#9 pond drain

The year is not quite over…there is still enough time for one more rain event (forecast for today, 12/31). Once that total is added in, 2018 will be one of the wettest ever. Year to date we are at 70.54 inches of rain (and 11.5 inches of snow, which certainly contributes to ground water). Our average for a year is 40.75 inches. We have covered several impacts of this rain in past blogs this year, including here, here, and here. But the most recent effect of the rain was the draining down of #9 pond.

Water draining out of through the initial break

Just after Thanksgiving, we had another heavy rainstorm of 2”. A portion of the drain culvert that handles the overflow water from the pond and runs under #9 approach, broke and completely drained the pond. At the outflow, some soil eroded as well.

There are two small depressions in #9 approach that most likely indicate where the initial failure occurred, but we haven’t been able to excavate and investigate. We are still formulating a plan for repair. We have discussed the situation with 2 contractors thus far and are working on a proposal.

Erosion on the outflow side of the pipe

In the meantime, through more rain and partial erosion, the original break in the pipe has clogged itself. The pond has refilled and is currently draining through the overflow, down the culvert, and out the outflow as designed. While the problem has not been repaired, at this time the system is working like before, but we will still be making the necessary repairs.

Water beginning to refill the pond after
the break had clogged itself

The damage to the drain system of #9 pond is just the last in a long list of issues caused by the rain this year. It will be nice to get 2018 behind us and get ready for the challenges of 2019.

Happy New Year.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please keep carts on cart paths for the entirety of par 3 holes.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Bermuda grass over seeding

With the damage that occurred to our Bermuda grass this past season, we are working to find any improvements that are possible. While most of the damage was unpreventable, it is our plan to do all we can to give the Bermuda grass the best chance at survival. One step we will be taking this year is starting a multi-year test of over seeding some tee boxes.

One unique factor that damaged the Bermuda grass last year was desiccation. The winter of 2017-2018 was very cold. It was also very windy at times, particularly a stretch from late December through mid-January. Dormant Bermuda grass still needs water in the reproductive parts of the plant that are underground. Dehydration can cause these tissues to die just as easily as other factors. Moreover, the tee boxes are sand based, which allows for excellent drainage. In the case of this past winter, the tees drained just as they were supposed to and the wind dried out the rest. We believe this desiccation was an additional detriment to the tees that was not seen or was much less severe on other Bermuda grass around the course.

Enduring as much rain as we have this year, it can be hard to imagine that we would need to add more water at any point. But part of our strategy is to keep the Bermuda grass more hydrated as it enters dormancy. Once we shut down our irrigation system, we cannot add any more water, but we are maintaining a certain level of moisture in the soil for as long as we can.

In addition to more hydration, we will be over seeding with annual ryegrass, 4 individual tee boxes as a test. This test will be a minimum of 3 years so that we can accurately judge its effectiveness. 

However, the test may need to be shortened or extended depending on our results; 3 years is not set in stone. If the winters prove to be benign and there is no or very little Bermuda grass damage in general, then an accurate assessment of the test cannot be made. Similarly, if the 3 winters of the test are all too different to compare to one another, more years may need to be added. Lastly, if after 2 years, we see that we are making the Bermuda grass worse by over seeding, we may also end the test.

This test does not constitute the beginning of a new standard. We are not guaranteeing an over seeding program. We are also not planning any over seeding of fairways at this time. The cost of such a program would far outweigh the benefits as we currently stand. Also, of the many causes of Bermuda grass damage on fairways, we do not believe desiccation played as great a role in the fairways as it did on tees.

The other factor that over seeding may help mitigate is traffic stress. Foot traffic is highly concentrated on tee boxes compared to fairways where it is spread out over a much, much larger area. Dormant Bermuda grass cannot heal itself from divots or foot traffic damage. On over seeded Bermuda grass, the stress is lessened or absorbed entirely by the ryegrass rather than the Bermuda grass.

Our plan is to over seed #1 white tee box, #9 red tee box, #11 black/blue tee box, and #15 white/gold tee box. Each of these tee boxes are in slightly different environmental pockets as well as different amounts of traffic. By selecting these tee boxes, we will get a better understanding of how the Bermuda grass responds in different situations because the selected tee boxes are generally representative of the different conditions of all of our tees.

