble fertilizer will aid with thickening the density of the faces and reduce the voids. Over time we will create a thicker denser face. This will not allow the ball to roll back into the bunker but it will provide a better lie and reduce the chance of having the ball settle into those voids. Transitioning the bunkers for a whispy un-mantained look to a manicured look takes time and will not happen after one cutting or one fertility applications. These transitions take time and patience will be needed.

Soluble applications of fertilizer

Regular mowing of bunker capes

A few bunkers have way too many voids and the application of fertilizer will not be enough to fill the voids. On those bunkers we will strip and sod the faces. We have identified about 5 fairway bunkers where we need to re-sod. We are hoping to begin this process very soon. The stripping of the existing turf will be the most difficult process, but the end result will provide a more consistent playing condition as well as visually more pleasing.

5 fairway bunker will be re-sodded

Driving Range Project

2011-09-02T04:38:00.000-07:00

Last week we began our Driving Range and Tennis project. The tennis courts to be replaced have been removed and demolition of the trees has begun. Hartman Company is overseeing the construction of the range project and Tennis West will be overseeing the tennis project. Many subcontractors will be on site for various jobs as well.

Once the tree removal process is complete the dirt work part of the project will begin. Hartman is currently removing all the existing top soil from the old tee and stock piling it for use on the new tee. The top soil from the the fairway will also be removed and set aside for future use. A lot of changes are taking place at this time, but once the dirt movers begin, then you will really see the changes take place.

Sodding Green Surrounds

2011-09-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

Over the years, since the course restoration was completed in 2003, areas next to the green edges have become contaminated with a mix stand of grasses. Creeping bentgrass and poa annua have crept into the rough surrounding the greens. If a players ball comes to rest in one of these grasses and not the bluegrass, they end up with a really difficult lie. Our goal over the next week is to identify these areas and replace the contaminated turf with new bluegrass sod. We also have some areas where the turf is quite thin for one reason or another and those ares will also be replaced with bluegrass sod.

Family Tradition

2011-08-09T05:20:00.000-07:00

Long-time employee at Minikahda, Assistant Superintendent Johnny Jarosz, has 27 years experience on the Grounds Department alone. That doesn't include his years of service to the club, first as a caddie, then at the bag room and also a short stint washing dishes in the kitchen. Minikahda is in his blood and quite frankly is the only place he has ever worked. Now for the first time all three of his boys are working here at the same time. Neal (20), Cole (17) and Seth (14) are all caddying at the club this summer. Neal, an Evans Scholar, and Cole are highly qualified and skilled caddies who are highly regarded and frequently requested by the members. Seth is in his 1st year and by the sounds of it, is a quick study. I've got to say, its pretty cool to see these three young men out here working together. I know Johnny feels the same way.

Seth, Cole and Neal Jarosz

Should I Dare Say It...I hate sod!

2011-07-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Typically I try not to write a lot of opinions on this blog and stick to facts about what we are positively accomplishing on the golf course. But I really can't help this one. I hate sodding on the golf course and I will try to avoid it when at all possible. There I said it! Sod is a quick fix in most instances and it has its place, but when it comes to greens or fairways the long-term success is difficult and sod needs to be managed for many years until it matures into the site.

Typically sod used on our greens either is harvested from a practice green or comes from our sod nursery. Sod, no matter where it comes from, from my experience, is fickle for the first 1-2 years. The roots tend to be shallow, extra watering is constantly required and all it takes is one day of heat stress and the sod can be lost. Sod requires extra fertility as well as topdressing and aeration. Hence it takes a couple of years until it establishes properly and blends into playing surface.

Sod laid this spring on the 1st green. Plugging of the dead spots will be required.

Sod laid this spring on the 1st green, took a hit this past week during the week of severe heat. All it took was a few hours of heat and a lack of water and turf loss happened quickly. Additionally sod that was laid last year on some fairway and approach areas has been struggling in the heat, despite additional aeration, fertilizer and fungicide treatments. Even into the second year, with decent roots, Fickle!

Sod laid in the spring of 2010. Struggling due to shallow roots, mower traffic and cart traffic.

August Newsletter Article "The Eagle Eye"

2011-07-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Since I just completed my August newsletter article for The Minikahda Columns, I thought I might as well share it on the blog.

Typical Minnesota Weather?

It seems every season in Minnesota we deal with extremes; extreme cold, extreme heat and this past month extreme dew points. July’s weather was one for the records and thankfully the course made it through virtually unscathed. Proper preparation leading up to the heat, backing off of unnecessary cultural practices such as mowing and rolling of greens and a careful watch of the plants was critical to the turf survival during that stretch of weather. Proper application of plant protectants was also critical as dew points and temperatures reached record highs. The weather provided ideal conditions for pathogens such as brown patch and pythium blight. A perfect storm for disease pressure, fortunately our fine turf areas did not suffer loss from any of these diseases.

The Art Water Management

When to water? What areas to water? Do we water lightly or deeply? What will tomorrow’s weather bring? What does the rest of the weeks weather look like? What events are happening this week? Should we hold off water and wait? Do we syringe greens or do they need a little more to make it through the day? As you can see from these questions there’s little science involved when it comes to water management decisions and a lot more art. Every day we ask ourselves these questions. I consult with our experienced staff and we make a daily decision before we head home. Most of the time I think we get it right but sometimes we guess wrong (usually because I tend to lean conservatively with water giving the benefit to the plant that it can survive another day before we need to water it).

The thing about water, once it’s down, it’s down. We can’t take the application back. Our goal is not only to provide firm playing conditions, but we also want to maintain healthy turf with deep roots. From a turf managers, prospective we strive to make deep infrequent irrigation cycles that will promote deep roots on our greens, tees, fairways and rough. Nightly watering may be necessary based on daily weather conditions, but I also feel it conditions the plant to require that type of watering. By stretching the water cycles we can condition the plants to survive extended periods without nightly watering, mimicking conditions found in nature. Do we need to water tonight? That’s should be the ultimate daily question for all Greenkeepers.

Imprelis Herbicide by Dupont

If you’ve been reading the papers (Star Tribune, July 23^rd, A Surprise Toll on Trees) you’ve probably seen some articles regarding the damage the new herbicide Imprelis has had on coniferous trees on golf courses and homeowners lawns. We have not used this herbicide on the golf course and there is no concern for tree loss on the golf course do to use of this product.

Fall Construction Projects

By now you know about the Driving range and tennis projects, we also have a few small projects on the golf course that have been approved for completion. The left greenside pot bunker on #2 will be expanded to entire left of the green. The right fairway bunker on #17 will be converted to a double stacked bunker (similar to the fairway bunkers on #5) and a new 600 yard tee will be added to the 13^th hole. These minor projects are slated to begin this fall. Hartman Companies will provide the rough shaping and the finish work will be completed in house by our staff. Looks like we’re going to have a busy fall.

Taking it Easy

2011-07-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

The next couple days will test our experience as turf managers. Day temperatures in the high 90's and dew points in the 70's equaling heat indexes around 105-115, not ideal conditions for cool season turfgrass. Plant protectants have been applied to the fine turf areas to protect the plants from diseases such as Brown Patch and Pythium blight. Reducing stress on the turf is a top concern so we will be reducing our mowing and rolling on greens, alternating mow and roll days and will be stretching our fairway mowing from 3 days a week to 2 days a week. Mowing is one of the worst activities we can do to the plants during long periods of heat stress. If there is a cultural practice we can control it's mowing, so we will reduce it as much as we feel we can and still provide the members with quality playing conditions.

Venting of greens surfaces will again take place next Monday and we will be monitoring and scouting greens, tees and fairways a little more closely during this brutal stretch of weather. The good thing about living in Minnesota is, this will eventually end and a cool front will blow this out of here. Until then we will be monitoring the turf and reducing cultural practices to the bare minimum.

Invitational Week

2011-07-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

This week is the club's Invitational Golf Event. As far as events at the club go, this is one of our Major's. Member/Member in August being the other Major. The weather over the past few weeks has produced a great deal of rain, high dew points as well as high temperatures. Based on the past weather as well as the forecast for upcoming days, heat index's reaching into the low 100's, even with this weeks "Major" on the schedule, we felt today was an ideal time to vent (aerate) the greens.

Earlier in the week when we walked on greens we could smell that the greens needed to be vented. We could smell the anaerobic activity taking place in the soils and the best cure for allowing gas exchange is to vent the greens. Roots need oxygen to survive and when oxygen is depleted reduction in root depth is greatly compromised. With as much poa annua as we have on greens, maintaining proper root depths throughout the summer months is critical to poa's survival and the quality and condition of greens.

Needle tine aeration "Venting"

Today's aeration began at 5am and the guys were finished with 19 greens by 11am. As you can see in the photos the needle tines that we use cause little disturbance to the surface and when followed by the rollers there is little to no evidence that greens were even aerated. Pretty good work to have completed 2 days before our Invitational and 3 days before and other 1-3" predicted rain event as well as 4-5 days in the mid to high 90's

The green following a roll.

Last Friday's Storm

2011-07-07T11:49:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night straight line winds tore through the north end of the golf course. Damage was contained to holes 1, 15, 17 and 18 as well as to the driveway. Four trees were lost on the golf course, a Linden right of the dogleg bunker on 15, 2 maples on the left of 17, a Larch on the right side of 17, a large spruce from the driveway entrance as well as one of the your Princeton elm trees from in front of the club house. We also lost numerous trees along the pool slope.

Our staff was able to clean the bulk of debris on Saturday morning and made quick work of the damage. On Wednesday, Tim's Tree Service was able to grind the stumps, remove the stock pile of trees as well as remove some hangers in a few elm trees as a result of the storm. Let's hope this is all the summer storm damage we will see for the rest of the season.

And if you're wondering will these trees will be replaced? At this time there are no plans to replace the trees that were destroyed on the golf course. The only tree that is currently planned for replacement is the Princeton Elm. Replacement will not happen until the fall when it's safer for the new tree to be transported and planted.

Creeping Bentgrass vs Poa annua

2011-07-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Manage for creeping bentgrass or manage for poa annua? This is the ultimate questions that Superintendents ask themselves and is an industry wide topic. A topic that will probably never be resolved. Many say if you have poa annua manage it. Well we've had poa dominant fairways before and let me tell you they're really not that fun to manage. Now that we've been managing for creeping bentgrass, to me the answer is quite clear.

A perfect is example is on our fairways. I probe fairways quite frequently and one reason is I love looking at our bentgrass roots. They are DEEP! I on average I find our roots to be 12-18" deep. Deep roots equal less water, less fertilizer and all round healthier plants. Also by watering deep and infrequently we can provide firm playing conditions as we are able to stretch the length between water cycles. We also have less thatch on the fairways. We are able provide conditions that are adventitious for deep roots which also equals less fertility and that allows us to stretch our fertility applications and as a result have less thatch on the fairways as the roots are going deep and are not limited to the top 4 inches.

Our poa roots, on the other hand are shallow. Shallow rooted plants need to be babied and require a great deal more TLC. As you can see in this photo, poa annua roots are only 4" deep compared to the 12" roots of the creeping bentgrass. Moisture levels at 12" soil depths are very good. Right where the creeping bentgrass roots extend. Heading into the heat of the summer we can all sleep a lot better knowing if the roots are deep and healthy so will be the playing surfaces.

Powerade for Trees

2011-06-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we moved a very large Sugar maple to the garden by the Grill entrance. The tree is a 9" DBH and was moved with a 102" tree spade. We've been looking for a tree for this location for quite some time. The timing was right this spring when a landscape architect we work with was working on a job where they wanted this tree removed. The tree was free and all we had to pay was the moving cost.

Ideally we would have moved a tree this size in the late fall or early spring. When we moved the tree it was fully leafed out. Moving a tree this size and fully leafed is extremely stressful to the tree. Additionally only 4 days following the move, temperatures reached 95 degrees one day and 103 the next coupled with 30 mph winds. Needless to say the tree was in shock.

Deep watering as well as what we like to call the "Powerade" mix for transplanted trees and shrubs will be applied weekly to aid the tree through the transplant process. The "Powerade" mix is a mixture of Seaweed extract, Fish Hydrolysate, Humic Acid, Micro-nutrients, Yucca extract and Mycorrhizae. There are numerous benefits to the plant from all of these products and hopefully by applying these products to the roots we can help power this tree through the transplant stress and successfully transition into its new home.

Thankfully the weather has also been cooperating with timely rains, cloudy days and some cool night temperatures. If we can successfully get the tree to survive the summer, it stands a good chance of surviving the the move, so keep your fingers crossed.

It's All About The Roots!

2011-06-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

If you talk to any Superintendent about the health of the turf plant, they will invariably speak about the quality and depth of the roots of the plant. Having deep roots heading into summer is critical for the plants to survive the heat of the summer unscathed. For the past 3-4 years we have been promoting creeping bentgrass over poa annua. Many members question the reason and what the benefits really are? Superintendents know the many benefits and the potential for deep rooting plants is one of those benefits.

Usually I can insert the probe in our fairways to the handle. Just happened to catch a rock and it stop me at 13"

Today I inserted a soil probe into our second fairway as deep as it would go (13"). When I pulled it out, roots were hanging from the bottom of the probe. Additionally at that depth there the soil temperatures were nice and cool, about 60 degrees, and there was also adequate moisture. With roots at that depth (13+") this allows us to provide firmer playing conditions as we can really stretch our watering cycles.

Deep roots= a healthier plant, a plant that requires less nutrients, less water and firmer playing conditions.

At the end of the probe you can see the roots hanging.

Course Update

2011-05-31T13:05:00.000-07:00

Its been over a month since I last updated the blog. Time flies when you're busy. Despite the cooler than normal temperatures as well as rainy (3.75" this month) and cloudy weather, the staff has been very busy working to get the course into summer condition.

Aside from typical mowing and daily maintenance we have been planting trees and shrubs around the perimeter of the course as well as improving gardens around the club house and golf shop. Spring is a great time for planting and we want to install as much plant material as we can now, before the heat of the summer. This week installation of annuals is taking place. When the threat of a killing frost is over then we can install annual flowers we also want to make sure the flowers all get planted before Memorial weekend. We work with an outside contractor who grows and installs the flowers for us which allows us the time to focus our efforts on maintaining the golf course.

