Avondale Golf Course Maintenance Updates

Founder's Went Well, Tilling starting Today

2012-01-30T05:28:00.000-08:00

With the first big event of the year, The Founder's Cup, being complete everyone I talked to that played in the event seemed to enjoy the golf course conditions and the course itself. We kept the greens rolling throughout the event about at 11 on the stimpmeter, but now with the event over we will be going back down to the 9.5 to 10 range ... on purpose.

Higher stimp speeds, although enjoyed by your lower handicappers, are not enjoyed by the majority of members due to the size of our greens and the limited pin placements on them. Additionally, these higher speeds are quite harmful and stress the turf.

Today, besides our weekly foliar application of the greens we will start tilling of the green side bunkers. Due to the type of sand we have here at Avondale this tilling at first will make them too soft thus conducive to foot printing by our team members as they rake them. The issue will settle in a few days after tilling.

Founder's Cup Starts Today

2012-01-27T05:37:00.000-08:00

Although there was some activities yesterday pertaining to the Founder's Cup today is the first day of the main event. My team is dedicated in giving premier conditions for the event that exceed our already high levels of standards.

I am so proud of my team's hard work in cleaning the golf course after last weekend's major windstorm that reeked havoc on the trees. The clean up efforts required numerous man hours and multitasking to keep the course prepared while removing three 30 yard dumpsters of fallen debris.

We hope everyone enjoys the event and has fun on the golf course.

Fertilizing Fairways & Rolling Greens

2012-01-26T05:37:00.000-08:00

With the shotgun this morning we have several things that we have to get out of the way before it starts. Today, we will be foliar fertilizing the fairways and double rolling the greens. The reason for double rolling the greens is because our heavy roller has been for the most part out of commission this season. This rolling is never as good as our heavy roller but will do in a pinch.

Spraying the Fairways with Fertilizer

Clean up of the golf course is almost 100% complete with a couple of smaller branches here and there. Now we are going to focus on the cleaning of Country Club Drive which also suffered the effects of the wind storm on Saturday.

6's Green and Surround After Clean Up Efforts

The coots and ducks are starting to get use to the decoys and venture closer and closer everyday. We move them a couple times per day but you as members can and are encouraged to move them anytime you are near one. Before the weekend we will remove the decoy for a couple of days then return them on Monday.

Coots and Ducks Hanging with the Decoys

Topdressing Today

2012-01-25T05:10:00.000-08:00

Why is it when plan events to better the greens someone on the crew calls in sick? Well, of course, that happen today but the lightly topdressing the greens is critical in improving the speed and playability of the greens, thus we will continue with the plan. Multitasking the team is becoming the norm anymore just to get the golf course prepped, and with equipment and personnel issues is becoming more of a challenge everyday.

Tomorrow, we are still planning the foliar application of fertilizers on the fairways and surrounds. Even with the 8:00 am front nine shotgun we should be able to complete this task ahead of play.

Clean Up Progress

2012-01-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

We are still cleaning the golf course with all hands on deck. Total we will have 400+ man hours into the clean up by the time we are finished. The good news is by the day's end today we will be 90% cleaned we minor small branches that require our attention.

Hydraulic Leak & Clean Up

2012-01-24T05:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we discovered that that hydraulic leak that occurred on 1 and passed through 9 on its way to 1's fairway in fact began on 18. We doubled checked the motors and hoses on the fairway unit to be sure and found no new leaks. Ernie is treating the leak with charcoal.

Clean up is going slow due to the sheer amount of debris left from Saturday's wind storm that last night on Channel 3 News they said was the worst in 20 years. So far we have mostly cleaned 8, parts of 10, 11 - 17, and most of 18. We will finish those holes today and continue on the front nine with our clean up efforts and hopefully will be almost completed at the day's end.

Saving The Club Money

2012-01-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

With having a safety risk with having bees in play while it was still dark we addressed the bee hive issue. A couple of years ago I purchased a bee suit for my team to address bee hives in valve boxes which were costing the Club $500 each time we had to call to have them removed.

Well today we donned that suit on again and bagged up the bee hive. We removed it from the area and thus later the remaining bees should dissipate considering the queen is gone. Thus the team once saved the Club some money.

This is the Mess We Still Have to Deal With Today

Please remember today that the team is trying their best to clean the golf course thus it may be more intrusive than normal.

Clean Up & Bees

2012-01-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

Due to the high winds Saturday afternoon the golf course was littered with debris and even a bee hive was blown out of a tree. Caution should be used around 9's fairway and approach until the bees can be dealt with by their removal. This most likely will require an outside vendor to address the problem.

Clean up process will continue today that we started yesterday and hopefully we will be finished before the Founder's Cup which is starting on Thursday. This may mean that we will be slightly more disruptive just to complete the task for debris removal than usual but the good news is that the golf course will be sooner ready for everyone to enjoy.

High Winds Yesterday

2012-01-22T05:38:00.000-08:00

One of Numerous Large Branches

Yesterday afternoon became very windy seeing gusts on 90+ mph in La Quinta and here at Avondale we experienced gusts over 60 mph according to the wind meter. Numerous branches broke, debris was thrown all over the golf course and a large tree between 18's tee and 17's approach was blown over.

Lost Tree Near 17's Green

Our tree service company is coming out this morning at 7:00 am to address the fallen tree and I am having all the team members except the set up guy and another to roll the green ... both of these team member will also focus on blowing the debris off the greens just to make them playable.

Greens Loaded with Debris

Fairways and Roughs Even More Debris

An update: We were only able to remove the largest items, blow the greens, roll the greens and set up pins. Since it is the weekend the crew has to leave for now but rest assure we will addressing the issue tomorrow too.

Stuff and More Stuff

2012-01-20T05:53:00.000-08:00

Today we are going to be lightly rolling the green and spraying them with the years first insecticide treatment to attack the grubs that are starting to grow. Additionally, due to the vast area that was contaminated by the hydraulic leak we will be continuing the charcoal application on 1's fairway.

Hydraulic Leak on 1's Fairway

2012-01-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

Gads .......... another hydraulic blow out occurred while my fairway unit was mowing 1's fairway. Due to the moisture of the grass and the amount of daylight at the time of mowing, my operator did not notice the leak until over half of the fairways was mowed.

The Black Lines are Charcoal on the Hydraulic Leak

Of course the leak did not start on 1's fairway, it occurred on 18 upon leaving, thus the hydraulic line goes from the 18th hole, across 9's fairway, in front of 7's tee, across 6's fairway and then to 1's fairway when it was finally discovered after half of the fairway had been mowed.

Untreated Leak in Front of 7's Tee

We are treating the hydraulic leak with charcoal to aid in the recovery of the turf. This is the same thing we did on 16 with quite a bit of success. The sad part is only three days ago that hose was discovered to have any issue and was ordered, however, we received the hose 4 hours too late. Good news is that other suspect hoses were also replaced so hopefully that will be the last leak we see for a while.

Frost & Its Causes

2012-01-19T10:47:00.000-08:00

Once again this morning we had frost which led to a short delay. But while informing the pro shop and coming up with a plan to get the golfers off as soon as possible someone stated there could not be frost because it wasn't in the thirties. Let me assure you there was frost and on the golf course the temperature reached 38 degrees.

Here are some facts on frost: First, the temperature gages on the walls at you home or at the pro shop show only the temperatures in areas where there is radiant heat of the building and concrete. Second, I have seen frost in temperatures as high as 44, and not seen any in temperatures as low as 36 degrees. So why such a big temperature range? Well there are many factors that led to the development of frost including but not limited to dew point, night irrigation, humidity, wind or lack there of, shade and of course temperature.

The point is to always check with the pro shop before entering the golf course if the temperature is below 48 degrees or 50 at your home. Due to the topography of golf courses and other issues frost can be waiting for you to guess wrong and leave permanent damage to the turf as in the picture below caused by my team.

Damage Near 9's Green By My Team -- Still There After a Month

Spraying Fairways Today

2012-01-19T05:09:00.000-08:00

Depending on the weather (how cold) we will be foliar spraying fertilizers today to continue to add color and thickness to them. In most cases my team member is completed long before play starts. Additionally, we will be training our two new employees (long overdue) on mowing greens so that any team member in the maintenance department can help anywhere we need them.