Over seeding is not the silver bullet to the damage that we suffered last season. Several courses around us, as well as many courses further south, regularly over seed and they endured damage anyway. Rather than idly standing by and waiting though, we want to know if this program could help us in our unique set of circumstances here at Bretton Woods

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

When parking your cart at a tee or green, please keep all 4 tires on the path

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Leaves and projects

We have had our first few frosts and the Bermuda grass is going dormant quickly. But what hasn’t happened yet is the full onslaught of leaves. The last few cold mornings have expedited the color change and leaves should come in earnest the next few weeks, albeit later than past years. Our projects are also nearing completion.

The point where we connected our new
irrigation pipe to the existing pipe
at #1 approach

We expect the leaves to start raining down over the next few weeks. Blowers will be a constant around the course. We blow as many leaves as we can into the taller grass native areas to get rid of them, but in some cases that isn’t possible. Our other tactic is to use our vacuum. The leaves that we must collect in place are blown into piles, and our vacuum patrols the course cleaning these piles.

The connection point and new pipe
at #1 approach

We have completed the final touches on our two projects from the last month also. All of the pipe is in on the drainage project on #12. The water is finding its way to our drains and is exiting the course without causing any more issues. We still need to tidy up our work area a bit more before we call the project 100% complete, but the majority of work is done.

Start to end of trench for new
irrigation pipe at #1 approach

Also, we are nearly complete adding the new irrigation pipe and sprinkler heads on #1 approach. We added 2 new sprinklers and about 180’ of pipe. Although with the rain this year, our irrigation system as a whole had a lighter than average year, we still identified this area as an area of need. The new heads were added in the wide approach area that swings to the right of #1 green towards the pond.

Adding these two heads will allow us to more effectively and efficiently water this particular area. 

We have individual control over these new sprinklers and therefore can water the area in need without having to use sprinklers that are not ideal. In the past, the sprinklers that we would have used were two far away and would not water the area well, but we had to use them in order to get some water into the spot anyway. Previously, these other sprinklers would have also made areas too wet by adding water where it wasn’t needed. Now we have better control over where the water ends up.

Luckily, we wrapped our projects ahead of the major leaf cleanup work. We will have a lot of labor directed to blowing over the next few weeks. 

Please note, we will be switching to once per month posts for November thru February. Thank you

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please leave bunker rakes inside the bunker once you are finished.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Refresher on frost

It is the time of year for frost. The Grounds department likes frost delays about as much as golfers, but we all have to deal with them. Below are a few reminders regarding frost as we get into the colder months.

Here is a link to a previous blog talking more generally about frost. Here is a post about fall frost in general and how they differ from frosts that occur in the spring. Since we are in the fall season now, this is particularly pertinent.

Frost by itself is not damaging to turfgrass, especially cool season turf. The damage occurs when the frozen cells inside the plant are ruptured from pressure. This damage occurs from walking on frosted turf or driving carts across it. This is why frost delays are for the entire grounds.

Bermuda grass is not injured by frost either, but the cold mornings expedite the onset of dormancy. So, over the next few weeks, the Bermuda grass will be losing its green color, but this is not a sign of any issue.

It is also important to note that sometimes frost is not visible as you stand at the clubhouse or pro shop. The frost may be either down in the turf canopy or it may be only on certain areas of the course. Frost will always form in the most open areas and lower areas first. So, there may not be frost up on the hill near the clubhouse, but down lower, in the rough near #3 and #15 it may be very heavy.

This leads to the last point: the course does not need to be blanketed by frost for there to be a delay. We make every effort to allow play as early as possible, but even if the frost is only in the rough in a few places, that still necessitates a delay. It is not possible to expect people to stay out of the frosty areas but allow them to play in the other areas. Therefore, we are forced to close the entire course.

We keep a very close eye on when frost conditions exist as well as monitoring as it lifts. Each time, we make sure to allow play as early as we can.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please leave bunker rakes inside the bunker once you are finished.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Green surround seeding

We will finally be getting our seeding done around the greens this week. We started the process last week, but equipment issues and rain delayed the project.

The rough grass around the greens is one of the most difficult areas on the property to manage. Imagine 25,000 people walking across a home lawn, all in a 5-15 foot section. Add in mowers and environmental stress and it is clearer why there can be issues with our rough.

Very few areas receive the stress of this particular zone. Every golfer who walks their round, walks in virtually identical areas. Many cart riders walk in some of those spots as well coming and going from their cart. This repeated foot traffic adds up over the course of the year.

