Green Acres Grounds and Green Care

Golf Course News

2011-08-31T14:15:00.001-05:00

August is quickly coming to an end. However, September and October are two of the best months to play golf in the Chicagoland area. The grounds staff has some maintenance that must be performed in the coming weeks to prepare our turf for whatever nature has in store and to ensure you the best playing conditions for the rest of the season.

This year we have seen drastic weather ranging from extreme heat to record rain fall. Because of the time & effort we have previously expended to conduct valuable cultural practices our course has been able to withstand these weather extremes better than most.

Drainage

Drainage is one of the most important components to healthy turf. A perfect example is the contrast in turf quality from last year to this year where drainage was installed on holes 1, 3, 14 and 17. The 2011 season has turned out to be hotter and wetter than the 2010 season. Because of better drainage the impact of the extreme weather on our turf has been lessened. Continual maintenance and upgrades to drainage is a high priority for us.

Thin turf in the poorly drained areas is past the point of recovery. Before we repair the turf we will complete the drainage work. It is not the best time of year for this, but it makes no sense repairing the area only to tear it up in a few weeks to install new drainage. Our staff will do as much as time allows with as little disruption to play as possible.

In that spirit we will be installing drainage over the next few months in low areas that have lost turf due to saturated soil conditions. We are fortunate to have large mainlines running throughout the course for us to connect smaller lines to. We first trench a 4" wide by 3' deep trench in the area that holds water. The bottom of the trench is lined with pea gravel before a 4" diameter drain pipe with slits for the water to enter the pipe is placed inside the trench. The pipe is covered with pea gravel within 8 to 10 inches of the surface. The remainder of the trench is filled with sand. If the sod is still usable it is placed back over the trench. For the areas where the sod is not usable we put down an inch of compost mixed with seed. It is important to leave an easy path for the water to find its way down to the drain tile. That is why we choose not to bring in sod from an outside source to cover the trench. It would look better at first but the sod layer would impede drainage in the future.

Aerification

Aerification is one of the cultural practices that is very important to the health of the turf plant. The removal of small plugs from the ground reduces compaction, improves rooting, allows water and nutrients to move into the soil system and dilutes thatch. Fall aerification is a building block for strong turf next year. On Tuesday, September 6^th the course will be closed for aerification of the greens. We will use tines that are just under a half inch in diameter. It will take 10 to 12 days for the greens to heal. We understand that the greens are in great shape right now and it seems silly to mess them up. We do not like the aerification process any more than you, but the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term inconvenience.

Tee aerification will take place immediately after the greens. Fairways, approaches and roughs will begin the week of September 19^th.

Sand Topdressing

Sand topdressing helps to reduce thatch and smooth our playing surfaces. During the entire growing season greens and tees are topdressed regularly. Fairways are topdressed in the spring and fall. Fairway topdressing will start on September 6th. We will make 4 to 5 applications total. When you are out playing you will see small amounts of sand on the surface. As a result of sand topdressing fairways have a much better growing environment than what the native soils could provide. Our fairways have been topdressed for 12 years running, building up approximately 3.5 to 4 inches of sand.

How Can Golfers Improve Playing Conditions?

It is no secret that playing golf causes damage to turf. That is how the course is meant to be utilized. How the damage is treated immediately following its occurrence is what impacts recovery the most.

A ball mark that is repaired when it is made will heal in a matter of days. One that is left unattended for just an hour in the hot sun will take several weeks to heal. The grounds staff repairs ball marks every morning before we mow greens. This is much too late. Only the golfer who makes the mark can save the turf and create a better surface for the players behind them and for themselves during their next round.

Divots should be replaced immediately as well. If you take a divot in the fairway, tee or the rough, simply replace as much turf as possible. The grounds staff is continually filling divots with seed/compost mix. This will help improve playing conditions.

Cart traffic in concentrated areas around greens and tees causes soil compaction and thin turf that is hard to play from. Please follow all cart signs and stakes. The white stakes with the green caps are there to remind you that you are too close to the green. When you approach the green, please proceed to the cart path, not getting any closer to the green than the stakes indicate. Keep your cart on the path until you leave the next tee. Carts should not be taken off the cart paths on all par 3 holes. Our members who have legitimate physical limitations are permitted to maneuver their cart closer to the green or tee.

It is our goal to provide you and your guests the best conditions possible. As always, we will do our best to achieve this goal with minimal disruption to play.

CDGA Scouting Report

2011-08-14T06:26:00.000-05:00

August 12, 2011 Scouting Report

August Continues to Cool: Rootless Turf is Weak, Summer Patch Hurts, Hot Temperature Diseases Halt, Dollar Spot Returns, and Tim is Stressed?

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org/Weather Blog

It happened. It seems we have survived another difficult summer. Can I really say that? I think I can. We are now almost looking mid-August square in the face and the extended forecast is without 90s for highs and now we can reflect. From the very beginning this growing season was trouble. A very wet spring interfered with our attempts to 'green-up' turfgrass. Then it got really hot during June's first week and that lasted (on and off) until August 2nd. Severe thunderstorms with high winds repeatedly dropped huge trees and we would lose power again. July was intense and it turned out the average dewpoint hadn't been at a higher level since 1980.

I visited more golf courses this week than I would have expected - mainly documentation of July's after-effects. It turns out we experienced the Kitchen Sink - in a matter of words. We again saw what midsummer environmental extremes do to plant health and summer 2011 took our ability to manage plant health to the very edge. "...Another week of consistently warm days in the 90s and things would have gotten interesting." In the end we made it through and that's a good thing. We can write another volume or two in Encyclopedia of a Difficult Growing Season. Mine begins, "It began innocently enough after the snow melt when blades of grass..."

Click here to view the August 12, 2011 Scouting Report.

Have a good weekend and continue to enjoy the terrific weather!

Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program
630-685-2307
dsettle@cdga.org
Weather Blog

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS
Manager of Turfgrass Research
630-685-2310
tsibicky@cdga.org
Research Blog

CDGA Turf Scouting Report

2011-08-07T09:05:00.002-05:00

August 5, 2011 Scouting Report

August Cools: We Catch Our Breath, Flood Injury, Pythium blight, Physiological Decline, Fairy Ring Develops, Tim's IS-AP18, and Peter says Microclimate

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org/Weather Blog

It's now August and this summer now seems a little less ominious? Not a bad thing if you are a superintendent responsible for acres and acres of green. This week began hot as ever, but that all changed Tuesday night when cooler air moved temperatures 10 degrees in the right direction - that would be down. As the calendar page turned the statisticians went to work. Comparisons of each season help us understand where we are with regard to "average" or "normal". Nationwide this summer has already been written in the books as a hot one. It has broken records that were decades old - wettest July ever!?! With regard to high temperatures, Chicago has basically achieved its average number of hottest days but remember August hasn't given us her total yet. The good news (for now) is the heat has broken and we can now summerize, better understand, and assess the damage from a hot, record wet July which had our attention from the beginning.

In the wake of July we learned that the air was very wet. In regions of our area, the average dew point value had not been higher in July since 1980. That can help us understand and explain why turf loss on golf courses has been widespread for the second summer season in a row. In nearly every case the situation is the same - areas that flood midsummer are unable to survive. Oh one more thing, the break also allows us to recover. May you rest well, nights are once again 60s.

Click here to view the August 5, 2011 Scouting Report.

Boy I'm glad it's August!

Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program
630-685-2307
dsettle@cdga.org
Weather Blog

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS
Manager of Turfgrass Research
630-685-2310
tsibicky@cdga.org
Research Blog

The Value of Drainage

2011-08-02T13:33:00.000-05:00

Drainage is one of the most important components to healthy turf. A perfect example is the contrast in turf quality from last year to this year where drainage was installed. This season has turned out to be hotter and wetter than last year. The pictures below show the damaged turf from last year, compared to the well drained healthy turf this year.

Hole #17 7-26-10

Hole #17 8-01-11

Hole # 1 7-26-10

Hole # 1 8-01-11

Continual maintenance and upgrades to drainage is a high priority for us. In that spirit we will be installing drainage over the next few weeks in low areas that have lost turf due to saturated conditions. The turf in these areas is past the point of recovery so before we repair the turf we will complete the drainage work.

It is not the best time of year for this, but it makes no sense repairing the area only to tear it up in a few months to put in drainage. Our staff will do as much as time allows with little disruption to play.

Here are a few pictures of work on hole # 4 that is currently in progress. Work will be done on holes # 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, an 15 to start with.

The remainder of the thin areas will be aerified and seeded in the nest few weeks.

CDGA

2011-07-31T08:48:00.000-05:00

Below is this weeks Turf Scouting Report from the CDGA. These guys do a nice job on turf research and communication. I thought some of you would be interested in what they have to say.

July 29, 2011 Scouting Report

Record Wet July: Brown Patch Peaks, Pythium Blight, Physiological Decline of Bentgrass and Poa, Type 1 Fairy Ring Begins, Tim recaps Wisconsin's Turfgrass Field Day, and Peter sees and says Agrostis ipsilon

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org/Weather Blog

A week of plant health fallout. It was not entirely unexpected because as of last week we had just experienced our hottest air and soil temperatures. But one more thing happened that tipped the balance and on Friday, July 22 it began to rain. When the deluge was over, July 2011 had become Chicago's wettest since 1889. It was almost unbelievable since nearly all precipitation had occurred in just 6 days (9.75 inches at O'Hare). Not surprisingly strange things began to happen in the landscape and certain fungal diseases went wild. For example, brown patch development in fairways went beyond what seasoned superintendents had ever experienced. Then there's why overly wet rootzones are our worst enemy. Midsummer is never a good time for cool-season turfgrass because any additional downward spiral of turfgrass health can be difficult to reverse until cooler weather returns. Root biomass/length are at their lowest levels and what's left root-wise has impaired function because of high soil temperature. Turf plants in physiological decline display abnormal photosynthesis and respiration, yet concentrated wear continues on a daily basis (the life of a golf green). Often the only recourse is a well-timed cultural method such as needle-tine aeration. If it sounds as if I'm exaggerating or blaming the weather too much, guess again. Though today I did learn it could be worse. My colleague Dr. Megan Kennelly relayed Kansas had just experienced 11 of 14 days with highs of 100° or greater. I then checked and saw Wichita, Kansas hit a record high of 107° - even my mom is hot!

Click here to view the July 29, 2011 Scouting Report.

Hang in there as good news is on the horizon. The extended forecast is showing a slight cool-down (highs in mid-80s) is to begin next Tuesday.

Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program
630-685-2307
dsettle@cdga.org
Weather Blog

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS
Manager of Turfgrass Research
630-685-2310
tsibicky@cdga.org
Research Blog

Course Update

2011-07-29T07:16:00.000-05:00

Wet, soggy, saturated and water logged are all good descriptions of the golf course. During this July we have received 8.24 inches of rain. From July 20th through this morning we have gotten 7.89 inches of that rain.

When you go out to play over this weekend you will find shaggy fairways, long rough and slow greens. It is much too soft to mow fairways or rough. The fairway and rough mowers would cause large amounts of damage under these ground conditions. Double cutting greens and rolling them is out of the question for a few days as well. The turf is much too tender to handle all that traffic. I anticipate being back out on the course and in our normal maintenance pattern by Tuesday.

As the standing water retreats I expect to encounter areas of thin or dead turf. These small birdbaths that hold water in the fairways have be saturated for more than a week. Like most things that sit in water for a week, they are rotting away. I know if I stood in a puddle for more than a week my feet would not be in good shape. Same goes for the turf roots. I do not see it greatly affecting play. It will just look a little unsightly for a while. Greens and tees are not experiencing any issues with standing water.

