Wrapping up drain projects

The weather stayed nice, so we pushed forward on our drain projects. We hoped to complete either the drain in #3 fairway or the drain in #10 fairway before Christmas. Well, today is the 20^th and both projects have been completed for over a week.

In both cases, we added drains to areas that regularly get and stay wet but are just out of reach of some other drainage nearby. These were either small pockets of low areas where the water cannot continue flowing to an adjacent drain or the nearest drain is just too far.

Luckily, we were still close enough to tie into existing drainage. Using drains that we know already work, keeps us from having to create a full exit strategy for the water we are trying to capture. Feeding our pipe into a working drain saves us lots of labor and disruption.

We are slowly eliminating small wet areas around the course. Each season we tackle a few more and each season the course can manage water a little better.

Happy Holidays

Completed work on #10 fairway

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not try and remove a flagstick that is frozen into the cup. Turf damage may occur.

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

November roundup

Reducing to one post per month allows for many things to happen between updates. Here is the November roundup:

The leaves started falling in earnest in the last 2 weeks, but they took their time in October. This allowed us to focus on some projects which was nice, but it only delayed the inevitable: the leaves will always fall. We are fully into our cleanup process and golfers will see blowers and the vacuum out at every possible occasion. Cold mornings and windy days make it difficult, but we will keep plugging along.

Bunker renovation work is complete. We completed holes 1, 4, 9, and 10. We maintain a spreadsheet showing when each bunker was built and last renovated, so although it may seem we jumped around randomly, these were the holes that needed to be done. All the sod has been laid, the bunkers on holes 4 and 10 are reopened, and 1 and 9 will be open by next week.

We have transitioned directly into our offseason drainage program already. This year we will be adding drains to #3 fairway, #7 approach, and #10 fairway. We started on #7 approach last week and should have it wrapped up this week. It is undecided as to whether we will head to #3 or #10 next, but either way we hope to have one more hole complete before Christmas.

Lastly, we replaced the “Practice Area Open/Closed’ sign that was along the path towards the driving range. The previous sign was in decent shape, however at some point late last summer, someone decided to take the removable portion that read “open” or “closed”. Instead of making another piece out of wood to replace it, we decided to continue our gradual upgrading of all course signage and purchase a new sign that matched our tee signs. It is in place now and looks very nice. Check it out next time you go to the driving range.

We have had some cold days, but also some warmth mixed in. It has been just right to keep us very busy!

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please stay off all grass surfaces during a frost delay.

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Update on #3 projects

We were able to accomplish both projects on #3 this past week just as we planned. The weather cooperated and things went just according to plan.

Last week, we outlined our plan. This week was execution. We started with the drain in the green, which took 2 half days and then swiftly moved on to the addition of a new sprinkler, which was another 2 half days. Everything was clean, tidy, and complete for the weekend. Below are some pictures of progress along the way:

Pictures from the drainage installation:

Pictures from the irrigation head installation:

Though the scope was not large, tackling two projects in week is still an accomplishment. We are excited to see the results through the fall and into future years.

 

Starting in October, posts will reduce to one per month. This schedule will last through February. Then starting in March, we will increase back to weekly updates again. Thank you

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not let the flag drop on the green when removing it to putt. This can cause damage to the turf and/or the flagstick. Please lay the flag down gently on the turf.

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

 

 

 

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Projects on #3

We will be starting our project work on #3 this week, one facet will be to drain water away and another will be to add it back in. This is a great time of year for projects and we are ready to go. 

First, we will be adding a new drain to the back of #3 green. Similar to drains we have done on #9, #4 and #15, this drain will address a very specific area on #3. In the back of the green there is a bowl shape where puddles form after rain, but which is very slow to dry even after the rain has stopped. Luckily, it is a small area, which can be remedied very easily with a straight-line drain. We will start our trench about 15 feet onto the green and run it directly off the green, through the collar, approach, and empty it about 40 feet further out into the rough. In terms of drain projects, this is about as straight-forward as it gets. Working around golfers and performing other work on the course, it should not take us more than a few half days to complete. 