There is also the traffic from our mowers to consider. We mow this section 2-3 times per week for 8-10 months a year. Mowing itself is damaging to turf grass. While the grass has adapted to tolerate being cut, and it is not life threatening, it still adds pressure. But the more destructive aspect of mowing is the physical driving of the machine over the grass. Turf can be beat down or torn by the tires and the weight of the mower.

Lastly, is the environmental stress. Water and temperature stress are very detrimental to all turfgrass. Coupled with the above-mentioned stressors and the rough takes it about as hard as any other area of the course. We manage the water content of the soil as closely as we can. We want enough moisture for the grass to survive, but not too much that it is wet. But being on that edge, it isn’t hard for things to get too dry or too wet, which leads to issues. There is also the heat and humidity to deal with. The heat can just directly kill the turf. The humidity leads to diseases, which are very difficult to manage 

as well.

We continue to introduce stronger, more tolerant turf grass species and varieties. We also continue to adjust our management practices to improve and sustain these areas. The seeding this week is part of those improvements.

Please note, we will be switching to once per month posts starting in November thru February. Thank you.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please leave bunker rakes inside the bunker once you are finished.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

#12 drain project update

We continue to work on the drainage repair on #12. While it hasn’t gone exactly to plan, we are making progress.

We found an existing, working drain pipe on the left side of the cart path on #12. It just wasn’t in the lowest area as you would expect. It also did not continue further up into the wet area as we had hoped. However, our overall plan is still viable, with some minor tweaks. We will be running our new pipe in the opposite direction from what we expected and there will be a different layout of lateral drain lines than first thought. The trench that we have already completed is collecting water and funneling it in the direction we want, so the plan is working.

With work on the left side nearing completion, we have already started trenching over on the right side. This trench will go all the way to the drains that are part of the 12 and 13 fairway bunker complex. This is a much longer trench, but it is much simpler also. The entire project should be completed by early next week.

Also, as we move deeper into fall, please be aware of our leaf cleanup work that will be ever-present for the next month and a half. Blowers and our leaf vacuum will be out all of the time trying to stay on top of the mess.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please leave bunker rakes inside the bunker once you are finished.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas

More water issues

Blogs from this season can be grouped into two categories: Bermuda grass health and rain/water issues. The first half of the season related to the bermudagrass and its struggles coming out of winter and spring. Now, we have been talking about the unprecedented rain and the related issues. Last week, we discussed the drain project on #12. Before we could even get started, it rained more, and we had 3 entirely new drain issues arise.

Since the project on #12 was going to be a slower, longer project, we put that on hold to address the newest problems. You may have noticed one or all of these open holes during the week. We had a problem in the rough on #10, #1 fairway, and #13 fairway (we also had 3 separate irrigation system breaks concurrently, but that is a different topic!).

Once we dug a hole in the wet area on #10, we found some very old (original?) terra cotta drain tile. The water was still flowing in the pipe as well as following in the trench but outside the pipe. Both of these are positive. It means in general the drain is working, capturing and directing water. However, the problem we found was that this terra cotta line ended in the middle of the rough, not connected to any continuing drain line.

The water was left to empty back into the soil and this year the soil was not able to handle it. So, we attached plastic pipe to the end of the terra cotta, trenched a line 20 feet further to a newer, old drain that had been put in before and gave the water an exit.

Next, we headed over to #1 fairway. This problem was in the swale that runs across the fairway, just at the bottom of the hill. There was water suddenly bubbling up that we knew was not related to irrigation. As we explored, we found another existing drain pipe that had been partially crushed by the installation of the cart path. In normal years, the pipe was able to handle a moderate flow even through a reduced opening under the cart path. But this year exposed that problem and forced us to give the water an alternative.

We attached a piece of pipe that comes straight up to the surface. Water can still drain under the cart path when flows are light. But if the water needs a different route, it can come up this standpipe and it will trickle out right at the edge of the cart path and run across the path at the surface.

Lastly, there was a wet area in #13 fairway. We opened 3 large holes, each about 3 feet deep and found nothing to explain the water. Each place we dug, the soil was drier the further we went down. We exposed the irrigation line and it was not leaking. The soil only seemed to be wet right at the surface. In the end, we discovered nothing to explain the water other than simply very, very saturated soil. At this point we have filled our holes back in and will have to wait for a clearer indication of where the water is originating before we open more areas.