Course Update

2011-07-24T08:24:00.001-05:00

More rain is falling today with temperatures expected to hit the low 90's. This is a combination that can cause turf to rapidly decline and turf disease to take hold.

The most important task in this situation is to remove all standing water from the turf as quickly as possible. Because of the constant maintenance and improvement of our drainage infrastructure we were able to move over five inches of rain off the course in under four hours. Below is a shot of number 17 approach just after the rain stoped. The new drainage moves the water from the left side to the retention area on the right. This approach was water free and still alive just a short time later.

Water removal is our first objective. Once that is accomplished we begin work on bunker repair and debris clean up. The course should be back in form by Tuesday.

We are constantly scouting the course for any signs of disease that could drastically reduce turf health. When and only when necessary we apply plant protectents for control.

The last picture is of an irrigation break on the back of 11 tee. It is not uncommon for a pipe fitting, located on a slope to move when the soil becomes saturated. It looks much worse than it is. Water flowing through a 2.5" pvc pipe at 120 psi erodes a sand tee in a hurry. Monday we will repair the pipe and rebuild the tee.

Course Update

2011-07-23T07:56:00.000-05:00

The golf course is under water! 4.4 inches of rain has fallen since 9:00 am on July 22nd.

All our drainage is functioning well, it will just take some time for all the water to drain. The grounds staff will do all we can to make the course playable as quickly as possible. Bunker repair and debris removal will take several days.

Stay dry!

Extream Heat !

2011-07-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

Extreme summer heat has settled upon Chicagoland this week. Thanks to the talent and effort of our grounds staff the turf at Green Acres is in good shape and in good health.

They have been diligent in monitoring water needs and applying the proper amounts, mostly by hand. Water management is the most important component to healthy turf in times of heat stress. Just like people, turf needs to remain hydrated throughout the day. Too much water in these conditions can cause turf decline. It is a fine line between the two.

Take care of your health in this heat and we will take care of the turf health.

Enjoy the course!

Stormy Night

2011-06-22T08:38:00.001-05:00

Last night a line of storms rolled through our area. The stormy night contained close to 80 mph winds, hail and a small amount of rain.

The damage to the golf course is minimal. We have five medium to large trees down, along with a great deal of small to large limbs. It will take our staff several days to clean up the mess. While in the process of cleaning up the storm damage we will fall behind in routine maintenance such as rough mowing and bunker care. I intend to be back to normal this weekend.

Practice Range

2011-06-18T07:33:00.013-05:00

Yesterday was a big day on the golf course and at the practice range. We had over 160 players on the golf course and even more who used the practice tee. Below is a shot of the devastation this morning.

Thanks to the upgrades to the irrigation and the tee we are having no issues with turf recovery. The irrigation shown below has allowed us to maintain proper moisture to promote seed germination and turf growth. The irrigation will come on numerous times during the day depending on moisture needs. When the wind is blowing from the north you may feel a little mist. The irrigation will run for five to ten minutes at a time. I understand there may be times this is inconvenient but it is a small inconvenience for good practice turf later in the summer.

The new teaching tee at the North end of the range is almost ready. The tee will open for members taking golf lessons only on Friday June 24th.

Enjoy the range.

Heat, Flowers and Greens

2011-06-08T13:43:00.001-05:00

Today is the third day in a row of 95 degree temperatures with a 25 mile an hour wind. It has been no problem for the turf to handle. The grounds staff has been on top of the water needs, maintaining adequate moisture the plant to survive each day until the sun goes down.

Flower planting is close to completion. Installation was delayed in mid May because of cold, frosty mornings that would have killed the annuals as soon as we planted them. It was right to delay planting, but now it is time to enjoy the color display.

A common question recently is, what are the small void areas on the greens? Well, back in first part of March our staff applied a product called Reward that eliminates the Poa annua leaving a void for the bentgrass to fill in. Normally the bentgrass starts growing rapidly mid April and the voids fill in quickly. This was not the case this year. Now we are left with the task of removing the ball mark size voids and replacing them with turf from our nursery. We are progressing as fast as we can to rid the greens of the marks.

I apologize for the less than perfect green conditions.

Pond Banks

2011-06-03T13:42:00.002-05:00

This spring we have made a change to the way we maintain the banks of our ponds. The Green Committee has chosen to let the pond banks grow out. This is being done for several reasons. First, a buffer strip of taller turf is an excellent filter of fertilizers and pesticides as small amounts can runoff the fairway and rough into the ponds. Second, it is a better environment for the wild life the calls our ponds home. Third, it will help control algae blooms. Fourth, it creates saving in labor and fuel.

The turf that is around our ponds is a wide variety of fescue, bluegrass, and bentgrass. This is not an ideal mix of turf to produce the best looking buffer. A stand of mostly tall fescue would look best. For now we are just letting what we have in place grow to see if we like the concept before we make changes that would be more permanent.

Longer turf is the best way to maintain the pond banks. It is up to us to decide if we like the looks or if an upgrade to the turf will be necessary. That is a decision the Green Committee will contemplate in the Fall.

Just by chance the USGA Green Section Record for this week contains an article discussing this vary subject. I have included the USGA article below. It runs off the back round a little but I did not wish to alter the article to paste it on my blog.

Cattails - "Love 'Em And Leave 'Em"
by James F. Moore, USGA Green Section

Cattails add a natural look to golf course water features and provide a variety of environmental benefits.

It's no secret that most golfers don't put cattails high on their list of favorite plants. In fact, when it comes to lakes and streams on the course, many players continue to demand the formal look of closely mown turf right to the water's edge. Unfortunately, while neat in appearance, this is a serious mistake environmentally and economically.

Common sense should tell us all that allowing vegetation to grow between the closely mown turf and the edge of the water will result in the interception and slowing of drainage runoff into the lake or stream. This runoff water has the potential to physically carry fertilizers and pesticides into non-target areas. This common sense theory has been substantiated through a great deal of scientific study. It just makes sense - allowing the turf to grow higher at the water's edge helps prevent environmental damage.