Monday the decision was made to sod the dead spot on 1 green. After a good attempt at aiding recovery by over-seeding and covering the affected area, we decided the best alternative would be to sod. Sod was removed from our main practice green and then sod from our nursery was used to replace the sod on the practice green. The sod from the practice green is a good match to the existing grass species on the 1st green and in time will blend quite nicely.

Green is not Great by Alexander M. Radko

2011-04-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

I came across this article yesterday and thought it was worth publishing on the blog. Although the article was written almost 35 years ago, I think the information holds true even today. A great deal of the information stated includes philosophies we have been incorporating as we manage towards creeping bentgrass. Read the article, I would be interested in your comments.

Green Is Not Great

Golf is played on grass, not on color.
By Alexander M. Radko
A group from Britain visited the Green Section research grounds at Beltsville, MD, early in the 1950’s when interest was high in the warm-season grasses in that area. Dr. Fred V. Grau, who was Green Section Director at the time, escorted the visitors through the grounds and enthusiastically described the studies that were being done. One was the Zoysia plot, which happened to be bleached tan in color because it was late October and Zoysia was dormant. After Dr. Grau finished his glowing discourse on Zoysia, one visitor, whose voice was exceptionally heavy and whose whisper could carry a long way, said, “That’s the first bloody time I’ve heard so elegant an address on dead grass!”
            This remark typifies what most people think about turfgrass – if it’s green, it’s alive; if it’s any other color, it’s dead or dying! Many people also have the mistaken notion that the greener the grass, the healthier the turf. Unfortunately this notion is especially strong among golfers. They equate dark green with good playing turf, and they often refer to it as beautifully lush turf! Those trained in the study of turfgrass cringe at this description. To them lush means undesirable, soft, succulent, out of condition, filled with juice or liquid – as the case may be. A lush growth often results from the needless race for color despite the fact that color has minimal effect on turfgrass quality for golf.
            Nature has provided grasses with much genetic diversity. This includes wide differences in color, ranging from dark blue-green to light yellow-green and every intermediate shade. It is interesting to note that Europeans prefer the light green grasses while Americans very definitely favor a deep blue-green, similar to the dark color of Merion bluegrass. There are bentgrasses referred to as the Washington types that take on a purple cast with cold weather. Cohansey (C-7) creeping bentgrass is an example of yellow-green, and although it makes an outstanding putting turf, it isn’t widely accepted because of its very light color.
            Grasses also turn tan with cold weather. During the winter, northern and southern grasses turn differing shades of tan depending upon the location where they are grown. Despite this, even the most drastic color change does not affect the playing quality of well-managed turf, a fact that is strikingly evident with warm-season grasses during the winter. Although dormant and off-color, grasses hold the ball nicely for fairway play. Color, therefore, is not the most important consideration. GOLF IS PLAYED ON GRASS, NOT ON COLOR!
            Why this obsession with color? Golfers like to brag about the color of their golf course; they equate dark green with health, they take pride in saying that “our course looks healthier than yours!” They also complain about their courses; they compare some neighboring course from a distance (where, indeed, the grass always looks greener) or they compare the course they played when growing conditions were ideal with the condition of their own clubs at times of stress when growing conditions are poor. Unfair? Yes, but it’s difficult to overcome such pressure once it circulates within a membership. Too often such comments force management to say, “If that’s what they want, that’s what we have to give them.” It takes a very strong personality to stand up to 300 members and say, “You are wrong! My program is the best long-range direction for the club, we’ll do it my way completely and totally!” The usual result is a compromise in program, sometimes doing things more for cosmetic purposes and not because it’s the best thing to do.
            The pressure of a membership indeed has great bearing on the golf course management scene. It has spawned Poa annua-oriented thinking because in reality this is what some memberships want. (Poa annua, an unreliable annual grass, is considered a weed by some, but a good turf cover by others). The result is a forced growth of grasses that makes them uniformly greener, but this does not necessarily mean the condition is better for golf. A forced growth is not a healthy growth! Without question it is also a large part of the reason why so-called “winter rules” prevail at many golf courses today despite adequate budget expenditure. If memberships occasionally would accept off-color areas throughout their courses during the playing season, they would be able to play the ball as they find it for a greater part, if not for all the golfing season.
            Turfgrass, as any plant, has varied cycles of growth. Warm-season grasses begin growth in the spring and show their strongest growth in summer. When cold weather comes they go into a period of semi-to total dormancy, depending upon the degree of cold experienced in any specific location. All growth begins in spring as air temperatures rise above freezing. Growth is slow until the soil warms and winter moisture disappears. Cool-season grasses go into their stress period in summer; they enter a period of semi-dormancy, which is a resting stage of reduced metabolism, until cool nights prevail in late summer. Then they resume good growth throughout the fall. During winter they go dormant with freezing weather and remain in that condition until spring. This is their yearly cycle; there is no way to change it and attempts to force growth or to force color can have only a harmful effect on their healthful growth. In spring, therefore, cool-season grasses take time to regain their normal color. Don’t hurry it by watering and fertilizing too early. These practices weaken the turf, make it soft and succulent, and more often than not impose a greater stress on the turf during difficult periods of summer.
            Early watering is difficult to justify. Grasses don’t die in the spring from lack of water! Normally, winter and early spring precipitation is adequate to provide for early season grass needs. It is at this time that grasses have the opportunity to develop deep root systems that are so necessary for healthful growth throughout the rest of the growing year. Early irrigation encourages shallow roots. Grasses are much the same as humans; they, too, can be conditioned to a way of life and never know any other. The time to be rough and still get away with it is in the early spring. What is done during this stage of growth has a strong bearing on how the grasses perform during the rest of the year, especially during stress periods.
            So the grass isn’t green! So the greens don’t hold well for the first month of play! So what? This is the time of year for the player to work his swing into the groove for better summer play; similarly, this is the time for grasses to work themselves out of dormancy, to condition themselves for the tough road ahead. There is a big difference between growing grasses for golf and growing grasses for exhibitions. Utility grasses must be disciplined and conditioned for traffic, abuse and wear under trying conditions of close cut. This is tough treatment but toughness is necessary for their healthful performance when the chips are down. If members would accept this as a way of golf course life, it would be easier to develop permanent grasses in place of Poa annua.
            There is another fact of life in irrigating golf courses. Terrain is varied. Slopes, mounds, hills and depressions complement whatever level areas are to be found. Soils vary too, in depth as well as in composition. Sand, gravel, rock or ledge permeate areas of golf course property, and soil types vary, sometimes slightly, sometimes greatly. How is it possible, therefore, to irrigate uniformly when water runoff and water penetration are so variable?
            You can’t!
            If you want to keep the high spots and rock ledge areas green in summer, you must overwater the adjacent areas. If you set your pattern of irrigation to favor the low areas, then the high spots suffer. The point is that there is no uniform way to satisfy all conditions of soil and terrain in irrigating golf courses. Something must suffer, and the agronomically sound direction to pursue is to water only enough to keep grasses alive without serious regard for the development of off-color areas.
            Overwatering is one of the cardinal sins of turfgrass management. If your course doesn’t have off-color areas under conditions described, then chances are your turf is being overwatered to satisfy the membership’s “keep it green at all costs” edict – whether it favors Poa annua or not!
            This is another reason why turfgrass managers throw their hands up and sooner or later follow the path of least resistance. Why fight it if their members play golf on color?
            Poa annua is the perfect answer for a good portion of the year. From the members’ viewpoint water is the answer to keeping grass green. After all, when an expensive system is installed, the members will take no excuses for grasses turning off-color; if the grass isn’t solidly green, then the man doesn’t know his business. Let’s fire him and get someone new! What a misconception! What an unfair, amateurish appraisal! However, the old axiom applies; “The boss may not always be right, but he’s always the boss!”
            Fertilizer also promotes color in turfgrasses. Nitrogen can modify the natural color of grasses slightly, making them a shade darker green than normal, especially when they are heavily fertilized. Color can be induced early in spring by applications of nitrogen. This is forced growth, inducing faster growth than the plant would make otherwise, an accepted practice, but only if it is timely and controlled. We have already said that grasses, too, are creatures of habit. If you feed them heavily, they come to expect it. Heavy feeding, however, induces heavy and thick-bladed growth. If grasses are overstimulated and are fed too early, their growth is soft, succulent and less capable of supporting the golf ball. Hungry grass, on the other hand, is tough grass; blades that are hungry and lean support the ball well and interfere least with the clubhead’s progress through the ball. When the grasses are ready to move, only a little help from fertilizer will provide healthful growth. It’s important to wait for signs that they are ready for food. This is what most superintendents would do if they managed only for the turfgrass needs.
            Mowing also has a bearing on color. The higher the cut, the easier it is to keep grasses green and the better the color, especially during periods of stress. The mowing height, the mowing frequency and the mowing pattern each influences health and color. The closer the grasses are cut, the better they play. The closer they are cut, the more difficult it is to keep them uniformly green. Again, terrain and soils have a strong bearing on the performance of grasses on certain areas. The closer the cut, the more difficult it is to manage water properly. Water application is more critical here again, if it is pointed towards the preservation of the permanent grasses. This means a low amount of watering. Poa annua always benefits from overwatering. In the days before fairway irrigation, grasses were often moved at 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches. When the grass was dry, this cut was not objectionable because dry grass blades are thin and rigid and the clubhead can move through the ball easily. The unwatered grass is light and firm, while the watered grass is soft and heavy. Unwatered grass allows a firm surface; heavy watering results in a soft, spongy turf and soil and, therefore, the golfer loses some control over his shots. A good example of this phenomenon now exists on unwatered rough areas. Find a spot and try it for yourself. The problem, however, under completely unwatered conditions is a lack of turf uniformity and density. Eliminating water obviously is not the answer, just as too much water is not the answer, either.
            The solution lies in a management program somewhere in between. The British system of course management for the most part represents the least watering principle, the tough management of grasses, the laissez faire doctrine of allowing grasses to fend for themselves and encouraging the fittest to survive. They describe the American way of management as “the manufactured look,” one that tends to favor weaker grasses through management and maintenance techniques, thereby promoting a weak overall stand.
            Somewhere in between is the answer, but for better golf, in my opinion, the British style of management is the system to follow. This is especially true since economic, ecological and environmental factors are now so much a part of golf and will become even more influential in the future.
            Finally, the race for color has had a solid impact on budgets. Water, energy, fertilizer, chemicals, manpower and equipment are now more costly. As grass growth is forced with excesses of water and fertilizer, more disease, insect and Poa annua problems result. The more the grass is forced, the more the need for additional man-hours of mowing time.
            Equally important are the increased time and cost of parts required for conditioning and repair of equipment. The race of color has had a solid impact on golf course management. It’s time to get away from the manufactured look. Let’s go back to emphasizing natural turf growth, to growing tougher grasses. Let’s go back to playing golf on grass, and not on color!
Golf Journal, August 1977

Advantage...Bentgrass

2011-04-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

For those that have been following the changes we made to our maintenance philosophy 3 years ago on our greens,tees and fairways you're aware of adjustments we've made to our cultural and nutritional practices. Practices that we know, over time, have the ability to favor creeping bentgrass and give it the edge over poa annua. As we start the 2011 season I thought now would be a good time to show some photos to compare where we were to where we are now. I have a lot of photos so it's difficult to show them all for comparison purposes, but I have selected a few of interest.

No one said what we are trying to accomplish would be easy and we've never said it would happen over night. A transition takes time, patience and no doubt we have had our share of bumps along the way. But what we have seen over the past 3 years is a slow and steady change in the overall dynamics of our greens and fairways. Fairways, as most would expect, have transitioned the quickest. Going from a stand of 30-50% creeping bentgrass to a dominant stand of creeping bentgrass estimated to be 80-90%. The most highly populated poa areas are where we have the most cart and mower traffic, where compaction is the greatest, next to fairway bunkers and where the transition between the fairway and approach meet. Areas we will be focusing a great deal of attention on this year to provide more favorable conditions for creeping bentgrass.

As seen in the this photo of 7 fairway in the spring of 2008 compared to the same fairway in the spring of 2011, the swing in the composition of turf varieties is quite obvious. My one wish is that I would have taken more photographs of our fairways to show the transition. But for those on our staff who have worked here a long time, they notice it and comment on the change quite frequently. (click on the photos to enlarge them to have a better view of the various grass types, the light colored turf is poa annua and the darker grass is creeping bentgrass)

Two more photos showing the 14th fairway. The first from 2008 and the second from 2011.

Now greens on the other hand have not been the beneficiary of such an easy transition and that's to be expected. The dynamics of our greens is all over the board. Typically we group them into 3 categories, we have 6 greens with over 60% creeping bentgrass, 6 greens with around 25-60% bent populations and then we have 6 greens well under 25% bent. These are clearly our poa dominated greens. I would like to share some photos of one green in particular that has made a huge swing from poa annua to bentgrass in the past 3 years.

In 2008 our 2nd green was 70-80% poa annua. In only the second year 2009 you can seen the bent emerging. 3 years later in 2011 its closer to 60% bentgrass.

All three photos show the green before a cut in the spring following the removal of covers. In the 2008 photo there is virtually no creeping bentgrass visible as we never provided an advantage for the bent. 2009 you can see a change taking place. Now in 2011 following the removal of the covers...Advantage Bentgrass. Interestingly there is a diverse population of multiple varieties of creeping bentgrass, as would be expected on a 113 year old course.

One question I'm often asked is do you overseed? No we do not. The bentgrass that's creeping and filling in is grass that's always been there. We're just providing it an environment where it can thrive.

If you study the photo of our 12th green from the summer of 2009 to the spring of 2011 you can see how the bentgrass has not only been spreading, but also colonizing into larger groups. As we continue to provide adventitious conditions for the bentgrass it continues to thrive and compete against the poa.

Pretty cool stuff

Spring Snow Event

2011-04-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

The Forecasters were calling for 1-2" of snow last night. This is surely not unusual for Minnesota, but after a long snow covered winter, just not what many of us had in mind for the month of April. It hasn't been a great opening week, weather wise it's been cool and cloudy. The extended forecast shows temperatures barely making 50 degrees. For those courses with winter damage to their fine turf areas, this weather is not conducive for aiding turf recovery. Patience will be needed for the Superintendents and golfers alike and hopefully May will provide us with some warmer conditions.