What has been unique about this year is, because of the volume and consistency of rain, drains that have worked well for years and years, are now failing. The amount of water has overcome the capacity of the drains and wet areas are the result. No one likes digging holes in the mud and rain. Even worse, some or all of these issues may not even be apparent during an average rainfall year. But, since they did arise, we were able to hopefully find solutions that will aid us in the next tremendously wet season.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please leave bunker rakes inside the bunker once you are finished

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

Please note, we will be switching to once per month posts starting in November, thru February. Thank you.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

#12 drain project

Once again, Mother Nature wins. We have been dealing with the water coming out of the ground and across the cart path on #12 for too long. We will be starting a project soon to capture it in the rough, get it into a drain pipe and out through a bunker drain.

First, we will trench a drain line perpendicular to the flow coming from 11 towards 12 fairway. All water flowing down towards 12 will cross this new drain and be diverted into a drain pipe. Our expectation is that there is an old, existing drain pipe that is still functioning somewhere in this vicinity, to the left of the cart path (we found the old pipe on the other side of 12 fairway already). Once we explore and (hopefully) find this old pipe, we will attach our new pipe to it and this will take the water across the fairway.

Next, starting in the holes we have already dug on the right side of #12, we will add new pipe. This is where our initial attempt to diagnose the issue started. The outflow side of this old pipe is no longer working from where our hole is, downward. We will tap in here with a new pipe and trench it over towards the fairway bunkers. We will then tap into the bunker drainage, which we know works, to move the water out. This is not a day long project, so please be patient with the work and guaranteed mess. We will get it wrapped up as quickly as possible.

While this has been an abnormally wet summer, we know from the past that water will come from this same area to the left of 12 even in drier times. This season Mother Nature has pushed to the limit what we can handle, so we have to make the adjustment.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Remember to please fill your divots both on the tees and in the fairways. No one wants to land in a divot in the fairway, but if a ball does happen to end up there, a sand filled divot is much better than a hole.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Preparing the Bermuda grass for winter

As we head towards the second half of September (and Fall, officially!), it is time to start preparing the Bermuda grass for winter. Some things we have already done, like aerating and compost. But we still have several more tasks to complete over the next few weeks.

One of the newer recommendations for Spring Dead Spot (SDS) fungicide applications, besides new, very expensive chemicals, is monitoring the soil temperature to time the application. Only in the last 2 years has the data really been supportive of a certain window for optimal control. In the past, some recommendations listed a first application date in August, and for several years we followed that protocol because it was the best available research.

However, this year, another round of data has suggested that the treatments should be made when soil temperatures are between 65-70 degrees. This means, that potentially, our August applications in the past were useless for their intended purpose. But this year, we are watching the soil temperatures and have thus yet to make our first application. Last year we would have already made 2 applications by now. We are excited to be making this adjustment to continue our battle against SDS. And in the coming weeks, as the soil temperatures fall into the optimal window, we will make our first of 2-3 applications to fight SDS.

Heading into the fall is also the time to make a nutrient application of potassium to the Bermuda grass. Again, consulting the research shows that potassium in the fall improves the turf’s ability to withstand stress and increase the winter hardiness. That is what makes this application so important for the Bermuda grass. 

Lastly, raising the mowing height may be the most important tool for overall Bermuda grass survival. Generally, the taller the grass plant, the longer the roots.  For Bermuda grass, the roots are what must survive the winter (also rhizomes, which are below ground stem-like structures that also help store carbohydrates). Once the Bermuda grass goes dormant, it must rely on the energy stored in its roots. By allowing the plant to grow taller in the fall, it is able to compile more reserves and strengthen its root system and better prepare for the winter.

Sometimes Mother Nature wins no matter how we prepare for the winter (like last winter). However, we have to be diligent in our preparations because they can and do make a difference.

 Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Remember to please fill your divots both on the tees and in the fairways. No one wants to land in a divot in the fairway, but if a ball does happen to end up there, a sand filled divot is much better than a hole.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

#10 Drain project

We completed the drain project near #10 green last week. Here is a follow-up with some more specifics on what we did, with pictures as well.