Coyotes had puppies ... just kidding, but we did receive four more decoys and placed them around the property. I do ask that we do not shoot these decoys.

Bunker testing is progressing well but so far we haven't found a rake (four styles tested now) that will achieve what we are looking for in their presentation. I have an another style ordered and we will try that one too.

Fertilizer and Its Importance

2012-01-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

A friend sent me this picture from a golf course in the Valley that show just how important fertilize is to having a high end golf course. The entire area was seeded and the green spot is where the dog did its business. Due to budget reductions he was able to seed the area but not fertilize therefore the ryegrass will not grow except where the dogs do the thing.

To a much lesser extent this is what you see in our roughs ... plenty of seed yet slightly yellowing since with the rising costs of fuel and fertilizer (both almost 100%+ in the past two years) has forced us to mainly concentrate in the greens, fairways and tees. Mind you this is not a bad thing just explains the "thinking outside the box" that superintendents have to do to produce the best product we can with the resources we have currently.

Thankfully, Avondale is looking great and getting better each day.

Bunker Test

2012-01-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

Before

During

After Completion

Frost??

2012-01-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

It is cold enough this morning and always at sunrise it gets colder ... thus please check with the pro shop before entering the golf course. So far this morning there isn't any frost but we still need to be careful as the sunrise occurs.

Rocks in Bunker

2012-01-16T11:29:00.000-08:00

You may notice that we put 12's bunker back under GUR. Well the truth is that the sand we got for free had rocks in it ... we thought we got them all but sadly no we did not. Thus, we are removing all of the added sand and using it for fill in the hole that we are going to dig in the back of the range to get better soil for the bunker. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Cold Upcoming Week

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Jack Frost is back again and this week is expected to get back to the thirties again.

With potential frost in the mornings I ask you please to check in with the pro shop to determine when it is safe to drive the golf course. We are almost at the end of the frosty time so help the maintenance team keep your golf course in fantastic shape by not driving or even walking on the golf course until the frost has lifted.

Bunker Testing & New Rake

2012-01-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

This morning we had some issues with the new rake thanks to our high organic matter and fines sand in the bunkers. We were finally able to smooth the wet sand but it was taking twice as long as it should ... we will be testing other rakes soon.

4's Right Front Greenside Bunker Rake with New Rake

Additionally, being slightly behind thanks to a two and half hour frost delay we got started on the test bunkers. !0's test bunker, front right, we tilled deeply, watered in and smooth and is already back open for play.

10's Right Front Greenside Bunker After TIlling

10's Right Front Greenside Bunker Upon Completion

10's bunker is so soft it is difficult to smooth out and will take a couple irrigation cycles to become smooth again. We also added sand to the front right bunker on 12 but sadly this sand that we had was full rocks and took a while to clean ... it will be back open for play today at the end of the maintenance team's shift.

12's Right Front Greenside Bunker After Having Blow Sand Added

The last test bunker located on 11's left side front of the green will take a bit longer to complete. Due to sod being added it hopefully will be completed today and will be GUR for at least another week after.

11's Front Left Greenside Bunker Marked and Ready to Go

Soil Line Dropped on 11's Greenside Bunker

Heavy Rolling Greens

2012-01-13T05:54:00.000-08:00

Today, we have frost again ... please check with the pro shop before entering the golf course.

Trying the new rakes this morning ... so far they are not working on the wet sand ... they worked fine on dry, but not wet. It appears that this model of rake thanks to the high organic matter content and fines ends up "smearing" the wet sand that we have in the morning caused by the irrigation at night. We still will continue the test this morning but be aware the results may be less than desired. Other styles of rakes are coming in soon to test.

We were going to heavy roll the greens today but even after recent repair the Greens Iron roller is having difficultly working correctly. We may have to use the light roller instead.

Course Updates

2012-01-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

Hydraulic Leak on 16's Fairway -- Dark Color is Just Charcoal

First, the hydraulic leak across 16's fairway ... we got charcoal on the leak it looks like just in time. The impact and damage seems to be quite minimal and recovery should occur very soon.

The Green Color is the Algae Bloom

The faint "funky" smell coming from the lakes ... well, this is weather related and is due an algae bloom that is occurring. We are treating the lake today and the other two smaller ponds as well. This should limit the algae bloom by blocking the photosynthesis of the algae.

Dying Tree Next to 6's Green

Dead and dying tree. We have another one of our pine trees fading into the sunset. This tree is located near 6's green and has only one small live branch remaining. We will keep an eye on it to see if removal is necessary.

The New Type Rake for Avondale

New bunker rakes for the maintenance staff just got in today. We testing the first and only new rake we got today and it appears that the surface is smoother than it is with the fan rakes. Tomorrow we will be testing it in the morning to evaluate its performance. If all goes well we will be purchasing more and this will be the new rake that the team will be using.

Left Side Fan Rake -- Right Side New Rake

Left Side New Rake -- Right Side Old Fan Rake

Fertilization Today

2012-01-12T05:23:00.000-08:00

Today we are going to be finishing the fertilization of the tees and fairways. All we have remaining is the practice area and holes 1 - 3. We will be finished long before play and the ladies Eclectic shotgun at 8:15 am.

Yesterday was a day of equipment repair in which we repaired our heavy roller for the greens, installed the new tank on the pull behind sprayer (which is used to foliar fertilize the fairways), and assorted other broken pieces of equipment.

Tomorrow, the test bunkers will be installed thus please remember that any roped off bunkers are considered GUR.

Topdressing Greens Today

2012-01-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

This morning we will be lightly topdressing the greens. The topdressing aids in smoothing out the greens, speed and removal of the ballmarks. Sometimes at first this process slows the greens slightly but overall improves the quality of the surface.

Tomorrow, we will be finishing the fertilizing that we started on Tuesday of the fairways and the tees. Good news, we just got our 300 gallon tank thus we should be starting the foliar fertilizing program again quite soon.

Green Committee Decisions

2012-01-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

10's Test Bunker -- Deep Tilling

Yesterday, the monthly meetings of the Golf & Green Committees met. The following are some of the decisions that were made:
1) To preform a couple of test bunkers to see if we can increase their desirability.
           - One on 10's front right
                  - will be deep tilled, watered in and have the edges pulled up
           - One on 11's front left
                  - will have the sod line pulled down.
           - One on 12's front right
                  - will have plain blow sand added.

11's Test Bunker -- Sod Line Moved Down

2) Bunkers will have edges always raked -- in or out alternating
3) Rake handles will be labeled stating their location -- outside for now.
4) DR tee will be mowed in a way to eliminate the front and back slope.
5) The Poa Annua will be killed in 4's nursery.
6) Cart paths will be blown by day's end of days they are edged.
7) Green speed will be kept to 9.5 to 10
- currently they are slightly higher than wanted.

12's Test Bunker -- Blow Sand Addition

As you can see most of the issues addressed the bunkers and our team is working hard on this issue to improve. The test bunker project will start on Friday and these areas will be roped and considered at first GUR.

Hydraulic Blow Out on 16's Fairway

Two other notes: We have treated the massive hydraulic leak on 16's fairway that occurred last Friday and seed has been applied. Second, the tree on 5's right side in front of the bunker in the fairway has been tabled after a split decision.

Start of the Real Season -- Play Increasing

2012-01-09T05:08:00.000-08:00

I was a church yesterday ... much needed during these times ... and the service or sermon was about community. It so reminded me of Avondale and the glue that keeps us going even during troubling times in the Nation. I see this from the long-term employees, to the Board and Committees, to the members themselves wanting nothing more than the success of Avondale -- my team and I as well strive for this success. As we go into the season's heart I promise that we will stop short of nothing, given the resources we have, to offer in fulfilling this enjoyment for our membership. Critical times require this sense of community to succeed and here at Avondale we have plenty of that to offer.

Please Don't Shoot

2012-01-07T05:57:00.000-08:00

Please Don;t Shoot Me -- I am Here to Help

Two days ago we put out a coyote decoy to see if we could scare the coots away. This decoy is quite realistic as we found out yesterday when someone ended up shooting it ... by the way, he is quite dead.