Covers Removed and Course Clean-up Begins

2011-04-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

# 4 green

This past Wednesday we removed all the covers from the greens. Based on reported conditions around the Twin Cities, I'm quite pleased with the condition of our greens. There are a few blemishes on a few greens such as 4, 6 and 13, but these are minor and will recover or can be repaired quite easily. The green with the most damage was on the 1st green. Damage occurred in the middle of the green (a very strange location) in a 250 sq. ft. area. The plants have severe leaf tissue damage, but the crowns of the plants and the roots appear healthy. We have covered this area in an attempt to raise the soil temperature to try and stimulate some growth. We will attempt this method first so we can determine what our next phase in the recovery process might be. Hopefully the plants are not completely dead.

The covers we utilized to protect our greens through the winter are an impermeable plastic. We use this type of cover to protect the plants from free water or ice. We also install a 1/8" rolls of foam to protect the plants from freeze/thaw cycles which can also kill plants in the middle of the winter. Although we are trying to eliminate free water from reaching the plants in winter, one disadvantage to the impermeable cover is that no snow melt is allowed on the greens. So when we remove our covers, the greens are dry and require water very soon following the removal. A lesson we have learned the hard way in the past. Now with the use of our TDR 300 moisture sensor we can easily monitor our moisture levels.

This year, only two days after removing covers greens needed water asap. We checked moisture levels as soon as the covers were removed as well as the following 2 days. It was obvious with moisture levels falling below 10% or delicate poa annua plants would require water very soon. Since the frost is gone we were able to pressurize the irrigation system on Friday. Based on the plants needs we broke one of the cardinal sins of our Rick Krause, our irrigation technician of 27 years, never pressurize the irrigation system on a Friday. Unfortunately the plants don't know or care what day it is and they needed water. That's two years in a row of breaking that rule, last year we pressurized on a Saturday.

It appears we did a great job with the blow-out last fall with the irrigation system. We were able to pressurize in a little under 2 hours and have no leaks or breaks. Greens we flooded with a 30 minute water cycle and field capacity moisture levels were obtained. The affect of the water on the plants was almost immediate. Good to know we have a solid irrigation system that we can count on, money well spent 8 years ago.

Cover Removal

2011-04-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

Today we will be removing covers from greens. I will keep you posted as to the outcome. I'm staying optimistic even though there are four course's in the Metro that have minor to severe damage on their greens, even with covers. I will post photos later today or tomorrow. Hoping to have the majority of the covers removed as long as the wind doesn't get too strong. Watch the twitter feed for the most up-to-date information.

A Lot of Changes in the Past Two Weeks

2011-03-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the last two weeks we have seen quite a few changes on the course. The way the weather looks today it the changes keep on coming. I thought I would share a few photos of the golf course over the past two weeks. Last week Nick and I shoveled the snow away from all of our drain inlets to aid the process of melting snow exiting the course. There was a great deal of ice in many of the low spots on fairways, but from what we have observed, the turf appears, at this time, to be healthy, despite areas that had 4-6 of ice build-up.

Opening drains so the water can exit the course

Ice on 4 fairway-March 15th

In one weeks time the majority of snow has melted but we continue to have snow cover on many fairways, just not at the depth we had a week ago. That was of course until today with the addition of 3-6 inches of wet snow.

Yesterday I walked the course to take a better look at our fine turf areas. At this point in the season, I like what I see. Obviously the tees look outstanding. The bentgrass is in perfect condition. The fairway turf also looks very good and even the poa looks pretty darn good. We've had snow cover on the golf course since the 10th of November, that's over 140 days of continual snow cover and we're receiving additional snow today that will last at least another week. All indications show our snow mold protection to be holding up. A few areas are questionable, but at this point it appears to be superfical and will not be a factor towards the quality of the turf. What happens in the next few weeks will be any ones guess. Hopefully snow melt will occur quickly and the surfaces will begin to dry out.

#12 red tee

Poa on #12 Approach

#12 Fairway

As far are the quality of the turf under the covers? I have only peeked under the covers on #1 and #2. From what I've seen, the turf looks very good. The anticipation of pulling all covers drives me crazy this time of year. I just want to look at them all and know what the status is of each green. There's nothing we can do at this point but to wait for warmer weather. It'll come and when it does we'll be ready.

A view from under the cover #2 green

New Course Bird Feeders

2011-03-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

After 15 years of abuse from the wildlife on the golf course it was time to replace our bird feeders. Typically we feed the birds throughout the winter months(November - March) as part of our Certified Audubon Sanctuary Program. The supplemental feed helps the birds survive the harsh Minnesota winters.
Instead of purchasing the new feeders from a supply store we sought out one of our members who is quite the woodworker/craftsman. Mr. Wally May, long time Minikahda member donated his time to make us 5 new bird feeders. Being the very meticulous person that he is, Mr. May took several specific measurements and looked at several different styles of bird feeders before constructing the first one. After finishing the first feeder, several small adjustments were made to make the next several feeders even better, with the final design meeting Mr. May's expectation.
Pictured below is Mr. May delivering the 5th and final feeder to us at the grounds department. Mr. May delivered the feeders as "raw" constructed material, so they would need a couple good coats of quality stain to prevent rotting and weathering.

Pictured above left is John Jarosz applying the first coat of stain. Above right is the finished look after a couple of coats of stain. The last and final step will be to attach the new feeders to the mounting posts.

A special thanks goes out to Mr. Wally May. We at the grounds department really appreciate time and pride that Mr. May took to construct the feeders. With the quality and attention to detail, these bird feeders will last for many, many years.

Where Does All Our Irrigation Water Go?

2011-03-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Looking out over the golf course this time of year it might seem strange to see a topic discussing irrigation water usage. But winter is a great time of year to run some calculations and review our water usage from the previous year. Water usage in our industry tends to be a topic discussed by many Superintendents as well as our association leaders so we feel it's in our best interest to track where our water goes on the golf course.

Do we have a water crisis? Based on the amount of snow we have this year most in our state would probably say no. But what would happen if local and state leaders began to regulate our industries water usage? This is a question Nick and I have discussed the past few years. One question we have asked ourselves is what would happen if we were asked by the Minnesota DNR (regulators of our water use) to restrict our usage by, say 10%. What would we do? Where would we look at reducing our input? How would we communicate with our members and what information would we have to back those decisions? Important questions but difficult to answer if you don't have the data.

Thankfully we keep diligent records of our water usage and the programs we run on a daily basis in season. Each program is listed on a sheet and the time or amount of water applied is recorded. When each program is run, our Toro Site-Pro irrigation controller automatically calculates how many gallons are used for a particular program. Nick then calculates the gallons used for each program throughout the season. We then end up with totals for each area of the golf course, green, tees, fairways, rough, clubhouse lawn and a few other programs we utilize. Currently we have four years worth of specific data.


Daily log of irrigation cycles and rainfall amounts

Changes in our irrigation practices as well as changes in our sward of turf from predominately poa annua to creeping bentgrass has allowed us to work at adjusting our watering philosophy from nightly light watering cycles to deep and infrequent cycles. Obviously weather conditions greatly dictate when and how much we water and can greatly impact our consumption from year to year. But by tracking our water usage on each area of the course we feel we have some valuable information.

Site-Pro Irrigation Programs

Shows that gallons of water used for a specific days usage

This season we will monitor greens moisture on a daily basis using the TDR 300 moisture sensor. By knowing what our daily soil moisture content is and where that level needs to be maintained for healthy turf I fore see a reduction of water usage on our greens. This is because we will only be applying water to reach field capacity when we know we reach our wilt point threshold as opposed to when we think we have reached our threshold. Additionally since we have 21 greens with 21 different requirements we have now developed 21 separate greens programs. We will still have the capability of watering all 21 greens on any given night, but we can also add or eliminate water to a green based on its requirement. Watering all greens when some don't require it, is not only a waste of water, but can create unhealthy conditions for the turf and inconsistent playing conditions for the golfer.

Here's a closer look at our irrigation usage over the past 4 season.

	2007	2008	2009	2010
Greens	841,959	874,874	940,503	598,216
Main PG	8,639	23,997	81,787	74,859
Hedge Green	no program	9,876	43,659	37,197
Chipper Green	no program	21,902	89,582	86,992
Tees	4,264,375	3,477,955	3,809,864	3,130,119
Surrounds	1,313,606	1,105,263	1,008,137	476,744
Fairways	8,150,787	6,854,786	6,848,072	4,899,798
Rough	9,091,439	8,296,344	6,822,187	6,688,950
DR Tee	341,856	308,304	290,304	226,800
DR Fairway	756,648	622,728	648,000	608,256
SG Tee	577,512	342,252	438,480	332,316
Nurseries	93,744	75,600	22,680	41,580
Fescue Bunkers	0	0	255,312	0
Fairway Hotspots	129,600	269,640	232,380	84,924
MSF	145,451	106,184	152,162	89,910
CH Lawn	467,820	405,720	69,000	160,928
Fairway Landing Zones	no program	no program	no program	no program
Total	26,185,443	22,797,433	21,754,118	17,539,599

Rainfall (inches)	22.67	16.11	21.24	25.19

A New Champion

2011-03-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

This past weekend the skeet shooters declared a new 2010-11 Cookout Shootout Champion. Young Gun Max Smith captured the trophy of Cookout Shootout Champion by edging his father Pat by 2 shots. Max shot combined score of 43 while his dad could only muster a 41. Max not only won the annual Cookout Shootout trophy, but he also won the 1st annual Wobble Shootout trophy just 2 weeks prior. With a steady hand he again managed to out due his father by posting a combined score of 42, once again 2 shots better than his dad. Not bad for someone who had never shot wobble skeet before.

Max Smith-Cookout Shootout and Wobble Shootout Champion

With only about 3 weekends remaining in the season we have yet to declare a season winner for Large Bore and Small Bore Champions. A total of five rounds need to be declared to qualify for the award. The way Max Smith's been shooting, who knows he could be the first and only to have his name etched in all four trophy's in the same season. Best of Luck to all the shooters.

Alex Knopick, set and ready at station 7

Long time member (42 yrs) Dr. Don Mosser and his wife Janet, entertaining the group with one of his many stories

Shooters Bill Schmoker, Max Smith, Pat Smith and Pat Moran

Mointoring Winter Soil Temperatures

2011-03-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

Since the winter of 2005 we have been monitoring the soil temperature under 3 of our greens covers, from the time the covers are installed in the fall until the covers are removed the following spring. During the winter of 2004 we experienced significant dessication to our turf on the majority of our greens. One of our biggest questions at that time was when did the winter kill occur? We all know as long as it's winter and we have snow cover, there's nothing we can do if winter kill has taken place, but we figure it's sure better to know when and why it happened than to know nothing at all.


Data Loggers are located on greens 6, 7 and 12

The installation of the Watchdog Data Logger is an easy device to utilize. We can set the monitor to gather data from every minute to every 2 hours. We gather data every 2 hours and it can store enough data to last 365 days. The data logger is installed next to the green and two cables are installed under the cover. One monitors soil temperature and one monitors the temperature between the cover and the green. The data logger also gathers ambient air temperature. Typically we will leave the monitor on the course all winter and unless there's some really unique weather patterns that may indicate to us the turf is in jeopardy, we have no real reason, besides curiosity, to bring the data loggers in to down load the information.

So today, out of curiosity and the fact that we have a Grounds Committee meeting this week, I wanted to look at the information and see where we stand at this point in the season. After gathering this information for the past 6 years, one thing we have found to be very consistent, once the ground freezes and we have snow cover, no matter the warming of the air temperature, the soil has yet to get above 32 degrees until the snow is completely gone and the frost comes out of the ground. Additionally once we have snow cover the fluctuation in soil temperatures is very minimal no matter how cold we get and no matter how warm it gets.

It appears from the information gathered today, the above information continues to hold true. This year we installed the covers on November 10th, the following day we had 8" of snow. The ground never really froze. We do not have a deep frost this year. Since the soil temperatures were unable to freeze before the snow event, the snow has insulated the ground very well. Interestingly the soil temperature under the covers has been consistently at 30.6 degrees and 31.4 degrees for the past 3 months.

The coldest recorded air temperature was on January 21st, at -26.8 degrees. Due to the insulation of the covers and the snow, soil temperatures remained at 31.4 degrees. Then on February 13th we were having our mid-winter thaw, air temperatures reached a high of 49.6 degrees. Soil temperatures remained at 30.6 degrees.

Past history has shown us that temperatures that remain steady and below freezing, our fine turf areas have emerged from winter in great condition. What will happen this year has yet to be seen, we have a lot of snow remaining and a good 4-6 week to go before we will have a good answer. But until that time, we know only what the data logger information is at this point. If anything was out of the ordinary, it would still remain out of our control. Now the question remains, what kind of damage might we see from snow mold?

Staff Outing

2011-02-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

Typically, every winter I take our full-time staff on a winter excursion of one type or another. Last year we toured the Twins Target Field, we've also visited Turfco Manufacturing in Blaine, Toro's Corporate headquarters in Bloomington and have also gone bowling or found other types of fun activities we can do as a group. It's a nice way to incorporate an activity to our winter chores and take a break as a group, sometimes to learn more about a company in our industry and sometimes just to go and have some fun as a team.

Joseph Garske, Founder of Par Aide

This year we finally made our way north to Lino Lakes to visit Par Aide Products, Inc. The owner of Par Aide, Steve Garske along with Dan Brown, Scott Melling and Mike Hillard were gracious hosts. Par Aide has a long history in the golf industry and you would be hard pressed not to find a Par Aide product on just about every golf course in the world. Steve spent the first hour of our excursion explaining the history of Par Aide and how their business has evolved throughout the years and then gave us an in depth tour of the manufacturing plant. Par Aide was started by his late father, Joseph Garske in the 1950's and has been a leader in the industry ever since.

Steve Garske showing us a raw cast version of the ballwashers

A traditional red Par Aid Ballwasher

Assembling ballwashers by hand.

Applying a powder coat of red paint to flagsticks

The majority of all products manufactured by Par Aide is done so right there in their 35,000sqft facility with only a staff of 30 full-time employees. Not a very big facility for a company that has such a global influence in the game of golf. Following our tour we were able to enjoy a nice lunch together. Since Steve is a big race car fanatic and our Mechanic Ken Diethert drag races on the weekends, they really enjoyed the company of each other exchanging race talk for the duration of the lunch. I have to believe this was the highlight for both of these guys :)

Thanks to Steve Garske and the guys at Par Aide for taking the time to show us their facilities. It sure is wonderful having all of these major manufactures in the golf industry right in our back door.

