Getting Close

As you can see from the following pictures taken late Monday afternoon we still have some snow to melt before we can open. In addition the adjacent areas near the remaining snow are still quite wet. The weather this week will likely work in our favor allowing Turf Care to get into those spots and prepare the course for an opening date of around the middle of next week.

 

 

At present we are blowing and sweeping from tree line to tree line on those holes that are dry enough for the equipment. We plan on starting the irrigation system early next week so in the meantime we are tank watering as need be. We won't begin any aggressive work on the greens until we have that dependable water source. It is still early and the predominately Poa annua turf on the greens and fairways must be treated carefully with a minimum amount of stress applied to the surfaces at this time of the season. Basically keep it alive, push it along as the weather dictates and wait for the warm weather that is sure to arrive.

 

We have a fairly long list of small projects to complete beginning next week. The curbing contractor will be on site Friday to begin curbing where required on the front 9. The new cart paths need soil and sod work along all the edges. Precast steps will be added on several tees in addition to all the paving stone work required for the benches, ballwashers and trash containers. The natural grass surface at the driving range will be replaced and renovation work is needed to repair the heavy truck damage across a few fairways. We envision a very busy month of May.

 

A final note regarding the geese. The wildlife control company has requested that nobody disturbs the nests (that we know of) on the golf course. That includes the couple that have returned to the water feature. They are using deterrents and will also be relocating any nest they can find when all the eggs are laid and the birds begin to sit. Its about changing the patterns and behavior of these returning pairs. No birds will be harmed. Keeping them away from the clubhouse and reducing the population on our property is the ultimate goal.

 

  



Early April Update

More of the golf course is becoming exposed with each passing day. The sun is strong and melting will occur in open areas even if temperatures are near the freezing mark. However as you can see there is still considerable snow cover along many of the tree lines. As conditions dry Turf Care will be able to get out and begin the cleanup required every spring. No matter how tidy we get the course in late October the harsh winter months bring down a lot of branches and leaves seem to appear out of nowhere. The parking lot needs a thorough sweeping (planned for this Friday) and the clubhouse area requires cleaning as well.

 

 

Course Notes:

• Battle River Wildlife Management will be on the property over the next few months. They have been hired to help us control the Canada Goose population and will be using various methods to reduce the number of birds residing on the golf course. They have all the Federal permits required to legally do what is required.
• The natural grass surface on the driving range tee will be stripped and resodded later this month. The range and all practice facilities are scheduled to open this Saturday the 11th, weather permitting.
• If you feel like walking the course and checking turf conditions please remember to stay off the grounds if it is frozen or covered in frost. Damage can and will occur if there is any disturbance at these times.
• The golf course has come though winter in good condition. There are small areas of ice damage on fairways: low spots that held standing water during mid winter melting. The tee surfaces are in excellent shape and the greens look good aside from a few spots of ice damage that are mostly on the perimeter of a few sites. Any snow blower scars or ice damage will heal as growing conditions improve.

 

Hole #8 is still almost completely covered.





The Green Jacket covers will be removed from 6,8 and 18 on Wednesday.

Still amazed at how effective winter fungicides are in controlling snow mold.

9 green and rough surrounds looking good. Notice the border where fungicide application stops in the rough.

#12 looking back towards the tees.

12 green and approach. This is the general look of all the greens aside from the 3 that are not uncovered yet. We'll know more on Wednesday.

Late March Course Update

This update has been a long time coming. Since the last blog posting in mid January the golf course has gone through a roller coaster of weather events. Aside from the usual snow and cold weather the months following were punctuated with warm spells, more days of rain than past winters and some fairly heavy snowfalls. We stayed away from the surface of the greens due to the uncertainty of the weather and the worry that any disturbance might lead to unnecessary turf damage (recall the footprints and damaged section on 2 green last season). We did pull turf samples and bring them into the green house in early March and they responded well. The one green I was very concerned about was the putting green. Just by the nature of its location ice formed and water settled in a few low areas. How do we know? It was cleared off and fully exposed before the heavy snowfall we saw last weekend. It was in far better condition than last year but there is some ice damage on the south edge of the green.