Nice Head Shot -- Wiley Said It Did Not Hurt However

It was some good shooting. The decoy was hit bot in the head and in its center mass. This decoy will be move daily at least in rotation around the lake on 5, 6, and 8.

Weekend is Coming

2012-01-06T05:10:00.000-08:00

With the warmer weather this week for the first time all season we will be using the fairway drag mats to disperse the clippings left behind by the fairway units. Additionally, we are seeing a great deal of recovery in the phythium weaken areas and in the golf course in general.

This weekend we are back staff to weekend normal shifts which mean that we will be preforming all required maintenance tasks. I know the holidays the detail is less than we would like but now with the holidays over the detail can be addressed again.

Green Speed ... What is the Deal?

2012-01-05T05:41:00.000-08:00

The past two weeks have seen almost an everyday frost delay and the slight off-coloring of the golf course. During that time the green's roll and speed were in the words of several lower handicapper golfers ... perfect. Well, what happened?

Over the weekend with Green Committee and Board approval we maximized our limited labor during the holidays by only bringing in a set up person and supervisor the prep the course for play -- note: no issues were noted on the weekend and most of the few that played did not even notice. However, starting Sunday afternoon we have had three days of near or record high temperatures which led to a flush of growth. The golf course is a natural system effected by natural events.

Monday, with the whole crew except one on vacation, we were back at taking care of the golf course. The first day back, the cut of the greens that were allowed to grow since Friday's cut did not get the purest of cuts ... but by Tuesday they were back smooth. The good news is that Monday was a slow day and allowed us to get caught back up after saving the Club a great deal of money. On Tuesday, we notice that the flush of growth needed to be addressed thus we lowered the HOC (height of cut) and as with Monday addressed imperfections in the greens from un-repaired ballmarks to a couple bad plugs ... which by the way we still are addressing.

Wednesday, once again we lowered the HOC for today and restarted the rolling program since the frost seems to left for the season. Turf such as the less than 0.100 inch that is found on the greens stresses during the frost periods and has to be addressed in a sensitive manner especially with the poor percolation push up greens we have at Avondale. Trust me ... it is quite easy to kill these greens in the name of speed.

Well, the good news is that what occurred is natural and normal, and is back under control. From here on out, weather permitting we will be bringing back our weekly topdressing and rolling. If you have any questions concerning the greens -- call me, I promise I know exactly what is going on and the pro shop (although great golfers) doesn't. That is why we attended two different colleges ... theirs I am unsure of but mine focused on soil chemistry (that is what I got my Master's in) and turfgrass science (got one of my three Bachelors degrees in).

The Importance of Scattering

2012-01-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

Why is it important to scatter? And what exactly does scattering mean? These are two great questions whose answer is extremely critical to the health and durability of our seasonal turf -- ryegrass.

Traffic Wear on Right Side, No Damage on Left Due to Ropes

First, what does scattering mean? Well, scattering means that instead of always taking the easiest path or the one that get you you there a couple of milliseconds sooner ... choose a path that others have not already driven that day or the day before. Additional to looking where your golf ball landed taking a moment or two to select an "unworn" path will not only save the turfgrass for the season but will give you better lies, better playability, a more aesthetically pleasing golf course to show off to your friends and guests, and lastly (but not limited too) money savings in the way of repair costs which are slow and ineffective (for the most part) with seasonal turf. SO SCATTER!

More Traffic Damage ... This Also Occurs In Front of Tees to Lesser Extent

Why is it important to scatter? One look at a country road explains this better than I ever could. On a limited use, driving the same tracks country road the compaction quickly limits then kills the turf where the tires make contact with the ground. This can happen with only a couple of cars per day. Now, imagine the same thing happening on a golf course with 200 carts per day ... yuck, roads and dead grass everywhere. SO SCATTER!

Growth & Stakes

2012-01-03T05:55:00.000-08:00

With the warmer weather we are experiencing a flush of growth with the turf. The next two days a supposed to be near record highs ... this is so amazing since the last three weeks have been filled with frost in the mornings. Never let it be said that Mother Nature doesn't have a perverse sense of humor. Today we will be addressing the leaves that fell during the cold weather and additionally blowing the clippings that have started due to the warm weather ... sounds kind of like an oxymoron.

The exit and entrance stakes have been installed, and the ropes have been lessened. To prevent undue traffic wear it is critical that you scatter ... or the turf will be damaged.

And to those who watched my Gators kick some tush yesterday ... I hoped you enjoyed it. I was working and missed the game but the highlights were quite fun to watch.

Today's Events

2012-01-02T05:34:00.000-08:00

This morning we will be spraying the greens with fertilizer to aid in their overcoming the recent cooler weather. This process will be completed before play and should not effect anything. However, later we will be addressing the bunker faces and their weed eating ... this will be during play but the team has been instructed to stay out of the way the best they can while still getting the job done. This becomes more difficult as the play increases and can double or triple the time required to finish a task.

Please remember the team wants the very best for you and wants to do their best to work hard. Unlike most industries my employees have to work hard without effecting the play ... a difficult task being quite but working your hardest.

Blue tops stakes are going out today. Please scatter and use them.

Entrance & Exit Stakes

2012-01-01T10:35:00.001-08:00

Just a heads up ... starting tomorrow we will be putting out and using the blue topped entrance and exit stakes. The scatter boards will be removed this week and the ropes and stakes will be reduced. Please remember to scatter to save the turf.

My Return from Vacation

2012-01-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

My Parents old Farm House on the Coast of Maine

As many of you just after Christmas I went home to see my family and spend some pleasant hours catching up over the year, discussing family issues, and relaxing over good food. My parents are in Maine so that is where we went ... it is a bit warmer here.

With the season about ready to go into full swing my team is ready to give their very best to ensure you and your guests have a pleasant and enjoyable time while golfing here at Avondale.

This Upcoming Weekend & Upcoming Time Lines

2011-12-23T06:53:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Christmas holiday Dec 24th and 25th there will be no maintenance crews working; however, I will still come in to check for leaks in irrigation and if there are any frost delays. Please before driving on the golf course look for me or my truck at the first tee. If I am there on the 25th that is because there is frost on the golf course.

Have a pleasant and safe holiday season.

Timelines:

a. Upcoming Week:

a) Dec 24 & 25^th NO CREW.

b) Dec 31^st – Jan 1^st set up ONLY.

b. In Next Week After:

a) Jan 2^nd foliar fertilizing the greens.

c. In Near Future:

a) Jan 9^th foliar fertilizing the greens.

b) Jan 10^th foliar fertilizing the fairways.

c) Jan 11^th lightly topdressing the greens … maybe?

d) Jan 16^th foliar fertilizing the greens.

e) Jan 17^th foliar fertilizing the fairways.

f) Jan 19^th lightly topdressing the greens.

g) Jan 20^th spraying the greens with X-Sodis & Cascade.

h) Jan 21^st rolling greens (light).

i) Jan 23^rd foliar fertilizing the greens.

j) Jan 24^th heavy rolling the greens.

k) Jan 25^th lightly topdressing the greens

l) Jan 30^th foliar fertilizing the greens.

Christmas Nears & Hanukkah Has Started

2011-12-22T05:57:00.000-08:00

These are the times to spend quality time with your families, survive to holiday feasting and enjoy the fact of birth and life. I have four of my five daughters in my house right now and the noise and laughter is perfect to come home to everyday. I love this time of year since they are getting fewer children in the home each year and already two of the kids are already gone. Do not get me wrong once they are all gone my wife and I are moving and never telling the kids where we went ... just kidding.

To those who gave gifts to my team ... thank you so much. It means the world to them and shows them the they are appreciated for their hard work ... and trust me, they work very hard to give the best that they can.

Well to everyone ... have a wonderful and joyous Merry Christmas or whichever holiday you and your family celebrates. And God Bless our troops (including my daughter and nephew) who some of which will not get the pleasure of being with their families this holiday.

Project Photos

2011-12-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

18's Cart Path Repair

Big Bed's Drainage Being Finished

Curbing Project Completed

Tilling & Fertilizer

2011-12-21T06:29:00.000-08:00

It is that time again (just before January) that we go out and till the bunkers to get them ready for the events in Jan. As always, we will be doing just the green side bunkers since most players enjoy firmer fairway bunkers. I should note that this is normal maintenance and has nothing to do with the testing that is going to be proposed to the Green Committee. The tilling process will take a few days to complete.

