"A Tee Grows in Northville"

The range tee is one of the most used and visible areas on a golf course.  With the amount of traffic and heat in the months of July and August, range tees will sustain extensive damage by the end of summer.  As the members have probably noticed, our range tee definitely has seen better days. 

Over 30,000 square feet comprises the range tee with about seven different "lines" that can be used for members to hit off of.  The staff topdresses and seeds these lines with perennial rye grass and low-mow kentucky bluegrass after every usage (once a week) but it is difficult to see germination and growth in the peak months of summer. 

This all adds up to little recovery and a poor hitting surface.  

As fall draws closer we have closed the natural grass part of the range tee for two weeks.  The crew topdressed/seeded the tee in it's entirety and fertilized with high rates of phosphorous which is an essential nutrient, especially when establishing new turf.  All of this is not only an attempt to make the range more playable, but a preparation for winter.  As stated in a previous post, the healthier the turf going into winter the better chance of its recovery in the spring. 

Fall Cultural Practices

Over the next months temperatures will drop, the days will become shorter, birds will start heading south and the Michigan State Spartans will begin their domination of the Big Ten.  These changes in weather will also bring changes in our maintenance practices.  

Right around September, most courses see a reduction in staff members (college students returning to school or seasonal employees leaving).  With a smaller staff certain practices are no longer feasible.  For instance, walk-mowing greens can no longer be accomplished because it takes 5-6 people that are needed elsewhere.   

While autumn colors are beautiful, they are a herald of leaves dropping.  Rotary mowers will be converted into mulchers and several weeks will be dedicated to the removal, mulching and cleaning of the leaf debris that will litter the course.  However the staff at MCC does a good job of keeping greens and fairways playable throughout the fall.
Because of the lower temperatures our pesticide spray schedule changes as well.  Fungal disease are most active during the months of summer and only a few are present in the fall.  With this reduction in disease pressure we can apply less pesticides to the golf course.  Without the majority of fungal diseases, 90 degrees days and extreme humidity's the turf plant will have an optimum environment for growth and we hope to see an increase in root length and shoot density. 
Even though fall is not quite here yet, turf managers are already planning for winter.  Sunlight is key during this period because it has a major influence on plant growth.  A healthy turf system has the best potential to survive the snowy months and everything we do during the fall will be geared to having the healthiest plant possible at the end of it.   This is a drastic difference from the mindset of summer in which superintendents management practices are based on just getting through the day. 

We hope you enjoy and utilize the best time of year for golf. 

Poa Annua Root Systems

Poa annua's Achilles heel has always been its shallow roots.  This year has been particularly hard on the root system due to the record setting amount of rain we had in the spring (constant saturation of the soil depletes oxygen levels which allows for little root growth).  Spring is the optimum time for turf growth, and the plants need to develop a deep enough system to survive the summer months.  Contrary to the heavy precipitation we received in April and May, this summer has seen precious little rain events and many days breaching 90 degrees.  This all adds up to a stressed out plant. 



Fairway Profile Sample

As we enter the end of summer, the plants themselves have a significantly reduced root system and will need to be maintained carefully.  Our irrigation has to be frequent and light, in order to keep the shallow .25"-.5"  rootzone moist.  This will interfere with play, in respects to softer playing surfaces and sprinkler head syringing, and we hope the golfers will bear with us through this difficult time.  Along with being an annoyance to members, the constant moisture in the soil allows for higher diseases pressure in regards to fungal pathogens.  Pythium and anthracnose are two diseases that can cause significant turf loss and thrive in saturated conditions.  To combat outbreaks, we will have to remain diligent with our fungicide applications. 

Disease outbreaks are only one of the problems we face when dealing with shallow root systems.  Traffic (or wear on the plants) becomes a major concern, especially at the end of summer with busy tee-sheets.  Carts and even walkers can significantly damage fairways, tee's and greens.  To avoid putting excess stress on the turf we have raised the height of cut on fairways (from .5" to .7").  In addition, fairways 5, the bottom of 12 and the hill on 14 are being mowed with triplexes.  The lighter weight of these machines should save us additional wear and tear on these highly susceptible areas. 
On average the weather begins to turn in turfs favor towards the end of August.  If we can get by the next couple weeks, the cooler temperatures of Fall will allow us to perform maintenance practices that will encourage root growth.  Aerification is a great way to introduce air into the root zone and we should see a substantial root increase.  Fall is also an excellent time to grow grass and we plan to overseed damaged areas on fairways with Pennlinks Bentgrass.  The coming weeks will definetly be a test of our irrigation and cultural practices but cooler temperatures and heads will prevail. 