Killdeer of all ages find safe cover and plenty of food in cattails.

Buffer strips of higher mown turf can make a big difference. However, these areas do not do much to enhance bird and amphibian populations. That's where those cattails, willows, and other taller plants come in. In addition to helping to intercept fertilizers and pesticides, these plants provide food, safe cover, and habitat for many different creatures. Who would disagree with the beauty provided by the increased presence of Red-winged Blackbirds, Killdeer, cranes, ducks and other birds? And how about more frogs, lizards, cicadas, fish and even the occasional snake? Bodies of water simply look healthier when they are populated with an abundance of living organisms. The ideal program is to utilize both methods. Mow the turf higher, creating buffer strips, and allow a variety of vegetation to grow along the banks and in the shallows of your course's streams and lakes.

Most golf course superintendents are aware of the benefits of buffer strips and aquatic vegetation. The hard part is convincing golfers that it is the right way to go. Note to golfers - consider one more not insignificant benefit - it is much cheaper to opt for the natural look! Supporting this program will allow your superintendent to concentrate available labor-hours and dollars where they can improve playing quality. This is certainly good news in these economic times.

A Red-winged Blackbird ventures from the nest to forage for insects in the nearby fairway.

So, to take a positive step environmentally, increase wildlife on your course, make the course more attractive, and save money in the process, put those weed whackers away!

For more on the advantages of naturalized golf course water features check out the links below.

Best management practices to reduce pesticide runoff from turf

Using golf courses to bolster amphibian communities: University of Missouri scientists provide amphibian management guidelines for ecologically minded superintendents

Nutrient loss in runoff from turf: Effect on surface water quality

Getting through the winter: Helping frogs and salamanders survive

What goes up must come down: Innovation benefitting water and wildlife at The Villages of Sumter

Using buffer zones to promote amphibian populations

Golf course wetlands as refuges for turtles

Optimizing vegetative filter strips to treat runoff from turf

Protecting water quality on and off the golf course: Design features for filtering fertilizer nutrients

Buffer strips, runoff, and leachate: Research compares nutrient loading in runoff and leachate when buffer strips are used alongside golf course fairways

Mowing roughs to minimize runoff: Scientists at Oklahoma State University demonstrate the environmental protection value of multiple-height roughs

What is a buffer?

Course Update

2011-06-01T14:30:00.001-05:00

It seems as if we have turned the corner and are on the road to drier days. Yesterday and today we were able to mow fairways and rough for the first time in more than a week. The course has drained well and is beginning to firm up. I can't say enough about how well the drainage improvements are working. If the 6.8" of rain we experienced over the past week would have fallen 3 years ago the course would still have standing water in many areas and turf loss would be occurring. The commitment to continual improvements in our infrastructure is paying off.

The weather has slowed flower planting. That will change this week. The flowers are going to be planted at a rapid pace. I anticipate the bulk of them in the ground by the end of the week.

Enjoy the course!

Course Update

2011-05-30T05:39:00.000-05:00

In the past seven days we have recorded 6.8" of rain. Things are soft and muddy but we have almost no standing water on the course. We have some minor repair work on some bunkers because the rain came down so hard it washed sand down the bunker face. But all and all the course is in great condition considering the last weeks events.

Course Update

2011-05-29T07:21:00.000-05:00

Fog rolled in this morning with a little drizzle to top off the already saturated soil. We have been allowing carts the past few days, but if we receive any rain at all, they will be taken off the course.

The fairways are in good condition thanks to the sand todressing program. The last eleven years of topdresssing has built up a firm, sandy upper root zone. This situation helps move water off the surface, permitting cart traffic to return to them more quickly following a rain event. Maybe we should start on the rough?

Some sun and wind would be nice!

USGA Green Section

2011-05-27T08:31:00.002-05:00

Every week the USGA Green Section produces a digital Green Section Record full of information pertaining to golf course maintenance. The information is divided up by regions of the United States. Not all the information is relevant to Green Acres, so you need to be choosy about the turf tips.

To the lower left is a link to the USGA web site. If you would like to subscribe to the Record and receive it every week at no charge you can sign up there.

This article is on Putting Green Consistency. There is a link to a bunker consistency article embedded in the green article.

Enjoy!

A Green Section Point Of ViewPutting Green Consistency

What it is, and what it is not!
by Larry Gilhuly, director, Northwest Region

Rolling is a common method to achieve consistency on the day you play

During my USGA Turf Advisory Service visits to golf courses,many words are used by those in attendance. Words like fun, tough, difficult, demanding,and beautiful show what each player thinks of the golf course as a whole. However, when asked about certain portions of a golf course, the word consistency crops up as the most commonly used word. The primary focus is on two playing areas: bunkers and greens. Let's take a look at both the perception and reality of how this simple word now dominates the way a golf course is maintained.

Let's start with the word itself.

"Consistency - steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc., marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity: free from variation or contradiction."

This word has a place in the game, but to assume that golf should be the same every day would require a very large dome over the golf course to eliminate all natural elements, a trained person following every group to rake footprints in the bunkers, every bunker built with identical slopes, and greens prepared multiple times during the day if your tee time changes.

Read the rest of this article.

Course Update

2011-05-27T06:55:00.001-05:00

The rain has stopped and the sun is shining. Thanks to all the new drainage work last fall the course handled the 3.8" of rain over the past several days with ease.

There will be no carts on the course today but they will be available Saturday. The grass range tee is open today along with the short game area.

Course Update

2011-05-26T07:19:00.000-05:00

As of 7:00 am this morning we are at 2.4" and climbing. More rain is falling now so that total is certain to rise.

