Moss Control

We are going to begin testing a few new products to help alleviate the Silvery-thread moss that has encroached on to the practice green as well as a handful of other greens.  Silvery-thread moss (Byrun argentum Hedw.) is a problematic weed to putting greens that has become more prevalent in recent years for a variety of reasons; increased demands for faster greens, decreased topdressing and cultural practices do to financial reasons, limitation or removal of registered heavy-metal pesticides with known effects on moss etc.  At this point, we are going to begin evaluating some of the new control products that will help us (along with increased topdressing and a re-vamped cultural plan) combat the moss and slowly eradicate it.  Currently, there is no magic bullet, no product capable of killing the moss without injuring the creeping bentgrass.  The products we will evaluate will help tip the balance in favor of the grass by injuring or stunting the moss while doing as little damage to the existing turf, but in some cases, there may be tip-burn or slight discoloration of the turf, but this is all visual.  It is this trial and error that will help us create a long-term management plan for the greatest moss control with the most minimal disruption to the playing surface.


Click here for USGA Green Section article on moss

More Storms...

More storms came through on the morning of 7/24, knocking out power to the maintenance shop as well as downing branches and washing out sand traps.  Over the past two weeks, the course has received 2.10" of much needed rain and much of the rough has rebounded. 

Power pole for the maintenance shop...48 hours with no electricity!

Lightning only happens when it rains...

A much welcomed 1.25" of rain fell overnight on 7/18-7/19, but with it came a bit of storm damage.  We were able to get the course cleaned up and prepared for the Invitational practice round with minimal disruption to play and with only having Cart Path Only restrictions in the morning. Thank you for your patience.

The following picture is of a lightning strike on the two small trees near the beginning left of #1 fairway.  We will see how they survive, but more than likely, we will be removing them in the coming weeks.

Scouting Report 7/20/12

~The following is the weekly CDGA turf scouting report complied by Derek Settle, PhD.~

Click here to view the July 20, 2012 Scouting Report

Driving Range/Divots

~ With this year's extreme heat, drought and all-around summer stress, the driving range tee as well as some of the par three tees have seen better days.  With the weather the way it has been, it is near-impossible to sustain seed germination and survival as well as lateral growth and therefore divot recovery is at a minimum.  I'm sure most members know the size and distance limitations of the range tee and this only compounds the issue.  Below is an interesting article from the USGA Green Section Record dated June 8, 2012 in which it proposes that most players use the range tee in a way that is least conducive to divot recovery and offers some alternative practice techniques to better both your game and the long term playability of the range tee.  


http://gsr.lib.msu.edu/article/mcclellan-practice-6-8-12.pdf

As a reminder, considering the limitations of the range tee, I would ask that members refrain from hitting outside the area designated by the dividers.  I know the far right is the only shade on the range teeing ground; it is near-impossible to maintain a range tee with the weather challenges we have been facing but proper rotation can help us have a decent teeing space all year and this area is already thin and while some of this of this comes from lessons, a good majority is from members hitting outside the daily set-up. ~

Summer Stress

~ I could spend hours rehashing the record drought and heat we have experienced this summer, but at this point, it looks like it is here to stay and we need to move forward and deal with it as best we can.  The extreme weather causes us to alter our daily and weekly management practices to ensure turf health and one of these ways if to vent (aerify) certain areas of the course to ensure that water and air are getting to the roots as easily as possible.  This is even a larger problem in any areas that have high concentrations of Annual Bluegrass (Poa).  Much of the golf course is a mix of Creeping Bentgrass and Annual Bluegrass but the concentrations vary depending on the hole and the area in question.  Poa suffers from heat and drought stress much more readily than Creeping Bentgrass and we have to intensively manage it during this high-stress periods.  Even with irrigation, intensive hand-watering and other cultural practices, high air and soil temperatures can cause Poa to go into a physiological decline.

Poa stress is not always a bad thing, as it does help the Creeping Bentgrass ever so slowly take over. Many of these areas will be overseeded with newer varieties of Bentgrass in the coming weeks and hopefully this will mean less and less stress damage in the future.  However, when the Poa under stress is the 13th green (which is 70% Poa), it is an altogether different story. ~

Scouting Report 7/13/12

~The following is the weekly C.D.G.A turf scouting report complied by Derek Settle, PhD.~

CDGA Scouting Report 7/13/12

Welcome

~Welcome to the all new Bull Valley Golf Club Maintenance blog!~

The BVGC Turf Maintenance Department would like to welcome you to the start of our new blog, designed to keep you, the member, more informed as to the day-to-day course conditions as well as ongoing projects and future plans.

As with all new forms of communication, there is a learning curve, but in time we hope this provides some insight into the daily lives of your Turf Maintenance team, give you more up-to-date information regarding course conditions, and allow us to communicate to the membership more effectively so we can work together to make BVGC exceptional.

Best Wishes,

Eric, Jason, Mario and the entire Turf Maintenance Department.