Although the weather was very hot for early September, it was also, luckily, dry for a few days. This allowed us to get into the area short of the right green bunker and add some additional drainage. First, we stripped all of the grass off and cleared a large area for us to work. We then exposed the drain that comes out of the bunker and tracked it to where it leads across the approach. Next, we found where the ground water was surfacing. We had originally planned on adding a surface drain where near this ground water site, but it turned out to be within a couple of feet of the bunker drain.

If you look closely, you can see the intersection of
3 pipes. However, they are not connected
and the water is release right back into the soil.

The bunker drain is a perforated pipe that water can seep into naturally; however, the ground water had been unable to reach the pipe and instead had come up to the surface and caused issues. Since the drain pipe was so close, we added a new trench from the ground water to the drain, added a bit more of the same type of pipe, and gave the ground water direct access to the drain. Now, it rises to the height of the drain, enters the pipe, and is shuttled across the approach and into the pond.

This is an old drum barrel top that was
placed over the junction of the 3 pipes to
keep soil out. It was no longer working.

We also discovered some old drain pipe that was no longer functioning. Some water was flowing in the pipes, some around the pipes. One piece was cut at both ends, allowing the water to empty right back into the soil. We found another section of three pipes that converged, but none were connected to one another. For a long time, the setup had worked adequately, but we connected all three pipes and made other upgrades while we were there.

Finally, we did add one surface drain to capture any ground water that may make it to the surface, or more likely, to capture water draining along the surface in normal fashion. We placed this drain at the last point, just before water would cross the approach. It is also linked to the bunker drain system that takes water underground and into the pond.

The new pipe and drain inlet that we added.

During this project, we also worked to contain the ground water that was seeping out in the bunker. We opened the base of the bunker and found the water. We did not want to dig too far down through the bunker and ruin its shape and integrity, so instead we dug a trench laterally in both directions. We filled these trenches with gravel, and once again connected them to the drain that is in the bunker. 

The new drains added to the bunker. The existing
drain is in the middle, with the additions
stretching to the left and right.

Now, as the ground water reaches the gravel trenches, it’s easiest direction of flow will be through the gravel, and into the drain pipe.To complete the bunker repair, we then removed all of the contaminated sand and debris that had accumulated through the season and added fresh sand throughout the bunker.

The rain we received this summer made this area unplayable, and maintenance impossible, from June through August. The additional drainage will be a significant improvement

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Remember to please fill your divots both on the tees and in the fairways. No one wants to land in a divot in the fairway, but if a ball does happen to end up there, a sand filled divot is much better than a hole.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day.

The summer has turned the corner. Daylight is getting shorter, overnight temperatures will start dropping (hopefully, eventually), and fall will be in the air. This also signals the start of one of our busiest months for golf. It will also be a time for us to start work on 2 projects we have planned.

First, we will tackle the ground water and drainage issue in #10 greenside bunker and approach. Due to the unprecedented wet year, ground water is coming out everywhere. On #10 it has rendered a bunker unplayable and created a creek across the approach. We expect the area to be dry enough starting next week to begin repairs. Increasing drainage in the bunker as well as adding a surface drain to capture ground water now and in the future, will be our goal. If the weather allows and the area is indeed dry enough, we would expect to finish the project within a few days. The area will continue to be ground under repair.

A second project that we have planned is to add 2 more sprinklers to #1 approach, in the section that swings way around the green to the right. During the time when this area was originally constructed, back in 2016, we discussed whether to add sprinklers in this location. We eventually decided against it, expecting overage from existing sprinklers to be adequate and the drought tolerance of Bermuda grass to overcome any shortfalls. However, we have now decided to move forward with the plan. This will have far less of an impact on play, but will improve turf conditions nonetheless. We will tap into the existing pipe and simply extend it far enough to add the 2 sprinklers. There is not a definite timetable for starting this project. We will see how the project on #10 proceeds, as well as where we are in the tournament calendar.

In addition to the project work, September is also a busy golf month. Not only will the weather be great for regular golf, we also have several of our more prestigious events on the horizon, including Men’s and Women’s member guest. We will manage this project work around working to make the course as good as we can for the fall.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Remember to please fill your divots both on the tees and in the fairways. No one wants to land in a divot in the fairway, but if a ball does happen to end up there, a sand filled divot is much better than a hole.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Ground water

As we approach the end of summer, we continue to deal with an unprecedented amount of rain. Although, we have had some quick dry stretches, the overall amount of rain for the summer, along with large volumes in single storms, presents a problem that we have never dealt with. One such problem is the water that has been perpetually flowing across #10 approach.