We had cleared the snow off all the greens except 9 and 12 by last Wednesday. We decided to leave them because temperatures were forecasted to drop for a few days. The unexpected 20cm of snow happened to provide a pretty good insulating cover for the exposed greens. We have cleared 9 and 12 and the pictures below show the conditions as of Wednesday afternoon. As you can see we have a long way to go. Keep in mind it is still March and we have entered a very unpredictable time of year.

The Putting Green after the snowfall last weekend

12 Green after a few hours of exposure



9 Green late Wednesday

As you can see we aren't in any position to give the membership a totally accurate update. Needless to say we have our fingers crossed and remain positive. The bentgrass on the greens and tees is of little worry for us. It is and will be fine. Of course we are now a Poa/bentgrass golf course so our concern at present lies entirely with the multiple varieties of Poa annua that exist on our greens. The question remains as to how each biotype will react to the past winter and the uneven weather conditions during March and April. When all the greens are clear and the turf begins to respond to warmer weather we will update the membership further.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January Update From The Royal Mayfair

 

 

 

 

Its January 20th and the weather is very nice for this time of year especially considering where we live. In checking the weather records, this month is almost a carbon copy of 2014. Fortunately our snowpack is considerably deeper so the potential for ice formation on greens has been lessened. For now. The short days, our location in the river valley and less wind than last January are also helping out. I love the weather but if it would cool off so the daytime highs are just below zero that would be ideal. We continue to blow fresh air under the 4 covered  greens every 10 to 14 days. This is the second stage of testing with the Green Jacket ice shield/bubble wrap system. The first 2 years it was one specific green. This winter it is three other unique green sites and how they turn out that will dictate our plans for covering all the greens. I know I sound like a broken record but we cannot depend on the typical winters that were the norm a decade ago. 

 

In the meantime our Equipment Manager, Ian Scott, continues to service and refurbish our large fleet of machinery so that it will be ready for spring. The rest of the Turf Care department is busy with other small projects, parking lot maintenance, grooming the ski trails and keeping the skating rink in good shape. Our continuing education is ongoing during February with major turf conferences in Calgary and San Antonio. Val, our horticulturist, is busy in the greenhouse preparing for her first full season and she is excited for changes that will be coming.  I'm dragging myself away from some old school way of doing things as we are planning to implement a digital job board/task tracking system that will greatly increase the efficiency of our department. It should also appeal to the younger generation of turf care staff that are being hired.

 

 

The picture below is the new groomer we purchased through funds donated by The Royal Mayfair Ski Club. Notice that it sets 2 tracks for a more "social experience" but from what I've heard it's great for passing slower skiers. For those that are wondering the long track is 5K and the short track is ~2K in length. During this trend of warm days and cool nights we will not be grooming unless absolutely necessary. From our conversation with skiers, yes they are icy and quick in the morning but they are softer and slower in the afternoon.

 

 

 

I'm not a skier but the trails look good to me. We will venture out and check the loop for wear and tear in the next few days.

 

 

If skiing or skating isn't your cup of tea remember that the simulator is set up in the Golf Shop for lessons and play throughout the winter months. Mike Belbin is seen here keeping his game sharp. Book a tee time and order some food from the Clubhouse.

 

 

End Of The 2014 Golf season

The golf course closed on October 31st and several ongoing projects were completed before winter arrived this past Saturday. All winter fungicide applications were put down during the 2nd half of October and into early November. It remains to be seen if the recent rains will have had any effect on the fairway applications sprayed in mid-October but I think the course should be okay based on past experience.

The turf has gone into winter in good condition, the leaf cleanup went well and 3 major projects were finished on time. One project of concern was widening the area behind the artificial tee surface at the driving range. There was a safety issue that needed to addressed before someone was injured. The Turf Hound mat deck was taken apart and moved forward. In its original location paving stone was laid down. It matches the stone used on the course in both color and style and looks much better than adding more asphalt. Next spring the mats will be reinstalled and the natural turf surface will be completely resodded and should be ready for use by mid June.

