Upcoming aeration and tree work

We are in the midst of putting the course to bed for the winter. Our late season Bermuda grass program  is nearly complete. In addition, next week we will complete a deep tine aeration on the greens which is vital to their long-term health also. Following the aeration, we will also be starting our off-season tree work on the property.

Aerating turf is very rarely bad. Sometimes it can cause some collateral damage if the plant is weak, but still the opening of the surface is important. We try to achieve several different aeration events throughout the season, each with a different purpose and execution. Our upcoming deep tine aeration is our last disruption until spring, but the impacts can be observed all year long.

Initially the deep holes made during this aeration will serve to get oxygen deeper into the soil profile. Channels will be created for new roots to dive deeper down. But one of the most important aspects is that those same channels will provide avenues for winter moisture to move through the profile more easily. Especially when the soil is cold, and definitely when frozen, water cannot move downward as easily. Providing large, deep holes allows escape routes for the water over the winter and provides some flexibility for any freezing and thawing cycles.

Because the winter is a slow time for the course- less golfers, less maintenance- the deep tine holes stay relatively open. While they won’t be as visible at the surface, below ground they holes won’t close completely. As spring rolls around and the turf starts to grow vigorously again, roots will find these open holes that are plentiful in oxygen and grow deeper. Deeper roots increase access to nutrients, moisture, and provide a stronger system for the plant.  Using spring to increase root mass is defense against the onset of summer. It doesn’t make summer any easier for the turf, but it gives the plant all the tools and protection that we can before the stress of heat, humidity, and traffic are maxed out.

As for the tree work, we will continue to follow our tree program that has been in place for many years, which we will repost at the bottom of the page. Not only do we tackle dead trees, but we are also continually working to make sure that the existing trees and turf are working well together. Especially when it comes to the Bermuda grass, we must make sure that shade is not limiting the health of the turf. This plan has been ongoing for several years and we have made great strides because of this work- think back to the state of #5 fairway 2 years ago, before we removed the trees along the right side.

This year we will be removing pine trees at #1 tee, a sycamore at #1 green, and several trees around #10 green and #11 tee. These trees have all been identified as casting too much shade on the Bermuda grass and need to be removed for the turf to thrive. Specifically, the trees at #1 tee were singled out as causing issues for the white tee box when we had regional agronomist Steve McDonald out for site visit, which you can read about here.

However, our tree maintenance is not limited to the golf course. There are trees across the property, and they all need attention. We have dead trees to remove near Adventure Hill, near the soccer parking lot, hanging out across a tennis court, and along the entrance road.

The deep tine aeration is part of an overall cultural practice program for the greens. Taking the time to aerate deeper now has benefits that will be realized immediately but also all the way up until we perform the same aeration next November. And getting started on our tree work now, ensures that coming out of winter and starting the season, the turf is in prime position to thrive.

 

 

As a reminder, we are now reducing down to 1 post per month through February. Thank you

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be patient with our leaf cleanup process. 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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Bretton Woods Tree and Turf Management

 

 

Background:

Bretton Woods Recreation Center is a valuable resource providing its members access to a natural

setting for the enjoyment of organized sports activities and other outdoor areas for less formal

recreation, such as picnics and camps. The natural setting located not far from a major urban area

is especially rare in these times of densely developed land, typical of metropolitan areas. With the

intention of continuing the tradition of giving members a respite from the hectic urban life in a cared for

but natural setting, members of the Golf Committee, the Grounds Superintendent and management

have formulated a tree and turf management policy as the foundation of a plan to ensure that natural setting through the ongoing care and cultivation of trees.

Objectives:

1.       Continue the Bretton Woods “low input” IPM approach through judicious planting and species selection.

2.       Promote safe recreation through diligent care and removal of hazardous branches and trees.

3.       Ensure a balance between trees and turf health.

Tree and Turf Care:

·         Routine inspection of trees will be performed by the Grounds Staff

·         Upon discovery of declining or stressed trees, the Golf Course Superintendent (GCS) will determine and

prioritize the need for Certified Arborist inspection and evaluate the need for care. Factors of safety, cost

and importance shall guide the evaluation, in this order.