Ground water has been trickling out in several locations since June. The wet spring, followed by the abnormally wet mid to late summer, have kept the water table higher than usual. The result is water in places that we didn’t expect.

Water flowing from near #11 tee is working its way to and across the cart path on #12 and into the fairway. On the right side of #5 fairway, water was coming up in the rough and the fairway and flowing down the cart path.

Similarly, water to the right of #11 fairway was flowing down the cart path also. Two spots on the high side of #4 fairway were flowing down the hill to the left side. Finally, the most difficult area is the water coming up in the bunker and across the approach on #10.

The front right bunker, green surround rough immediately in front of that bunker, and the approach on #10 have been wet since the end of June. The source is ground water, and with the rains we have sustained this year, the water table has been high enough to flow out in this location since June.

Some of the water is emanating from the bunker and some seeps out from the rough, but we are certain this is not an irrigation issue because we have no pipe close enough to cause this issue. And for a brief 2 weeks in June the water slowed down.

The first thing we have to do to correct the issue, is wait for a break in the flow of water. We would only create more of a mess trying to work in an area with flowing groundwater. Once the break comes, we will add another drain line in the bunker to help capture water there.

We will also tap into the bunker exit drain that flows into the pond. We will add a surface drain in the rough in front of the bunker so that any more water that reaches the surface will fall into our drainage system instead of running across the approach. Once all of the drains are installed, we will re-sod the affected area and start fresh.

Hole numbers are listed in black. The red circles are areas where water has been seeping out
of the ground. Somewhere in the blue shaded area is the source of the water.

While we have occasionally seen ground water pop up in a few of these locations previously, some are new this year. The duration that they have been consistently dribbling water has also been extraordinary. Once the water subsides, we will make some adjustments to help mitigate future issues.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please enter and exit all bunkers on the low side. While this may result in slightly more distance to rake, it will keep the sod on the face of the bunker from tearing. It is also much safer! Thank you.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Watering after rain

Deciding when to water after rain is one of the most difficult nuances of turf management. Wait too long, and the turfgrass can suffer from drought. Water too soon, and many different problems associated with over saturation come into play. This has been an especially difficult summer for making this decision.

Starting back in spring, the rain came often. This is a poor time for the greens to receive too much water. While springs are usually “wet”, above normal rainfall can be detrimental to plant development.  Ideally, in the spring, we force the roots to drive down into the soil to find more water, by controlling water availability and depth. Instead they easily found adequate supplies much nearer the surface because of the rain. The roots were “lazy”; they didn’t have to search for food and water so they never grew deep.

Flash forward to currently, and the roots are even shorter after a long and stressful summer. Traffic (golfer and maintenance), heat, humidity, pests, and poor oxygen exchange have all contributed to the ever-shrinking root system, which happens naturally during the summer regardless. We use all available strategies to keep as much root mass as possible for as long as possible, but by this time of year it is at its smallest and weakest, so the plant takes up all nutrients and water closer to the surface.

How does all of this correspond to watering after a rain storm? As the rain infiltrates the soil and percolates down through the profile, for a certain period of time it is in the rootzone, where the plants can access it. Once it is past this zone, the water is of no use to the turf. With the current short roots of late summer, the uptake zone is very small. So even though the ground may feel wet, or it may have rained only two days prior, the plants may still need some supplemental water because the rain water is no longer available.

With the heat and humidity of late summer, adding more water can be the worst thing to do. You can read here about what too much water can do and the diseases to which it can lead. However, plants that are suffering from drought stress need water to stay alive, no matter what other conditions may be present. So, we use all of the tools and resources we have to determine where water is needed and accurately apply it to those locations only and in only the amount needed for survival. The extra difficulty of this season arises from the fact that we have been fighting these watering decisions since the middle of July.  The volume of rain that we have received since the middle of July has been unprecedented and therefore caused a tough summer to turn into a very difficult summer.

Nevertheless, greens have held up reasonably well and have bounced back from aeration. Once we get a break from the humidity and get some cooler nights, recovery can begin.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please enter and exit all bunkers on the low side. While this may result in slightly more distance to rake, it will keep the sod on the face of the bunker from tearing. It is also much safer! Thank you.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Bermuda grass removal

Before new sod on #18

Bermuda grass is a very good turfgrass and it is an excellent choice for Bretton Woods. However, it is not perfect. Part of our recovery program this year included identifying areas where the Bermuda grass has performed poorly, and evaluating what is the best option moving forward. In a select few of those areas, the best option is to remove Bermuda grass and replace it with tall fescue rough grass.