Tilling Lightly 8's Bunker

Additionally, since the fairways and tees are filling in quite nicely we are this morning addressing our nutrient starved roughs to aid in their thickening as well as their color. We should have just enough fertilizer to complete the task or be very close to finishing.

8's Bunker After Tilling

City Codes as it Comes to Coots

2011-12-20T06:34:00.000-08:00

9.68.010 Discharge of firearms within city— Prohibited.

No person shall fire or discharge any revolver or pistol of any description, or any shotgun or rifle which may be used for the explosion of cartridges or use or operate any air gun, bb gun, gas operated gun, spring gun, slingshot, bows and arrows or any other instrument projecting missiles, whether called by any of these names or by any other name, which instrument projects any missiles against or unto any property owned or occupied by any other person. (Ord. 67 § 1, 1975)

6.28.010 Dogs running at large.

No owner or keeper of a dog shall allow, permit or suffer the dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, to be or run at large in or upon any public place or premises, or in or upon any unenclosed private place or premises, or in or upon any enclosed private place or premises other than those of the owner or keeper except with the consent of the person in charge of the private place or premises, unless the dog is securely restrained by a substantial leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in charge and control of a person competent to keep the dog under effective control. (Ord. 874 § 1 (part), 1998)

Coots & Widgeons

2011-12-20T05:53:00.000-08:00

Coots and widgeons have returned to Avondale and the past couple of years it seems to be worse than ever. This is somewhat true since the coot population has dramatically increased from a few to about 100+, however, the widgeons have decreased from hundreds to around 50+.

Why do I bring this up ... well the fact is that the wigeons do far more damage to the turf, leave more feces behind and in general are worse than the coots. But then why does everyone want the coots (mud hens) gone and not the widgeons? The simple reason is because the widgeons are pretty and sleek, while the coots are ugly and clumsy.

What can be done? First, stop feeding the ducks in general. Everyday almost, someone is giving the ducks food, including the coots, which means they will stay where there is an easy source of food. Lasers? Currently we have members and homeowners every night harassing the coots ... they scramble around but do not leave. Fake swans? When the swan were on the lake the coots actually use to sit on top of them. Other fake decoys? Once again at first they may be leery but quickly get use to them. Dogs, model planes, etc? Just ask every course in town ... little success at first then nothing because the coots just move back into the water. Plus both planes and dogs are very expensive. Wires across the lakes, nets on the edges, etc. These physical barriers may work of a bit but the wiry coots find their way around them ... ask Mission Hills CC, they have tried it all and still have coots.

Sadly, the only permanent solution is to kill the coots. This requires a permit, permission to kill within City limits and of course a shotgun.

Short Week for the Holidays

2011-12-19T05:47:00.000-08:00

The holidays are upon us and people are going home to spend time with there families ... the same holds true with the maintenance staff. Along with a short hours couple of week (Christmas and New Year's) a couple of team members are taking time off to spend with their families including myself. For me this will be the first time I will have time to go see my father since his heart attack in October during the overseed -- never said his timing was the best.

Bunker on 15 Before Reshaping (2009)

The good news is that even with a short crew during the holidays since the weather is much cooler the turf growth is much less, thus for the most part allowing us to keep somewhat caught up on maintenance. The big bed project, phase one the drainage has been finished all except some minor clean up. This project will be done by tomorrow as will the minor cart path repairs that we have been doing.

Bunker on 15 After Reshaping (June 2009)

Starting next year we will start (pending approval) start looking at the bunkers to determine the next steps the Club wants to take. Just looking back at the pictures from where we were in 2009 to today it is amazing just how far we come while utilizing so little money ... the total cost of the reshaping project was $400 to the Club.

Bunkers Once Again

2011-12-16T05:45:00.000-08:00

As fellow superintendents tell me when the membership is concerned about the bunkers a well known hazard the rest of the golf course must be doing great ... well we must be doing great because the bunkers are back up in the forefront. John (VP of JC), Bob (Director of Agronomy), Brandon, myself and members of the Board gathered to look at some options of what can be done to improve the quality of our bunkers.

During this testing we are going to analyze the sand profiles of six bunkers since they are mostly all the same type of sand; and then we are going to set up (pending Green Committee approval) several test bunkers. The test bunkers will be posted in the pro shop and the Green Committee will analyze the results.

Bunkers, Bunkers, Bunkers

2011-12-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

It seems every year the good old bunkers come up as an issue ... especially after to edge them.

11's Front Greenside Bunker Day After Edging

When we edge the bunkers the "lips" become more exposed and pronounced since the "runners" that aided in the smoothing of the edge have been removed. There has always been lots of discussion about how much lip there should be? and do we exceed that number?

Entrance Side of the Same 11's Bunker (Same Day)

In the front (facing towards the green the lip can be any height, but as you can see by the picture above we try on the entrance of the bunker to keep it level with the turf so it will not interfere with the golfer's back swing thus reducing the chance of a penalty stroke for striking the bunker during the back swing. Just after the bunkers are edged sadly this is difficult but they do smooth out fairly quickly. Here at Avondale bunkers have been an issue since the first year after adding sand to them back in 1998 ... yes, I said 1998 because that was the last time sand was added to them with a couple of minor additions here and there.

11's Left Greenside Bunker in 2006

When I got here the picture above was the way the bunkers looked. Not just a couple, but all of them. A couple of years ago we addressed this major issue by adding blow sand and grassing them downwards to flatten the bottoms ... the first year, they were mostly loved by all, but then time came along, winds blew, and golfers swung until the sand was further depleted.

We are looking into repairs and maybe going to address the worst of the worst but sadly it is going to take sand additions in the long run. I should note that these sand additions do not stop after the first year, they continue every year after just to a much lesser extent.

Slight Frost Again This Morning

2011-12-14T05:49:00.000-08:00

Damaged Caused by Mower in Oct. -- Already Re-Seeded & Waiting to Germinate

This morning we have pockets of light frost which could potentially turn into hard frost as the sun rises. To be on the safe side we are slowly releasing the team into the field to perform maintenance until we confirm a frost delay or not. Check with the Pro Shop for the updates and details.

Golf Cart Damage Leaving 6's Tee

Cart Damage Leaving 3's Tee

With all of the hard frosts in the mornings and with so many days in a row our flaws are showing quite nicely. Later I will post some pictures on this post to show some differences in the flaws. Some of the flaws are due to the pythium that hit the ryegrass in October and allowed the bermudagrass to grow through these spots; some of the areas are due to the damage caused by the machines maintaining the golf course during the 100+ degree temperatures; some of the areas are just typical to having Common bermudagrass vs hybrid such as 419 or 328 (the 328 is what is on most of the tees thus making them look better);

The Dark Green is a Patch of 419 Surrounded by Common Bermudagrass

some (quite a few) of the areas are due to cart traffic damage that killed the ryegrass but when the bermuda was still green were harder to see; and some of the areas are to lack of fertilization (this is why the fairways mostly look better).

Under Fertilized in Front of 4's Tee

Pythium Damage on 6's Fairway

As you can see there is no simple answer and that is why most superintendents in the Valley just call this time of year "December Gloom." Some years like last one are mild thus the "gloom" effect is very minimal, while other years are colder thus exhibiting the issues. The good news is that even with this almost always by Jan 10th all looks healed ... plus the ryegrass is tillering. Growing grass is not laying carpet ... it is a natural system with all of the natural flaws.

Along Lake Edge Duck Damage From Eating Ryegrass

Changes to Schedule

2011-12-13T05:29:00.000-08:00

Nothing changes a schedule in the Desert faster than rain. It is such a rare event in the Valley that when it happens we have to change what we have planned to what will gives us the maximum benefit. An example of this is today and yesterday the game plan was to foliar fertilized; however, with the rains in the afternoon and the potential for more today we switched from foliar to granular. The reasons for the switch are because the foliar cold potentially be washed off the foliage thus giving the turf minimal to no effect, while the granular will get watered in better by the rain thus giving us a maximum effect.

