Spraying of Monument

Today, we have started spraying the Monument on the fairways, tees and surround of the greens.  The chemical Monument is use not only as a purple nutsedge removal and control but also is used as a transitional tool by killing the ryegrass thus allowing the bermudagrass to fill in and making it healthier for the summer months.  In addition, bermudagrass requires 100 days of growth to aid in the establishment of a healthy base for overseeding.

Speaking of transition this is the second year that the month of May has been quite cooler than normal.  Sadly, these lower temperatures impede the success of a smooth transition by not encouraging the growth of the bermudagrass.  The good news is that warmer temperatures are on the horizon.

Nozzle Issues

Over time the nozzles (the part where the water comes out of the irrigation head) starts to wear out.  Over the past couple of years we have replaced hundreds of head's nozzles but every year during the stressing of the golf course time we find even more.  Considering there are a couple thousand heads around the golf course this will be an ongoing process for years to come.

Bees & Trees

It is that time of year again when the bees are on the move.  The hives that you may see in the bushes and trees usually are migrating bees and in most cases are gone within a day or two.  The bees that you find in the ground in our irrigation boxes are a different story all together and have to be removed.  So if you see bees coming out of the valve boxes please contact me directly and be very careful.  If they are the Africanized bee they can cause great harm to you.

The date palms that were unsafe at the clubhouse have been removed.  At this time there are no plans for replacement; however, at a later date replacement will be considered.

Date Palm Tree Safety

Over the past couple of years we have been having issues with the date palm trees snapping in the wind and dropping 700+ lbs of tree top to the ground.  Especially around the clubhouse this has become more and more an issue which so far no one has been hurt or property has been damaged.  To this end with the Board's blessing we are removing the three last potential date palm tree hazards to ensure the safety of our members, staff and their property.

Trees and Their Roots

Over the past couple of days with the winds we have lost two trees ... a carob on 14 near the gold tee and homes; and another palm at the clubhouse.  The date palms around the clubhouse need to be evaluated since this is the fourth one we have lost in two years due to structural defects.

You may have noticed some lines near the edges of several greens around the golf course such as 1.  These lines are from a root pruner that slices the roots that are going into the greens.  This is the first time that this process has been done and hopefully it will help the overall health of the green's turf.

Upcoming Timelines

Timelines:

Upcoming Week:

a) May 23^rd foliar spraying greens.

b) May 23 – 24^th rototilling greenside bunkers.

c) May 24^th verticutting greens.

d) May 24^th 21-0-0 greens.

e) May 24^th 21-0-0 tees & fairways.

f) May 26^th spraying Monument on fwys & tees.

In Next Week After:

a) May 31^st continuing Monument spraying.

b) May 31^st aerify CGs, Small PG, and nurseries.

c) May 31^st verticutting greens.

d) Jun 1^st fertilizing greens with 21-0-0.

e) Jun 2^nd fertilizing fwys & tees with 21-0-0.

f) Jun 2^nd verticutting greens.

In Near Future:

a) Jun 6^th foliar spraying greens.

b) Jun 6^th start rough aerification (no plug removal).

c) Jun 7^th verticutting greens.

d) Jun 8^th fertilizing greens with 21-0-0.

e) Jun 9^th verticutting greens.

f) Jun 9^th fertilizing fairways & tees with 21-0-0.

g) Jun 13^th trimming ALL palm trees.

h) Jun 13 – 15 course closed for aerification.

i) Jun 15^th spraying greens ProStar & Scimitar.

j) Jun 16^th F9 closed B9 open ONLY. 

k) Jun 16^th Gypsum, K-Mag & 21-0-0 ALL greens.

l) Jun 17^th B9 closed F9 open ONLY.

m) Jun 18^th entire course open for play.

n) Jun 18 – 19^th – limited crew due to aerification.

o) Jun 20 – 21^st trimming oleanders along El Dorado.

p) Jun 20^th foliar fertilizing greens.

q) Jun 22^nd fertilizing greens with 21-0-0.

r) Jun 23^rd verticutting greens.

s) Jun 24^th heavy rolling greens

t)  Jun 27^th foliar spraying greens including Primo.

u) Jun 28^th verticutting greens.

Revenge Day

Yesterday was the Superintendent's Revenge Day and from all those I spoke to ... really those still speaking to me ... everyone seemed to have a great time. The pin positions were as tough as I could get them and still Mr. Bentzen shot a 36 on the front nine ... WOW. The maintenance team also enjoyed the fact that they could be noisy without getting into trouble which led to one of the most productive days ever.

As part of the prep for the event we dried the entire golf course for three days. This not only increased ball roll and green speed but had other added benefits. This drying of the golf course aids in the transition; helps stress the turf to exhibit localized dry spots and areas of grub activity; and also saves the Club monies in pumping and water costs. We test (or scout) these dry area to determine their cause and then deal with them as needed.

I am tickled pink that everyone seemed to enjoy the the event (even the horse race). The best scores (gross) yesterday were for the men Mr. Bentzen who killed it with a 81, Mrs. Woodson from the ladies who shot a 93. Great job by both.

Six Years & Revenge

This week is my six year with Avondale Golf Club and it is only fitting the that this Friday is the first superintendent's revenge day. We are planning to toughen up the golf course, let staff work without stopping, etc. to complete the revenge. We hope everyone enjoys the revenge day.