Upcoming Timelines

Upcoming Week:

a) Apr 16th heavy rolling the greens.
b) Apr 17th spray greens including Primo
c) Apr 18th lightly topdressing greens.
d) Apr 18th PM of the Pump Station
e) Apr 19th heavy rolling the greens.
f) Apr 21st heavy rolling the greens.
g) Apr 22nd spiking the greens.

In Next Week After:

a) Apr 25th foliar spraying the greens 12-0-0, Primo & Get Green.
b) Apr 26th verticutting the greens.
c) Apr 28th topdressing the greens.

In Near Future:

a) May 2nd CV Vector Control treating for fire ants.
b) May 2nd foliar spraying greens.
c) May 3rd verticutting greens.
d) May 4th topdressing greens.
e) May 5th verticutting greens.
f) May 9th granular fertilizing greens.
g) May 10th verticutting greens.
h) May 12th verticutting greens.
i) May 16th root pruning several greens such as 1, 5, etc.
j) May 16th foliar spraying greens.
k) May 17th verticutting greens.
l) May 18th topdressing greens.
m) May 19th 21-0-0 greens that are going to be aerified.
n) May 19th verticutting greens.
o) May 20th spraying greens with Cascade & X-Solis.
p) May 23rd foliar spraying greens.
q) May 24th verticutting greens.
r) May 26th starting Monument on fairways tees and approaches.
s) May 27th aerifying CGs, Small PG, and nurseries.
t) May 31st continuing Monument spraying.

Wind Storms

It seems like every year we get a week or two of very bad winds ... well this year was no exception. With gusts up to 70 mph we not only had several big branches break but also lost two tree -- a palm behind 15's green and half of another tree behind 9's blue tee (this may survive). The good news is that thanks to heavier trimming this year the damage was quite a bit less than it could have been. According the weather reports the winds are stopping after last night for a while.

Fairy Ring, BTa & Drains

I have been noticing that the fairy ring on the greens has been starting to rear its ugly head over the past couple of weeks. We have a chemical to address the issue; however, to get the full effect of this very costly product we have to wait until the first aerification to apply. In addition, the BTa (the little black beetle) has returned ... good news is that we are on a grub treatment program that addresses the insects that we started last year and the population is 5% of what it has been in the past.

Drains -- I have just for the first time heard we are having a issue with a couple of drain tops "popping" off when the golf carts drive over them. Brandon is getting with Mr. Kelly to discover which ones were the issue so we can find out why after 6 years for many of them we are now seeing a problem. Once we can discover what the problem exactly is and what can be done to solve it we will fix the issue around the golf course.

Broken tees -- A member asked me the other day if my team was just dumping the broken tees out of the boxes on the tees. The answer is of course "no." Every morning the set up person picks up and empties the broke tee caddies (into a trash can) and places the empty caddie back. Sadly, there are many when they are throwing their broken tees at the tee caddie -- miss.

Verticutting Greens

We have started the verticutting of the greens process and additionally the spiking as well. The verticutting will start thinning out the Poa Triv and allowing the bermudagrass to fill in while the spiking of the greens is mainly to allow for air movement and compaction relief from all of the rolling we have done in the season. Currently, both processes will be done once per week; however, starting in May the verticutting will be increased to twice per week. We still for now will continue the once per week topdressing which in May will decrease to every other week. In addition starting May 1st we will be stopping the walk mowing of the greens and will be starting the triplex units.

Just to get you as the members ready but starting in May we will dry down the golf course slightly to start stressing the ryegrass thus allowing the bermudagrass to grow in without as much competition. Later in May we will be chemically killing the remaining ryegrass in the fairways and approaches to give the bermuda at least 100 days to recover and be ready for next season's overseed. This process at first is UGLY; however, with verticutting and fertilization (provded that Mother Nature plays ball) the effect will be minimized as much as possible. That being said the ryegrass still will not look very good (brown) because it has been killed.

These processes are necessary evils at heavily overseeded golf courses which basically grow in two types of turf twice per year. Basically, here in the Valley we have two golf course grow-ins per year while most around the nation just have to maintain one type of turf.

Spots on the Edges of the Greens

As a few of you may have noticed there are "spots" on the edges of several greens. Since we want the fastest green speed that we can obtain we barely foliar feed the green's turf to keep it slightly growing for ball mark repair but very hungry in general. During the recent fertilizing of the green surrounds our team member accidentally threw a few fertilizer prills onto the greens -- thus leading to the green spots that you see on the edges. The good news is that over time these will blend back into the green.

Now as for the "white spots" on the greens, this is caused by Poa Annua that is starting to seed head. Luckily, these spots are on yet fewer greens and we are working on plugging them out as fast as we can. Sadly, the chemicals that kill this type of Poa also kill the Poa Triv.

Joint Lunch With Desert Falls

On Wed. one of the vendor's of both Desert Falls and of Avondale GC hosted a joint hamburger cookout for lunch. It was the first time that the two teams which on several occasions have helped each other gotten together to meet. Team building such as this not other improves our team's morale during these troubling economic times but shows them that other golf courses are facing the same issues that they are facing here.

Upcoming Events

Starting next week we will be prepping for the Avondale Classic. This prep we are planning will include lowering the HOC (height of cut) of the greens, topdressing and heavy rolling to build the green speed as high as we can while keeping them playable. Starting in April we will have to start the verticutting of the greens along with spiking to improve the health and compaction that occurs over the season. At first these processes will be disruptive but quickly there after most will not even notice we are doing it.

CV Vector Control

Coachella Valley Vector control (CVVC) was on property today installed the eye gnat traps around the golf course. Here at Avondale we were for years involved with the eye gnat program but due to budget cuts on the State level over the past two years we haven't been involved. The traps have been place as of this morning and will be filled with bait in the next couple of days. You will see these traps wired to the trees and I would encourage you not to touch them since the are filled with rotten egg mix.