No Need to Panic, It's still Winter

2011-02-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

Typically throughout the winter I make no attempt to scout the golf course, my rule is as long as there's snow cover and it's frozen there is nothing we can do to change what Mother Nature has in store for us anyways. Last week many of us in the golf industry attended the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Florida and for me that's my indicator as to when we need to get on the course and check it out. Since the 10th of November the golf course has been covered in snow. A lot of snow. We are at twice our annual snow accumulation for this time of year.

So with the forecast this week predicting above normal temperatures, I thought it would be wise to scout the golf course and see where things are at. But I really don't have much to report, and we should all look at that as a good thing. Snow depths are anywhere from 12-24" and over 95% of the course is covered in snow. That's a lot of snow to melt in the next 6 weeks and guaranteed we will have more snow before we see green blades of grass.

So if you're a snowbird or have vacation plans scheduled, stick to your plan, it's going to be a while before we even begin to consider when we might be open for play.

Bunker rakes almost complete!

2011-01-26T11:41:00.001-08:00

After 1 1/2 weeks of repairing and sanding the 300 bunker rakes the time has finally come to begin the staining process. As stated in a previous blog post, Rick and Johnny take on this monotonous, somewhat monumental task every winter. The first picture shows roughly half of the rakes after being repaired and sanded with the other half shown in the other picture hang drying after the stain has been applied. It is quite the smelly, dirty job, but in the end the rakes will look like new and be ready for another season on the golf course. As with all of the course supplies, Rick and Johnny do a fantastic job!

Winter Maintenance Activities

2011-01-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

Over the next two weeks Rick and Johnny are faced with the large task of sanding and staining over 300 bunker rakes. Environmental conditions can take its toll on our wood bunker rakes. Sun, heat, cold, rain, extended moisture, sand and irrigation water can all take its toll on the wood. Insuring we can extend the life of the rake as long as we can is important to us and if putting a little extra work into maintaining that life is what it takes, we would put our best effort forth.

Rick Krause

Johnny Jarosz

Kenny and Ryan have also been quite busy preparing equipment for the upcoming season. Ryan is currently working on the Toro 4000 rough mower, replacing bearing and various other parts that are showing wear. Kenny's in the "zone" focusing his attention on the fine turf reel mowers. The majority of the mower work will be completed by the end of January.

These guys do so much of the behind the scenes work. Without them we could not have the quality of an operation that we have.

Make the Most of Educational Opportunities

2011-01-07T07:43:00.001-08:00

This week my staff and I attended the Northern Green Expo at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Three days of education, an excellent trade show and maybe one of the most important aspects to me, networking with my peers. For some in the industry I hear about how the classes are poor, the vendor booths are small, and the typical negative comments that we hear from these same negative individuals. But that's not me. I love the conventions, the conferences, the education and the networking.

I've been fortunate to be in the golf industry a long time (this year will be my 20th year) and I still find there's always something new to learn. After 20 years there's a lot of information I've heard before, but to hear it again is always a good reminder, a good refresher and a good way to reflect on the past year and reevaluate our programs and philosophy's for the upcoming season. Sure there are some seminars that don't meet your expectations from time to time, but for me I typically will use that time to reflect and take notes. It's amazing what pops into your head. Thoughts I can't always get my head around in the office where there are a hundred distractions.

When attending a conference or seminar I always have a pencil and notepad. Thoughts regarding the presentation, tips, websites posted, or heck even personal goals, visions or even a reminder to get milk on the way home tonight. Use that time to be productive. Your clubs not paying your way to make it a day off and waste the day at the bar. Take every opportunity to meet with vendors and visit with your constituents. Make the most out of every opportunity.

Now that our local educational opportunity this week is complete, it's time to reflect on my notes, follow up on my thoughts and do my best to meet the goals and thoughts I was able to reflect on during the seminars. In a few weeks Nick and me will be headed to Orlando for the Golf Industry Show. Another excellent opportunity to meet with local and maybe more importantly national friends and colleagues, renew old friendships as well as network and develop new friendships throughout the industry. All in all I enjoy using these educational opportunities to grow personally and professionally and bring new ideas back to the golf course to utilizes in a way which make the golf course better for our members.

Maintenance Shop Upgrades

2011-01-03T09:03:00.001-08:00

We take great pride in keeping our facilities here in great shape. Every year we look for new ways to improve the facilities to make them more environmentally friendly. This year we have made two improvements so far. The first being replacing the service door that goes into the paint booth room. The old door had no insulation and rotten weather stripping, which did a poor job of keeping the heat inside while our crew refurbished course supplies during the winter months. The new door (pictured below) does a much better job of holding in the heat, as it is insulated and has a dual-pane window.
The other upgrade was the replacement of both toilets in the main shop bathrooms. The two old toilets were replaced with new "dual flush" option toilets from American Standard. The new toilets have the option of using a 1.0gallon flush for liquids or 1.6gallon flush for solids. This is a great reduction in water usage as compared to the two old toilets which used 4.0gallons per flush. As you can imagine with a staff of 30 employees during the golfing season, the water savings will add up quickly.

Managing for the Greatest Common Denominator

2010-12-27T12:17:00.001-08:00

Over the last few years much of our turf management philosophy has focused on managing for the greatest common denominator. It’s a topic I have spent a lot of time discussing with a friend and fellow Golf Course Superintendent, Chris Tritabaugh of Northland Country Club in Duluth, Minnesota. During these discussions we have both concluded that many of us manage for the lowest common denominator. This is to say as superintendents our ultimate job is to maintain the golf course in such a manner that we never lose turf. No matter what the species, no matter what the cultivar, our job is to see that no turf is lost.

So what does that really mean? Basically there are two types of turf that Superintendents in the northern region of the country manage, creeping bentgrass and poa annua. We all know that creeping bentgrass is the stronger species of turf and poa annua is the weaker species. However, on average most Superintendents will manage for the weaker grass type, poa annua. Why? If poa annua is the weaker grass why do we manage it, support it and spend thousands of dollars keeping it alive when a stronger species is also present?

Many in the golf industry know that for the past 3 years we have been working with the consulting firm of Greenway Golf and have been implementing many ideas and concepts from Marc Logan, all in an attempt to promote and manage for, on our greens, tees and fairways, creeping bentgrass. Many of the concepts have been around for decades, Marc has just been able to incorporate some old concepts with new technology. The philosophy is based on cultural and nutritional concepts that encourage the promotion of the greatest common denominator, creeping bentgrass. Good, solid, practical greenkeeping.

It’s quite interesting if you really think about it. Superintendents go out of their way every day to make sure they don’t lose the weakest strand of turf on their fine turf areas. Extra water required to keep the plants alive during the heat of the summer, or additional fertility necessary to feed and maintain the weaker species and frequent fungicide applications insuring disease does not kill the less healthy plant.

Over 15 years ago I worked for a Superintendent by the name of Scott Austin. Scott had been the Super at Midland Hills Country Club in St. Paul, MN for 20 years. His greens were firm, fast and made up of a majority of creeping bentgrass. Greens were single cut with Toro 1000’s at .125”, never rolled and stimped around 10’ to 10.5’ daily. One thing we never did in the 4 years I worked for him was hand water greens. His theory…"if we start to syringe greens in the afternoon, that plant is then going to become conditioned to receiving this water and we don’t want that to happen.” Deep infrequent watering cycles was how he managed. Sure there was poa in his greens, but even the poa was conditioned and evolved to accept those conditions.

After my time at Midland Hills, I made the move to Minikahda, this was 15 years ago. The poa plants on our greens had been conditioned to the point if the sun was high and shining, you better have a hose in your hand or you were going to lose some turf. My goal in the first 5 years I was the Supt. here at Minikahda was to try and find a way to condition the poa to not be so weak. Find a way to reduce the dependence on daily hand watering and nightly water cycles. Find a way to reduce the dependence on high fertility inputs, namely nitrogen.

Now fast forward to the past 3 years. Out goal since hiring Greenway Golf is to slowly transition our greens to a predominately creeping bentgrass stand. How are we doing that? We are doing this by favoring the stronger grass species through cultural and nutritional practices; managing for the highest common denominator. Acid based fertilizers, deep infrequent watering cycles, and reducing surface disturbance to the finer turf playing surfaces are all a part of our philosophy.

This past summer through no one’s fault but my own, I got a little aggressive in trying to force the growth of the creeping bentgrass population. In the process we lost some poa annua. Did we lose it all, no, but we did lose bio-types of poa annua, which were typically the ones which we had to “baby” to make it through the summer. We lost the bio-types we always worked our butts off to keep alive. We lost the lowest common denominators.

As we progress through our journey to manage for the stronger species, I know there are many out there who are nay sayers, they shake their heads, they think to themselves, what we are doing can’t be done. You’re always going to have poa to deal with. I say fine, your right, poa annua will always be around to deal with. In fact we have some very strong and resilient bio-types of poa annua in our finer turf areas. Great, if they are the strongest type then they deserve to be here right along with our stronger bent varieties. In the meantime as we transition, there may be times when we may lose some poa annua. If by chance those bio-types can’t handle what we are doing, then they probably don’t belong to be in the mix with the greatest common denominators.

The evolution of turf species on a green can be quite interesting to watch. If the turf is over managed, meaning over-watered and over-fertilized, it’s my feeling that those plants then become dependent on those inputs to survive. Reduce or remove those inputs and those plants will struggle to survive under the same maintenance regime. If those same inputs are slowly weaned from the system those plants adjust and evolve to accept those changes and during the process, the greatest common denominator (creeping bentgrass) begins to become the dominant species as it requires less inputs than poa annua.

Our ultimate goal of a dominant stand of creeping bentgrass on our greens and fairways will take time. There is no magic formula, just persistence and patience. But in the long run through our change in philosophy we will continue to provide excellent playing surfaces as well as provide a sustainable managed golf course.

Cross Country Ski Trails

2010-12-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

As with every winter here at Minikahda we try to provide the very best for a cross country ski trail. Late last winter we were able to get an upgrade in grooming equipment, making the grooming process much more efficient. Below is a picture of the new snowmobile and Ginsu groomer, capable of laying a cut track for inline skiing and a corduroy track for skate skiing.

This year Mother Nature has provided us with more than enough snow so far to have some great trails. With close to 4 miles of ski trails, there is more than enough room for inline and skate skiers to enjoy the trails. See the map below for the available ski and walking/snowshoeing routes. (click on the map for an enlarged view)
There are three entry points for the ski trails:
A. lower parking lot
B. bath house parking lot by #18 green

C. cartpath by #9 green tee

ENJOY THE TRAILS!!!

Chimney Swift Tower

2010-12-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

As environmental stewards, we always look to continue and improve upon our Audubon program. Joining Minnesota's Audubon "Chimney Swift Conservation Project" would be another great addition.

The bird, Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica), often called the "flying cigar", has seen a 50% decline in population over the past 4 decades. The Chimney Swift typically has only one brood per season in our area beginning sometime in May, with most clutches having 3-5 eggs. After an incubation period of about 3 weeks, the hatchlings are practicing flight inside the tower and flying outside the tower by the 4th week. Although a tower will only house one nesting pair per year, many other Chimney Swifts (up to the hundreds) will use the tower as a roost. We have routinely seen Chimney Swifts flying around the grounds of Minikahda during our annual "Bird Watch", mostly during the dawn and dusk times of day.
Since 1995 the Texas-based Driftwood Wildlife Association has been in charge of monitoring and promoting the conservation of these birds throughout North America. Our contribution to the project would be to construct a Chimney Swift Tower and install it somewhere on the grounds of Minikahda. After doing some additional research and talking with several other people who have already installed a tower, a site was chosen here at Minikahda and the construction process began. With some luck we'll have a nesting pair next spring.

More information about the project and Chimney Swifts in our area can be found here: at Minnesota Audubon Chimney Swift

The link below has some great photos of the entire nesting cycle from an inside the tower view, hopefully this will occur in our tower at Minikahda next year.

Cornell Chimney Swift nestcam

Below is the process of building and installing our tower here at The Minikahda Club.

The three tower sections constructed.

First tower section concreted into the ground.

The three tower sections put together.

The finished Chimney Swift tower, standing just over 14'6".

The Golf Course Trades Magazine Article

2010-12-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

In the December issue of The Golf Course Trades magazine, I was fortunate to write this issues featured article. If you have a moment please read the article titled, My Turning Point. The article gives an inside look into how and why we have changed our management philosophy towards managing our finer turfgrass plants.

There's more to our Gardens then Deadheading and Watering

2010-12-01T06:19:00.001-08:00

Maybe one of the most under appreciated members of our staff and an individual, if not for his work, would almost go unnoticed (and that's really the way he likes it). Dick Axum, Head Gardener (our only Gardener) has been a member of our Grounds Staff for the past 21 years. In a way Dick works behind the scenes, quietly and diligently going about his work attending to one plant at a time.

The back bone of the gardens, the basis for Dick's madness, is built behind the compost which he makes every fall. For the past 15 years Dick has been making his own compost to add to gardens throughout the golf course and around the club house. All material used for the compost is generated on the property. Compost materials include all of the annual flowers that are removed each fall, Halloween outdoor decorations such as corn stalks, straw bales, and even food scraps that Dick brings from his house each week to deposit on his pile. The backbone to his composting is about 5 loads of leaves collected from the golf course in the fall.

Dick will spend about 4-6 weeks in the later part of November and the month of December grinding leaves and building his compost which will be used next fall. Typically once the leaves and other organic material has been ground and piled, the pile will sit for about 9 months before any of it's used.

One amendment which we would like to begin adding to his pile this year will be coffee grounds from the club house. We want to be able to utilize as much material from our facility as possible to recycle and we feel coffee grounds will be a good place to start. Coffee grounds have a very good nutrient analysis and is a excellent amendment to add to our compost pile. Since we will be using coffee grounds from the club house, this will be a team effort by the waitstaff to save the coffee grounds for our usage. Initially it will take some work to get in place, but like most changes it will only take some time to make the adjustment and the commitment.

No matter the conditions, Dick works through it to make sure his compost pile is made. Quite a determined and focused individual.

Hundreds of tulip bulbs are planted each fall in the front bed.

Multiple containers are positioned around the clubhouse. Dick does a wonderful job keeping the flowers in bloom all season long.

Pool and snack bar area.