The soil is saturated and the ponds are overflowing. It will take several days of dry weather for the ground to firm up. My best guess is carts and rough mowers back on the course Sunday with an outside chance for Saturday. I am sure most of you would like to see the rough mowers hit the course before the carts.

Course Update

2011-05-25T13:55:00.000-05:00

New Water Feature

This morning between 8:00 am and 10:30 am we received 1.7" of rain. That is a quite a lot of water in a short time. The course handled it well but we have some extra work ahead of us to prepare for Memorial Day weekend. There will be no carts for several days, the practice range will be on the mats and the short game area will be closed until the rain stops for 12 or more hours.

The forecast is calling for more rain later today and tomorrow. This is going to make it a challenge to get the rough mowed and course detailed. The grounds staff will put in extra hours to get the course in the best shape we can.

Island Green

CDGA Scouting Report

2011-05-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

May 20, 2011 Scouting Report

Clear Skies and Sun! Bentgrass is Green, Bentgrass Seed Germinates, More First Dollar Spot, Waitea Progresses, and Tim's Research Work for 2011

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org/NEW: Weather Blog

Wed 50 low /60 high and Thu 46 low /73 high. A pair of nice days and Friday is just as nice - warmer nights and how about full sun? It means this season has just turned the corner and is in a direction that creeping bentgrass likes (i.e., bentgrass needs average soil temperatures at 2 inches to stabilize at about 55 degrees or higher for good growth). Also, good germination of seed has begun and continued to accelerate into this week. Areas injured by season 2010 that were without complete recovery are now looking better - Chicago's inner roughs especially hard hit.

It turns out low-mow Kentucky bluegrass was also slow out of the blocks in 2011. The negative impact of repeat frost events in May did not help. Next up, we will try and experience good weather for June? June is arguably our most important month of root/shoot growth given what July can bring cool-season turf in Chicago. Such as, repeat daytime highs of 90+ degrees and, during a hot and humid summer, midsummer physiological decline that begins as July transitions to August. But wait, it's still May and this week felt like heaven on earth = clear skies and sun!

Click here to view the May 20, 2011 Scouting Report.

Have a great weekend, and exactly where's the sun?

Derek Settle, PhD

Director of Turfgrass Program

630-685-2307

dsettle@cdga.org

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS

Manager of Turfgrass Research

630-685-2310

tsibicky@cdga.org

Practice Divot Distribution

2011-05-22T08:32:00.004-05:00

Correct divot distribution is scattering your divots. This allows turf to fill in from the edges as well as from seed. Scattering divots leads to shorter recovery time.

Correct Distribution

Incorrect divot distribution is concentrating your divots, removing all turf from the area. This large void increases recovery time dramatically.

Incorrect Distribution

When you practice on the range tee or the short game area please mix it up a little to assist with shorter recovery time.

Five Bathroom

2011-05-20T14:36:00.000-05:00

In between the rain drops this month we managed to make a small improvement to the walkway and plantings at five bathroom. It now a little better looking and much easier to walk around. Resurfacing the cart path on the east side would be a nice touch to add in the future.

Before

After

Finally a Floor

2011-05-18T09:50:00.002-05:00

The Environmental Center is getting a floor today. All the underground drainage and plumbing is complete and the concrete floor is going in. After the concrete cures for seven days, work can proceed on the inside of building. Aboveground electrical, plumbing and fire protection should take about three weeks. The last piece will be to repair the parking lot and move in.

I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hope you get to golf soon!

CDGA Scouting Report

2011-05-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

May 13, 2011 Scouting Report

We count a 90° day: Soils reach 65° at 2 inches, First Dollar Spot, First Waitea, Crabgrass Germination Begins and Tim's Data on Poa annua Control

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org/NEW: Weather Blog

I'm awake! In a week our temperatures went through the ceiling. What happened was unusual and our environmental conditions quickly shifted from a cool month of sluggish greenup to midsummer. Three days at or near 90° began onTuesday, May 10 when Chicago set new record highs with Midway's mercury reading 91°. Little Sunshine Course matched that and then went on to log two more 90° days. It meant midday wilt stress of sand-based golf greens began. Hand-watering of those purpling patches also began. Just a week prior those same greens were a purplish-red color after enduring one last series of frost. Next up, familiar faces appeared. First, a terrific image via text mail was undeniable - bright yellow rings of Waitea affecting Poa annua on a practice green. I visited to confirm. Then our nemesis, dollar spot disease, said hello.

Our first dollar spot report was via phone on a bentgrass fairway in central Illinois by Bill Sharp, University of Illinois. That tip led Tim Sibicky to scout and find infection centers on Sunshine Course's practice putting green. A susceptible creeping bentgrass 'Century' was hit with the reddish spots typical of initial dollar spot outbreaks in May. That's heavy stuff for a season that, up until now, had been (big yawn) progressing slowly for an entire month. Not yawning.

Click here to view the May 13, 2011 Scouting Report.

Have a good weekend, enjoy a return to cool and maybe check out www.cdgaturf.org.

Derek Settle, PhD

Director of Turfgrass Program

630-685-2307

dsettle@cdga.org

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS

Manager of Turfgrass Research

630-685-2310

tsibicky@cdga.org

Parking Lot Paint Job

2011-05-10T14:45:00.000-05:00

Main parking lot on Monday morning.

Main parking lot on Tuesday morning.

CDGA Scouting Report

2011-05-08T11:03:00.000-05:00

Every week the outstanding turf professionals of the CDGA send out a Scouting Report of current turf growing conditions and ongoing research. Derek Settle, PhD and Tim Sibicky, MS do a terrific job monitoring weather, turf pests and turf diseases to assist Chicagoland golf courses in producing the best turf possible.

They conduct research on new turf verities, disease and pest control, plant nutrition and much more. I will post the cover page to each weeks report on my blog along with a link to entire report. If you would like to access the report on your own go to CDGA.org and navigate to the turf section. Below is this weeks report.