Growing and maintaining turf is a ever changing science that no set schedule can be applied. Those is set a schedule and do not deviate are throwing money away and producing a lesser quality of turf.

Buttoning Up Projects

2011-12-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Bougainvilleas on Second Tier

The second tier at the cart staging area came out great and over time these walls will fill in with cascading color. Additionally, we have start some isolated cart path repairs such as on 9, with plans to work on 10 & 18.

9's Tee Cart Path Repair

10's Tee Cart Path Before Repair

Some may ask "Why are we doing repairs now?" ... this is a good question with a good answer. The reason we do some of these repairs now instead of in the summer is because we have the time. Between frost delays, slower growing turf and shrubs, and all of the other conditions that make maintaining turf in the winter much simpler than in the summer allows us time to address these minor problems. Our only limitation is money ... not time or manpower.

No Frost Delay Today

2011-12-09T05:37:00.000-08:00

Finally, there will be no delay thanks to frost today. Well, I just had to change this since at sunrise the frost started raising its ugly head.

New Drain Installed on 8's Cart Path

We will be fertilizing the tees and fairways this morning to continue to promote the health of the ryegrass. And later this afternoon we will re-seed some bad spots that now can be seen easily. Additionally we are finishing a couple of projects such a curb repairs to 15 & 8, the second tier plantings, and next week the drainage of the big bed at the clubhouse.

The Second Tier Prior to Planting

Frost Again??

2011-12-08T05:19:00.000-08:00

Yup ... we have frost again this morning. Luckily this frost is not as hard as the frost we have been getting over the last couple of days. Did you know that yesterday's freeze was only 2 degrees above the all time record set in 1953? Well according to the Weather Channel it was that close. I do not project a long delay today but as with everything we will know much more at sunrise.

Today's game plan includes finishing the foliar fertilization and topdressing the greens. This fertilization along with tomorrow's granular fertilization will aid in improving the turf's health during these colder times.

Hard Frost Again

2011-12-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

Ice Formed on the Grass

This morning the temperature when I got to work was 33 degrees thus as we thought we have another hard frost. It is always hard to say how long the frost delay will be since the temperature always drops again at sunrise but my team will do everything it can to shorten the delay. The two bad things about these frost delays is first we will have to be doing what are normal morning jobs all day within play, and second having two hard frosts in a row will "off-color" the golf course.

Hard Frost on 4

There is little we can do about the first thing if we want to maintain the golf course but for the off-coloring we will continue the heavy twice a week fertilizations which will aid in bringing back the color.

Hard Frost & Projects

2011-12-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

One of 8's Curbing Repair

Yesterday, we finished removing the broken curbing along 8's green and re-poured and shaped the new curb back into it's place. Today, was the coldest of the year so far -- 31 degrees on the golf course. And of course, today was the first ladies member/guest day to boot. Working with the ladies by skipping the mowing of the greens we were able to get everything else prepped with only a 30 minute delay. This was pretty good considering at 8:30 we still had hard frost in numerous areas.

Start of the Install of the Drain in the Big Bed

With the frost delay we were able to start on the clubhouse's big bed project. The first phase includes opening along the wall so we can waterproof that backside of it to prevent seepage. Additionally. the two trees were removed and the stumps were ground.

Grinding the Stumps of the Removed Tree in the Big Bed

In addition to this drainage work we start installing the second tier's irrigation above where the animal's were to be able to finally finish the project we started almost two years ago.

Joesph Working on Irrigation on the Second Tier

Frost and Upcoming Jobs

2011-12-05T05:28:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend we had our very first frost delay of about 30 minutes, but the upcoming week may yield even longer delays. It is projected the on Wednesday the temperature will drop to 34 degrees in Palm Springs with may (historically speaking) put us here below freezing. Not only will this lead to a longer delay but for sure start the "off-coloring" process or what I and my fellow superintendents call the start of December gloom. The good news is that even with it seeming like forever it usually only last two to three weeks.

To aid in combating the off-coloring we will continue our twice a week fertilization program which including one foliar application and one granular application. Theses heavy applications not only strengthen the ryegrass plants but reduce the December gloom effects. The flowers on the other hand usually lose their blooms (depending on species) during this time.

Ribbons Around Trees

2011-12-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year where the eucalyptus trees and pines get trimmed. So I want to say first and foremost upfront that the red ribbons around the trees signify the tree is being trimmed -- not removed. Secondly, we have limited tree trimming funds and are trimming the unsafe and the worst of the worst trees. Other trees can be trimmed, however, unless marked, the cost of the trimming will be by the person wanting the trimming.

Wind Storm Yesterday & Clean Up

2011-12-02T05:23:00.000-08:00

Broken Branch on 11

Yesterday's wind storm broke numerous large branches and even more smaller branches around the golf course. We have cleaned the larger ones but hopefully by today's end we will have the course back to it's normal self.

Another Snapped Branch Next to 12's Green

The good news is that the tree trimmers are coming and this should reduce the weight on some of the larger trees. We have finished putting out all of our DG and straightening the line along hole 8. Our next project which is quite big will be to start improving and adding drainage to the big bed outside the clubhouse. While that project is going on we will be working on the second tier above where the animals use to be located.

Along 8's Cart Part -- Finished

FROST WARNING

2011-12-01T05:45:00.000-08:00

As you can feel the winds have picked up and a cold front is pushing its way through the Valley. Morning temperatures are expected to be just above freezing (take what you see on the Weather Channel for Palm Springs and minus 5 degrees).

Damage to Turf in Year's Past

Please for the safety of our turf check with the pro shop before driving or walking on the golf course.

Even Walking on the Turf KILLS

Topdressing & Projects

2011-11-30T06:09:00.000-08:00

Today, we are lightly topdressing the greens today with just a touch of Poa Triv seed to help the greens become fuller. Topdressing not only gives the seed a better germination bed, but it also smooths and speeds up the greens. We will continue the topdressing until we are either out of seed or budget to aid in this improvement.

The irrigation heads finally got in to complete the project on 4 and 5's tee. These heads are the latest in pressure regulation technology and will improve the area vastly while reducing wash outs.

Upcoming Timelines

2011-11-29T04:48:00.000-08:00

Timelines:

Upcoming Week:

a) Nov 28^th foliar spraying greens.

b) Nov 29^th foliar spray fairways.

c) Nov 30^thLightly topdressing the greens.

d) Dec 1^st fertilize fairways & tees with 18-5-0

In Next Week After:

a) Dec 5^th foliar spray greens.

b) Dec 6^th foliar spray fairways.

c) Dec 8^th lightly topdress all greens.

In Near Future:

a) Dec 12^th foliar spray greens.

b) Dec 12^th start the trimming of the eucalyptus and select pine trees.

c) Dec 14^th fertilize fairways & tees (extended).

d) Dec 16^th spray greens with X-Solis & Cascade.

e) Week of Dec 19^th short staff due to holiday.

f) Dec 19^th foliar spray greens.

g) Dec 25^thNO CREW.

h) Dec 26^th foliar spray greens.

Frost Is Coming

2011-11-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

According to the Weather Channel frost should be coming in the upcoming weekend. So please to protect the golf course check with the Pro Shop on the course status before driving on the grass.

The Green Committee approved the removal of a couple of dead trees. One is on 13 close to the start of the 14's fairway, and the other is at the end of the range. We are also removing a dangerous date palm tree in the big bed at the clubhouse. Sadly, last year two of these date palms snapped the heads off but luckily no one and no property was damaged. This palm was slated to be removed last year but was put on hold to maintain the budget.

Today before the ladies event we are going to be spraying the fairways. The should not interfere with anyone.

12's Drain & Dr. Elli's Property Line

2011-11-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention that there was a broken drain cover in the cart path next to 12's green. We cleaned it out, filled with gravel and changed the direction of the lid which will prevent any injury; however, we will fill we concrete when we get a chance since it is a non-functioning drain that was installed before my time.

I have had a couple of people ask why we are working on the property line next to Dr. Elli's home on 8. Well the fact is after the survey it was discovered our property is closer to his home than first thought (his fence is on the line) and after discussion with the Green Committee chair it was decided that we would fix our area and marry it to his property. Out of the kindness of Dr. Elli's heart for this he supplied us the water for future plants and cut a cut though near his drive way for our members to get to 7's green or 8's tee. Thus we are only working on our property. This project is almost 100% completed for now ... vegetation will come later.