From there we will move on to adding an additional sprinkler to #3 approach. Having the equipment and labor on #3 from the drain will make the switch to adding the sprinkler very easy and efficient. The approach currently has 3 sprinklers on it, that stretch from the left greenside bunker, directly across towards the cart path. However, the last sprinkler does not cover all the way to the path, nor does it reach a particularly sensitive section of rough near the cart path. It was not totally clear that this would be an issue back during construction, so nothing was changed. However, now that we have worked through several seasons, we have seen that an added sprinkler here would lessen the burden on our hand watering program. The new sprinkler will be a part-circle and be placed right up against the cart path. From there, it will water out, in a 180-degree arc, aimed back towards the green and approach. 

 To accomplish this addition, we will need to cut a trench from the last sprinkler in the existing line, directly to where our new one will be placed. We then cut into the existing pipe, glue on our new sections that will deliver water to the new area, connect our power supply and back-fill. This new sprinkler will be added into our irrigation system program and will turn on as part of the #3 approach group. Again, this should not be more than a few half days of work. 

One project moves water away, the other adds more water. But for several days worth of work, we efficiently tackle two projects in close proximity to one another that will provide a huge benefit for next season and beyond. 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month 

Please do not apply any spray sunscreen or insect repellent while standing on the grass, especially the greens. 

 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 

See you on the course! 

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Armyworms

If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. August was wet. Being August, it was also warm or hot most of the time. This is prime weather for disease. As it turns out, it is also prime weather for an insect pest that we have never had before.

We work diligently to stay on top of disease outbreaks by knowing the conditions each fungus needs for growth. We protect large amounts of turf across the property, including the soccer fields. We also treat the soccer field for insects; however, the pressure this year overtook our preventive application and wiped out 40% of the soccer field turf.

Damage on the soccer field. This photo was taken
the day we re-seeded.

Fall armyworms are a southern insect most of the time. They feed on nearly all kinds of crops, turfgrass included. Occasionally, they can migrate northward and be seen, but not cause any extensive damage. Well, not this year. Not only did they come north, but they wreaked havoc. Here is just a sampling of the information describing this season’s infestation:

                USA Today- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/09/01/fall-armyworm-outbreak-damages-lawns-across-us/5683595001/

                Business Insider- https://www.businessinsider.com/army-worms-how-to-prevent-armyworms-treatment-lawn-grass-infestation-2021-8

                NBC4 Washington- https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/armyworms-invade-dc-area-lawns-kill-grass/2795853/

For us, recovery was to re-seed the field and start fresh. It necessitated keeping the field closed longer than our originally scheduled maintenance window, but we are making progress.

While we may not see another infestation quite like this for some time, we are adjusting our maintenance program just in case.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not apply any spray sunscreen or insect repellent while standing on the grass, especially the greens.

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Foot traffic sign

We recently added a new sign near #18 green to help with traffic management.

Something as minor as walking in certain areas may seem inconsequential to the health of the turf, but when 150-200 people walk in the same exact place, every day, that stress can add up. Throw in the stress from our mowers and the grass can struggle and die.

Redirecting some of that traffic can help spread the wear patterns around to different areas, giving each previous area a chance to recover. With enough rotation and good adherence to the directive, we can manage the traffic so that no single area is too badly damaged.

That is the thought behind the new sign at #18 green. There is a very small area to walk up left of the green, in between the green and greenside bunker. Since it is so narrow, everyone must walk in virtually the exact same line, causing the wear. The new sign directs “All foot traffic” to walk farther out to the left, out and around the bunker, into a much less trafficked spot.

This plan can only work if people obey the sign, otherwise it is just decoration. Please be on the lookout for this addition and take the longer way around the bunker.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not apply any spray sunscreen or insect repellent while standing on the grass, especially the greens.

