Water Being Cut Back

We are slowly cutting back on the irrigation and of course this will lead to the drying of the golf course.  But this also leads to the defoliation of the trees or greater leaf drop.  This is a side effect for which there is no cure.

This upcoming weekend there will be limited staff ... a set up person and supervisor.  This means that for the weekend and Monday and Tuesday no mowing of the greens will occur.  This serves two major purposes:  First, allowing us to utilize the manpower in overseeding prep; and second to allow the greens to grow slightly thus providing a better scalp.

You may also have seen the foam dots on the fairways.  This is the application of the growth regulator slows the growth of the bermudagrass hopefully enough to allow the ryegrass to grow first.

Overseeding Is Here

The Seed Has All Arrived

All of the seed is in the facility and we have cut back the irrigation on the golf course.  This year the Board is performing a test on the driving range where we are not planning to overseed it with the exception of the target greens and the range tee.

Testing Not Overseeding

The grass piles on 5, 9 and 14 will be starting today.  Consider those areas as GUR.

Angel's Game

Team All Loaded Up to go to LA

For Some It is the First Time to See Professional Baseball

What a Perfect Evening

Looking in the Bull Pen

Once per year we take the team to see a baseball game thanks to tickets being donated by Jacobsen West.  This is always such fun after a tough summer of hard work, having hot dog, and of course and ball park beer.

As always the team loved every minute of the event.  Now it is time to prep for overseeding.

Seed Has Arrived

Yesterday we received the last of the seed shipment for our upcoming winter season.  This is amazing on just how much there is to do just to get ready to put down the first ryegrass, but the team is stepping up and making it happen. 

As the course starts to dry all of the plant species on the golf course begin to stress ... this can be from simple leave drop to all out death of plants.  We try to do everything we can to minimize this impact.  But as with the farmer that desires 1,000 bushels of wheat per hectare, you can do everything correctly and still not produce the desired amount.  Same holds true for golf courses, we can do everything right and still lose turf. 

But as with the farmer, it you don't do everything right success will never happen.  The goal is to do what is known to work and produce the desired amount, without which success can never be achieved.

Course Dry Down

We are in the yearly process of drying down the golf course and getting it ready for the overseeding.  This has wonderful benefits in improvement of the ball roll but dry the bunkers out so greatly that they do not rake very well.  Be kind to each other when you or your partners are in the bunkers.

The summer focus group met yesterday to discuss potential improvements for the future summers.  Some great ideas were bounced off of each other and those will be taken to the Board and Committees for consideration.

Tree trimming has started for the first phase of the trimming.  Please remember the only certain species can be trimmed at this time of year, and sadly we cannot trim everything every year.  Special requests are always taken and where possible, and at the requesters own cost those trimming will be performed.

9-11 and Trees

American Flag on 1's Green

It is hard to believe that 12 years ago terrorist attacked the US and dropped the World Trade Center.  Lots has happened since then including killing Bin Laden but least we not forget those lost that horrible day, and those in uniform still losing their lives and protecting our way of life ... including my closest family who are still in harm's way.  Take a moment to remember all of those victims.

Red Ribbons

After stating what I did above I wish I was using yellow ribbons, but instead we are using red ribbons to mark the trees slated for trimming.  Please remember I cannot trim them all due to health concerns and of course the other reasons.  If you have a request please submit it to Mark or myself for consideration ... but also remember that we only pay for those we are marking in most cases.

Overseeing is Here

Start of a new day, and hopefully the end of the winds.  Last night the winds picked and even knocked the main power to the irrigation and the maintenance building.  As I am writing this I am dreading to see what those same winds did to the golf course but as always we will clean it up.

Dry down has started and we will be lowering the HOC of the roughs thus leading to some scalping.  This means the overseeding process has begun.

Rain and Storms

This past week has been horrible to the golf course ... well really form the hours needed to clean up.  Today is no exception and after the heavy winds last night we had to put the bunker team to clean the golf course.

 

As to date we have hauled off three 40 yard bins of debris just in the past three weeks.  Love the rain but the timing is terrible.

Bunkers Ready for Play

14's Bunker -- Ready

The two bunkers that we worked n over the past couple of weeks are finally ready for play.   Considering our equipment they came out fantastic.  It is so nice that they are completed.

Things in General

Big Branches Breaking

We have been having quite large branches breaking since we have reduced the trimming and as the weight from all of the summer's growth causes the already weaken structure to snap.  Please be very cautious parking under trees ... especially the Eucalyptus.

Stuck Creates a New Lake

Monday we had a stuck head that led to a "new" lake being forming in the middle of 11's fairway.  As the system ages we sometimes have failure of the head, but rest assure we are on top of the problems quite quickly.  But we will start the drying down process very soon.

Kids are Back in School

School is back in session.  Please be careful out of the road to protect these wonderful children.