Two of the areas that we recently sodded have struggled in each of the past 5 years, possibly more, not solely this past winter. In the past, the recovery was slower than other Bermuda grass, but it always recovered. This year, because the damage was so severe, recovery is still not complete. When we were originally assessing and developing the plan for healing this year, we identified several areas that needed Bermuda grass removed.

Before new sod on #18

This past week we re-sodded 3 of those areas: In the shade of a maple tree to the left of #4 fairway about 160 yards from the green; in the shade of maple tree to the left of #8 fairway at the corner of the dogleg; the left side of #18 approach.

The areas on #4 and #8 are chronically poor areas. The Bermuda grass does bad there in good winters and terrible in a terrible winter. Instead of continuing to struggle, we decided to switch species. Neither of these changes will greatly affect the design of the hole or how it plays, but will improve the conditions of the playing surface.

After new sod on #18

The area at #18 approach was a double-whammy of poor conditions. First, the area does not get near enough light to sustain healthy Bermuda grass. Some early morning sun shines on it, but by mid to late morning the sun is behind trees and remains that way for the rest of the day. On its own, the shade weakens the Bermuda grass, but may have been survivable. But, combined with the second factor, the Bermuda grass starts to die.

New sod on #8

A great deal of water travels down the cart path to the left of 18 green, then enters the approach and heads for the drain we installed at construction. Everything functions extremely well. The only problem is the excessive water really hurts the Bermuda grass, especially over the winter. Then, in the spring, which is also a wet time, the Bermuda grass never gets a chance to dry out and start to grow. This area may collect a few shots that are short and left of 18 green. However, those shots will now be chipped from tall fescue rough grass instead of thin or absent Bermuda grass.

Overall, we only laid 2,000 square feet of sod, 4 pallets, so not a great deal of Bermuda removal. But in the long run, we will have less difficulty with the turf conditions in these areas moving forward.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please enter and exit all bunkers on the low side. While this may result in slightly more distance to rake, it will keep the sod on the face of the bunker from tearing. It is also much safer! Thank you.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Aeration week recap

To recap the last week: we received even more rain, but we still managed to squeeze in aeration with almost no delays.

Since our last post, we received another 2.1” of rain, which compared to the totals leading into that timeframe, was relatively small. However, those 2’ added on top of everything else did not allow for much drying. We also had to work very efficiently and carefully around the rain to complete aeration. Luckily, the timing of each rain event was just right to allow us to sneak between storms.

Greens aeration in process

We monitor the weather incessantly. Leading into and during aeration, we increase our diligence even more. Most of the things we need to accomplish during aeration do not work if the ground is too wet or if rain occurs while we are working. Besides our own weather watching, we also employed our weather service to which we subscribe to help as well. This included a report 1 week before we started, another 3 days before, another the evening before, and another leading into our second day of work. All of this information helped us formulate our plan.

We were able to accomplish everything we planned on the front 9 greens and finished by 3pm. We aerated all of the fairways in just under 12 hours on Monday, finishing at 4:30pm, and as the tractors were driving to the shop, the rain started. Enough rain fell that had we not finished the fairways Monday, Tuesday would have been to wet to do any, so it was very lucky it all worked out.

Tuesday, however, was not too wet to finish the greens. We aerated the back 9 greens, again finishing everything we needed by 3pm. Rain came again that afternoon/evening, but it didn’t catch us while we were working. All greens and fairways were done by 3pm Tuesday.

Greens aeration cleaned area versus not cleaned

We have since also finished aerating tees. We still have both soccer fields to do, but they have been too wet the entire time. We need a good dry stretch to work down there. We also have half of our fairway compost application to complete. The fairways were too wet to drive a tractor on, so we had to wait. We expect to finish them Monday.

The next step is to get the greens back into good playing condition. The rain has made the greens too wet to mow for several days. Mowing wet turf is one of the easiest and quickest ways to damage it; mowing it when it is too wet in the heat of summer is an even surer way to cause harm, so we are not risking the damage. Once the greens dry, we will lower the mowing height back down and get them into shape for the busy fall season. The aeration holes are already disappearing and will only continue to close up in the next couple of days.