·         Particular attention shall be given to girdling roots and properly cut to relieve pressure when discovered.

·         New tree planting locations will be carefully selected in order not to unnecessarily compete with turf health. Mulch around trees will help improve the tree health where possible; careful placement of trees will help reduce negative impacts to turf.

·         Assessments of existing trees and their impact to turf health and course conditions; pruning, removal of tree, or adjustment of turf are steps that may be taken on an ongoing basis.

·         Dense, thick foliage can make trees susceptible to wind damage. Pruning will be used to improve their life

expectancy and reduce risk.

·         Pruning and removing limbs on low branching species will benefit trees and turf.

·         Tree management best practices indicate that trees that have been damaged more than 1/3 should be priorities for consideration of removal because they pose safety hazards.

·         Limbs or trees posing a safety risk will be immediately remedied through pruning, removal, or bracing.

Planting:

·         The need for planting, species selection and location will be determined by the Green Committee, General

Manager and GCS.

·         Diversity is a goal of any planting plan at BWRC, however species appearing on the Maryland Department

of the Environment Noxious Weed List will not be planted on BWRC property.

·         Planting stock will be of 4” caliper or equivalent whenever possible, with exceptions made on an as

needed basis.

Second SDS application

Managing Bermuda grass in the transition zone requires specific measures to ensure healthy turf. Today we are making our second Spring Dead Spot application which is one of these steps that we must take for the Bermuda grass to thrive.

A few posts back, we discussed our Spring Dead Spot (SDS) program. Soil temperatures are a major factor in the timing of the application, and two applications are always best. We monitor the soil closely for the first spray, but once the first application is down, then it is just a matter of waiting the appropriate time for the second application.

Research recommends waiting 21-28 days between the two applications, closer to 21 days when the air and soil temperatures start to drop more rapidly after the first application. But the interval can be stretched closer to the 28-day timeframe when the temperature change is more gradual. At the time of our first spray, and shortly after, the weather stayed warm, to slightly above average. But in the last couple of weeks, it has dropped more dramatically, with several mornings in the low 30’s. Accordingly this has triggered a faster drop in the soil temperatures also, so the time has come for the second application.

Waiting longer than the 28-day recommendation is also a problem. The temperatures can get too cold and the fungus that causes SDS will no longer be active. Meaning any pesticide application made at that point will have very minimal effect on the pathogen and be nearly useless. And fitting in the second application around frost and possibly more frequent rain events becomes more difficult the longer we wait also. So, with all of this in mind, we know this is our best window for making the application.

It is stressful having such a small, specific window to hit for these applications. And it is made even more so by the fact that we won’t know the efficacy of our spray until at least 6 months from now, possibly more. But following the best practices and knowing from past experiences that we are on the right track gives us confidence to move forward.

 

We will be reducing down to 1 post per month starting in November. Thank you

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please rake your entire disturbance within the bunker, including all of your footprints, not just the area from where you hit.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Collar and green outside pass aeration

During wet times, the thatch holds water and won’t let it drain down through the soil profile. By itself, the extra water is not deadly, it only causes minor issues and is not great to play on. However, if the turf must endure some significant heat, while also being too wet, then that is when grass will die. Sound familiar? This is exactly the scenario that played out in mid to late June. The end of May and early June were very wet, but then 10 of the last 12 days of June were above 90 degrees including a stretch of 5 days in a row above 95 degrees. The rain continued in July, when we were 4 inches above normal rainfall for the month. Most of the collars survived this stretch, and even the areas that died didn’t all die at this time, but they were drastically weakened as summer progressed.