The clubs rose gardens are spectacular. Dick invests a great deal of care and attention to each rose plant and it shows. Many of these plants are at least 20 years old.

Dick really has a relationship with his gardens and the soil. He knows and understands how each garden is different and knows what can and will grow, or will not grow in each location. As I watch Dick develop his compost and care for the soils I am reminded of a paragraph from Joel Salatin's book The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer,

"Take a handful of good compost, full of microbes. Bury your nose in it and inhale deeply. Now take a handful of any drug, pesticide, any chemical fertilizer. Bury your nose in it. Inhale deeply. Which relationship would you rather have?"

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T07:14:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all. We have so much to be thankful for.

Wiley Coyote

2010-11-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

After several neighbors and the neighboring country club (Interlachen CC) saying they had seen a Coyote in the area, he/she finally decided to show up here at Minikahda. While filling our bird feeders i got this picture of "Wiley" by the #8 green. With the large volume of rabbits and squirrels around the neighborhood, it is really no surprise that a Coyote is around, as small animals is their main food source. In some cases there have been reports of small packs of coyotes taking down a whitetail deer, but that's pretty unlikely around here. Another great specimen of wildlife roaming the grounds of Minikahda.

Whitetail buck video

2010-11-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

The other day i posted about a Whitetail buck and that we had seen several on the golf course. Last Friday John Jarosz and I got to see one of the other big bucks, but got no pictures. Today i was ready with my camera in hand as i walked to work. I was treated with the picture and video linked below. I was literally 6 feet from this monster Whitetail buck, i still can't believe it happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5EhdRNAz6E

Minikahda Buck

2010-11-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

Last year we posted about a large whitetail buck on the grounds of Minikahda, well this year is no different. Only a few days after putting up our bird feeders we have visitors. Today at about 11am this whitetail buck decided to literally knock over two of the bird feeders so that he could fill his belly with our wild bird seed. Not the intent of our bird feeders, but exciting to see none the less. One of the reasons you see deer this time of year is that it is rutting season, when mating takes place. The rut typically lasts for about three weeks, ending sometime around Thanksgiving in most of Minnesota. Recently we have seen as many as six does running around the golf course, the exact reason why we have now seen the bucks. Below is a couple pictures of the buck seen today.

Pesticide Container Recycling

2010-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

Recently i found a company that will recycle your pesticide containers for free. The company is Container Services Network and they have many locations around the country mostly for the agriculture industry. Only a few requirements were necessary: triple rinse all containers and place the small containers in the large bags that they provide, contact them a few days prior to drop off and sign a few documents. Today we loaded up the 1 ton dump truck (see the picture below) with all of the pesticide containers that we have stockpiled from this year. It was quite the load. It is always nice to do things like this, as these plastics that would last for many, many years in a landfill will now be turned into other products. It also saved us money by not paying for a dumpster.

Six Tee Step Installation

2010-11-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

This week the much requested steps were installed on the 6th hole. These steps lead golfers down the slope from the white tee to the green tee. West Lake Landscape, from Hopkins, did a great job with the installation. I know when the golf season rolls around next spring this will be a nice surprise for the men and women who use the green tee.

One interesting surprise during the installation. While the contractors were digging in the soil, they uncovered a very old animal bone. The bone is quiet large an appears it could be from a cow or an animal of that size. Interestingly the tee area on six was built in the fall of 1996 with soil from the pond on 6 when the old liner in the pond was removed and the pond was dug to it's current depth. So we are assuming when this animal died, it died around the pond. The bone is in very good condition and of course we have no idea how old it is. But since the golf course was built over 111 years ago, this is what we believe to be an old bone.

Tree Management-Often Goes Unnoticed

2010-11-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Tree management is a critical aspect of properly managing any parkland style golf course. Here at Minikahda we have close to 2000 trees on the property that require maintenance. We are fortunate to have a budget that allows us to properly maintain our vast stand of trees. Tree trimming is the bases for the majority of the budget expense, but along with properly trimming we also incur expenses for treating our crab apple trees in the spring for apple scab, treating close to 75 American elm trees for Dutch elm disease and now we are looking at treating our Green ash trees for Emerald Ash bore and miscellaneous tree and brush removal (all hardwood material is removed from the course, we do not chip any of the wood on site).

One of my goals 9 years ago was to methodically work our way through the entire golf course making sure that every tree was able to get properly trimmed. We reached that goal two years ago. We are now in our process of making our way through the golf course for the second time. During the first stage, there were many trees trimmed where it was obvious they had never been trimmed before. Now that those trees have received a trim I expect that the second go round might not take us a full 7 years to complete as the second time through should take our trimmers less time.

Trimming the Oak behind #17 tee

During the summer months when storms roll through or during periods of sustained winds is when the greatest benefits of our tree management program can been seen. In the past the golf course would be a complete mess from debris that had fallen from the trees. Now with a more complete tree trimming program in place the amount of clean-up is minimal. An organized well planned out trimming program pays dividends.

For the past 30 years, Tim's Tree Service, has been the main tree service utilized for all the tree removals and trimming projects. Its great to have a contractor that we can count on, knows the course, knows what we want and is willing to drop everything to make sure our needs are met. One thing we have learned over that past few years is, the earlier we can have Tim's here in the fall the greater the production. In years past we were scheduled for work in December or January. With colder temperatures and usually snow on the ground, there is no doubt that the same amount of work was not being accomplished for the same dollars.

The left rough of #17

This year our main focus of our tree trimming will be on holes 15, 16 and 17. I am hopeful we will be able to complete the trimming of all the trees on these holes before we use up the allotted budgeted amount for our fall trimming.

Since the majority of our tree maintenance work is completed in the fall, after the golf course is closed, most members never see the work that is completed or realize the benefits gained or the work that goes into maintaining a healthy stand of trees.

Course Closing

2010-11-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, November 7th will be the last day for golf this season. Daylight is getting shorter, temperatures are getting colder and frost delays are more prevalent. This time of year we are asked almost daily when the last day for golf will be? Usually this becomes a day to day decision, but this year we have picked a day. By selecting a specific day, this allows the golfers to plan accordingly and it also allows us to plan more precisely when we will make our final fungicide applications, begin covering the greens as well as inform seasonal staff as to when their final days will be. Not only is this important for our staff but it also helps the golf shop with their jobs and staffing arrangements as well as the club house and any decisions they have to make.

The month of October was a wonderful month for golf and I hope many of you were able to enjoy the weather and the golf course.

The End of the Season Preparations

2010-10-27T10:02:00.001-07:00

In a few days we will have reached the end of October. After the 31st of October any days of golf in November are "extra" days. Once the 1st of November arrives we are typically able to keep the golf course open through the 1st weekend, after that, I like to say anything goes and once we see a change in weather conditions for the worse we have the ability to close the course as soon as required to place covers on the greens. Once that process is in place, that's it, we are officially closed for the year.

Next Monday, the 1st of November, we will be blowing out the irrigation system. We have around 1200 irrigation heads that need to be blown out and the entire process can take anywhere from 6-8 hours. Following the blowout of the system we will then be focusing on applying our final fungicide applications to the golf course. This application to greens, tees and fairways is to protect the plants from pink and gray snow mold. We typically want to make these applications as late in the season as possible and definitely after our final mowing of the season.

We also try to time the covering of our greens as late as we possibly can. We don't to cover the greens when the soil temperatures are too warm and the plants are still growing, we wouldn't want to encourage growth or fungi from growing under the cover. We also need a calm day to cover. As little as a 5 mph wind can create quite a stir and make the process of applying the covers quite difficult. Because of this, it can take us up to 3 days to cover 19 greens, if we have to stop and wait for another day when the weather cooperates.

2010-10-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Juvenile Balded Eagle Injured

I just came across this information when a volunteer from the Raptor Center posted a comment on my blog about the rescue of the juvenile bald eagle from a neighbors chimney. Apparently it was caught in the chimney and had broken it's leg in two locations and had some torn tendons. I have placed a call to the Raptor Center in St. Paul and am hoping to soon have an update on the condition of the bird. Once I have that update I will let you all know the status of the bird.

Collecting Moisture Readings on Greens

2010-10-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

This summer we purchased a moisture sensor from Spectrum Technologies. The TDR 300. This mobile tool allows us to take moisture readings anywhere on the golf course. With the purchase of additional probes we are able to take readings at 1.5", 3.5" and 8". Currently we are taking readings on greens at 3.5".

As of this past week we implemented another job for the individual who changes the hole locations. It's during this time in the morning when we will take 9 readings on every green, every day. When turned on the tool resets itself and for each of the 9 reading it will also tell the accumulative average. So each morning we are able to have the average moisture reading of each individual green. We will use these numbers to base our irrigation practices after and it will provide us with the information to know what greens will require water first and how far we can push the greens before they reach a wilt point.

After working on the course for the past 14 years I did not need this tool to tell us what greens are our wettest and which ones are typically our driest. But now with the information we have we can do a better job of fine tuning each green and do a better job of matching moisture from green to green. We are also going to have a better idea of how far we can stretch irrigation cycles before we need to re-wet the profile.

Bunker Work at #3

2010-10-01T08:44:00.001-07:00

Last week Nick worked on the left green side bunker on #7, this week he is repairing and adjusting the bunker edge on #3. With the original construction there was a small collection area in this bunker that left the golfer with a real difficult shot. We are adjusting the edge of the bunker, bringing it in slightly. Our hope is now if your ball is in the bunker the player can stand in the sand to take the shot and not have to be standing on the turf about 18 inches above the ball.

In the past 8 years a great deal of sand has been blasted onto the face of the bunker. You can see anywhere from 12-18 inched of sand has built up. We are not going to remove all of the sand. This would entail totally rebuilding the face of the bunker and I don't think we want to do that since the turf is very healthy.

And speaking of healthy, the roots of these plants are growing all the way through the sand. Who say's you need to have balanced soils to a healthy plant system?

The finished product.

More Fall Projects

2010-09-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today Nick completed the repair of the front left bunker on 7 green. Over the past 8 years the face of the green side bunker was beginning erode from golfer wear and tear. In the process of rebuilding the bunker we wanted to make sure we mimicked the original construction by our architect Ron Prichard. In order to do that we had to create the edge of the bunker using burlap bags. The slope of the bunker was then back filled and the top of the burlap bag was covered with soil. It should also be noted that the bags needed to be filled about 3/4th full of soil and tamped into place with a square edge.
Once tamped and back filled, the sod could then be laid over the soil and rolled over the burlap bag and into the bunker edge. The sod is then left covering the bag and sand is pushed up to cover the sod. As the sod roots into the soil and the bag we are then left with an edge that provides the laced edge look. A classic bunker look to a classic golf course.

Tree Root Pruning

2010-09-17T13:19:00.001-07:00

Trees on a golf course, love them or hate them, either way they need to be managed. When most people think tree management they usually think about tree trimming, pruning of the branches, or managing for disease or insect infestation. As a turf manager we also need to address the impact trees have on the turf. Tree roots although they remain unseen, they can create a great deal of damage to the turf. Damage that usually seems to be a secondary issue, but quite frankly can be the root (no pun intended) of the problem.

Tree roots can grow right into the greens and rob the turf of the water and nutrients needed to grow properly. This past week Rick trenched around the 5th green on the left and back side of the green. There is a large American elm on the left, 2 large oaks and a basswood to the back of the green. As Rick trenched he cut thousands of feeder roots as well as roots measuring 1-2 inches in diameter. After trenching a barrier fabric was installed in the trench so the tree roots could no longer grow in the direction of the green.

For years we have struggled with the health of the turf on the 5th green. Hopefully by cutting the tree roots the health of the turf will gradually improve over the next few years.

Seeding Bentgrass into Fairways

2010-09-17T13:04:00.001-07:00

This past week we slit seeded bentgrass into some of our weaker fairway locations. Of course these weaker fairway turf areas are made up of predominately poa annua. During the course of the summer the weaker, shallower rooted poa annua in many areas on the edges of our fairways around our fairway bunkers checked out. A combination of heat stress as well a loss of poa annua from a disease called Summer Patch, we were left with some pretty thin turf.

During the week of aeration we core aerated the weaker turf areas. This week we slit seeded bentgrass into these same areas. It's getting a little late in the season for seeding bentgrass, but we are hopeful we will see some germination as well as establishment. For the next few weeks we will keep these areas roped off. We want to keep cart traffic off the seeded areas as much as we can so we can increase our chances of success.

Over the past 3 years we have seen a huge swing in our bentgrass population on fairways. So much so that now the majority of our clean-up pass areas (the area where our fairway mower cuts the edge of the fairway) have converted to creeping bentgrass. The only areas where we still have a good stand of poa annua is the edges of fairways next to fairway bunkers and on only a few locations where the fairway and the approach intersect. In another 1-2 seasons I expect the majority of all of these areas to have fully converted to creeping bentgrass. With a few adjustments to our management practices in these areas know we can turn these areas around.

Aeration Week

2010-09-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Looks like the weather is not going to cooperate for us today, drizzle and 15-30 mph winds. The course is closed today so we can begin the process of aerating the course. Today we are in the process of topdressing and deep tine aerating the greens. Unfortunately with the wet weather we might not get the sand broomed on the greens. If this is the case we will wait until tomorrow to complete this process.

For the fairways we are solid tine aerating so there are no cores being pulled. This cultural practice works basically in any weather condition. Although this process is less disruptive for the golfers we will try to complete this task as quickly as we can.

Areas on fairway edges where poa annua is the dominant species we are core aerating these areas. The cores are being removed and then we will over-seed these areas with creeping bentgrass and heavily topdress with sand. These areas will also be roped off to keep our staff as well as golfers from driving in these locations.

For many many years, every year we aerate the 18th fairway there is a section that runs across the fairway that we can't aerate due to an old irrigation pipe that is buried in the fairway. We finally decided to dig the pipe out of the fairway. Once this 4" galvanized pipe is removed, Rick will begin installing drainage into this location on the fairway. If all goes well Rick should have this project completed by either today or at the latest, tomorrow morning.

Due to the cool wet weather we have been experiencing, but fairway bunker faces have become quite thick. Since the course is closed today we are using this opportunity to trim the bunker faces down. Once the fescue is cut down another crew rakes the debris and cleans the bunker area. This task will take the crew the majority of the day to complete.

A View From the Passengers Seat

2010-09-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

In this months The Minikahda Columns September Newsletter, my dog Pepper took over the duties of writing this months Eagle Eye column. I think she did a great job. If you get a chance to talk to her make sure you mention the column, she loves to get positive feedback.