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Looking forward

The calendar finally flipped to September. It came fast and slow at the same time. September brings a whole set of priorities and plans for the Grounds department.

We will gradually work to getting green speeds back up. This is a slow process that can only be done as weather allows and as the turf can handle. As we discussed last week, we have been very wet over the last month. We cannot race back to turf conditions of the drier period too quickly or we risk suffering damage that will last the rest of the year. However, optimizing the fall playing conditions is our goal.

September also signals the time to start monitoring soil temperatures for our Spring Dead Spot applications. We have been using this most updated technique for several years and the results have been promising. More research continues to come out and we will adjust as necessary.

This month is busy on the golf calendar, but we will begin some projects soon. Bunker renovations, drainage installation and more, will all commence sometime over the next several weeks, and last through the fall.

Lastly, it pains me to remind everyone that it will be leaf season and frost season soon. Although we love the time of year and the daytime weather it brings, we dread these two complications. Be on the lookout for blowers and the frost delay signs and please be patient.

Climatological summer has ended, but more work is still in store. We look forward to the challenge.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not apply any spray sunscreen or insect repellent while standing on the grass, especially the greens.

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Feast or famine

We discussed last week how we have transitioned rapidly from dry to wet. So far, the trend has continued. It has been feast or famine this season in terms of rainfall, and right now we have too much.

For some perspective:

·         For the month of August, we have now received more rain than for the months of May, June, and July combined.

·         The total thus far for August is also equal to half the rain we have received this entire year! From January to July, we have had just over 12” of rain. In the last 29 days we have received 6.5”.

Needless to say, this presents problems for the Grounds department and managing the property. We have had to shovel the sand back up the edges of bunkers 3 out of the last 4 days. Some rough hasn’t been cut all week, either because it is too wet or because our labor has had to be focused on other areas.

Some areas have only been partially mowed. For example, we mowed 8 passes in the rough around greens to just stay on top of it. Last week, we cut the same portion, but we had to do it with push mowers because even our lightweight riding mowers were too heavy for the saturated ground.

The Bermuda grass is a great challenge as well. Warm, wet weather is ideal for Bermuda grass growth. We were lucky enough to get 2 cuts on fairways last week, though we pushed the envelope on some borderline too-wet areas. We also were able to mow tees and approaches twice. However, with the growth rate of the grass, they could have each used 4 cuts and we will already be behind to start the week.

Greens are the most difficult to manage during a time like this. The grass is at its weakest after a long, busy summer. Roots are short and the recuperative potential is minimal. Mow them when they are too wet, and damage will result. We don’t like to see the greens get long and perform poorly anymore than the golfers do, but we always must be looking forward and protecting the turf for the next day. We could force our mowers out and get the greens mowed, but the damage from the one-time cut could last until October. It is a fine balance deciding when to push forward and when to hold back.

We understand there can be frustration surrounding poor conditions- rough not mowed, bunkers not raked, slow and bumpy greens, another cart path only day. However, the reality is that we are working to keep the course as great as possible, for each day and for the next day too.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please remember to remove any bunker sand that may be stuck to your spikes before walking on the greens.

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

From dry to wet

The weather is the single greatest factor for managing the golf course. It determines what we can and cannot do, when to do it, and much more. We have discussed how dry we have been. Now we have moved to the other extreme.

Over the stretch of days from August 10^th thru August 20^th we received 3.75” of rain. This is slightly above normal for that short amount of time, but not outlandish. However, based on how this season has progresses thus far, this was a large deviation. That rain total was actually more rain than we received for the entire month of July. Furthermore, when totaling the entire month of August rainfall, we are just .75” of rain less than all of June and July, combined.

Because of this rain falling in a short amount of time, the ground gets saturated quickly. Most of our operation is affected in some way. It limits the amount of mowing we can do or sometimes eliminates our ability to cut for several days. We push mow some large areas in order to try and keep up with turf growth, or we skip certain areas that are extremely wet and mow just areas that can tolerate the larger mowers. Similarly, when we can mow, especially on greens, we have to raise the mowing height to accommodate the accumulated growth.