The rain also makes it difficult or impossible to mow most other areas also. We will continue to mow as much rough as we can, in the places that we can, until things dry out. The same goes for the fairways; once they are dry enough, we will mow again.

Through a little planning and a LOT of luck, aeration was completed around several inches of rain, almost flawlessly. We will get the course back under control as soon as we can.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please enter and exit all bunkers on the low side. While this may result in slightly more distance to rake, it will keep the sod on the face of the bunker from tearing. It is also much safer! Thank you.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Aeration and rain

We had every intention of this week’s blog focusing solely on aeration. However, in addition to that, we must now also make a note regarding the rain we have had over the last week.

Disease on 8 green. Notice the brown, water
soaked areas. This is the infected turf.

From July 15^th thru July 27^th we received 11.62” of rain, with 10.8” coming in less than a week. That is nearly a foot of rain over a 12-day period. We discussed some of the issues we faced, particularly at the soccer field, last week. However, once the rain finally stopped, the temperature ramped back up. This presented a perfect scenario for disease. Hot temperatures, wet soil, and humid, calm air are the ingredients needed for a disease called Pythium blight. We were aware the conditions were coming and we made a preventive chemical application the day of the worst circumstances. We used a chemical that is labeled for one disease only: Pythium blight. Not even 10 hours after the application, the conditions were so ripe, the disease developed anyway, breaking right through our chemical barrier in 3 localized spots. We then made a very targeted rescue application to those areas: the back of 8 green, the front of 9 green, and the far-right side of 17 green. This rescue application stopped the progression of the disease, but the damage was done. Luckily, we are headed straight into aeration, which is a great time for healing.

Disease area on 9 collar and green

Another angle of 9 collar and green

Starting today, we will be aerating greens, tees, approaches, and fairways. The weather does not look great so we will be accelerating our schedule from past years. We will start with the putting green and front 9 greens. The front 9 will be closed all day, with the back 9 open for play. Those will be the only greens we do Monday. Weather permitting, we will do the chipping green and back 9 greens on Tuesday, with the front 9 open for play. The schedule change is in regards to fairway aeration. We will contract out the work as usual and we will start on the front 9, going in order. However, in years past, we would have stopped after #9 and saved the rest for the next day. But, with the possibility of incoming storms we are going to push to finish all of the fairways in one day. So, the tractors will continue on to #10, etc. and work all day. Please do not attempt to play the hole on which the tractors are working; just skip that hole and move on to the next. We do not want the workers to be in danger of being hit, nor do we want to waste time with them waiting for golfers.

We will be using solid tines on the tees, approaches, and fairways. There will be no material removed from the ground, only a hole punched into it. This technique works well when the ground is somewhat saturated (which ours is), when you don’t want to remove material from turf that is trying to heal (like ours has been all year), or when you want to speed up the process (which we do). We will also be making our annual summer compost application, which has been an important addition to our routine.

We will do our best to minimize the impact to golfers during aeration, but we are also battling mother nature. Aeration is a very important practice, and we are going to push hard for completion as quickly as possible.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be aware and careful of new sod.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Update and rain

We were able to complete the slicing just ahead of the recent rain, which was perfect. Keeping the Bermuda grass hydrated will enable it to heal quickly and effectively.

We received a few rain events leading into the weekend. But nothing like the storm that sat over top of us on Saturday. The club totaled 5.5” of rain in about 18 hours. The best part was seeing how the investment in drainage really has paid off. While several drains were still draining the next morning, the fact that the water is draining is significant.

We had very little damage to the course, mostly just mulch and debris from over-flowing ponds and moving water. Some sticks were also blown down with the wind. However, the most attention will be paid to the Bermuda soccer field. We have been working on repairing the damage to the field from the winter. We laid ½ an acre of sod at the same time as the work on the golf course and we were finally able to open the field for the first time all season on Saturday, and then Mother Nature happened. The creek that passes by the field overtook its bank and littered the field with sand, gravel, limbs, stumps, and other debris.

We completed this post Sunday afternoon, to be posted Monday morning. Then we received another inch of rain Sunday afternoon, evening and early Monday morning, so we had to make another update. Judging by the forecast, the totals are not finished yet.

While there is no permanent damage, or costly repairs needed, it will take some labor to remove all of the debris off the field. Another reminder that we must deal with whatever nature sends our way.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be aware and careful of new sod.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org