Another concern, at least for us in Turf Care, was reestablishing the nursery. All the existing turf was used over the summer. We now have 3 different sections at the nursery. There is about 10,000 sq ft. of Poa annua (from our greens aeration cores) that has been interseeded with creeping bentgrass. This should closely match our greens and will be ready for use later in 2015. We then cut off approximately 8000 sq. ft. of sod from several of the greens at Pioneer Meadows. This turf can be used on our greens if need be but is more suited for our bentgrass tees. It was difficult to cut, move and install as you can see in the picture. Fortunately all it needs is some care and attention next spring. We decided to leave it for now aside from some patching and topdressing of seams that occurred after the photo was taken. It looks much better at present. In between the two sections we installed 2000 sq. ft. of Kentucky bluegrass for other areas on the course that will need repair (such as the new cartpath edges).

Of course the major project was the paving of all the remaining gravel paths on the front 9, adding a few extensions on some back 9 paths and installing a continuous path on #11. All par 3's are now cart path from tee to green aside from the south path on #4. It was decided that it did not need to cut across the 4th hole to connect to the north path. The base preparation was 6 inches of gravel followed by 3 inches of asphalt. A very solid system especially considering all the trees lining the paths. The cleanup next spring will take time. Curbing, sodding, placing the premanufactured concrete steps and paving stone work will take place throughout the month of May. The amount of damage from the gravel and asphalt dump trucks is considerable across the poor old 9th fairway, in front of the 1st tee and in front of the 9th tee. They will be repaired as usual. The use of Dura Deck matting rented from Little Guy Oilfield Rentals resulted in significant reduction in turf damage further out on the course. Overall I am very pleased with the project. Carts will be cleaner, the paths are very smooth and many hours of labor tasked to keeping the old paths presentable can be utilized elsewhere. 

An example of the cleanup work. This section of path at 4 tee will have paving stone installed on the right and soil/sod work on the left.

This winter we have installed the bubble wrap/ice shield covers on 4 greens. In addition to the 6th green, covers were laid over the 8th, 18th and warmup greens. Fresh air will be blown under the covers every 10 to 14 days over the winter season. Over the next 5 months that should reduce my stress level by about 20% every time we experience a warm spell or it decides to rain. The plan is to keep adding covers each fall, 4 or 5 per year.

Backpack blowers are hooked up to each pipe to force fresh air under the covers. We use passive tubing which is inflatable plastic pipe with holes along its length that allows the air to fill the space under the entire cover.

All that remains is to rope off several greens to keep wayward cross country skiers off them. Any traffic on uncovered greens can possibly lead to ice formation. This season a new groomer purchased by the Royal Mayfair Ski Club will give us side by side tracks for a more "social" experience out on the trails. The skating rink will open once the ice is deemed safe. Enjoy the off season wherever you may spend your time.

A Personal Note To The Unsung Heroes

This blog has nothing to do with The Royal Mayfair Golf Club and is much more personal in nature. I want to recognize and pay tribute to the those superintendents that can maintain smaller golf facilities with limited resources and still present a course in great condition and is fun to play. Some of them are 9 holes, some of them are shorter 18 hole courses. You know who you are. Generally they are located in a rural setting but sometimes they can be found within the city limits. I have a very close association with one such club. That course will close permanently after 23 years of operation. The City of Edmonton has grown around it and it will soon become a new residential community. If you know me then you are well aware that Pioneer Meadows is the course and that my wife Jennifer has been the superintendent there for 20 years.

Course closures in this area (Alberta) are very rare and I realize that this has been a common occurrence throughout the US but this one hits home. I've experienced the growth of Pioneer Meadows through the trials and tribulations that my wife, her Turf Care team and the management have gone through over the years. When I say every penny counted I mean it. Almost to the very end. The Edmonton market is very competitive and Pioneer Meadows suffered under the perception of being "too short" or "too easy". Maybe the marketing failed. I don't know but I'm a fairly good golfer and I loved playing there. I used all the clubs in my bag, the greens became firm and quick over Jenn's time there and it didn't take 4+ hours to play (assuming you weren't playing in a company scramble buts that's another story).