A View from the Passengers Seat
By Pepper Hemmingway

I’m back at the computer giving the boss break so he can spend some time on the course and less time in the office. It seems to me last year I started my article writing about the cool summer we were having, well it looks like this summer was quite the opposite. I know because it was sure hot at the end of July and the first two weeks in August. Now, I have only been around for 12 years and the boss has been in the business for almost 20 and if he says he can’t recall a stretch of weather like we just had, then it must have been a rough stretch.

Apparently when there are extended periods of hot humid weather and nighttime temperatures stay in the 70’s and dew points remain in the 70’s this creates ideal environmental conditions for disease incidence. The boss and staff were busy treating greens, tees and fairways for fungal pathogens during this period of weather. I know, because when the boss hops on a sprayer, I’m relegated to my office bed until he comes back. There was a great deal of chatter amongst the staff about diseases such as brown patch, summer patch, dollar spot and pythium. It appears they’ve got it all under control. It also helps when the weather conditions changed for the better, disease pressure is reduced and the need to apply fungicides is not so necessary.

Not only have we had a hotter than normal summer, there has also been a great deal of rain, sometimes a little too much rain, in the form of downpours. This is not something the boss enjoys seeing, but he doesn’t mind as much with the new bunker design. No longer do the bunkers wash out to the degree they used too and there is little to no contamination from the silt and dirt which just creates a muddy bunker.

Due to all the rain and high humidity the dependence on irrigation water to maintain the golf course has been reduced this season. On average the golf course will require from 25-30 million gallons of water in a season. This summer, year-to-date, only 12 million gallons have been utilized. As we head into fall season the plants requirement for water decreases. By year end the boss expects our total water usage to be well below previous years.

The rain has definitely helped reduce water usage, but another factor is the overall increase in creeping bentgrass on the fairways. This turf species requires less water than the shallow rooted poa annua. Through management techniques of deep and infrequent watering, creeping bentgrass plants can develop deeper roots. Deeper turf plant roots equates to less water and less water helps provide firmer golf conditions and can reduce disease incidence. A deeper rooted plant also requires less fertility inputs. It sounds like there are many benefits to continue to encourage creeping bentgrass as the dominant turf species on the golf course. I may be just a dog but you didn’t know I knew so much about turf management did you?

Fall is a great time of year and a great time to play some golf. I love it because the squirrels are busy storing food for the winter and everyone knows me and my pal Cooper the Yellow Lab, love to chase those squirrels. Remember to check out the boss’s blog sight at www.minikahdagrounds.blogspot.com and follow him on Twitter for course condition updates at www.twitter.com/MinikahdaTurf. Until next year, I will see you on the course.

Fall Projects

2010-08-25T03:26:00.000-07:00

There is a still a lot of golf to be played this year and for the Grounds Department, there are still a lot of projects we want to have completed before the covers are placed on the greens. This year aeration is scheduled for the week of Labor Day. On Tuesday the 7th the course will be closed. We will begin the aeration process on Tuesday the 7th and it will continue throughout the week.

Aeration Schedule
Sept 7th-Deep tine aerate greens, roll, topdress and fertilize.
Begin solid tine aeration of Fairways
We will also be core aerating high poa populated areas on fairways and over-seeding these areas with creeping bentgrass
Sept 8th-Deep tine aerate approaches, roll and topdress
Sept 9th-Solid tine aerate tees, roll and topdress

If the weather cooperates and we have no major equipment issues we should be able to complete the entire aeration process by the end of the week.

6 Tee Stone and Timbers

The old timber edging, timber steps and Pillsbury stone along the 6th tee walk path will all be removed and replaced starting the week of September 20th. West Lake Landscape from Hopkins is the contractor who will be working on this project. This project is quite in depth and will take at least 4 weeks to complete. But once complete this will be the last of the timbers that need to be replaced on the course. Nine years ago we set out to have complete consistency with our landscape throughout the course. This is the last area on the course to have the timbers phased out and the lannen stone phased in.

Drainage

As we work toward increasing our creeping bentgrass population on the fairways we are working hard toward increasing surface drainage wherever we have areas where water stands following heavy rains or extended periods of rain. This past spring we added drainage to fairways 5, 9 and 13 as well as the approach on 16. The next area we will be working is the 18th fairway. First there is an old steel irrigation pipe that's very shallow and needs to be removed before any drainage can be installed. We have good bentgrass in this area of the fairway, but its difficult to maintain firm conditions during periods of extended wet weather, so adding drainage to this area will greatly improve the quality of this fairway area.

Bunker Repair and Maintenance
Due to the excessive temperatures we experienced this summer we have some areas on bunker edges and bunker faces that will require some additional attention. The second week in August we recorded greens surface temperatures reaching 130 degrees, soil temperatures close to 90 degrees. Plants don't function well in those conditions. Those were greens surface temperatures, I have no idea what the temperature was in the bunkers. Turf growing on bunker edges suffered, in some areas more than others and repair will be required.

We have struggled with the quality of the turf on the bunker faces on the left fairway bunker on 16 as well as the first fairway bunker on the right of 16. These are south facing bunkers and additional irrigation is needed. We will be pulling pop-up irrigation heads onto the shoulders. This will allow us to supplement these faces with additional irrigation as needed.

1 Tee Sod Job

The back right corner of the first tee receives a great deal of foot traffic throughout the season. No matter what the maintenance practices are it's difficult to maintain quality turf. On a given round there are typically four players and anywhere from 2-4 caddies that congregate in this area. Last week Rick Krause sodded this area. We will keep it roped off for a number of weeks until the sod has completely knitted and healed.

Following Labor Day we will begin working on these projects and do our best to have them all completed this fall and I'm sure there will be a lot more we can add to the list.

Dutch Elm Disease

2010-08-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

Next Monday we will be removing the large American elm tree behind the 13th green. About 3 years ago this tree showed signs for Dutch elm disease. Since that time we have tried yearly fungicide treatments to protect the tree and in hopes that it would overcome this deadly disease. Unfortunately the tree has lost the battle and will need to be removed. Tim's Tree Service will be removing the tree Monday morning.

Going Organic?

2010-08-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

Organic Golf Course Article

A very good article in the New York Times regarding the Vineyard Golf Club on Martha's Vineyard and their 100% organic approach to managing a golf course. I have often thought that managing a golf course organically could quite possibly be a due able concept. There would need to be some creativity on the Superintendents part and it would require some help from those in the organic farming industry to aid with the process, especially when it comes to insect control. In the process communication to golfers and dealing with loss of turf, especially in the early years would need to be tolerated. After a season like we endured this year with extremely high disease pressure, it would be interesting to see how that could be handled. I think its extremely important for us as Superintendents to think about the concept and go through the thought process as to what could be done to reduce our dependence on fungicides and insecticides. Changing our approach to how we manage with less fertilizer and less pesticides is not an easy proposition and yes at times it takes some GUTS. But change is never easy and going against what has been the norm for the past 30 years and traveling the road less traveled, some times you end up walking alone on the path.

This past 6 weeks, based on environmental conditions, has been one of the most difficult I can remember in my 20 years in the business. The heat, humidity and moisture produced by Mother Nature forced some extremely difficult disease pressure on us. The past 3 summers have been a cake walk compared to this summer. Summer patch, brown patch, dollar spot and pythium, diseases that at times were simultaneously active. I don't recall EVER seeing that in the past. Throughout the tough stretch of weather, yes we applied fungicides to protect our fine turf sward, but we have still reduced our overall dependence on fungicide as well as fertilizers in the past 3 years. In the past we were on a strict preventative fungicide regiment on greens, tees and fairways. Now we continue to treat greens regularly but tees and fairways are only treated on an as needed basis.

By treating only when required it forces us to be more diligent watching the extended weather forecast as well as our scouting for disease incidence on the course and then deciding if we need to make an application or will the weather change and the disease pressure changes and an application would not have been required. Sometimes the weather pattern dictates we spray, whether or not we have seen any fungal activity or not. The last 2 weeks were a good example of that. We knew night time temperatures were going to be in the 70's and daytime temps in the 90's with dewpoints in the 70's for an extended period of time. We treated greens, tees and fairways, knowing full well that pressure for brown patch was ideal. We also were required to spot treat fairways for pythium, multiple times.

Now with cooler nights and limited hot days we will monitor as the conditions dictate and will apply fungicides as we feel are required. But as the temperatures continue to decline and the humidity and dewpoints stay low we might very well be able to not make another fungicide application to tees and fairways until we begin to make our snow mold protection applications in the middle of October. Now wouldn't that be nice.

Wall Street Journal Article

2010-08-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

This Wall Street Journal Article does a great job explaining the stressful summer it has been throughout the country and what golf courses have been dealing with. Thankfully we have not endured these types of conditions in our area(or at least not to this degree), but the past two weeks have been the worst weather conditions in the Minneapolis area regarding heat and continual humidity we have experienced in a long long time. Disease pressure has been off the charts. We have experienced brown patch, pythium blight, dollar spot and summer patch all at the same time. Other courses in the area are also dealing with these issues as well as anthracnose, another potentially destructive disease.

The weather forecasters are predicting the weather to break after this week. Lets hope their forecast holds up or the weather breaks sooner.

How Turf Dies in the Summer

2010-08-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

Click here to see how turf dies in the summer

Every want to know how turf dies in the summer? Here is an excellent 6 minute video explaining how.

Bald Eagles have success!

2010-07-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

If you've followed the blog throughout this season you will have read a few posts about wildlife on the grounds of Minikahda, here's our proudest update. About 15 years ago our local tree company built an Osprey platform in one of the tall Cottonwood trees on the east side of hole #7. After having no success with anything nesting on the platform, the effort became all worth wild this year, as a pair of Bald Eagles chose to call it home. With many of us grounds crew guys and members watching the pair all season the intrigue and wonder; it was in our minds if the pair would have any successful offspring. Today was the proud and happy day that brought the answer to that question. While doing some morning maintenance some crew members spotted something on the ground by the tees on #7, it was one of the adult Bald Eagles standing next to it's offspring! Success! Our hopes had come true, the nesting pair of Eagles just two miles from downtown Minneapolis had raised a young one. Below is a couple pictures of 'Junior' checking out the fairway bunker on #7.

Bathrooms Updated

2010-07-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Along with the restoration work in 2002-03 we rebuilt the on course bathrooms. At the time the updates were great and at the time we had decided to use a toilet that would compost the waste, called a Biolet. Unfortunately the toilets were not designed for the high use we have on the golf course. Last year the decision was made to install septic tanks which we are able to pump empty when needed.

This week Kothrade Sewer, from Hanover, MN, installed two 1000 gallon septic tanks and installed new toilets as well. A 10 inch diameter vent stack was added with a roof fan that will create positive air flow and keep any smells to a minimum. The new set-up should be a win-win. The golfers will have a better environment for a pit stop and our staff will no long have to put themselves in close contact to the waste like they did when they had to empty the Biolet toilets. In order to keep the septic tanks cleaned yearly we will bring in Biffs Company to extract the waste and carry it off site.

There is still a little bit of work that needs to be completed, like epoxy the floors, repainting the walls and painting of the vent stack, otherwise the bathrooms are fully functional and ready for use.

Invitational Photos

2010-07-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

A nice touch to the beginning of the event. A nice Scottish flair for this old Donald Ross course.
First Assistant Nick Folk setting the tournament hole locations.
Assistant Johnny Jarosz, 27 years at Minikahda and nobody can mow a straighter fairway center cut line than Johnny and I mean nobody.

See what I mean? No lines painted, no GPS necessary, all you need is Johnny with his built in radar.

Conversion Progress Update

2010-07-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

So we have been working on converting our greens from their former predominantly poa annua stand to a sward of creeping bentgrass. Beginning in the spring of 2009 we began implementing our change in philosophy and management practices from favoring the poa to favoring the bent. Here are a few photos to show the progressing.

#2 green, April of 2009

#2 green, July 2010

#14 Green, April 2009
#14 Green, July 2010

We have be working with Greenway Golf throughout the process. Does our new management approach work? I think the photos speak for themselves.

The Reason Behind the Madness

2010-07-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

Many members might be wondering why are we trying so hard to convert our greens from a stand of poa annua to creeping bentgrass? They say a photo is worth a thousand words, well this photo should pretty much explain it all. The plug on the left is a sample of the creeping bentgrass and the root system associated with it on our tees. The next plug to the right is a sample of the creeping bentgrass roots on the 15th green. The third sample is a combination of creeping bentgrass and poa annua and the last sample on the right is what our current poa annua root system looks like.

In a typical summer the poa roots might not be as short as they our now, due to the fact that all of our cultural maintenance practices would revolve around promoting poa and the poa root system. Currently that is not that case and we are doing all we can to promote creeping bentgrass while striking a balance at growing poa and not losing the density of the plants. We still need to grow grass and provide a playing surface.

Our current scale is tipping a little bit too much towards the bent and we need to bring that back in balance so we don't end up compromising the health and condition of the poa. This is where the art of greenkeeping takes place. It's a fine line to walk some days and as we head into the stressful part of the summer we need to watch things that much more carefully.

Drainage Project 9th Fairway

2010-06-14T15:56:00.001-07:00

Standing water previous to drainage project.
200 ft of drainage tile
Rick (the master) showing the young student (Joey) not only how to do the job right but do it quickly. Anyone want to explain to me why soils like this need fertilizer?
The finished product.

Another drainage project was completed this morning, this time in the middle of the 9th fairway. In this location, about 175 yards from the green, is a location following heavy rains we would have water standing in about 6 spots. In order for us to maintain firm and dry playing conditions its important to make sure all surface water is removed as quickly as possible. This is one area where water coming down from the upper half of the 9th hole as well as water coming across from the 10th fairways settles.

2nd Assistant, Rick Krause and intern Joey Scheffler installed 200ft of drain tile and created 6 inlet holes for the water to access. The tile was tied into an existing line further back in the fairway. The existing tile extends into the lowest area in the right rough on 9.

Rick and Joey along with some assistance from other staff members were able to complete the project this Monday in about 5 hours. They did a great job and in a couple of days the sod will have mended and most people will never know they even did any work in the area.

