Course Update; The Close of the 2012 Golf Season

With temperatures dropping, snow flying and the Lions falling into mediocrity it can only mean one thing...the end of the 2012 golf season at Meadowbrook Country Club.  The crew is glad to see the season go, it being one of the hottest and driest in recent memory.  The fall of 2012 however, was excellent for turf recovery with plentiful sunlight and the golf course is entering winter in good agronomic health.  There are many tasks that MCC's staff has to perform before the true start of winter along with specialty projects, all of which are detailed below.  

1. Snow Mold Applications: There are two main types of fungal diseases that present a threat over the winter, Pink and Grey Snow Mold.  Pink is the most common with symptoms appearing even in the spring in fall with wet conditions.  MCC treats greens, tees, fairways and green complexes for snow mold prevention.
2.  Dormant Fertilizer Application: A late fall fertilization of the fairways, rough and tees took place on the 19th of Novemeber.  A readily available source of nitrogen was utilized to ensure uptake before the plants go dormant.  Most of the benefits of this application will be seen in the spring, in terms of an earlier green-up, increased turf density and resistance to spring fungal diseases.  The process is contracted out to a company that can complete the entire task in 4 hours, a vast improvement on the 2-3 days required by fertilizing in-house.
3. Green Complex Sodding: Last fall, eight complexes were re-sodded and another six have been completed this fall.  This projects purpose is to eliminate the large amounts of annual bluegrass and bentgrass in the green surrounds, grasses that when mowed at a higher height of cut do not allow for consistent or fair lies.  There has been a overwhelming positive response to the newly sodded green complexes and it is the hope of the crew to not only complete the remaining greens, but eventually re-sod the intermediate and fairway bunker complexes, resulting not only in consistent playability but in defined, stylish aesthetics on each hole.  
4. Green Topdressing and Aerification: At the close of each season, MCC applies a heavy layer of topdressing sand to each green (over 2.5 yards of sand/green).  After, the greens are aerified at the smallest spacing available resulting in the largest percentage of surface area effected.  While seemingly counterintuitive to stress the greens so late in the season, it actually provides protection from winter damage, deters crown hydration and negates the need to aerify greens again in the spring.  The majority of the heavy topdressing is worked into the greens in the spring, further improving surface drainage and firmness throughout the golfing season.  
5. Green Covers:  Despite the heavy topdressing application, some greens due to specific environmental conditions (northern wind exposure and snow build-up) need further protection.  Seven of MCC's greens are covered with large strips of bubble wrap (to allow air flow and resist the build up of toxic gases) and massive tarps to repel water and snow from the vulnerable plant crowns.  This is a labor intensive process but it beats the alternative of covering the greens with bales upon bales of hay. 
6. Pumphouse Maintenance: Two of the pumps that feed the irrigation system have been pulled from the pumphouse for maintenance.  These pumps are over 12 feet long and extremely heavy, making a crane necessary to remove them from the pumphouse.  Further information on this subject is forthcoming in a future article, once diagnostics and repairs have been completed.
7. Tree-Care: The chemical Imprelis did extensive damage to a significant number of evergreens around the course.  Some of the trees are too injured to recover and are marked for removal, which will be an ongoing process over the winter.  Other trees are in desperate need of pruning, not just for architectural aesthetics, but to prevent safety issues and improve tree health.     

The crew hopes that members enjoyed the 2012 season, which was an excellent year for golf.  Articles will still be posted throughout the winter months so we hope our reader stays tuned.  Enjoy. 

Deep Tining

Aerification is a general term used by turf professionals in reference to any cultural practice that punches holes in a stand of turf.  There are various types of aerification (coring, solid tining, needle tining etc.) but the specific type utilized recently on MCC's greens is deep tining.  Most aerification events only effect the top 3 inches of the rootzone.  These practices would be sufficient on USGA spec'ed green, were the sand-based layer is over a foot deep.  At old courses, before the USGA specifications were in existence, it is beneficial to use an aerifier that can penetrate deeper into the soil and open up channels into the subgrade (the native soil layer beneath the desired sand-based layer).  These channels, usually 6-8 inches in depth, will move water away from the surface of the green, keeping the surface firm after heavy rains or heavy irrigation.

 The following slideshow illustrates the process of deep tining in its entirety, from the topdressing of the greens to actual aerification and working the sand into the exposed holes.  Enjoy.