                                             

We worked diligently to repair the worst areas on the collars with increased nutrition, seed, extra water and with sod work is upcoming. But the best and fastest way to manage an excessive thatch problem is to aerate. Physically removing the material from the profile and we can start to gain on the issue. It does not happen overnight; it must be part of a program that continues to attack the thatch. Last week we performed a very targeted aeration procedure as part of this program. Using the same style of mini tines that we used during spring aeration, we made one loop around the greens aerating the collar and just onto the green, and then finished all of the collar across the front. We removed this material by hand, blew away any left-over debris, and rolled to close the holes. We finished all greens in one day.

One area of the golf course that struggled this past summer was the collars. Several factors contributed to the stress, most notably the very difficult weather, but another factor was excess thatch. Last week we made progress in removing some of this thatch to improve the turf for next year and beyond.

Too much thatch, which is decaying stems, leaves, and other plant material, in any turf can be bad: holding too much water, not absorbing any water, and causing puffiness. Sometimes, only one of these issues can be managed and not cause too much trouble. However, this past summer, certain areas on the collars suffered with all three negative aspects of thatch in the same season, which proved too much to handle.

Then once August hit the rain stopped. The temperatures were lower than June, but intense nonetheless, and this proved to be too much for the turf. The alternative to thatch holding too much water in wet stretches is that during dry stretches, it actually becomes hydrophobic and won’t absorb any water. So, now the opposite of the initial issue of June and July struck the turf: we couldn’t get water to the roots because the thatch repelled some of the water applied. We are prepared for this situation and apply wetting agents that break the surface tension of water and allow it to infiltrate the soil. But in this case, with the turf already stressed, all it took was one afternoon of heat and lack of water and the turf began to die.

                                                        

This is only the first step in working to get the collars more resilient for future weather extremes. But it takes all these small changes to make improvements to the long term health of the turf.

 

 

We will be reducing down to 1 post per month starting in November. Thank you

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please rake your entire disturbance within the bunker, including all of your footprints, not just the area from where you hit.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Collar sod and replacement program

After a tough summer, some turf repair work is common. Although we have healed nicely, we still have some sod to replace on the collars, which we will be tackling this week.

Any non-Bermuda grass struggled this past season. Hot, wet, and dry times all occurred through the summer, and we lost some turf as a result. The bentgrass on the collars was no exception and we spent time seeding to promote recovery in September. That seeding effort was very effective and provided very nice healing. The natural shift in the weather has played a significant role in changing the fortunes of the collars as well. Now we are left with only the larger areas that couldn’t fully heal in the time from when we seeded until now; those spots are what we will be sodding this week. Luckily, there are very few of these trouble areas left to fix and once they are complete, we will shift to our continuing effort to manage the Bermuda grass growing into the collars.

In addition to the areas that are still left over from the summer, we will also be continuing our program of sodding out Bermuda grass that has invaded the collars, especially along the front edges where the approach transition to the collar. Back in 2021, we renovated all collars on the entire course because the previous turf was no longer adequate for our expectations or management. But nothing stays perfect forever, so since then, we have also worked on keeping the collars clean from encroachment  from Bermuda grass. The last two years we have worked through both practice greens, and holes 1-13, leaving holes 14-18 for this year. We remove the sod where Bermuda grass has moved in across the front of the greens to redefine the transition point, and fresh bentgrass sod is laid. Because we can’t truly prevent the Bermuda grass from growing into the collar, this replacement program is a continual process- next year we will start over going forward from #1. But this is most straightforward way to keep the collars clean, and that is our goal.

Laying this new sod on the collars at this time of year is perfect- the weather is conducive for fast healing, and the new sod will grow in and be unnoticeable very shortly.

 

 

 Starting in November, we will reduce down to 1 post per month through February. Thank you

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please rake your entire disturbance within the bunker, including all of your footprints, not just the area from where you hit.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Leaf season is here

With October here now, the next biggest task on the Grounds staff agenda is leaf cleanup. For the next 6 weeks, keeping the course clean will take a significant portion of our time.