Day After Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T05:02:00.000-08:00

All stuffed from another wonderful turkey day? Well get out and play some golf to get some exercise to be able to enjoy those turkey sandwiches later.

My team finished the fertilization of the the tees and fairways yesterday and we are continuing to work on the greens. The last of the minor repairs should be done by day's end along with the spraying of wetting agent on the greens.

Fairly, simple day today thus no new projects until discussions can be made with the Green Committee and Board.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

To one and all Happy Thanksgiving from the maintenance team.

Today is a short day for my team to get the course done in time for the members to enjoy and my team to spend time with their families. We will be continuing to fertilize the the tees and fairways today and should be finished by tomorrow morning.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the time for family and friends to gather to enjoy each other's company and good food. It is also a time to give thanks for all of the good things that have occurred over the year. I hope you join me and my family in giving thanks to another wonderful year here at Avondale. Be safe and be happy.

Last of the Plugging & Topdressing

2011-11-23T05:16:00.000-08:00

This morning we will be topdressing the greens with a touch more seed. The topdressing has two major affects ... first it aids to smoothing out the greens and second, it will speed up the greens. Since the back nine greens are still our major concern we will be doing them first thus today is a back nine start.

Later today we will be adding some plugs as a repair to the edges of 10 & 13. This should be the last time this season.

5's Tee Bathroom Project Finished

2011-11-22T13:54:00.000-08:00

The flowers are in, the old plants are removed and the DG has been touched up around the landscape area next to 5's tee bathroom.

Thus, this area is completed and the "wash out" issues have been dealt with and should not occur anymore. Additionally, we have finished all that we can right now as it concerns Dr. Elli home.

More to come later once his yard's landscape progresses.

Short Week Due to Holidays

2011-11-22T05:23:00.000-08:00

With the reduced staff this week and the shortened hours we are still planning to get quite a bit done. The flowers around the bathroom at 5's tee are finished and today between removing more vegetation from that landscape bed and the big bed we will working on leveling & adding DG next to Dr. Elli's home on 8.

We have some final plug repairs on a couple of green edges and we will be done. Tomorrow, we are lightly topdressing at least the back nine greens and if we have enough sand remaining -- all of the greens. Thus I will be contacting the Pro Shop today about having a back nine start tomorrow.

I have also notice lots of damage from the golf carts ... please help us give you a great golf course bu SCATTERING.

5's Tee Project, 8's Project and Bird Damage

2011-11-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Sod Addition and Flowers in Phase One of the Bathroom Project

The first part of the re-design of the bathroom next to 5's tee has been almost completed. The sod has been laid some of the flowers put in and now just waiting for the new irrigation to arrive so we can install.

Before Most of the Work on 5's Tee Bathroom

The next section will start today as we work towards the street which will include more vegetation removal and the last of the flowers addition. Starting tomorrow work will start on Dr. Elli's slope (which is on our property) to improve the look from the tee of 8.

Along the Property Line Next to 8's Tee

Sadly, this project on 8 will be in work for a while until the the landscape is completed on the home. But we will continue to improve where we can along 8. We are also starting to experience crow damage on the greens in the back nine. We may have to go to straight sand in the repairs to stop them from continuing the damage.

Crow Ripping Out Plugs on 15's Green

Thanksgiving Week

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is the week to gather the family and feast until you can feast no more. This is no exception for my team as well. Thus during this upcoming week we will have a person on vacation and the remainder will be on shortened hours to be able to spend time with their families ... and maintain budget too.

To those who are traveling we wish you a safe and successful trip. To those who are staying we wish you happy times with friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

5's Bathroom Project

2011-11-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

Re-Construction of Area Around 5's Bathroom

The sodding of the the area next to the bathroom started yesterday and we are planning to have the sod and the flowers in by this weekend. We have ordered a special newly released kind of irrigation head that will be installed in this area that will aid in the reduction of overspray onto the newly slurred streets.

Speaking of the streets and the irrigation overspray we have been addressing this issue around the golf course and before January we will have hopefully completed this project. Yesterday, we did finish the addition of the bougainvillea around the water fountain structure at 15's tee.

Projects & CC Drive

2011-11-17T05:29:00.000-08:00

Projects are normally saved for the summer time but this year a couple of unique occurrences transpired. With the slurry of the streets there has been a concern about the golf course's irrigation hitting the street and leaving salt deposits. We have long ago repaired and changed the sprinkler heads along the roads to newer and adjustable trajectory nozzles; however, most of the issues are within the golf course. Due to the golf course not being a perfect "square" some of the heads in order to get correct coverage and distribution uniformity in places such as green surrounds, tees and fairways sadly extend into the roads as well. Those are the heads we are currently working on to reduce (not eliminate) our irrigation's contact on the streets of Avondale. This will take some time to do correctly.

Other projects slated for work right now include the changing of the landscape around the 5's tee bathroom ... this is in work today (also working with the Board and the HOA); marrying of Dr. Elli's landscape on 8 with ours (starting next week somewhat); the redesigning and repair to the big bed at the club house (drawings and cost being submitted to Green Committee for review and approval); the hiding of the A/C unit behind the pro shop (Brandon and Dennis are handling -- using a wall as a barrier instead of plants); installation of plants back where they were removed during the 15's water fountain changes over this summer (should be finished this week); the repair of the fountains and their lights in the lake near the clubhouse (in work); and maybe the addition of a second tier of bougainvilleas above where the "animals" use to be (requires irrigation upgrades).

Lastly, we are continuing and finishing the work to the plants and irrigation along Country Club Drive. This has required so far this week 20+ man hours but will be completed today.

Work Continues on Greens -- One Step Closer

2011-11-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

Today we are one step closer to lowering the HOC of the greens and thus speeding them up. On the back nine greens yesterday and today we have been working on the plug repair, and this morning we spot seeded them again followed by a light topdressing. We are almost completed with these tasks.

We have started work on two areas -- Country Club Drive and the landscape area next to 5's tee bathroom. Every two weeks (sometimes more) we clean Country Club but the last couple of days we are removing any dead plants and trimming back several species of plants in preparation for the winter. The project on 5's tee started yesterday by the removal of the unsightly plants and will continue with re-routing the irrigation and addition of some sod. The HOA will be supplying some rock at a later date to match the rock that is around the community.

Repairs, Bathroom, Irrigation & Fountains

2011-11-15T05:44:00.000-08:00

The green repairs are almost finished and with a couple more plugs and light topdressings we will start to deal with the speed issues; however, they are rolling still quite nicely. My goal to be finished by the end of the week looks like it should not be much of an issue.

Behind 5's Tee

The bathroom on the course on 5's tee will be getting a face lift soon. Starting today we will be removing dying or just plain ugly plants and working on the re-nozzling of the surrounding heads. The HOA is looking into vegetation and rock for the area and we are looking into maybe some flowers to accent. This area will be in process for a couple weeks at least but should improve the area for the long run.

5's Bathroom

Other areas being looked at for improvement are the big bed at the clubhouse ... which is getting designed right now, plants to hide the a/c at the pro shop (maybe a wall) and plants to replace the plants that were removed during the building of the structure around 15's water fountain. Funding still has to be approved.

Speaking of fountains, you may have noticed the fountain on 1's tee has been removed. The motor has brunt out and getting repaired. It return should be in a couple of weeks and thankfully is under warranty.

Scatter & Frost

2011-11-14T05:32:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year again where the ryegrass seedling isn't strong enough for traffic, yet without cart paths we have no choice. As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, the recovery of the new turf slows. To help in reducing the damage please scatter ... which means drive where others haven't.

In addition to traffic wear it appears that frost is already on the horizon. We have had a couple of days so far with a touch of frost but the upcoming weekend appears that frost may delay play. Please watch out for the low and shady areas when it is cooler.