Edging Bunkers

2010-06-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year for our department, time for our annual, or shall I say bi-annual, edging of the bunkers. Yes, that's what I said, Bi-annual. In the summer of 2003 we completed the restoration of the bunkers on the course and for the past 8 years our bunkers have only been edged on an every other year basis. When Ron Prichard restored the bunkers we had many discussions as to how the new bunkers should be maintained. One of my main objectives at that time was to maintain the integrity of the bunker shape as best as we could for as long as possible. The bunkers he built were designed to have a laced edge to them, NEVER a clean "Augusta" style. These bunkers were meant to have a classic look and feel.

Throughout the years we have worked hard, or should I say not worked, at providing the style they were intended to have. Mechanical raking is a big no no. A mechanical rake is used about once a month to help cultivate and turn over the sand. All it takes is one employee not paying attention to details and the bunker edges can be destroyed. Secondly we have never, ever edged bunkers with a power edger. The turf line is intended to have the laced look. A power edger can only create a straight line. Additionally when most guys use a power edger they will cut the turf back to the soil line. Another no no. Edging into the soil line creates contamination of the sand. In 8 years our bunkers have no self inflicted contamination. Zero!

Our bunkers are edged "old school" style, using a four pronged pitchfork. The operator finds the edge, shoves the pitchfork into the ground and proceeds to rip the turf away from the edge. Through this process we are able to avoid yearly edging. As the turf continues to grow and enter the bunker, there is no obvious edge and the turf can enter the sand without appearing to be over-growing the bunker and the laced look continues without damage to the original bunker. Some areas of the bunker edge require no edging at all, typically the face edge and the leading edge at times we can remove up to 12" of turf from the sand.

No one said it was easy. With 99 bunkers to edge the entire process can take up to 6 days. But considering the last time we edged bunkers was the 2008 season, I think we can put in the time and do whatever it takes to have the bunkers edged properly and maintain the integrity of this style of bunker

A new breed of babies

2010-06-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

This time of year is always a special time if you're an avid birder. Most of the bird migration is finished and the breeding and hatching of birds is well on it's way. While touring the golf course the other morning i was lucky enough to see our first new hatchlings of Wood Ducks in our #6 pond. Below is a picture of the new mom keeping the little ones close by.

The other new hatchlings that I keep a close eye on are our Eastern Bluebirds. I monitor all 20 of our nesting boxes throughout the golf course. Most Eastern Bluebirds will lay 5 eggs at a time, sometimes up to 3 times throughout the year. They are off to a good start this year, with 14 hatchlings already fledged. Hopefully they will surpass last years total of 30 hatchlings fledged. This week during my inspection of the nesting boxes i snapped a few pictures of one of the female Eastern Bluebirds and her young ones.

The Art of "Dialing it in"

2010-05-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

Yes there is an art to green keeping and an art to what I like to call "dialing it in". Getting the golf course in top condition and maintaining that form throughout the summer. Superintendents' all went to school to learn the science but the art of green keeping quite frankly comes from experience, it comes from within the individual, it comes from a team all working towards the same goal, providing ideal conditions day in and day out. A goal of exceeding golfers or in our case, members, expectations.

For us in the Midwest, dialing it in, is a process we must go through year in and year out. Our number one obstacle is always Mother Nature. This year we were fortunate to emerge from winter with no winter damage and an April that was one of the warmest on record. For our course, we are also in the process of converting our greens to creeping bentgrass and our goal is impact the surface with as little disruption as possible. Late April is when we typically aerate greens, so for the month of April we left heights of cut on greens higher than normal .125". It was during this process the bentgrass was out growing the poa annua, in fact the poa annua was really not growing at all, and because of the differences in grass type our greens were bumpier than we would have liked.

Once aeration was completed it was at that time that we could then begin to bring the height of cut (HOC) down to our standard mowing height of .085". Additionally at the time of aeration we used an organic based fertilizer on the greens. This application is intended to be our base for the season. Typically about the 3rd week in May we will make our first growth regulator application. The timing of this is based off past history when we know temperatures will be warm enough for us to make the application. Since the product we use can be detrimental to bentgrass if the weather is too cold, which can happen in May, we chose to wait so we do not cause any self inflicted damage to the greens. This year happened to be one of those years when we waited too long before we made the growth regulator application, the weather was too warm and the fertilizer released too soon and thus the greens were growing too much and that equaled slow greens. This is where the art of green keeping takes place. Apply the regulator too early and we could get burned by a cold weather snap, apply too late, which was the case this year and we were burned by the fact the weather warmed up too quickly.

Golfers need to remember we are dealing with a living plant and we are always dealing with Mother Nature, and most of the time Mother Nature will win. Its our job to manipulate Mother Nature and use our experience to try and out smart her.

Many times golfers return to the course in the spring hoping for perfect conditions and due to the weather, aeration, fertility applications, or the natural growth habits of the plants, they are left wondering why are the greens not good yet. I have to say, it takes time for us to get it right, and quite frankly it's not going to be great until late May. Our goal is to set the plants up so they are ready for the season. And during that process we are not always going to have the greens in great condition in the spring. Our goal is to condition the greens to run a marathon. We are not running a sprint. We're not trying to hurry up and provide good greens for a few days and then back off and rest the greens and then come back and do it again. Those are the times when inconsistent greens are provided. Running a marathon takes time, commitment and planning. Even a marathon runner doesn't run a marathon every time they train, they're bodies would crash from exhaustion. So too is the case with our greens, we want them to make it the distance and in the process there will sometimes be some obstacles we need to overcome before we reach our goal so we are ready to run the race.

For us the time has come and we are now ready for the season, we are ready to run the race.

Quite Possibly the Most Imortant 45 Minutes of the Day

2010-05-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

The first 45 minutes of the day could quite easily be considered the most important 45 minutes of the day for us. Nick Folk, First Assistant Superintendent arrives at 4:45am each day along with one of our assigned Interns to stage all of the equipment that is scheduled for the morning activities. The staging process can take up to 30 minutes and the remaining 15 minutes allows Nick to greet staff members and put the final touches on the board and adjust for any changes that might need to be made. The daily task list is written the night before so it's ready in the morning. Many times changes in jobs, absent staff, weather issues all can affect what happens each morning and being prepared can make or break the start of the day.

All staff assemble in front of the board daily before heading out on the course. Usually only about 5 minutes is needed to run through the jobs, but it gives us the time to make sure all are in attendance and all are clear about their specific assignments. The meeting starts promptly at 5:30am and by 5:35am our staff is heading out the door with little to no wasted time. Clarity and preparation reduces the chaos, makes for a smoother operation and shows your staff that you are organized and prepared for the day.

A Busy Time of Year

2010-05-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

As you can see early May was my last post. Since the topdressing application to the fairways there has been a steady stream of day to day activities that has kept me from making a post.

One of our major accomplishments this spring was the new planting to the front entry bed. For over 40 years, two Linden trees graced the front entry to the club house and annual flowers beginning with tulips and followed by Impatients filled the bed. In the fall of 2009 the Linden trees were removed due to their poor condition. It was at that time we hired a landscape architect, Bob Harvey from Edelweiss Design, to develop a new plan for this area. Our goal was to install plant material that would provide more season to season texture and color. As you can see from the photos between the shrub roses, Taunton yews, Endless Summer Hydrangea, Peonies, and the annual flowers were will have excellent color from the beginning of the season right up the end.

Since the completion of the course restoration project in 2003 we have been adding plant material to the perimeter of the course to aid in providing screening and privacy to the course. Today the guys finished planting over 275 Dwarf Honeysuckle, Honeyrose Honeysuckle, and Black Chokeberry. It will take some time before this plant material is screening to the degree we expect. With some proper watering and a little fertilizer it will not be long. As the saying goes, "first year sleep, second year creep, third year leap.

Last week we replaced 3800 sq.ft of fairway grass that was contaminated with poa annua and perennial ryegrass with creeping bentgrass. Rick and the crew were able to complete the job over the course of two mornings. The ropes will remain in place for at least another week before we remove them. Golfer can play off the turf, but we are leaving the ropes up to keep cart traffic off the area.

Fairway Topdressing

2010-05-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

This week we topdressed and solid tine aerated fairways. This marked the first year that we have ever topdressed fairways. We've been topdressing approaches for the past 5-6 years and the quality of the playing surface has improved dramatically. We now want to extend that quality to the fairways. We started with 500 tons for 26 acres. That equates to 20 ton per acre. Though that may sound like a lot of sand, the sand was easily worked into the profile of the turf. An additional 20 tons in the Fall would be ideal, but I'm sure it's not in the budget this year.

After the fairways were topdressed we followed the process by solid tine aerating using 5/8" tines and then brushed the remaining sand into the profile. After a slow start on Monday morning we were able to have the entire process completed in only 3 days. Maybe with a second topdresser next year we can cut the time down to 2.5 days.

The sand topdressing on fairways will aid in creating a firmer, drier playing surface as well as a great cutting surface for our mowers. It took about 4 years of serious topdressing on approaches to get the firmness we were looking for. At our current rate of topdressing on fairways, the process is going to take just a little longer and patience will be required before we feel we are making good progress.

Refining the Leaf

2010-05-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Thursday we will make our first application of ferrous sulfate to the greens. At this time of year there is an obvious difference between the leaf blade of the creeping bentgrass and the poa annua. Based on the soil temperatures as well as our limited fertility regime at this time the creeping bentgrass blades are quit wide and appear almost succulent. Additionally following our granular fertility application the poa plants are little too succulent for our liking.

This will be our first application of ferrous sulfate on the greens this season. It's always an interesting application to make and watch the reaction of the plants. This application will begin the process of refining the leaf blade which will narrow the widths of the blades, its almost like we are shrinking the leaves and in a way we are as we drive out the excess moisture with the ferrous sulfate. We will start at 160z/M, a modest rate for this time of year and work our way to 24oz/M by the end of the month. The players should be pleased as well as this will aid with increasing green speeds.

2 Weeks Later, Another Linden

2010-05-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday I received a call from the Golf Shop staff, informing me that the Linden tree located by the starters desk had a large crack in the trunk and I needed to come in to secure it. That was no lie, from the crotch of the tree to about 18 inches from the root flare the trunk was cracked the entire way. Our greatest fear, the tree would split and either fall on the club house or worse, injure someone severely. The tree was quickly secured using ratchet tie straps, in three different locations until we could properly and safely remove the tree.

Late this afternoon, Tim's Tree Service (the best in the business) was here to safely remove the tree from its location. This tree will be greatly missed. It provided wonderful shade to golfers and diners who preferred to dine on the patio on our beautiful summer evenings.

The Landscape and Garden Committee will be meeting this week to evaluate the situation and access what the proper steps will be to replace the tree as well as the landscape situation since the plant material in place was all shade tolerant species. The shade has now been compromised and even after a tree is planted, it will be quite sometime before we have the quality shade so many once enjoyed.

Course Aeration

2010-04-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

This past week we were able to complete the aeration and topdressing of greens, tees and approaches. We were scheduled to topdress and aerate fairways but due to the contractor over booking, he was not able to make it here this week. Next week looks like it will still be a good week for fairway aeration and topdressing.

All surfaces that were aerated are healing nicely. A lot of this has to do with the fact that we did not core aerate. All surfaces are only being solid tine aerated with either a 1/2" or 5/8" tine. We really don't have any thatch issues to deal with so there is little concern nor a need to pull a core. Secondly the less surface disruption we create the greater we can optimize conditions to favor the bentgrass.

The staff worked hard on Monday and Tuesday hand brushing sand into the greens and tees. Aeration leaves the surfaces soft so we prefer to hand broom the surfaces as opposed to driving a cart and a broom around and around and around on the surfaces. Which then takes a longer period of time to roll out the ruts. The process may take a little more time, but the end results is really all that matters.

The process to get the greens into summer conditions is really simple, do as little as possible. Following the topdressing we have cut the greens one time to remove some of the excess sand as well as some of the grass that was stood up from brooming. Greens were fertilized with an organic based product and now we will roll for a number of days before we attempt to mow again. The grass needs some time to recover as well as grow out from the layer of sand that was applied. The sand was placed there for a reason and we want to collect as little as possible, so we will wait until Saturday to before we mow for the second time since aerating. Once the mowers are no longer picking up sand we will then begin to gradually lower the height of cut on greens, tees and fairways. By the middle of May we should be very close to our optimal cutting height on all surfaces.

More Wildlife

2010-04-29T05:41:00.001-07:00

I pull up to the 13th green yesterday afternoon and low and behold a juvenile Red tail Hawk was on the ground. After a few minutes he flew into a nearby Oak tree. It's great to see all of the raptor bird species on the course, they are here for a reason and obviously between the Bald Eagles, the Great Horned Owls and the Red Tail Hawks, there is a large enough food source for them to thrive in and around our property.

Great-Horned Owl

2010-04-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

In the past few years there have been a pair of Great-Horned Owls making Minikahda their home. Last year us in the Grounds Department watched as the pair successfully had a young offspring in the pine trees behind #11 green.

This year they are back again. Late last Sunday afternoon i received a phone call about an owl that had fallen from its nest by hole #11. Member Archie Smith phoned in the sighting saying that the owl was sitting next to one of the pine trees. The first thing i did was phone The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. I was asked to go make sure it was not injured and then send them some pictures. After sending the veterinarian some pictures and discussing our options, we decided that the best thing to do was leave the juvenile owl alone since both adults were in the trees above, along with two other juveniles. Below are a few pictures of the Great-Horned Owls that roam Minikahda at night.

Course Aeration

2010-04-26T04:21:00.001-07:00

This week we begin the process of aerating greens, tees and fairways. Greens will be aerated today with 1/2" solid tines followed by a roll to firm the greens before the topdressing of sand is applied. The sand is then hand brushed into the greens by about 10-12 guys on our staff. Finally greens will be fertilized with an organic granular fertilizer at .5#N/M. During the same time we will be solid tine aerating approaches with 5/8" tines and will follow the same process for greens. If time allows today we will begin solid tine aerating tees as well as topdressing and hand brushing.

Tuesday we will begin topdressing fairways. We have contracted with Sports Turf Specialties, Inc. from Farmington, Minnesota to make the application of sand. Our goal is to apply 20 tons of sand per acre. Following the topdressing we will begin the aerating process on fairways using 5/8" solid tines and then drag the sand into the profile.

We have a busy week ahead of us and we hope the weather cooperates so we can get it all accomplished in a reasonable manner.