One of the most difficult parts of leaf cleanup season is how long it lasts. Leaves have already started to come down, though slowly, and will continue until Thanksgiving. Getting the course clean one day and then showing up again the next day with leaves everywhere as if we never blew them at all, can be discouraging. Add in windy days where the leaves can’t be corralled where we want them no matter how hard we try, and it leaf season can really drag on.

We do have several powerful blowers that do a good job of moving the leaves off fairways, tees and rough. We use smaller blowers for greens and bunkers. It takes a coordinated effort for everyone to work together: smaller blowers move the leaves off the greens, through the bunkers, and out far enough from the bunker edge that the bigger blowers can pass through and continue to push the leaves out further. At that point, it depends on what day it is and what the golf schedule looks like to determine our next step.

We have two distinct processes for leaves. First, is simple cleaning of in-play areas. We blow greens, tees, fairways and bunkers so that golfers aren’t battling through all the leaves just to play. We do not use this strategy as our leaf removal process. Cleaning like this would be for end of the week and weekends, or days when we may have an outing or tournament. This is meant to be faster and allow for the best playing conditions possible. Our second program is where we focus on leaf removal. We still blow all the surfaces, but we don’t focus on making them perfectly clean for playing. Instead, we work on rounding the leaves into piles so that our vacuum can suck them up and haul them to our waste areas. When we are removing the leaves, there will be areas of lower concentration that we skip right over to focus on where the leaves are heaviest. Trying to work on removal during a busy Friday or Saturday would be counterproductive for us and terribly annoying for the golfers. We would be in everyone’s way, the playing surfaces wouldn’t be clean and golf balls would be lost, and we wouldn’t be efficiently managing our time.

Breaking our leaf program into two parts makes it easier to communicate with the staff about what work is to be done. And it provides golfers with the best experience during this fall season.

 

 

We will be reducing down to 1 post per month starting in November. Thank you

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please rake your entire disturbance within the bunker, including all of your footprints, not just the area from where you hit.

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Approaching our first SDS application

Maintaining Bermuda grass in our region is very difficult, because our climate is colder than the Bermuda grass would prefer. Luckily, our variety has become accustomed to the weather and can tolerate the cold, but not without some well-timed assistance from the Grounds staff.

The most crucial aspect of our program for ensuring healthy Bermuda grass all season is our Spring Dead Spot (SDS) fungicide applications. Reading back through some of our old posts, you can see that our program has evolved as we have learned more about dealing with the pathogen. Research has ramped up in the last 7-10 years as Bermuda grass has pressed further and further north, where protecting against SDS has become even more difficult. Along with the new research, new pesticides have come along that work significantly better than older products. We now make better targeted applications which have produced better results with less inputs.

So, what have we learned? First, soil temperatures are paramount. Although the pathogen is in the soil always, it does not become active until soil temperatures drop below 70 degrees for 5 consecutive days, with 65 degrees being the optimal time for the first pesticide application. This is much cooler than previously thought and has pushed our applications later into fall. Second, and equally as important, because the pathogen is down in the soil, the pesticide must be watered down to the pathogen. If the pesticide residue dries on the leaf tissue, it will never reach the target and be completely ineffective. So, it is recommended that .125-.25” of water be applied immediately after the application. Watering afterwards has always been a best practice, but now a much stronger body of evidence supports it, and a target volume has been established.

So, measuring the soil temperatures, finding time to make the application and irrigate around golfers and events, and squeezing around any potential weather delays, are all the factors that must align. We are rapidly approaching the time for our first application, and we are working on scheduling.

It is exciting to be nearing the time for our first SDS application. Knowing that this is one half of the most critical part of making sure the Bermuda grass is healthy gives it a great sense of importance. It is hard waiting 6-8 months to know if we were successful, but putting the right plan in place gives us confidence that we are preparing the Bermuda grass as best we can.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not climb up the steep face of the bunkers.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

September work shift

The golf season is entering what some would argue as its prime time of the year. The weather is near perfect, the course has recovered from a tough summer, and playability is near peak. This time of year is also when the Grounds department shifts gears to different work priorities.