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T05:11:00.000-08:00

American Flags on the PG

Today is a day I hold very special in my heart and always take moment to say a special prayer for men and women in uniform here and abroad. I, myself served my Country in the Air Force for 8 years and was blessed mostly with 8 years of peace. Additionally, unlike my nephew who is in the Marines and just got back from Afghanistan I served my time in the rear with the gear. Another extremely special member of my family, my daughter, is serving her Country in the Yellow Sea outside North Korea in the Navy on the USS George Washington.

Please take a moment to say a special prayer for our brave soldiers in uniform around the USA who proudly serve their Country and are put in harm's way everyday. I ask you in joining with me to pray the safe return of guys and gals in the theater of harm around the world. God Bless our troops and God bless America!!

Working Even Harder on the Greens

2011-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

Back of 15's Green on 11-09-11

The greens have been improving vastly since the rain we got and there is still plenty of seed to germinate. They have recovered so much that we have put on hold any sodding and are working solely on plug repair and topdressing. With the topdressing we seeded bad areas once again.

Front of 16's Green on 11-9-11

Even the green surrounds have been improving ... but does this mean we are stopping ... no. We are working harder than ever over the next couple of weeks to fully recover these greens and then start working on speeding them back up.

Greens Repair

2011-11-09T05:15:00.001-08:00

As many of you already know we had issues on the back nine greens in October thanks to the heat, lack of wind and disease that came with those conditions. We have repaired them quite a bit but not enough for me to be satisfied so starting today we will be starting the select sodding repairs. On holes such as 10, 13 & 16 there will be edge repairs performed, and holes such as 11, 12 & 15 there will be plug repairs.

These repairs will start today and hopefully will be almost completed by tomorrow. But these sodding repairs will not alone fix our issues thus on Friday we will be topdressing the back nine greens (depending on weather). We went from 10 degrees above normal to now 10 + degrees below normal which will slow the recovery process. But rest assure it is the most important thing on our list to get done.

Opening Day

2011-11-04T05:11:00.000-07:00

It is opening day and it is expected to rain ... figures doesn't it. This October has been full of challenges from temperature at or over 100 degrees until 10-24-11, to pythium outbreaks and grass loss due to heat thus melting out, to less time to prep the golf course, to manpower shortage, to the street project slowing the team down, etc.

With everything throw at my team they still stepped up and performed their very best. We may not have the green speeds I would want or the back nine may not be in the condition I like, or even the bunkers may not be finished prepped as I would do in the past, but I could not be more proud of my team and all of their hard work. If you would have seed the golf course a week ago you would understand their efforts to make the best course they could.

Enjoy and realize we are still fixing issues ... but we will get there.

One More Day

2011-11-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day ... the course will open.

We are still working quite hard on the golf course to get every thing ready for the opening and looking down at the list of things that have to get done still is always so daunting. Since the weather is cooling down so much in the upcoming week we decided to change a couple things up and fertilize the golf course today to maximize it's effect on the ryegrass. With all of the hot weather in Oct. the bermudagrass blossomed more than we like, thus to combat it's "yellowing" effect that will come in late Nov. or Dec., we are fertilizing it now ... just love changes but that is the nature of natual systems.

We may not get the entire list done that I would like but we will focus of the keys items to have the golf course ready. I should note that while we are still repairing some of the back nine greens the height of cut will be higher than our usual, thus slower green speeds.

Over the upcoming weeks we will bring everything back into place. We are currently working on raising our staffing levels back to workable levels and hopefully we will be there soon. Please bare with us during these first couple of weeks and you will be pleased where we are going. And remember that this is the first year that we had less than 30 days to open thus our window for getting things done was greatly shortened. Not to mention the disease issues that plagued the Valley & us this year.

Improvements

2011-11-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

8's Approach 11-2-11

8's Approach (After pythium) on 10-21-11

We are starting to see some great recovery around the golf course from all of the team's hard work. The approach on 8 was almost completely wiped out ... and now it has vastly improved. The greens on the back nine ... well let's just say they improving everyday.

15's Green on 10-24-11

15's Green on 11-2-11

As you can see we are not 100% yet but we will be getting there soon. 12's green is where we have seen some of the greatest improvement after the pythium attack.

12's Green on 10-24-11

12's Green on 11-2-11

We will continue to focus our efforts on improving the greens and they will improve over the upcoming weeks, but sadly the green's speed will not be there for opening day due to the higher cut to allow the seed to continue to germinate.

Today The Practice Opens

2011-11-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

Finally you get the chance to hit some golf balls here at Avondale today ... be at the practice only. We finished setting the practice area up yesterday and continue to work on the golf course to get it ready for Friday's opening.

Almost all of the golf course supplies are on the golf course and today we will finish roping the F9 as well as mark the areas that are GUR ... yes Mr. Bentzen, I marked the golf course GUR areas. Due to the pythium the rule will be lift, clean and place until we can get all of the reseeding to germinate.

Tomorrow the Practice Opens

2011-11-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

We are doing the final prep work today to get the practice area ready to open tomorrow morning. The CG & the PG are ready and in pretty good shape for the opening, but we still be doing some minor repair on them in the upcoming weeks.

Yesterday, we re-seeded the bad areas on the back nine and today we will be working on the front nine. As I had the discussion with my team today again please remember to save the young and tender seedling by scattering your cart traffic.

Seeding

2011-10-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

We just purchased more Poa Triv to be able to continue to seed and improve the Pythium infected greens. Basically, everyday we are spot seeding the few remaining damaged greens. Now with the roads finished around Avondale our focus will to germinate this seed before opening next Friday.

There is still lots to do before opening this upcoming Friday the 4th of Nov. and the team is focused on getting everything ready for that day. Between being shorthanded and having five to seven days less than normal our maintenance team is on the right path and has been working extremely hard to get everything done. Trust me ... it is quite a lot.

13's Green on 10-24-11

13's Green on 10-30-11

Vast Improvements

2011-10-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

Back of 12's Green -- Improve in Past 3

With the weather improving we are starting to see re-growth in the weaken areas that were hit by the Pythium. Over the past week we have added an additional 500 lbs of ryegrass seed to the fairways, 250 lbs of seed to the tees and other weakened areas, and have been re-seeding and lightly topdressing the damaged greens. All of this hard work has been paying off and we will continue to improve over the upcoming couple of weeks.

13's Green of Right Side -- 50% Improvement from 3 Days Ago

It is Getting Better

2011-10-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

The weather is cooling down and the hard work is starting to pay off ... the greens are improving. Still lots of work to do but we are going down the right road now. The fairways and tees have had their additional seed added and we should see improvement there soon.

It has been a tough year in the Valley with some losing their entire crop of seed. So far we have been damaged but much less than others. We have a week and a day before we open which we will spend a great deal of effort working on repairing any damage remaining.

The Wind Continues

2011-10-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

All I wanted was a slight breeze and lower temperatures ... well I am getting 10 - 20 mph that are drying out the course alright but with the streets being done may lead to some more issues that we will have to deal with.

We continuing to be aggressive with the greens repair and will continue to progress with the long list of things that need to be done before we open. The good news is that the streets will be done this weekend and we can get back to unimpeded work.

Windy Conditions Requested

2011-10-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

My Mom always told me to be careful for what you ask for ... I asked for a breeze and got a windstorm. With the winds we were only able to seed a couple of hole's fairways but the good news is we got the ones that would be in the way of the road slurry tomorrow. Instead of seeding we were able to fertilize the fairways and tees without worrying if to irrigation needed to water the fertilizer in was going to lead to more pythium.

Between the roads being done and us having to prep the golf course there may be some things that slip through the cracks before opening. Our number one concern is the greens the were infected with pythium and their repair ... progress has been slow but going forward. I even had to reach into my bag of tricks from growing bentgrass in the transition zone of Memphis TN and added to that to help expedite the damaged greens repairs.

Cooler and What This ... A Slight Breeze?

2011-10-25T05:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we got finally some relief from the heat in the form of clouds ... felt cooler than the 92 degrees it was. And then this morning there was a slight breeze blowing ... this is some good news for the turf. Today once again we addressing the bad areas with some out of the box thinking and a little fertilizer. Additionally, we are reseeding the fairways again today.

Darn Heat and Disease

2011-10-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Looking good ... isn't it? Well lets look closer.

Not as nice up close ... let's look at another green like 12.

Not bad is it ... well another look up close.