We also must refocus labor towards cleanup. Sticks are always strewn across the property after storms, especially this year with cicada branches falling in just a gentle breeze. Bunker sand gets washed of the edges after intense rainfall and it must be manually shoveled back into place. As mentioned, we may not be able to cut large portions of the property, so putting the labor towards sticks and bunkers does not necessarily detract from something else immediately, but cleanup is always a multi-day process. Eventually we have to choose between cleanup and catch-up. We must balance getting the course trimmed back down and also still getting it repaired and tidy.

We definitely needed the rain. Spreading the rain over a longer period may have been easier to manage, but we don’t get to pick.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please remember to remove any bunker sand that may be stuck to your spikes before walking on the greens.

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Watering in plant health products

Sometimes we apply plant health materials that need to be watered into the soil to be effective. Timing these applications with rain is useful way for us to be most efficient.

We have been making periodic applications targeting soil pests or soil health all season, and in season’s past also. Normally we must use the irrigation system after the spray to move the material down to the soil. Especially when it has been this dry nearly all season. Using the irrigation system works pretty well and certainly gets the job done most of the time. But just like the grass responds so much better to a nice, cool rain, using a storm to water in our products works better too.

Rain is consistent. Our sprinklers are engineered to put out a certain rate of water, over a certain area, and we can calculate and manage this process. However, nozzles wear out, operation in the field never matches exactly to tests, and natural conditions can alter how the sprinklers operate. None of that applies to rain. It falls everywhere, at the same rate, at the same time (over an area as small as BWRC). This makes it ideal for watering our products down into the soil- nothing is missed, and everything is moved at the same time.

So, the key is trying to time these applications with rain. It is much harder than it sounds- we can’t just go spray whenever it is raining. If it is raining too hard our material could wash away. If it rained too much previously, it could be too wet to drive our machine on the turf. What if the rain is about to stop? What if the rain is too light? What if all the conditions are just right, except we are not due for an application that needs to be watered in? These are all factors in trying to get the timing correct. But when circumstances align just right, we are able to make the appropriate application on time.

We haven’t had the chance to naturally water our products in much this year. But, when we can, it is an opportunity to accomplish our goal just a little better than we can with our irrigation system.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please remember to remove any bunker sand that may be stuck to your spikes before walking on the greens.

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Aeration recap

The aeration process took place last week. Some cool nights and moderate daytime temperatures helped the process. We had a few hiccups, but we were able to complete everything on time.

Our greens aeration program has been going strong for several years now. The staff knows the routine and they work hard to finish. This year everything continued positively.

The weather was the biggest influence on how the aeration process played out. Monday was a great day for aeration- a cool night followed by a cool, clear day- and nearly everything on Monday went according to plan. Tuesday is when we had to really make some adjustments. Tuesday had another cool night leading into another cool day, however, a very persistent cloud cover lasted until nearly 1pm. This made it very slow for the material we pulled out of the ground to dry, especially the fairways.

Using hollow tines removes material- thatch and soil- from the ground. On the greens, we shovel this up and remove it by hand, which is not dependent on drying time. However, on the fairways, we do not remove the soil, only the thatch. To accomplish this, we drag the cores with a steel drag mat that breaks up the soil chunks and dislodges the thatch. We then blow the thatch material out into the rough. If you try and drag the cores when they are still wet, you get smeared mud. So, on Tuesday we had to wait extra long for the cores to dry- in fact they were not completely dry when we started, but time was running out!

The result of all of this was that the fairways did not clean up quite as well as expected or hoped. A bit more soil was left at the surface than we wanted, as well as the Bermuda grass having more mud on the leaves than usual. This forced us to drag and blow, drag and blow, the rest of the week to try and get the fairways where we wanted them to be. In the end, we accomplished our goal, it just took a little while longer.