The first, and most noticeable shift will be leaf cleanup. There is not much new to say about this work , it takes a lot of our time, and it is an inconvenience  to everyone! Nevertheless, the time is coming, and it will be a focus for the next several weeks.

At this time of year, winter preparation for the Bermuda grass is paramount also. Our Bermuda grass had one of its best seasons this year, notably coming out of a winter that caused a lot of Bermuda grass damage in the region. Luck plays a large role, but any help that we can provide must take place now. We monitor soil temperatures to determine timing of our Spring Dead Spot fungicide application. Our first spray will likely be in the next week or so.

The Bermuda grass especially starts to grow less, and the rough too to a certain extent, which means we are mowing less. This naturally allows that time to be used blowing leaves instead, but it also allows for project work to start. We will be installing new drains as well as renovating bunkers just like we have over the last handful of years. We have a long list of possible locations for new drains, that we will narrow down soon- we have been waiting for a good rainstorm to guide the layout for the drain, but we haven’t had much rain recently! As for the bunker work, this year we are tackling holes 3, 4, and 17. The process remains unchanged from past work, and the staff is very efficient, so the work should progress nicely once we start.

Once we finish out our main tournament schedule, we will start to outline timing for the projects. In the meantime, enjoy the fall golfing weather!

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Significant dry weather

Although the weather has been pleasant, with comfortable highs during the day and cool nights, the lack of rain is significant. Last year, we had a dry fall. So far this year, we are drier, earlier in the year.

Last year, in September we received slightly below normal rainfall for the month. But then, October turned very dry, with less than .25” of rain for the entire month, which was 3.5” below normal. Unfortunately, it seems we are trending towards a similar autumn this year.

August 2025 was 2” below normal rainfall. Our last significant rain event was August 17^th, which means we are now just days short of a month without any meaningful rain. Last year, the drought arrived in September and then into October. Being dry in August can affect the turfgrass in different ways.

August is the start of recovery time from a long summer. Despite still technically belonging to summer, August tends to feel different than July. Day lengths shorten, we are usually afforded several cooler nights and sometimes cooler days too, and overall, the stress levels for the plants decrease. All of that was true this year, except we also turned very dry. A necessity for recovery is moisture, and we have been lacking thus far. We have supplemented with irrigation, but we are now refilling our pond after depleting the reservoir.

Being this dry at this time of year is also concerning for the Bermuda grass. The Bermuda grass is slowly transitioning to dormancy, although it is still green and growing, its growth has slowed. Adding a stressor as the plant prepares for its most stressful time of the year is not ideal. We are adding water as we can, but sufficiently irrigating all the Bermuda grass does not leave much water for the cool season turf, so we must balance letting the Bermuda grass dry out, so we have water in reserve. We have even been out spot hand watering the Bermuda grass, which is a first in my 12 seasons.

Overall, the course is playing about as good as it has all season. Greens are firm and fast, and the ball is bounding down the fairways. But keeping the turf healthy while the season changes and processes within the plant shift is still our priority. Hopefully, Mother Nature will send some soaking rain our way soon.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not climb up the steep face of the bunkers.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Recovery efforts

Cooler temperatures finally arrived in August and September, so recovery efforts can finally commence. And we took full advantage over the last couple of weeks laying sod and sowing seed.

Although the season is not over, we have crested the toughest stretch and can start to assess how difficult of a summer 2025 was. May and July were both 5+ inches of rain over normal; the summer was warmer than normal overall throughout, but June had a stretch of extreme heat like we haven’t seen in several years; although August was cooler than normal, it was also abnormally dry. So, throughout the summer we had excessive rain, excessive heat, and drought. Our agronomic consultant placed 2025 as a top 3 hardest summer over the last 20 years, and we would agree.