Yikes!! Not so good after all. So what happened?? Due to the heat and the lack of wind Pythium raised its ugly head and damaged several of the back nine greens. We have already reseed all of them, treated the disease and continue to spike in seed to repair these damaged greens.

Today, we noticed that the seed is ready in some cases to start germinating so we spiked in the seed, and lightly topdressed them. Rest assure, ALL efforts are focused on repairing these diseased, damaged green.

97 Yesterday

2011-10-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

It is still too hot and still no wind. Yesterday reached 97 degrees but according to the weather channel this (today) is the last day of the heat. We are continuing to attack the pythium struck areas and this week will seed the fairways once again,along with some fertilization. We are seeing some improvement on the B9 greens but this week will show if all of our hard work has been successful.

98 Again!

2011-10-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Can we ever get a break from this weather ... please. I sprayed numerous pythium spots yesterday, we have had to reseed numerous areas including some of the greens and still the heat without any wind continues. According to the weather channel relief is right around the corner however, they have been saying that over the past week ... and again yesterday was 98 degrees.

Rest assure the crew is working hard to repair all of which Mother Nature is throwing at us but a little prayer would not hurt.

Pythium

2011-10-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

With all of the heat lately we got hit by our old friend Pythium root rot. The good news is that we have treated the infected areas and the reseeding has begun. The even better news is that in the Valley there are some courses that are re-seeding their greens ... luckily other than some spots we did not get hit as hard.

8's Approach Wiped Out by Pythium

KEEP OFF THE GRASS

2011-10-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Left of 4's Green

There are just some things in life that make you mad ... such as seeing tender young seedlings die thanks to someone want to drive past the cones and onto your hard work.

14's Rough Along Road

Then you see even more places that people drove not giving a care to the members of Avondale Golf Club or the time and effort it takes to create such a pretty golf course.

9 In Gap

But that isn't even the worst of it ... they (meaning the people who did this damage) wanted to just see how much of the golf course they could damage ... well, it was a lot.

Behind 8's Green

I just stop taking pictures of all of the damage.

Nine Days After Seed Was Put Down

2011-10-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

We have just concluded the ninth day after seed & irrigation was finished and we are overall progress well. The back nine greens are a touch behind where they should be but that is due to the fact that they were finished last and they are historically slightly behind the front nine. By tomorrow with will have mowed all of the greens, tees and fairways at least once.

With all of this heat form the past week the Pythium has reared its ugly head even though we put down some preventive. Tomorrow we will be spray all of the greens to reduce the chance of them becoming infected and I just got though purchasing some more Subdue GR to slow the Pythium in the approaches. We have also reseeded most of the areas we have lost and expect to be almost completely recovered by then.

Flowers & First Cut

2011-10-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

The flowers have been delivered and we have started planting them in their new design ... and yes, this year we are doing something different that I hope will be a big hit with our members.

Flowers at Entrance of the Clubhouse

Additionally, today was the first day of the mowing of some of the greens ... after further evaluation it was determined that all of the green were ready but by tomorrow we should be mowing them all (and starting a couple of the fairways).

Putting Green's First Mow

Mowing Tomorrow

2011-10-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Most of the greens are ready for their first mow and the only reason I am not mowing them today is because I do not have the manpower today. Thus, we will be starting our first mowing cycle tomorrow.

4's Approach 10-16-11

Germination Happens!

2011-10-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

8's Green Early Saturday Morning

On the first holes seeded we are starting to see that light green color indicating the seed germination. We were hoping that tomorrow we would be able to start mowing the first seeded greens but sadly I thing tha will have to wait until Monday.

5's Tee Cart Path Repair

The new cart path going from 4 to 5 has been finished and looks great. Hopefully, you will now be able to drive quicker when leaving 4's green going to 5's tee without damaging your golf cart ... lol.

More Seed??

2011-10-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

I heard today that now we are putting down more seed this year ... well this is incorrect. We have purchased so far the same amount of seed that we have for years now ... no more, no less. Where the confusion comes is in the rumors that we are putting down 835 lbs of seed per acre ... well once again this is not exactly correct. Lets do some math:

           Bought 96,000 lbs of seed and we have 115 acres
                    -- by simple math equals 835 lbs / ac

Well it not that simple, we have to figure some subtractions:

           96,000 lbs bought
        -    5,000 lbs used for the greens (to stabilize the Poa Triv)
        -    8,000 lbs used in hand work (missed areas, around bunkers, etc)
        -    4,000 lbs used for divot mix (sometime even more)

         79,000 lbs remaining

                    -- thus using simple math minus 2.0 acres for greens
                                 equals 699 lbs / ac

But that to is not the entire picture. We used much more in the fairways than we do in the roughs. Historically speaking using the past six years as reference we have initially seeded the roughs at 491 lbs/ac and the fairways at 701 lbs/ac. Thus when you speak to other golf courses this is the numbers you hear ... are they right?? No.

Unlike the other golf courses I have a Master's degree thus I am very analytical and I calculate all the sweetening passes we do as well in my calculations ... others mostly do not. Thus historically, we seed our fairways to 1,079 lbs/ac, which is needed if you figure that we do not have cart paths and receive a 15 - 25% loss in our ryegrass crop.

So are the others lying ... no, they just do not know nor calculate these additional passes. And if they do, normally they do not try to explain these numbers or reasons to their GMs ... it usually confuses them since they are not agronomist.

Thus if you do the simple math with them you will discover the same at first large number. I know because I did and came up with:
             855 lbs/ac for Desert Island,
              837 lbs/ac for the Lakes, and even
              771 lbs/ac for little old San Rosa.

Turn Off The Oven

2011-10-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

WOW ... can you believe just a week ago how perfect the weather was and now it is back over 100 degrees again. At the present moment other than slightly drying out the seed it will aid in germination; however, if it continues after the first mow that is when disease sets in. Do not worry we are watching every where for the first signs of any kind of disease and we will address it like we always do.

If you have been walking on the street of Avondale you may have noticed the cart path on both sides of the road near the tee of 5 that is is torn out. The HOA working along with the Club is fixing the slope of the exit (from 4) and entrance (to 5) ramps so your carts will no longer bottom out ... well at least at normal traveling speeds ... just kidding.

Irrigation On, Waiting for the Burst of Green

2011-10-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

The irrigation computer runs each and every irrigation head 3 minutes, 12 times per day until the seed germinates ... which is coming soon. It is like one day you are brown and waiting to see if the seed is alive and then

15's Green -- 2 Days After Irrigation

Looking Towards 7's Tee -- Two Days After Irrigation

the next morning the golf course is green. This green up should be starting a little on Monday or Tuesday, but will really green up on next Friday. I should note that we will already be mowing the greens well before that "pop" in green color.

Now the Real Work Begins

2011-10-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

With having all of the seed on the ground and the irrigation on you might think that we are finished and just waiting to start the mowing ... well nothing could be further from the truth. Between getting everything ready to put back on the golf course, repairing the equipment from the overseeding process, repairing irrigation, etc. we find ourselves busier than ever.

Prepping the Last Hole

Prepping and seeding the golf course is the easiest part ... now the work really begins.

End of Day Six

2011-10-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

We have finished day six back on schedule (some what) and have finished the seeding of the golf course. The irrigation is on every hole and the next couple of days we will be making sure it is working properly. We look at the green that was damaged and looks like we may have fixed it but will know more by tomorrow.

Start of the 6th Day

2011-10-10T05:53:00.000-07:00

After two days of damaged (vandalized) greens I am hoping that since we now have the irrigation on that hole that the damage will quit ... I will know more once the sun comes up.

Speaking of irrigation; holes 1 - 5 and the driving range are completed with their seeding and have the irrigation on. The front nine and major parts of the back will be finished today, thus please do not drive on the golf course or move the cones that block access. The grass is extremely susceptible to damage during its early stages.

4's Green Damage

2011-10-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

I thought yesterday's damage to 4's green was bad ... this morning it was even worse. Kids took there bike onto the green and did "doughnuts" wrote graffiti all over it. We have what we think is there name and all indications point to grandchildren whom are visiting but that is a matter the HOA is addressing. Depending on how the green germinates at this pint will determine if we have to scalp and re-seed the entire green again.