A separate but related issue we saw was isolated to #3 fairway. The cores that we pulled out of the last half of this particular fairway were nearly as hard as concrete. Due to this hardness, even repeated passes with the steel mat did not break the cores up well. #3 fairway alone was drug 11 times over 4 days. We believe two factors were at play that created such hard soil. First, we are several inches behind for our yearly rainfall total. No consistent or heavy rains have been able to penetrate the soil to the depth from which we pulled cores. Second, this section of #3 fairway was heavily altered during construction in 2014. The construction crews worked very hard to stockpile and then redistribute topsoil to all disturbed areas, but it wasn’t perfect. This area was evidently shorted some good soil. So, we pulled cores out of sub-soil with poor tilth. Although we have pulled cores before, we have only done it 2 other times to this portion, so no significant soil alteration has taken place in the past years.

 

A chunk of soil from #3 fairway. While you can't 
tell how hard the dirt is from the picture,
it does resemble a terra cotta pot.

Thank you for your patience while we performed the very necessary aeration practices this past week. Mother nature threw us some curveballs, but in the end, we accomplished all that we needed to. We are set up nicely to head into the final stretch of the season.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please remember to remove any bunker sand that may be stuck to your spikes before walking on the greens.

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Insects in bunkers

Recently, there has been some concern regarding the bees that are in many bunkers. These insects appear every year and they are harmless.

The bees that can be seen in the bunkers are actually a type of sand wasp in the Bembix genus with many different species that may be seen. They burrow in the sand to make their nest, which makes the bunkers ideal. They eat flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects. They are not communal wasps like other species.

The species that occurs in the bunkers every year is particularly non-aggressive. Though research online says that in the most extreme examples, they can sting, it takes great effort to get them to that point. The Grounds staff maintains bunkers regularly and we have never had an employee stung, despite standing in many bunkers for 10–15 minute stretches.

A photo of several Grounds staff
working in a bunker with no issue

While the wasps can be annoying, no control measures are warranted. In speaking with a pest control company, there are insecticides that can be used, but it would require spreading a dust across every bunker in which the wasps are present. Not only is this not a sound pest management practice, but any wasps that were missed would shift to another bunker. Even if every bunker on the property was treated, some wasps would likely be missed, and many beneficial insects would be killed in the process. Ignoring the wasps is the best strategy since they pose no threat.

If the wasps are left alone, they will leave us alone too. No further control measures are necessary or warranted.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please remember to remove any bunker sand that may be stuck to your spikes before walking on the greens.

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Upcoming aeration

It is nearly aeration time again. It feels as though the summer has moved quickly. Starting August 2^nd thru August 4^th, we will be punching holes in greens, tees, fairways, approaches, and soccer fields.

Our last core aeration (meaning material was removed) was in March on the greens. Several months of heavy golfer traffic, and a couple months of stressful weather has passed since then. This is our normal timing for this process, and it fits well into our turfgrass health program as well as the overall calendar of the club.

Aerating the turf now provides some much-needed relief. Especially for the greens, the chance to get oxygen into the rootzone, is crucial. The Bermuda grass also benefits from the oxygenation. Since this is the only time of the year that we aerate the Bermuda grass, it is critical for overall health. We also take this time to apply our second round of compost. With the Bermuda grass growing vigorously, the organic material in the compost will be great food for the turf and the soil microbes.

Timing the process now also works well for our golf calendar. While our aeration takes places earlier than most courses, it works very well for us. Generally, August is one of our slowest golf months. The heat is still potent, international organization staffs, especially IMF take some time off (pre-Covid at least), and our outside events and tournament lineup is minimal. So, the disruption of aerating and closing portions of the course is impacting the fewest people possible.

Thank you for your patience as we tackle this very necessary task. Please check in with the Golf Shop or website to see what areas are open each day.

 

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Watering after rain- review

This is a post that was originally posted back in 2018. That season was a record wet year. We are nowhere near those totals this season, but the discussion regarding when to water following a rain event is pertinent at any time. 