So, after a summer like that, some turf loss is inevitable. No excuses- we could have made some different decisions- and we will learn from that. Nevertheless, repairing the damaged turf is vital.

-          Greens performed above average across the board. They handled all the weather extremes very well. The lone exception is a small area on the back of #16 green. Some of the stress placed on this particular location is self-inflicted and we have already made some corrections to limit the damage that we cause. We have also seeded this location, and the new seedlings have germinated, emerged, and started to grow vigorously. We should see full recovery here.

-          Collars performed below average this year. We will make some changes to our programs in this situation also. But right now, the focus is healing, and all the collars have been seeded as well. Like the patch on 16 green, the new seed on the collars is off to a great start. Also, larger areas of damage will be replaced with new sod very soon.

-          Green surround rough was another area of the property that had a tough summer. The repair of this rough is more nuanced than the greens or collars. We sodded out some of the worst areas immediately. That sod is rooted and ready for regular play. Golfers will still notice areas that are thin around the greens though. Those were areas that we deemed still viable enough to recover from natural growth and then supplement with seed later in the fall. There are two factors dictating why we are waiting on getting seed in the ground in the rough. First, we apply a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring to prevent summer annual weeds- namely crabgrass and goosegrass. This herbicide does a great job as evidenced by the lack of these weeds. But the herbicide will also prevent any new plant from emerging, including our new seed. It takes about 4 months for that herbicide to break down in the soil enough to finally allow new plants, so we must wait for that window to open. The second factor for the delay is that the seeding process is disruptive. There tends to be some collateral damage, the 1 step back for 2 steps forward idea. We use a large slit-seeder, and it does a great job, but it is aggressive. Some healthy grass will be cut and die. Sometimes some healthy turf will be ripped out of the ground and must be repaired. And sometimes the tractor tires can tear some grass also. All of this is manageable, and we have improved our ability to lessen the impact, but doing all this right before the Match Play Championship is unwise. The course is starting to heal itself with the shift in weather, so we are trying not to make it worse right now. The seeding will take place, but just later in the fall.

We want the course back to healthy as much as anyone. But making it happen can take some patience. Weather must cooperate, seedlings take time to mature, and other conditions must be met, but we are on the right track and have a plan to improve moving forward.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not climb up the steep face of the bunkers.

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

New family tee plaques

We have had the family tee plaques  on the course for many years. These are tee markers specifically designed for young and/or beginner golfers. Last week, we put out an updated version of the family tee plaques.

The new family tee design

The family tees are very forward tees that were designed for people just learning golf. The original plaques that we placed on the course were made by the PGA of America as an introductory program for new golfers. There are two sets of markers- gold and blue, with gold being slightly further back than blue. When we originally placed the markers, the PGA of America provided specific yardages based on player ability, and we placed our plaques accordingly. Out on the course, there is a plaque glued to the cart path with another plaque in the fairway or small tee box on par 3’s from where golfers hit. The system is actually very good for new golfers, and we do see a fair number of people using these markers.

Over the years that they have been out on the course, some markers have been broken, or they unstick from the cart path and are lost. Several years ago, we were able to purchase a few new ones each season for replacement. But, like so many things, the original family tee plaques are not being produced any more. Searching online did not yield any options either. Because the concept is solid and the family tees are utilized, scrapping the program was not considered. Instead, we worked with one of our tee marker vendors to design a simple, custom design of new plaques.

An example of the raised pyramid on
the cart path

During the design process, we also took the opportunity to make a few adjustments. As mentioned, there is a corresponding plaque glued to the cart path to help in locating the actual family teeing ground. However, these plaques are small, and very flat, which makes them very difficult to see on the cart paths. So, this time around, we opted for a raised pyramid on the cart paths that are much easier to spot.

Last week we put the new plaques out on holes 1-5. Since this was a mid-season, somewhat unplanned upgrade, we are making the transition slowly. The goal will be to swap out more next year, but how many we change is still to be determined.