The 2011 Men's Invitational



Willie Park Jr. (1864-1925)

 Welcome to Meadowbrook Country Club and the 2011 Men's Invitational!  

The staff has worked hard all summer (through high temperatures, untimely downpours and high winds) and we are proud to present the finished product.  The original 6 holes of MCC were designed by Willie Park Jr. and in order to honor his commitment to the game of golf, the winners will be awarded a sculpture of his likeness.  Over 125 acres are here for your enjoyment so respect the smooth greens, take in the beautiful views, and as always, remember to stay pin high. 

Herbicide Warning for Homeowners

Dupont's Imprelis (a broadleaf herbicide) hit the market in the fall of 2010 and many lawn care companies, superintendents and homeowners used this product on its release in the fall and in the spring of 2011.  Unfortunately, it is the suspected cause of death or damage to numerous trees and landscape ornamental.  There have been reports from 22 different states of tree dieback thought to be caused by Imprelis.  As a precautionary measure, if any MCC members have their lawns sprayed for weeds in the fall, request that your landscape companies not use Imprelis.  This is especially the case if you have Blue Spruces in your yard, they are very susceptible to the herbicide.  For more information, check out this link from the Purdue agronomy department.

Suspected Imprelis Injury Guide

Common Summer Diseases

Fungal pathogens are most detrimental to turf health from the months of May to late Septemeber (based on geographical location).  Along with the heat, irregular events and amounts of precipitation can cause huge outbreaks of disease.  Here are some of the major diseases that have superintendents pulling their hair out.

Dollar Spot:  A common disease found on most species of turf during periods of higher temperatures.  Symptoms appear as white/tan spots smaller than 6" in diameter.  On short mown turf, the spots rarely get larger than a couple inches.  Dollar spot is easily managed but can cause turf desiccation if left unchecked. 

Brown Patch:  Occurs during periods of high heat and humidity, especially when night time temps stay above 70 degrees.  The pathogen appears in turf stands as a large, brown/orange patch (some several feet in diameter).  When dew is present (or high humidity) a gray ring appears around the patch; a smoke ring.  This is where the fungus is active and is a good indicator of it's health.  While patches are large and unsightly, it is rare that brown patch will actually cause turf death.

Pythium:  Outbreaks occur during periods of extreme heat and humidity (over 90 degrees for several days combined with 90 % humidity).  The initial symptoms of Pythium are small sunken patches in an irregular pattern.  They are orange or dark gray in color.  Pythium can spread rapidly through drainage or even equipment making control of the disease difficult.  Finally, the turf will appear dark and greasy and if not treated can be fatal to the plant.

Anthracnose:  A devastating disease that occurs when areas are totally saturated for extended periods of time (heat helps the fungus but is not a necessity).  There are two types of Anthracnose, foliar and crown-rot.  Foliar effects only the leaf of the plant while crown-rot attacks the plant in its entirety.  Symptoms of anthracnose vary but may appear as yellow/orange spots or small patches (usually less than a foot in diameter) in turf stands.  Crown-rot Anthracnose is identified by dark, rotting plant structures such as the crown or roots of the turf.  It can spread quickly and is usually fatal.   

Localized Dry Spot:  A problem common in sand-based root zones.  It is a combination of little moisture and fungus activity that will actually seal off a portion of the soil from water (making the soil hydrophobic), so the symptoms appear as defined areas of wilt.  A wetting-agent is used to break up the tension between soil particles and allow water to filter through.

14 Blade Reels; New Greens Mowers

Greens are the most viewed and played area on a golf course.  All the action happens on the dance floor so it needs to be pristine.  To achieve that degree of quality, reel mower technology has evolved accordingly.  The most recent advancement that Meadowbrook has upgraded too, is the change from 11 blade to 14 blade reel mowers.  With the extra blades on the reel, we have seen a higher clipping yield (amount of grass removed) which leads to other benefits.  These include a smoother surface for truer putts and increased green speed.  Another advantage, is an option the 14 blade gives us during periods of heat and drought; we can increase the height of cut without losing green speed.  Even a slight increase in height will allow the turf to better survive temperature extremes. 

The following is a collection of images from the Brook, highlighting the putting surfaces.