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Water usage

We are still trending drier than normal, despite a couple recent storms. This is reflected in the water usage report we just completed.

We are required to report our water usage to the state twice a year. We report how much water we use total, based on a flow meter in our irrigation pump house. When applicable, we also report if we have to pump water out of the Potomac River to refill the pond on #17, and if so, how much water we pump. We have not had to pump yet this year, but the water report shows we are ahead of our usage pace from last season.

The pond on #17 has been low for a couple of months now. With very little rainfall to naturally replenish it, it provides a quick visual that it has been dry overall- from May to early July- which is reflected in the numbers. From January 2020 thru June 2020, we used about 3.6 million gallons of water. In comparison, during the same period for 2021, we used about 5.3 million gallons, for a difference of about 1.7 million gallons.

While these are large numbers and represent a huge quantity of water, our usage is greatly reduced because we have many acres of Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass actually loves water and can handle wet conditions very easily, but one of its greatest attributes is how well it can perform in drought conditions also. During dry stretches we can greatly reduce the amount of water we use on the Bermuda grass to conserve for other areas, like the putting greens. This is exactly what we have done- minimize the amount of water applied, especially to fairways, and judicially apply to everything else.

Every season is different in many ways, including the need for watering. We have used more water in other seasons, and first and second halves within a season can vary greatly. But for now, the numbers back up what we have seen out in the field- it has been a dry first half of 2021.

 

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Interesting picture

We are very busy in maintenance mode right now and the course is doing good. So, this week's blog is a quick discussion regarding an interesting picture taken recently.

First, it was and continues to be dry. Despite the last couple of days, which have featured rain, overall, we are several inches behind normal. May was 2” behind normal and June was another 3”. When we start falling that far behind several things become apparent: the inefficiencies of the irrigation system, that trees easily out-compete turfgrass for water, and even the most drought tolerant grasses get dry.

No irrigation system is designed to hold up during significant droughts. Irrigation is a supplement, and bridge, between rain events. When we must rely on irrigation alone for long stretches, the places of poor or no coverage become apparent. More information regarding dry stretches and its affects can be found here and here.

Trees tend to vacuum up all the resources in their vicinity. Their root systems are extensive and can gather much more than grass. Under normal conditions, there is enough water for the tree and turf to survive. But, when drought conditions settle in, the first place to spot it is around the base of trees because the grass under the tree cannot get enough water anymore because the tree is taking it all.

Bermuda grass is a drought and heat tolerant grass. Compared to most turf species, Bermuda grass’s root system is robust. However, even Bermuda grass still needs water. This leads us to the interesting picture mentioned above:

 

 

This picture is interesting for a couple of reasons: First, the brown grass on the tee is dry Bermuda grass. It is behind on its water needs and has started to enter dormancy. Once it receives some water it will turn green again and resume growth, but until then it is conserving its resources. Second, notice how there is a straight line across the tee- the far side of the line is where the Bermuda grass is brown and the near side has green grass. Mother nature does not often work in straight lines. So, what is going on? This line is soil related and points all the way to when this tee was rebuilt during Master Plan construction. The dry half is within the boundary of the tee box and was constructed of 90% sand, while the near side is built on native soil. Water moves through the sand much quicker and therefore dries out much faster than the native soil.

Sometimes, it is like trying to solve a puzzle when we see changes out on the course. Luckily, knowing the underlying soil characteristics made understanding this picture much easier.

 

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

  

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Remaining water cooler stations

We finally finished putting the remaining new water cooler stands out on the golf course. Several things delayed the process, but now the process is complete, and the new water coolers will last for a long time.

We started this process back in the winter of 2019, with the construction of the first 4 coolers. But then the virus hit and things came to a standstill. Not only was water cooler construction not a priority, early in the pandemic, it was not clear whether it was safe to even use the water coolers. In fact, the water coolers were removed from the course for several weeks.

Eventually, as the dust settled and more information became available, we were able to slowly and safely bring staff back to work. However, for a long time, minimum maintenance was still our goal. It was not until mid-summer when construction resumed and was completed on the initial water coolers. Those first 4 made it onto the course in July.