We hope that golfers continue to use the family tees. And we hope that everyone enjoys the new upgraded plaques and pyramids.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not climb up the steep face of the bunkers.

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Regrading 9 approach drain

Removing water from the surface of a golf course is one of the keys to healthy turfgrass. Without proper drainage, even the healthiest turf will not survive. Last week, we graded the surface around the drain in #9 approach to help water escape easier.

Removing the sod first

The approach area of #9 is relatively flat. There is an existing drain in the left center of the approach, but after a few recent heavy rains, we noticed that water was not flowing to it like we would like. After a more thorough inspection of the surface topography, it was clear that although the drain was low enough for water to flow to it, there were some significant high spots blocking access. This resulted in some puddles very near the drain, that were unable to get off the surface. Luckily this was occurring in the Bermuda grass, which is much more tolerant of excess water in the summer months. But the Bermuda is not tolerant of water in the winter, so correcting this issue would benefit playability in the summer, and turf health in the winter.

After the soil had been graded
to the new slope

Since the drain was already in place, and functioning properly, we only needed to regrade the slopes surrounding the inlet. First, we started by removing all the grass in the entire area and setting it aside in the order it was removed. Fortunately, there was not a lot of soil to remove to correct the grade. The work was easily done by hand. We also knew that we were not changing the height of the drain, so everything needed to feed down to that and make sure that it stayed at the lowest point. Starting from the edges, we gradually removed more soil as we worked in to the drain. Once the soil base was correct, we replaced the sod. Regardless of how carefully you manage the sod and put it back exactly in order, the surface will still be imperfect. To correct this, we also spread sand across all the replaced turf and used the sand to level out any imperfections.

Once the sod was replaced, we leveled
with new sand

Although the drain in #9 approach affects a very small area, and even fewer golfers, it still was a place for improvement. By simply regrading the subsoil we were able to help water off the surface and into the existing drain.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be conscious not to scuff your feet or drag your putter along the surface of the putting green. This can adversely affect other people’s putts and can damage the turf grass.

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Additional soccer work

Once aeration is finished on the golf course, the work at soccer begins. While the course heals, we take time to get the soccer fields ready for a busy fall also.

We have two regulation size soccer fields over near the tennis facility (for those who haven’t been down that far!). While they are not the main Bretton Woods attraction, they do get plenty of use, and we do spend a lot of time keeping them in good shape. We have an upper field, nearest to the tennis courts, that is predominantly cool season turf- ryegrass, bluegrass, and tall fescue. There is certainly some Bermuda grass mixed in as well, and especially after a summer like this, the Bermuda grass can look dominant, though it never can tip the scales to a majority of the grass species present. We also have a lower field, further away from tennis, that is 100% Bermuda grass, exactly like the golf course fairways. Because the two fields are so different, we must manage them differently also.

Using the auger to create holes

The lower, Bermuda grass field, gets aerated the week after the golf course aeration is completed. We treat it very similarly to the fairways- solid tine, no cores removed, often we apply compost as well, though not always. And that is all the field needs. It is relatively new, only 12 years old, and it gets very concentrated traffic, so there is not a large buildup of thatch. If the thatch does start to become a problem, we will potentially add in the verticut and/or hollow tines also. The lower field is also closed for the winter to help protect the Bermuda grass over the cold months. This also reduces the amount of attention the field needs to keep it in good condition.

Drilling holes and filling with sand

The upper field is completely different. First, it is open year-round, so it only gets a break when it is too wet for play, or during the maintenance closure from the middle of August until the middle of September. We are in the midst of this closure now and have a list of regular tasks to complete, but this year we also added something new. The field has some trouble areas that we have been dealing with annually for many years. These spots don’t drain well at all, they are terribly compacted, and the turf does not perform well. We have aerated and we tested the Shockwave , both to no avail. So, this year we went a step further: we rented an auger with a 1.6” bit and manually drilled 12” holes on one-foot centers. We removed the spoils and filled the holes with clean sand. We did this across nearly 3000 square feet. Now we will remove the old sod, aerate just the bad spots with a traditional machine, add some fresh soil for levelling, and lay new sod. It was a lot of added labor, but we are excited to see if it helps.