CDGA Scouting Report

May 6, 2011 Scouting Report

Let there be sun! It's May, Illinois dries, Missouri reports dollar spot, and Tim's Shoreacre bentgrass trial versus Poa annua.

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle - DSettle@cdga.org

We turned a page. On the calendar it's May. In the sky we see sunlight. On the ground, the sound (equipment mowing) means turf has quickly regained both growth and color (not purple). Even Poa annua responded and produced seedheads on greens this week. Soggy, cold conditions are generally not good for plant growth and definitely slowed this spring and interfered with golf. Still, let's keep perspective. This is not spring 2010 when some of the most extensive winter injury existed on golf surfaces in recent memory (decades said some). It's spring 2011! If you listen (eyes required), landscape plants are telling us life is good. Hard to believe, since summer 2010 felt like Hades and, as you recall, we paid for it (lots of turf loss). But August ended and a dry fall with cooler temperatures helped right the wrong (summer 2010). It gave us back control (water) we hadn't seen all season. Fairways and greens healed nicely by early October. But the turf stepchild (rough) didn't look so good - recovering from a rootless summer and then a disease called rust, Puccinia spp., finished the thinning. This spring be kind and understand roughs might be 'rough'. It pains me to say, but weeds will likely be our biggest trouble of early summer (things like clover, crabgrass, knotweed, and Poa annua). Be kind.

Click here to view the entire May 6, 2011 Scouting Report

Have a great weekend and maybe think of some flowers for Mother?

Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program
630-685-2307
dsettle @cdga.org

Timothy A. Sibicky, MS
Manager of Turfgrass Research
630-685-2310
tsibicky @cdga.org

Thin Roughs

2011-05-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

When you make your way around the course this spring you will come across areas of thin, patchy rough. The majority of these areas are under trees. Trees easily out compete the turf for water, nutrients and sunlight. The thin turf, the time and expense of repair, is the price of over planted or misplaced trees. This competition, combined with heavy snow cover followed by a cold wet spring has created these weak stands of turf.

This past week the soil temperatures have warmed enough for seed germination. We have been out aerifing, seeding, fertilizing and topdressing these areas with compost. It will take us one more week to hit the remaining areas in need of repair. I expect the turf to improve as soil and air temperatures rise.

Fairway Topdressing & Deep Tine Aeration

2011-05-03T13:45:00.000-05:00

Eight to ten times a season we topdress all thirty acres of fairways with sand. The native soil is mostly clay that does not drain well or support healthy turf. Sand topdressing improves drainage, reduces thatch and lessens disease pressure while creating a smoother firmer playing surface.

In conjunction with sand topdressing we deep tine aerate the fairways. The deep tine aerator penetrates the ground to a depth of nine to eleven inches. The holes left behind are perfect for gas/nutrient exchange and root development. Our goal is to deep tine each fairway three times a season. The operator is trained to watch for players. He may not move off to the side but once he has acknowledged you it is safe to hit. Below is a video of the deep tine machine in use.

The combination of sand topdressing and deep tine aeration leads to better playing conditions all season.

Enjoy the course!

Stocking The Ponds

2011-05-02T15:36:00.000-05:00

This weekend the ponds were stocked with 40 Tripoid Grass Carp. The young carp have a tremendous appetite for aquatic weeds and algae. They feed and grow rapidly. After their third year of life they start to eat much less, requiring us to add younger stock.

We purchase the carp from the Mc Henry County Soil and Water Conservation District. The carp are sterile to prevent them from overpopulating the ponds and damaging the Eco system.

Practice Range

2011-04-24T10:35:00.001-05:00

Cold and rainy weather has delayed the opening of the grass tee at the practice range. I anticipated the tee being open by now but it has been much too soft due to the rain. The turf on the tee is in great shape and ready to go as soon as the rain stops and the ground firms up.

The new teaching tee is well behind expectations as well. The cold temperatures have slow growth down to a crawl. The tee is covered to prevent erosion from the rain and speed turf establishment.

More rain is in the forecast for this week. We will make every effort to get you practicing on the turf before May.

Thank you for your patients.

Sprucing Up The Practice Area

2011-04-22T15:27:00.001-05:00

It has been a challenge getting projects completed between rain drops this Spring. However, we managed to spruce up the Short Game Area along the parking lot. 22 Colorado Spruce trees were installed along with one Maple.

It is a nice upgrade to the landscaping around the Club and Course.

What Month is This?

2011-04-18T11:18:00.002-05:00

It does not look like April on the golf course but it is. This snow will set us back a few days but it should not harm the turf.

I look forward to seeing you all out on the course when the snow melts and Spring arrives.

Take Care.

The Building is Up

2011-04-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

The Environmental Center building is standing upright. As you can see in the picture we have a building with walls, doors and a roof. In the next month the environmental systems will take shape inside and the floor will be poured. Electric and life safety items will go in and we will finish up with the outside details. I will keep you posted as we hit new milestones.

Back in Business

2011-04-07T13:14:00.000-05:00

Back in business we are! On the golf course and on the Green Acres Turf Blog. I apologize for the extremely long time period between posts. I am back at it and will post more regularly moving forward. Below is a picture of the first greens mowing of the season. We have not experienced much growth yet but it is always exciting to get out and mow for the first time. When you come out to play you will see about quarter size dead spots on the greens. This is part of our poa annua control program. We were out in early March dabbing the poa spots with roundup. When the bentgrass begins to grow it will fill in the void areas quickly. Hope you can get out to play soon!

Relief

2010-08-18T14:42:00.001-05:00

AHHHHHHHH! That is how the turf has felt the last several days. Cooler, less humid days and night have been a big relief to the turf on our course. Even though we did not make it past the hot weather totally blemish free we held our own.

This week I began to care for the thin areas with a dose of aerification and seed. As the weather conditions become more favorable for turf recovery we intend to have the foundation in place for the turf to thrive. My goal is to create a playing surface so you can enjoy the remainder of the golf season. I will do this with as little inconvenience e as possible.