Now the remaining four stations have been replaced: the transition at #3 and #15, #6 tee, #17 tee, and the Driving Range tee. All stations now match and are very durable.

There was not a rush to try and finish these last four water coolers, but it is nice to cross the project off the list.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be careful not to damage the lip of the cup when retrieving your ball after putting out.

 

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Tennis irrigation repair

Many clubs have a golf course plus other amenities like a pool, tennis, etc. Not many have quite the portfolio of Bretton Woods though, with soccer, a ropes course, mountain bike trail and more, plus the usual like tennis and a pool. Maintaining all the different aspects of the property from the Grounds department means tackling all issues that arise. Father’s Day Sunday morning was one of those instances.

Portions of the damaged pipe

The irrigation system used on the golf course extends to soccer and the clay tennis courts. When issues arise, the Grounds department handles the repair. Yesterday, one of the pipes handling water for the clay tennis courts sprung a leak.

More of the damaged pipe

Two things were more remarkable about this particular break compared to others. First, there were two cracks in the pipe that each stretched for an entire stick of pipe. A stick of PVC irrigation pipe is 20 feet long. Usually, a crack or break is isolated, and occasionally might span a couple of feet. Not only did we find a break that was drastically longer than normal- we found two. The second significant aspect of this repair was just how severely damaged the pipe was. Along part of the pipe, the crack was just a hairline fracture, which is typical. However, over a good portion of the stick, the two breaks had swerved close enough together to actually eject chunks of pipe. Aside from times when a pipe is crushed, or trenched through, the PVC does not usually shatter. Needless to say, this allowed a lot of water to escape very quickly and make a big mess.

The span where the damaged pipe was removed

PVC pipe does have a lifespan- about 25-30 years when underground. This pipe is about 22 or 23 years old, so it is old by irrigation pipe standards. Nevertheless, this kind of damage is still atypical. The pipe was buried about 18 inches deep, so there is no chance of being crushed. Likewise, no trenching or other earthwork was being done. This is just an example of a small pin-hole leak expanding quickly.

We made the repair and water will flow through the pipe by tomorrow. We have made lots of repairs, but sometimes they can still be surprising.

 

Completed repair

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be careful not to damage the lip of the cup when retrieving your ball after putting out.

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Last new trees and cicadas

It took some extra time, but we finally finished our spring tree planting operation. The 5 remaining maples were placed between #5 and #7 fairways last week.

After some initial confusion back during our original planting date, the new trees arrived looking great. The 5 new trees are all red maples and really fill in the hill between holes nicely. Once mature, the new trees will provide a great screen for errant golf balls. These trees will also enhance the separation between holes. In the fall, the maples will really shine. As golfers make their way up the hill in #5 fairway, looking towards #7 will present beautiful fall colors.

It is great to get this planting out of the way. Hopefully, we will get some rain to help keep the trees hydrated.

On a separate note, we have had some questions regarding the cicadas. The process is actually winding down now, though it is not over yet. If you look around the property and see the tips of trees all brown that is because the female cicadas laid their eggs in those branches. Nearly all the trees will survive- they did find a couple of our newest, youngest trees, though nothing in our recent plantings- that may be more severely affected. Otherwise, aside from an annoyance, the cicadas have not really impacted the course at all.

If you look closely, you can see the
tips of the outer branches are brown. This
is from the female cicadas laying eggs.

More brown leaf tips

Brown leaf tips in one of our smaller trees

Zoom in and you will notice very small,
rice grain sized eggs in this branch.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be careful not to damage the lip of the cup when retrieving your ball after putting out.

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

#5 fairway

The cicadas are out, the heat has turned back up, and the Bermuda grass has finally kicked into gear. However, #5 fairway still noticeably lags behind the rest. The 5^th fairway is a difficult place to grow Bermuda grass. Trees, shade (from trees and slopes), and moisture all play a role in hampering the turf and can be traced back to spring conditions.