This is a photo of half the area completed at soccer.

While mother nature helps to heal the golf course after aeration, the Grounds staff heads over to soccer and continues with summer cultural practices. It will be interesting to see if adding in the extra drilling on the upper field will help us improve the upper field.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

 Please be conscious not to scuff your feet or drag your putter along the surface of the putting green. This can adversely affect other people’s putts and can damage the turf grass.

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org

Aeration follow-up

We aerated greens, approaches, tees, and fairways last week. It was a very busy 3 days, but we accomplished everything we needed to, in less than the four days we were scheduled to be closed.

We aerate earlier in the season than most other courses in the area. It works good for us- it is the perfect time for the Bermuda grass, and it is an underappreciated time for the greens as well. Plus, it fits in with our golf schedule extremely well. We can allow time for healing and be ready for a very busy September and October.

Greens

Starting back in 2023, we changed our procedure for greens aeration. No more pulling cores at this time; now we topdress before the aerator, use only solid tines, and use a brush to move the sand into the holes. Research shows this is just as effective for managing thatch and is far less disruptive. We continued this process this year, results were excellent again, and we will continue along this path moving forward.

This is the second year that the course has been closed for aeration. This has been incredibly helpful for our program. Several parts of the process simply require time to elapse before we can move forward. When we were under the gun, knowing the course was reopening the next day, sometimes we had to rush the process and results were less than ideal. Now, we can allow each step the time it needs and the final product is cleaner and better in the end.

Tees

                We aerated tees on Wednesday. First, we apply compost. Then we aerate with solid tines, which help break up the compost and drive it into the soil. Next, we drag the compost into the holes and blow any excess of the surface.

                We do all the tees in one day and this is maybe where the course closure helps the most. We have always aerated the tees on Wednesday, after the greens and fairways are finished Monday and Tuesday. We don’t have enough equipment and staff to do all of it at once. Some of the machines that we use on greens and fairways are needed in a different capacity to work on tees, and we can’t switch back and forth during the day. So, in the past, we were scrambling like mad trying to get the tees finished ahead of golfers because Wednesday was previously a day when the full course was back open for regular play. Any delays or problems meant we were working amongst golfers, trying to get very labor intensive and vital work done, but trying to be respectful of golfers at the same time. It did not always go very smoothly. Now, having Wednesday closed, barring any equipment issues, the tee process is uneventful and easy, and the course is ready for play on Thursday, with no major work being done in play.

Fairways/Approaches

                We treat the fairway and approach aeration as the same surface: both are aerated by a contractor with a tractor. We have a longstanding relationship with this contractor, and they do a very good job. This year we opted for solid tines also- no material was removed. For now, we expect to be on an every third- or fourth-year rotation for coring. But that schedule is subject to change based on testing that we conduct annually to measure the thatch buildup in the fairways, which also takes into account the verticutting  we do to remove thatch also.

                At this time, we also make our second annual compost application to the Bermuda grass. You can read about our compost program from all the way back in 2014. Materials have changed, but the idea behind the compost is still the same. And based on the last two years, we have had minimal, almost inconsequential, Spring Dead Spot, so our overall program is working. Bermuda grass injury has multiple possible causes that can come any season, sometimes despite the proper protection, but throwing everything we have at the problem is still the best defense.

It may seem as though we are tearing the course up during a prime window for playing golf. However, completing this work ensures many more days of good conditions by sacrificing just a few days now.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please be conscious not to scuff your feet or drag your putter along the surface of the putting green. This can adversely affect other people’s putts and can damage the turf grass.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org