Speaking of CVVC they will be coming out to address the fire ants and other ant species on May 2nd. This usually is quite a big process involving up to 10 of their people baiting and treating the golf course. I would strongly encourage that you inform others that you know whom walk their dogs on the golf course or release their cats at night not to do so during that time. The baits are placed all around the golf course using meats as the attractants. If our pets eat these baits they may become sick.

Upcoming Timelines

Upcoming Week:

a) Mar 14th foliar spraying the greens including Primo.
b) Mar 15th spraying the greens with Cascade, X-Solis & Acelepryn
c) Mar 17th lightly topdressing the greens.

In Near Future:

a) Mar 22nd lightly topdressing the greens.
e) Mar 23rd heavy rolling the greens.
f) Mar 24th heavy rolling the greens.
g) Mar 25th either heavy or lightly rolling the greens.
h) Mar 26th light rolling the greens.
i) Mar 28th foliar spraying the greens including Primo.
j) Apr 4th granular fertilizing the greens.
k) Apr 5th light topdressing the greens.
l) Apr 7th heavy rolling the greens.
m) Apr 11th foliar spraying greens including Primo.
n) Apr 12th light topdressing the greens.
o) Apr 16th heavy rolling the greens.
p) Apr 18th foliar spraying greens including Primo
q) Apr 19th either heavy rolling or lightly topdressing the greens.
r) Apr 21st heavy rolling the greens.
s) Apr 25th foliar spraying the greens 12-0-0, Primo & Roots.

Note: Primo is a turfgrass growth regulator

Green Speed

As the weather finally warms up and the bermudagrass base of the greens starts to grow over the upcoming week we will experience a slowing of the green's speed. We will address this slowing down with rolling, the addition of growth regulators, topdressing and coming soon light verticutting to remove the grain of the turf.

The good news is that the greens are still rolling very nicely and the speed is still about 10 on the stimpmeter.

Maintenance Building Painting

As many of you know the maintenance building has been painted thus removing the staining that was such an eyesore when you were on 4's green. The first coat of paint was a bright blue for which numerous complaints came to the Board, GM and myself ... but I believe that most are pleased with the final coats of paint.

What many of you do not know is that all of the costs of the painting of the building were not paid by Avondale Golf Club, instead were paid by the generosity of two members -- Mr. Howard & Mr. Mercier. So I want to extend our thanks to the both of them for stepping up to the plate and getting this done for the Club.

Rains & Wind

Last night we got some much needed rain which will help flush any salt build up in the soil's profile. Plus, the rains will allow us to glean savings in water & electrical use which is always a good thing. I should note something that I hear often that many believe that the rains also bring nutrients -- well this is true in other parts of the country where there is lightening ... but sadly not here in the Valley. Lightening is required to break the triple-bond connection between nitrogen gas allows it to become free N for a little additional nitrogen input to the soil. Since the storms in the Valley for the most part do not usually come with lightening the nitrogen bond remains intact thus staying in the gaseous form (mostly).

Along with the rains we have been experiencing winds up 60 mph gusts. So far we have not lost any trees and only a few bigger branches; however, there is a lot of debris around the golf course. Currently, we are cleaning the golf course and will continue until everything is cleaned up.

Starting on Monday we will start our annual spring weed suppression program. You will notice three spray rigs around the golf course applying chemicals (MSDSs and labels for these chemicals can be gotten by contacting me). The good news is that these guys applying the chemicals are very good and they will stay out of our member's way to the best of their ability.

Upcoming Timelines

With so much going on with events and maintenance I thought it would be nice to share our plan with you the member. None of these items are set in stone but are what needs to be done.

Timelines:

1) Upcoming Week:

a) Week of Feb 22nd limited crew due to holiday.
b) Feb 21 – 23rd spraying wall-to-wall Barricade (fairways first).
c) Feb 24th fertilizing fairways with 21-7-14.
d) Feb 25th lightly topdressing the greens.

2) In Next Week After:

a)Feb 28th foliar spraying the greens.
b)Mar 2nd foliar spraying fairways & tees with Ca nitrate.
c)Mar 3rd lightly topdressing greens.

3) In Near Future:

a)Mar 7th foliar spray greens 12-0-0, Micro Mix & Get Green.
b)Mar 9th lightly topdress the greens.
c)Mar 10th foliar fertilizing the tees & fairways.
d)Mar 14th foliar spraying the greens 12-0-0, Get Green & Primo.
e)Mar 15th spraying the greens with Cascade, X-Solis & Acelepryn.
f)Mar 17th lightly topdressing the greens.
g)Mar 22nd lightly topdressing the greens.
h)Mar 23rd heavy rolling the greens.
i)Mar 24th heavy rolling the greens.
j)Mar 25th either heavy or lightly rolling the greens.
k) Mar 26th light rolling the greens.
l) Mar 28th foliar spraying the greens.

Another Cold Day

Today is the coldest day all season. On 18 at the weather station we hit 28 degrees, which means that in the low lying areas such as 2 & 3 the temperature most likely dipped to the 25 degree mark. As soon as we are able we will lift the frost delay and start play.

Frost Damage

Today we had a hard frost and for the first time this year someone decided to drive on what I am sure they thought was a non-frosted hole ... well they were wrong. The pictures to the right of this post show the damaged areas and sadly these areas will get worst over the upcoming week, and additionally will take weeks to recover. So please, no matter the conditions, never drive on the golf course without checking with the Pro Shop first.

Additionally, those Round Up areas on the greens had to be repaired since they continued to get worst. All the repairs should be completed by Friday of this week.