 #5 has trees running up the entire right side, which is the side the of the sun for all the spring and fall. Spring shade can hard to overcome. Just as the Bermuda grass is breaking dormancy, new leaves are emerging and searching for sunlight to start producing their own food. Research has shown that initially after breaking dormancy, the new leaves can sustain themselves for about 2 weeks on reserve carbohydrates. After that, they need to start producing their own, new sugars. If the plant is in sustained shade, energy production is limited, therefore growth is limited. Unfortunately, it is not a single tree that shades the fairway, so removal is not really an option.

Aside from the shade cast by trees, the orientation and slope of the ground also place a burden on the turf. The first half of the fairway is naturally tilted away from the sun. In the summer, the sun starts to hit this portion by mid-morning. However, in the spring, it is late morning before any direct light hits the turf. Again, there is not much to do about the natural shape of the terrain.

Lastly, the final 1/3 of the fairway is very flat, almost bowl shaped. Water can sit in this area for longer periods than ideal. No one would consider this to be one of the wettest areas on the property, especially when the Bermuda grass is growing vigorously. However, during late winter and spring when the temperatures are cold, the excess moisture can cause issues like winter kill or weaken the grass enough for Spring Dead Spot (SDS) to occur.

So, Spring Dead Spot and winter kill are the two results of the myriad issues facing the 5^th fairway, which is the visual damage that can be seen. Generally speaking, the pathogen that causes SDS is always present in the soil and infects the Bermuda grass every year. However, it takes another factor to kill the turf- shade, low temperatures, poor light quality, excessive moisture. Meanwhile, winter kill is the catch-all term to describe turf that dies over the winter or early spring due to several factors unrelated to a pathogen- shade, low temperatures, poor light quality, excessive moisture.

There is not a silver bullet to erase the struggles on #5. We continue to hone our SDS chemical treatment program, we steadfastly apply our compost, and we stay current on research of cultural practices to improve the health of the Bermuda grass. Once we see what damage has occurred, we initiate our remediation programs: slicing, supplemental fertilizer, and seeding when necessary.

Though these issues seem to be out of our control, we work hard to manage the aspects that are in our control. We continue to push the Bermuda grass on #5 to get better as quickly as possible.

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be careful not to damage the lip of the cup when retrieving your ball after putting out.

 

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

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Summer preview

As we end May and start looking towards summer, the Grounds department eases into our maintenance routine and prepares to play defense against the weather.

The springtime is usually great weather for the cool season turf: greens and rough. It maintains nice dark green color, grows vigorously and is relatively stress-free. Many of our cultural practices are concentrated during this time of year. We aggressively verticut the greens, which uses a vertical blade to rip down into the turf canopy and remove thatch. We aerate and seed rough. And we try to mow the rough more often because of its increased growth rate.

Though the calendar flipping to June 1^st is not a guarantee of warmer weather (it is 49 degrees right now!), in general it is a good point to start transitioning to summer maintenance. For the cool season grass that means less aggressive treatment. We stop verticutting the greens during the summer because the aggressive nature of the process is too stressful when combined with the heat and humidity of the season. Instead, we start our needle-tine aeration program. Though we will not start until next week, we must plan ahead to give the turf every opportunity to survive the summer stress.

As the temperature climbs the rough also starts to slow its growth, especially if we get into a dry pattern. Though it takes a very dry stretch to reduce our rough mowing frequency significantly, it may be possible to slightly lessen the frequency. Regardless, we can at least keep up with the growth rate and occasionally get ahead. Instead of excessive growth between cuts, the turf has grown only enough to warrant another cut. This makes for a cleaner cut and reduces clippings left lying about. It is also easier on the plant when we are cutting less of it off at a time.

While the Bermuda grass is just about to hit its stride, the cool season turf is settling in to battle Mother Nature. We are doing our best to set the turf up for success.

Enjoy your Memorial Day.

 

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org