Believe me when I say that Jenn has had it very tough at times over the years.  I realize we as superintendents all have issues and they become relative to the type of facility you work at but some of the experiences she has gone through made me admire Jenn and others like her even more. The perseverance and commitment was amazing at times. It took a toll on her health. It took a toll on our family. Could she have left? Could she have moved up the career ladder? Was it difficult being married to me? Absolutely. Imagine the conversations we had at home when discussing her club and the clubs that I have worked at, especially now that I'm at The Royal Mayfair. But she stayed so that I could realize my aspirations. We could bring our daughters to Pioneer Meadows whenever we wanted. Our border collies basically had free run of the place. When I came home and needed to vent she listened and offered advice. When I had "turf problems" she helped me through them as only another superintendent could. She was innovative and experimental with new turf care products and cultural management. She used a hand held moisture meter long before anyone had heard of the TDR 300 or POGO. I could go on and on here but I'll stop.

I was out at Pioneer Meadows last evening watching the heavy equipment strip the soil immediately south of the course and it was sad to see. No matter that it's my wife's course that will close. It is upsetting to see ANY green space disappear. Yes it is a golf course but one still surrounded by trees, populated by wildlife, a breeding ground for ducks and geese, rainbow trout in the ponds, etc. etc. Life moves on I suppose. Nice work Jenn and thank you for being such a close colleague over the years. You made me a much better superintendent.

If you recognize yourself or have worked in similar situations I salute you. If you know someone working at a small, limited budget golf course don't forget about them. Go play and support their efforts. There are hidden gems everywhere in this province.

Fairway Aeration Update

 

 



Anybody that has been out on the course this week (which is many considering the great weather) knows that Turf Care is currently core aerating the fairways. This process is very disruptive, messy and time consuming. The disruption is obvious. Two or three fairways covered in cores and several different cleanup procedures occurring all at once. Until the cores dry there is the matter of mud sticking to equipment, golf cart tires and the bottom of your shoes. Why so much mud? I'm going to be blunt here and it tells of the frustration we are experiencing during this procedure. The only sand in the profile appears to what has been applied in the last 4 years. Actually we have just started to get aggressive with topdressing in the last 2 years. The 2 to 3 inch core we are pulling is mostly dirt. We've known this to be the case for awhile but when you begin to correct the problem it becomes a daunting task. I'm left wondering how this could be at a course of Royal Mayfair's quality. But that's in the past and we have to think of the future.

 

The fairways were very good for the last few years and even up until the middle of last August. With the dry summer some problems were exposed. It was easy to see during periods of long term stress that the turf would suffer. By introducing some agronomic changes and proposed upgrading of the irrigation system we can greatly improve the performance of the fairways. However, they will not magically improve overnight. It will take years of aggressive turf management and then a commitment from both Turf Care and the membership to continue this type of work during every golf season in the future. Turf Care cannot decide that maybe one season we'll just solid tine or maybe a mid-summer topdressing will be skipped. Also, the membership must relax expectations when fairway aeration is underway (or any aeration procedure for that matter). Our great playing conditions do not happen on their own. A cliché yes, but short term pain will result in long term gain.

 

It may appear to the casual observer reading this that our fairways are in rough shape. Far from it but we need to get out in front of future problems given the changing weather, a commitment to deliver outstanding season long playing conditions and the day to day challenges of a golf course that has a very high % of Poa annua throughout the property.

 

I ask that you please be patient with Turf Care as we go through the next week of aeration and heavy sand topdressing. These are long tiring days for all involved. As much as you would prefer Turf Care to be somewhere else at 6:00 pm we need to be here to get the work done. Thankfully the weather is warm and we've experienced no frost delays. Yet. 

 

 

If it was always this dry cleanup would be so much easier. Each fairway is blown off after the sweep. Topdressing follows. The sun is setting so in this case the sand would go down the following day.