The picture below is of the range tee during aerification and seeding. The black material that you will see on the tee the next time you hit balls is composted grass clippings, leaf mulch and cow manure. It is great source of nutrients and retains moisture for seed germination.

Enjoy the course!

Range Tee

2010-07-29T13:37:00.000-05:00

We have good news at Green Acres this year. The range tee and the short game area are being used by our members like never before. The problem is that our tee is just not large enough to keep up with the use. The turf on the tee is being consumed much faster than it can be regrown.

Below is the tee the morning after a day of use. You can see that between the boards is wiped out and players have moved back on their own in search of turf to hit off.

Turf recovery begins immediately with reseeding as seen in the next picture. The seed bed needs to be kept moist and fertilized to promote recovery. In ideal growing conditions this area can be ready for play in 8 or 9 weeks. In hot dry conditions the turf recovery slows to a crawl.

We are constantly caring for the range tee like it is a newborn. But at the rate it is consumed there is just not enough time for it to recover.

On August 7th the Grounds and Green Committee will review all our options for improving the condition of the tee.

Best Regards!

Rainy Weekend, But Opened For Play

2010-07-26T08:11:00.001-05:00

This tree on the 15th hole that was struck by lightning is the only real damage from the stormy weather last Friday night into Saturday morning.

Because of the investment we have made in drainage since 2008 when we were closed and lost turf, our course was able to handle 3.5 inches of rain with no flooding. While many of our neighboring clubs were closed on Saturday and Sunday we were able to remain open and even send carts out on Sunday. This was possible due to the drain tile and to the great job our grounds staff did on Saturday pumping water and keeping drains free from debris.

The increased size in the opening at the pond on the 4th hole is a big reason why but not the only reason. If you recall we also removed several Willow Trees that had massive root systems clogging up drainage along the fence line. We regraded the northeast side of the 4th hole and installed new drainage to improve conditions in that area.

Besides the work on 4 we are constantly repairing, maintaining and adding onto the literally miles of drain tile under the course. We do much of this work in the spring and fall when it does not disrupt play.

Just this spring we improved the drainage behind 5 green, 15 green and rebuilt the large drain on the third approach.

You never can tell when the drainage will be needed so we have it ready to go all the time.

Best Regards.

A Little Help for 3 Tee

2010-07-14T10:41:00.000-05:00

The third tee sits back along the property line surrounded by trees and shrubs. This season the tee has been week and the turf thin.

In an effort to improve the turf we installed a root barrier next to the tee. This barrier will keep tree and shrub roots from invading the tee. When trees and shrubs compete with turf for sunlight, water and nutrients the turf has no chance of victory. This is why there is no grass in the forest.

Below you can see the fabric being installed. In the next picture, notice the amount of tree and shrub roots in the trench.

To make the tee playable as quickly as possible we installed sod from our turf nursery. This will help improve the conditions this season.

Stay Cool!

Compaction

2010-07-01T08:47:00.001-05:00

Compaction of soil is an ongoing occurrence on the golf course. It is caused by equipment and foot traffic and is increased when rain fall is added to the mix. Compacted soils are difficult to grow healthy turf in.

The majority of compaction on our course is around the greens, especially in the first few feet of the approaches. This is do to the daily routine of double cutting and rolling the greens. Because of the very wet few weeks we have had I went out and aerifiey the first 15 feet of all the approaches.

Areification is the best way to reduce soil compaction. It also allows the free movement of nutrients and oxygen to the root system of the plant. By using small aerification tines we can improve the growing conditions with very little affect on playing conditions.

On holes 2 and 14 you will notice we repaired some small areas with sod that were damaged during the aerification process.

Enjoy the course!

10 Tee

2010-06-14T12:14:00.000-05:00

Ten tee gets a new look.

As you can see from the picture above we made a quick landscape improvement to the 10 tee area.

The change took place because the yews that have been there for more than 20 years had begun to show their age. Much of the old planting was dead or in distress so we removed it all and started with a fresh palette.

I hope you enjoy the new look of shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials, and annuals. When the area is in bloom it will be outstanding .

Best Regards,

A New Addition

2010-05-18T12:36:00.000-05:00

In our continuing efforts to provide our membership with a high quality facility while maintaining economic efficiency, the Grounds Department and the Kitchen Staff have undertaken a joint venture. From Fifteen Tee many of you have no doubt noticed the work underway in the nursery area. This is the location of Green Acres new Herb Garden, which as of this week is fully constructed and planted.

Many of the materials used were already on site, making this project very low impact in terms of budget. The Garden is home to more than a dozen flavorful species including: Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Rosemary and Jalapeno peppers. All will be organically grown, and harvested by the kitchen staff for use in the dishes you already enjoy. Our goal is to provide delicious, organic ingredients while sparring the cost of having these sorts of herbs and spices delivered.

Food is always more delicious when you know where it came from. We hope that you can take just a little more joy from your dinner knowing that is was seasoned with herbs from the back nine!

Sincerely,

Ryan Dunbar

Second Assistant Superintendent

A Little Water

2010-05-13T09:56:00.000-05:00

As you can see from the photo above getting to the first tee will be a challenge today.

This week we have received close to 4 inches of rain as of 10:00 am Thursday with more on the way. I am happy to report that all the drainage improvements we have done over the past several years is working well.

We have some ponding on the fairways but no standing water like in the past. All the water is moving quickly across the course and off the property. I expect the ponding to dissipate in less than 24 hours after the rain stops. This is a big improvement over the 5 days it took in the past. I expect no turf loss from standing water with this event or future rain events.

Carts may not be available for several days but the course will be playable Friday.

Keep dry!

May

2010-05-06T09:49:00.001-05:00

May has arrived!

With a great April behind us we look forward to an even a better May. This first week of May had brought us good weather and the the return of the remainder of our grounds staff.

