Traffic on Recovering Greens

Germination and young plants have been observed on all injured areas of closed greens.  While mother nature is still not playing ball, we would appreciate the memberships help when these living carpets are reopened. 
Young plants are particularly susceptible to traffic or wear.  Despite the necessary cultural practices that we perform, the only other traffic that a green will receive is from golfers putting on them.  While we cannot eliminate putting from the game, golf shoe selection we can influence.  The staff would greatly appreciate if the membership could pick a non-aggressive type shoe if buying a new pair.  Here is an example...

Aggressive spikes, such as the "Black Widow", can easily tear non-established turf from the ground.  Here is an example...

If members could refrain from these types of spikes, it would be very beneficial to the injured greens once they are reopened.  Thank you.

Green Recovery; Comparison Photos

To better illustrate the recovery process, the following slideshow gives a great comparison as to where we stand now as opposed to a month ago. 

Frank Beckmann podcast with Dr. Kevin Frank of Michigan State University

Dr. Kevin Frank and Frank Beckmann had a very interesting talk on the radio recently regarding the state of the golf courses in the Metro-Detroit area.  The following video has that podcast along with a slideshow depicting the conditions here at Meadowbrook CC.  Enjoy. 



Homeowners Lawn Care Update

Tri-Turf, a distributor of chemicals, seed and various lawn care products located in Farmington Hills is again offering a spring time sale on seasonal fertilizers and pesticides.  As usual, if the members mention Meadowbrook CC they will receive a $1 off a bag.  After a grisly winter like the one we just endured, getting your lawn as healthy as possible before summer is important for it's survival, let alone the aesthetics.  Enjoy.

Green Recovery

The 15th green did not handle the winter well.  Similar in condition is the 17th green, with over 80% of the green surface dead or in a very precarious condition.  Several other greens sustained injury in the 25-70% range.  Even some of the covered greens show signs of injury but this was namely due to trees that shade the green surface and do not allow snow or ice to thaw. 
The recovery process will be trying and the crew has their work cut out for them and unfortunately for golfers, the use of temporary greens will be necessary to allow the greens to recuperate.  Recovery from a winter like this is a slow process, and one that is detailed below. 

1. Verticutting- Developing a good seed bed is key for seed germination, and the crew aggressively verticut the damaged greens.  Seed to soil contact is necessary for germination.

    2. Seeding- Creeping bentgrass seed is applied at a heavy rate.  Some of this seed is expected to
        fill in these damaged areas but poa annua seed already present in the green will do the same.

    3.  Aerifying- Not a typical aerification, but a light one intended to push the seed into further
         contact with the soil. 

     4.  Rolling- Once again, just another way to ensure more seed to soil contact with the added
          benefit of smoothing the green. 

      5.  Fertilization- A fertilizer application is made to provide adequate fertility for damaged plants
           and seedlings alike.

    
      6.  Irrigation- Seed needs water to germinate and granular fertilizer has to be watered in so the
           irrigation system is already being utilized. 

After all this, the greens are recovered with tarps to trap heat and warm the soil.  The weather is starting to turn favorably for golf during the day but night temperatures still fall close or below freezing.  Young and damaged plants do not tolerate these low temperatures well making the covers necessary.  Luckily, these covers are permeable to sunlight and water so they do not have to be removed each day. 

Areas on fairways and tees suffered injury as well and the focus will swing to these areas soon, but greens have to be the priority.  The blog will continue to be utilized to keep the membership as updated as possible in regards to the recovery of these greens so please stay tuned. 

Ice Damage and the Potential for Winterkill II

All over the Midwest, the question on every superintendent's mind seems to be, "what conditions will my greens be in coming out of winter?"  One can speculate all they want but there is a way to at least predict the amount of turf loss when the snow thaws and temperatures warm.  Pulling plugs from dormant greens and bringing them inside to break dormancy is a useful procedure used by superintendents for decades to see what they will be dealing with in the spring. 
Of the 20 putting surfaces at MCC, 8 are covered with the combination of bubble wrap and heavy tarps.  These covers have been, for the most part, completely successful in eliminating winterkill from these greens.  Notably, these greens have been the most problematic in the past and need this extra protection even during the average winter. The remaining 12 greens were sampled for turf recovery.  Two cores were taken from each green, in areas prone to winter damage (based on past experience).  The depth of the cores varied despite trying to keep them at a consistent two inches.  A grow lamp was utilized as well, set for a 12 hour cycle. 

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 6

As the pictures depict, the majority of the plugs show recovery and growth after only 6 days.  Weakened and dead plugs consistently had over 2 inches of dense ice formation, leading the crew to believe that these conditions are conducive to winterkill, obviously over extended periods of time.   The following table shows all the data collected from the greens during this process.  Depth of ice cover was an average taken from both sites of samples on each green but a special note was made if one of the plugs was underneath +2" of ice. 

While these sample results are promising, it is important to note that the greens are still under ice cover, and the potential for turf death only increases every day they are under ice.  Also of concern are the cold temperatures predicted into April.  Crown hydration and ice formation are still a real concern with the amount of water that could potentially sit on the green surface.  To limit the amount of water settling on these susceptible plants, the crew is removing the snow from all uncovered greens but even this presents the possibility of damage (weight on the green surface can crush the ice into the plant leaf blades and crown).  That being said, the dangers posed by crown hydration are greater than the risks associated with snow removal. In conclusion, while the majority of the plugs survived, it is important to remember that this isn't completely representative of what will happen in the spring.   We are not out of the woods yet by any means so please keep those fingers crossed and send the course some positive vibes.  Enjoy. 

 

Snow removal on the 16th Green

Snow removal on the 12th Green

Snow removal on the practice putting green required the use of the tractor

Continuing Education

On the 26th of February, the assistant superintendents attended the Spring Management Meeting put on by the MiGCSA at the Inn at St. Johns.  The meeting boasted lectures on various topics and a chance to network and discuss current events and problems faced by other maintenance crew's around the Detroit area.  Topics discussed include:

• Research updates concerning the myths and misconceptions about the fungal disease Pythium
• The use of blogs and other social media software as tools for communications with customers or members
• Methods to achieve success in the interview process
• Techniques for making pesticide applications more efficient and effective
• Ice formation and the potential for winter kill (the hot topic of the meeting)
• Administrative announcements having to do with the different turf organizations present in Michigan

While everyone at these education conferences have completed their schooling, none have finished learning.  The turf industry, like other industries, constantly changes due to economic climates, changing weather patterns and environmental issues to name just a few factors.  New technologies, chemistries and cultural practices are being researched and developed every year and to stay current, these educational meetings are necessary.  The Michigan Golf Course Superintendent Association and the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation not only provide funding for research but create a knowledgeable network for superintendents to utilize.  The crew at MCC would like to thank the MiGCSA and the MTF for it's continued commitment to turf managers across the state.  Enjoy.