We are doing a few projects on the golf course.
Bunker renovations is the big one.
We are stripping the old sand out and digging straight down until we hit gravel (pit run). Once we hit gravel, we know that the water will flow freely to the water table. After the drain is dug, we fill it with stone so the water can easily drain. After that, we compact the clay in the bunker to insure there will be no erosion. Finally, we add sand to USGA standard depths. Doing renovations this time of year allows the sand to settle over winter and if we need to apply more in the spring we can do so.

We are also going to spray the rough this coming year for weed control. It is something that we normally do not do but many requests have prompted us to do so. I will update after the new year with the procedure for that.

We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for playing golf at Miami Shores Golf Course!

Wrapping up the year; Part 1

It has been a quick growing year and it's time to wrap it up.

The posts have been lacking due to my mind being elsewhere on the course. I enjoy updating everyone on the courses events however, I was focused on large changes on the course.

The summer came and went in no time. Some could say there was no summer.
Abundant rain, cool temperatures, and good growing weather, made the course look great. The weeds were not a factor in the playing areas but the rough was a nightmare. Dandelions, clover, and crabgrass were numerous in these areas.
We normally do not treat these areas as they are large and cost significant amounts of money to maintain however, this coming year we will be applying a pre-emergent for over 95 broad leaf weeds including dandelions. Please keep in mind, as large as our infestation is, it will take a few years to get the weeds below our acceptable threshold. Weed seeds are very persistent and can stay dormant for years to centuries. It has been found in Egypt that wheat seeds over 2000 years old still germinated when planted in good soil.

Crabgrass will more than likely be an issue in the rough again. If we have left over pre-emergent, we will apply it to the heavy playing areas in the rough. It costs roughly, $55-65 per acre and to spray 70-75 acres is a large expense with minimal response. Sure, we will get some control but without a proper fertility program and abundant mowing schedules, it will be a waste of money and man power to try to control this weed. Also, with thinning turf, no irrigation, and no plans to slit seed; crabgrass is at least green in the summer. It is certainly not the mentality we wish to have but the alternative is simply not an option at this moment.

Disease was not an issue this year as weather decided to stay calm with little to moderate temperature swings. I did a fraction of the spraying than in normal years. A tee and fairway spray program will be implemented in 2015 due to chemical savings and left over from this year.

I will update again before Christmas with a few announcements about some projects we are doing.

Spring has sprung

We have started mowing, mowing, and more mowing. The turf is growing quickly and thick.

We have applied our crabgrass pre-emergent, seed head suppression, and multiple applications of fertilizer. Here in the next week, we will be attacking the broad leaf weeds and Dandelions.

This month we have had 5.9 inches of rain at the course and it has kicked the growing season in gear.

The greens were  aerified on April 18th. Wehrkamp Enterprises Inc. did a great job with the annual deep tine to a depth of 8" and bi annual core harvest to a depth of 4-5". We applied our topdressing sand and the greens are healing nicely.

I will be posting speeds of greens starting in the second week of May and those speeds will be located on the bulletin board at the pro shop. The goal is to maintain a speed of 7-9 throughout the year.

The restroom behind #13 tee is open and available for use at anytime during the operating hours.

As of April 28, we have a few clutches of Canadian Goose goslings roaming the turf near the pond. They are a sight to see and fun to watch.

The bunkers are being worked on a few a week to get sand back to the depths they should be. Please be patient as this takes time and a lot of man hours to complete.

Our irrigation will be getting worked on in the days to come. Please be mindful of the technicians working on the gray irrigation boxes as safety is a priority. The flood we had on December 23 did significant damage and there is quite a bit of work that needs to be done to repair the system to working order.

Enjoy the course and as always, we are available for discussion in the maintenance barn about concerns or improvements.

Ryan Leach, GCSAA
Groundskeeper

 

Fore The Golfer: Why Bunkers Are Not Consistent

This is a great video about bunkers and bunker quality. We try our very best to give the golfers the best playing conditions in bunkers however, there are times that we cannot get to them and the USGA does a great job explaining why.

Gearing up for the 2014 Season

This year we have some high expectations.

Not only are we trying to keep the turf at a high quality level but also making sure that the littlest of items are not overlooked.

We have noticed that the cups are not always in the best locations. I specifically mean the cups might be on an angle or near a plug. We generally cut cups before sunrise everyday before play begins. Even with the best lights, our efforts are not always fruitful. This year we are going to attempt to cut the cups in the twilight part of the morning. If this does not seem to work out, we will have to find other means of cutting them i.e. more lights to mount on the equipment. 

After inspection of the greens, there does not seem to be any winter kill. The definite answer will be when the greens come out of dormancy and start growing. When a layer of ice sits on top of the greens, they can become anoxic, which means lack of oxygen. The greens can subsequently have winter kill. Snow sitting on top of greens does not produce the same kind of damage unless they are covered for a long period of time. As a matter of fact, snow insulates the greens from the bitter cold and in the long run can help get them through the types of winters like this one. 

On another note, we received a new piece of equipment this year. It is a John Deere 7500 Fairway mower. Our oldest fairway mower in the fleet was 15 years old and worn out. 

Again we are looking forward to a great season and we encourage you to hit them long and straight!

New Year 2014

MSGC Turf Staff has been working hard this winter doing multiple things around the course

1. Cut down 35 trees
1. Limb, Log, and Haul Debris
2. Grind Stumps
3. Grade out Stump Holes
2. Clean up the flood debris
3. Renovate the right bunker on #10
4. Renovate #14 Bunker to Grass Bunker
5. Maintenance of equipment
6. Renovate Benches
7. Flower Bed Renovation
8. Equipment Purchases

With a four man crew year round, this winter has been very busy.

The trees were mostly Ash trees that were infected with Emerald Ash Borer. Those trees were deemed a safety hazard and had to come down. We are planning to incorporate ornamental grasses in key locations where trees have been eliminated to maintain playing standards.

We also had some flood damage from Decembers flood. We have picked up most of that debris and are waiting for snow to melt to pick up the tiny drift garbage.

The right side of #10 bunker had been closed for most of the 2013 season. It will be renovated with white sand and a new drain. We plan on doing a few more if we can get to them in a timely manner.

The back bunker on #14 is getting renovated to a grass bunker. We feel that the bunker is not in play very often, and it can be a maintenance nightmare.

Equipment maintenance is always a winter project. We have spent the better part of a month making sure the equipment will be ready and top notch for the 2014 season. With an older fleet, fine tune maintenance practices are essential to keep the fleet at its best.

Benches around the course have been deteriorating and been vandalized throughout the years. We are staining 12 benches with a cedar stain. We are rebuilding 6 (to see how they look) with a composite redwood that will resist vandalism and degradation from the weather. We look to do the rest of the benches this way if the composite works well. 

The flower bed near the restaurant is being renovated to meet maintenance needs. Ornamental grasses will take the place of the removed Taxis bushes.

We are also getting a new fairway mower this year. It will greatly improve the quality of cut on the fairways and keep them looking great.

As always feel free to email, call, or visit us with questions, comments, or concerns.