Aerify

2010-04-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Over the past week several guys on our crew have been hard at work aerifying several areas of the golf course. The one area that typically takes the longest is deeptining the fairways. We usually try to deeptine our fairways twice per year. The picture below is of long time Assistant Superintendent John Jarosz deeptining #1 fairway. Deeptining does several things for the golf course; it reduces compaction, opens airspace for roots to grow and allows water to move through the soil profile more rapidly. It will take us about 2 weeks to finish the deeptining process on our 27 acres of fairway.

The picture below is of Jim Schnell, one of our interns solidtine aerating around greens, tees and bunkers. Typically we try to aerate those rough areas 1-2 times per year to help reduce the compaction from carts and foot traffic.

An International Flare

2010-04-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

For the past 12 years our Grounds Department has been the host of many International Trainees as well as maintaining the majority of the staff with employees from south of the boarder. We felt it was about time to show the representation of trainees (current and past) and employees flags from their respective countries.

We have hosted trainees from Scotland, China, South Africa(2 trainees), Germany (3) one from France and the core of our staff originated from Mexico. We are currently working with Communicating for Agriculture International Exchange Program (CA) which is based out of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. CA was created in 1985 and today has become the largest agricultural exchange programs in the nation.

Hosting trainees is a wonderful experience and through the program I hope we have been able to teach and train the student not only our maintenance practices and philosophies but also a little bit more about our country and our culture. The friendships that we have created through the years I know are to be life long as I still stay in contact with the majority of our past trainees throughout the years.

Ducks on the Pond

2010-04-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

Spring is a great time of year to see wildlife around the golf course. Most of the time you'll get to see your common Mallard duck, but if you're ever around the golf course early enough in the mornings a common siting these April days is of the Woodduck. Typically Woodducks chose a nesting site or box in early April, then mate and lay eggs. Incubation period for the eggs is around 28 days. Once the eggs hatch they climb out of the box and run for cover following their mom. The picture below is of two drake(male) Woodducks, probably waiting for their hen(female) to join them for the day after sitting on eggs all night long.

Another spring duck sighting is of the Blue-winged Teal. The picture below is of a pair of Blue-winged Teal. Blue-winged Teal are more of a migratory bird for us here in Minnesota, mostly seeing them in the spring and fall when they are going to and from their Canadian nesting range.

The last picture is of a Ruddy Duck, a small "fish duck" that is typically seen in massive rafts in larger bodies of water. This one decided that our #6 pond looked like a good spot to dive for some minnows.

Rotted Tree Falls

2010-04-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

As I was touring the course this morning I came across this fallen Basswood at the entrance to the 6th tee. As you can see by the photos the stem of the trunk was very rotten and decayed quite badly. It was really only a matter of time before the tree would fall. With virtually no wind last night it goes to show it's important to have hazardous trees removed from the golf course before they reach this stage of decay. Thankfully no one was in the area at the time. The location of the tree is right where golfers enter the 6th tee complex as they walk back from the 5th green.

There's a time to save and maintain certain trees on the golf course and there comes a time when a decision needs to be made to remove what may even appear to be a perfectly healthy tree. This is a prefect example of why when the inside of the tree is showing signs of decay the tree needs to be removed especially when the health and safety of the golfers and employees is at risk. Unfortunately Mother Nature took care of this one before we were able to act on it.

Spring Course Preparations

2010-04-17T07:43:00.001-07:00

April has provided us with some phenomenal spring weather. Most would say we are a good 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule, not only with our weather but also for course conditions. The early warm weather has allowed our staff to get the majority of spring clean-up tasks completed. Thankfully we have been able to accomplish these tasks without having to increase our staff size and we have been able to maintain our scheduled staff size which allows us to keep labor on budget.

If you take a cart, hopefully you have noticed, No Potholes! Antonio, Alejandro and Jorge did a great job this past week filling in potholes, adding a fresh coating of red rock and then and final groom on the paths.

Treating Fairway Edges

2010-04-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Most Superintendents will tell you the weakest areas on their fairways are on the perimeters and high traffic areas. The fairway edges tend to be where the highest population of poa annua exists. This is primarily due to fairway mowers creating compaction as well as cart traffic from golf carts and maintenance equipment traffic. On our fairways we have a great deal of creeping bentgrass, but on our edges there is a high amount of poa that needs to get converted to creeping bentgrass. We will be putting a great deal of effort into converting these areas this summer as well as making the stand of turf that exists healthier.

In order to work at the conversion we will be increasing our aeration efforts to combat the compaction issue and we will be making more frequent soluble fertility applications in order to keep these areas healthy and maintain a good dense stand of turf.

This morning Asst. Supt. Nick Folk made an application of Ammonium Sulfate to the perimeters of the fairways. We have set up Boom-Buster nozzles on the back of our 400 gallon sprayer. With this set-up we are able to spray all of the fairway perimeters with only 2 tank applications. With such an easy application process we will easily be able to make these applications throughout the season to keep the perimeters areas healthy.

The First Spring Rain

2010-04-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Early this morning we experienced our first really good spring rain accompanied by a sufficient amount of thunder and lightening. To date we have been experiencing a dry start to the season, which for the turf is not necessarily a bad thing. A cold dry spring is gives way for quicker growth to the turf than a cold wet spring. So with today's rain (.65") and the warm weather that's to follow this week we should see a big surge in the growth of the turf, which means next week Pete Greier, our rough mower operator, is going to have to begin mowing rough about 2 weeks earlier than normal.

The spring weather temperatures have been above normal and with rainfall amounts below normal we did pressurize the irrigation system 3 weeks ahead of our typical start-up. But even though we have had the system up and running, we have tried to minimize the use of it. There is no need to over-water the course this time of year. The plants will survive and it forces the roots of the plants to search for water. If we provide too much the plant has no need to send roots deep and that does not set the turf up too well heading into the summer.

Spring is when we need to start thinking about the summer and what we can do to condition the turf and prepare it for the hell we put it through. This week was the start of the pre-conditioning process for us. Wetting agents are being applied to greens, tees and fairways. With today's rain it's the perfect opportunity to apply the wetting agent to fairways. We use a product called Lesco-Flo and this product needs to be immediately watered into the soil, so what better time to do it then when it is raining, cool and cloudy.

There are a few greens that I would say are a little week and don't have the density that we would like to see. Those greens are the ones that are predominately poa annua greens. Greens such as 3, 5 the perimeter of #6, 7, 11, 16 and the right side of 18. Later this week we will be making a seperate soluble fertility application to these greens as well as to the weaker tees on 5, 6 and 8. The extra bump in fertility will aid in forcing a little growth and will aid in creating a denser canopy. Again, preconditioning the turf so we can head into summer with healthy greens.

Increased Surface Drainage

2010-04-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing a golf course can never have enough of, it's surface drainage. This past week we were able to install drainage inlets in four locations on the south end of the course. Back in the fall of 1995 drainage was installed so the fairways would drain better on holes 4, 13, 12, and 5. The tile started on 4 and runs across 13, 12, 5 and then ends at the pond on the 6th hole. During spring thaws and during heavy rain events or prolonged periods of rain we tend to always have "birdbaths" in a few isolated locations along these fairways. What is also evident is there is quite a bit of poa annua that grows in these low wet areas. In order for us to have a fighting change at getting creeping bentgrass to dominate these locations it is imperative that we maintain these areas as dry as possible.

Devan Visser, our Trainee from South Africa fitting the riser to the existing tile line.

Drainage box set at grade on the 5th fairway.

The completed project on the 5th hole. A job well done!

Once we were able to locate the tile line, our staff, lead by Assistant Superintendents' Nick Folk and Rick Krause, were then able to install the drain boxes. Locating the tile for three of the four inlets was pretty easy since the tile was not more than 18 inches below the surface, the fourth one took a little bit more digging and was about 3 1/2 to 4ft deep. We have a few more minor drainage projects to complete this year and with the mild spring weather we are experiencing we should easily be able to get the work completed.

The shallow tile line on the 13th fairway made for an easy dig and a quick installation of the drain inlet.

Wildlife on the Course

2010-04-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

Migration is in full flight and it is one of my favorite times of year to see what bird species can be spotted in or around the golf course. Spring is such a great time to view returning wildlife. Yesterday we spotted a Bald Eagle perched high in the trees and one of them even made a temporary stop on an Osprey platform that was erected about 15 years ago. Time will tell if the Eagles decide to call this ideal location home.

First Cut on Greens

2010-03-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the greens were mowed for the first time this season. There is nothing like fresh smell of cut grass and after a long 5 month absence from cutting turf. Before greens could be cut they also had to be cleared of debris, so back-pack blowers were used to clean the surface. This was followed by the task of rolling the greens. Due to the soil heaving from frost we want to make sure the surface is smooth before we put the first cut on the greens. Typically the first cut is set higher than normal and as we progress into the season and as the turf begins to grow we will slowly lower the height of cut.

The practice range will open today at 11:00am and the golf course will open on Thursday at 11:00am. Golfers will required to hit form the mats for the first couple of weeks at the range. We avoid hitting off the turf until soil and air temperatures are warm enough to germinate seed so we can begin the healing process in the divots created by the players.

We are all looking forward to another GREAT season here at The Minikahda Club

Irrigation System Up and Running

2010-03-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

We will soon be coming to and end to the month of March and for the first time since 1878 the Minneapolis/St.Paul area will have received not even a trace of snowfall. This is quite unusual since March is typically one of the snowiest months of the year for us. At this point in the season the lack of snow and rain as well as the loss of frost in the ground has translated into us not only thinking about pressurizing the irrigation system, but actually doing it as well as breaking one of Rick Krause's (Irrigation tech) first rules, never pressurize on a Friday.

March 28th is extremely early for us to be even considering pressurizing the system let alone watering greens. But one thing that needs to be considered is the type of cover that we use. We are placing a plastic impermeable covers on the greens to not allow water to make contact with the turf throughout the winter. Water forms ice and ice kills poa. So while the covers are accomplishing their goal of protecting the turf from winter damage, unfortunately in the spring when the snow melted and we received .50" of rain, that free water is not making it's way into the subsurface of our greens. Thus in a during a dry spring season such as this one, with no rain or snow fall, our greens are left in a difficult situation with little to no moisture. During a typical spring we usually begin to utilize our irrigation system around the 17th of April. By that time we have had time to bring in some labor, clean the golf course and usually have the course open for play. Thank goodness we checked a few greens last week, since this weather is so unusual it is very easy to get caught off guard and not realize how much the plants are in need of water, at least the poa annua plants that is.

Not Surprised, but Relieved

2010-03-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

All 19 green covers have been removed as of today. Based on the mild weather conditions this winter and the continual snow cover that we experienced I was not surprised to see our greens emerge from winter is this good of condition. But based on the history of passed years when we always seem to have some damage from one degree to another, it is such as relief to see virtually no damage on any of the greens. Typically I am an optimist when it comes to the turf, I want to give it the benefit of the doubt and feel that it will survive even the most adverse conditions, let's face it, it wants to survive, but when poa annua is the dominant species on the greens it is easy to lose faith in it's ability to survive.

There are only two greens where the poa annua looks a little funky and that is on the back of the 5th green and on the back of the 7th green. The poa appears to have a wilted droughty look, but from what I can tell the crowns of the plants appear to be healthy. The color of the green is definitely green and some of that color will fade and will come back as soon as the plants begin to grow. If our mild temperatures continue it won't too long before we might begin to see some growth from the plants.

A date has not been set for opening. We have great deal of clean-up on the course and a lot of work needs to be completed before we are ready to stick the flags in the green. It's only March 23rd (which is the earliest the course has ever opened, back in 1998) and one just never knows what Mother Nature has in store for us from year-to-year, much less from day-to-day.

The year of Gray Snow Mold

2010-03-17T12:47:00.001-07:00

A view of the course from the 9th green. The finer turf areas are absolutely perfect.
Ever wonder what a Turfgrass Pathologist dreams about at night? This might come close.
Gray Snow Mold covering the 3rd green bank. Looks like a heavy frost.
Heavy Gray Snow Mold damage mixed in with some Vole damage. Not a pleasant sight, but it will recover after a good raking and when warmer temperatures arrive and the turf begins to grow.

Conditions were perfect this year for the development of Gray snow mold. Thankfully that damage has been limited to the rough. Green and tee banks as well as bunker faces and large areas in the general rough is where this disease took hold. Following a good raking and some warm temperatures these areas will come back. In the mean time the golfers will have to tolerate the look of brown turf.

Turf on the greens, tees and fairways is in great condition. We have yet to remove the covers, but from what we have seen from peeking under them the turf looks to be in great condition. Not having to deal with damage to our finer turf areas is a blessing and it will allow us to focus on other areas of the golf course this year.

Spring Thaw-4th Fairway

2010-03-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

Some additional video taken on Tuesday this past week.

Inside Winter Maintenance Continues

2010-03-10T11:05:00.001-08:00

We still have a few weeks to complete some much needed work inside the facility. Johnny has been workinga at repainting the walls in the paint room as well as all the cabinents. A fresh new look has been needed for quite some time. Last week Ryan and Johnny also re-epoxyed the maintenance shop floor. We had a company do this a few years ago. The floor has not held up as good as I expected it would. After the first time the company had to redo their work and now we are continuing to touch it up each year. This year we decided to repaint the entire surface.

After the MGCSA seminar last week on Sustainablity, Nick has beefed up our efforts to be better at recycling. New trash cans with clearer labels. There better be less confusion about where to place what in what trash can now.

These improvements, though small, make a big difference in the overall appearance of the facility and as we all know the little things make a BIG difference.

Spring Thaw-5th Fairway

2010-03-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here is some video I shot this past week. Since the video wa taken we have lost even more snow.

Skeet Shooting-Cookout Shootout

2010-03-09T07:51:00.001-08:00

2010 Cookout Shootout Champion Pat Smith

Second Place-Max Smith

Shooters- Alex Knopick, Bob Paulson, John Paulson, Pat Smith and Max Smith

Enjoying some camaraderie and a few burgers and brats.

The annual Cookout Shootout competition was held this past weekend. There were a total of 35 rounds shot between 12 shooters. This year the competition came down to two individuals from the same household. Pat Smith, last years Skeet Champion, this year edged out his son Max. Pat shot a 45 out of a possible 50 and Max delivered with a solid score of 42. Congratulations to the Father/Son duo. I know they have a friendly rivalry between them so you can be sure that Pat is making sure Max still knows who the Big Dog is in the family.