It is good to have the full crew back. This season all 16 of our seasonal staff returned. It is a big advantage to have experienced crew members return and get right to work.

This week we have begun to implement a more intense maintenance schedule. Mowing frequency on greens, tees, fairways and rough has increased. Mowers have been lowered down to in season heights of cut and hand detailing of the bunkers is underway.

The weeks following Mothers Day we begin the planting of annual flowers. With the thereat of frosty nights fading we can bring the color back to the flower beds. We have a great assortment of annuals this year. I anticipate a wonderful display.

As the month progresses, aerification of the tees and rough will take place. Our intention is to complete our aerification work with very little disruption to play. Aerification is necessary in these high traffic areas to reduce compaction, create channels for root development and nutrient uptake.

Lets not forget the most important agenda item for this month, golf. We will have the course ready and waiting for you!

Enjoy the course.

Pond Work and New Trees on Holes 16 and 17

2010-04-23T09:50:00.000-05:00

Today we completed the upgrades to the pond on 16 and the tee on 17.

The picture above is the finished product on 16. It was an unexpected project but when the snow melted the bank had eroded badly. It was a simple fix that makes a nice visual impact.

Below is a close up of the new trees on 17 tee. They have been placed to create a screen between hole 16 and 17. They not only create a screen they add a lot of beauty to both holes.

The finishing touch at 17 tee will come in a few weeks when we plant flowers in the reshaped bed at the tee.

Enjoy the upgrades!

16 Pond Bank

2010-04-13T13:09:00.001-05:00

Hole 16 pond bank is undergoing a face lift. Over the past several years the wave action along the pond bank has caused some erosion.

This spring we are restoring the bank to create a much more attractive appearance from the tee and patio.

A simple addition of the soil lost over the years and some skilled shaping by my Assistant Superintendent Jeff Everson is the first stage. The second stage will consist of detailing the bank by hand and installing new sod.

The final stage will take place as the sod roots in and stabilizes the pond bank. The finished product will be a much improved appearance to our signature hole.

I hope to have this project wrapped up by the first part of May.

See you on the course!

Winter Turf Loss

2010-04-09T10:24:00.001-05:00

This winter was a little hard on some turf areas. As you can see in the picture below we had some turf that did not survive the winter conditions.

The turf lost was in fairway low areas where water and ice sat for more than 2 and half months. The turf in these areas was mostly Poa annua that is a much less winter hearty turf than bentgrass. The good part of the damage is that it is limited to small fairway areas. Our tees and greens came out of winter in great shape.

The plan to repair these areas will begin next week. We will aerify, overseed and fertilize the dead turf. As the soil temperatures increase toward the end of April the seed will germinate and recovery will begin.

During the recovery phase these areas will be roped off and marked as ground under repair. To speed up the process it will help to keep carts and golfers off the affected areas. I expect the fairways to completely heal by mid to late May.

We will do all we can to have them playable and looking good quickly.

Best regards.

Range and Carts

2010-03-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

This Thursday, April 1st the range will be open and carts will be available on the golf course.

The range will be from the mats only. The grass tees and the short game area will open when we experience some more turf growth.

Carts will be rolling on the course this Thursday as well. The ground conditions are firming up enough that cart damage will not be and issue.

We will not have tee markers or other tee equipment out until the week of April 5th. We will however, be mowing greens on Wednesday and Friday this week.

It looks like the entire course will be set up during the week of the 5th and we will begin to mow other areas such as tees and fairways.

It seems that we are a week or so ahead this spring so enjoy it while you can.

Opening The Range

2010-03-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

Today we began the process of opening the Driving Range. First we need to install the nets. This season the net installation will take a little longer than normal. We are replacing 4 sections of old torn netting with new sections.

Below is a shot of the installer at work.

If all goes well I expect to open the range on Thursday, April 1st. For the first several weeks we will be hitting of the mats only and the short game area will remain closed.

Weather permitting the grass tee and the short game area will open the week of April 12th. I will keep you posted if any changes occur.

Best Regards.

Course Opening

2010-03-17T08:23:00.001-05:00

Good news! On Thursday, March 18th the pins will go in the putting greens and they will be open for play.

The course will be walking only. There will be no tee markers or any other tee and green equipment on the course.

Weather permitting I anticipate the driving range to open on April 1st. When the range opens play will be limited to the mats only. The opening of the short game will take place a week or so later.

We have not had a chance to properly prepare the course for play. If you come out to play you will find a wet and messy course.

Bring old shoes and roll up your pants.

Play well!

New for 2010

2010-03-14T16:56:00.000-05:00

When we reopen the course this season you will see a few changes.

First will be a new color scheme for the tee markers. The back markers will be black, followed by blue, then white and the forward tee markers will remain red.

The checkered flags have been retired! We are returning to solid putting green flags. The flags will be red for the front third of the green, blue for the middle and black for the back. The Green Committee hopes these flags will be easy for all to see from the fairway.

Next you will see new landscaping around the 17th tee. Late last season, we removed much of the old overgrown material. The new look will give the 16th green, 17 tee area a nice look. The renovated area should be complete around the end of April.

Last but not least, you will have two remodeled bathrooms on holes 5 and 12. Thanks to the hard work and supervision of Mark Goldstein, facilities manager, the bathrooms are a big upgrade. They are not yet 100% complete but I thought the pictures below would give you a feel for the improvements.

It will not be long before you will see these items in person. Until then we will be working on getting the course ready for your return.

Best Regards,

Melting Fast

2010-03-11T17:23:00.000-06:00

The snow and ice are melting fast!

At first glance it looks like we are going to come out of winter with minimal turf damage. I am optimistic that we are going to have a great spring season.

Snow mold is present on a few tees and fairways but the turf should recover quickly as it begins to grow. Ice damage is contained to a few fairway areas.

As the weather and ground conditions improve we will determine an opening date for the putting surfaces and driving range. Until then feel free to play the temporary hole locations.

Best Regards.