Closing Events and Current Conditions

Season is coming to an end and the renovation is getting closer to starting. This week completed the golfing leagues with Ladies and Men's Day Closings. On Monday April 11th, the team did a fertility application to the fairways, tees, and roughs. It is important that we encourage the Tif-Sport to recover from the initial application in order to get proper coverage and kill of the turf. The more green vegetation the application is sprayed on, the more the plant will absorb. Lastly be sure to bookmark the blog on your computer, phone or tablet and check in during the renovation for updates, pictures, videos and drone footage of the entire process.

Brief video of fertility application, 13 day post Roundup Application

 

Walk spreading fertilizer to minimize opportunity for throwing onto the greens.

 

A Lily Spreader full of product will complete 4-5 holes.

1st Roundup Application.

On Tuesday March 29th we started our first of three roundup applications. We worked around the weather for most of the day Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving us to finish the application on Thursday March 31st. We appreciate all the efforts to help accomplish this project and the membership understanding of the weather delaying the applications. We have attached two videos to view, 1st video is of our initial application of #17 and the 2nd video is a before and after of #3 and #5 of the application.

We hope that you enjoyed the videos and we will be utilizing these to keep updates throughout the renovation process. 

Original Greens Design

You may have noticed red paint lines around the greens on holes #1,2,7,8,12. This provides a sense of what the greens size, shape, and contour will look like post construction as we return the greens to the original design. If you haven't noticed the paint lines remember to give them a glance next time you are out on the course.  We will be repainting the lines around the greens Monday, following The Club Championship.  Additionally, the celebration approach on #8 is in fantastic condition and we are confident that Celebration Bermudagrass will give Frenchman's Reserve the playability and aesthetical values we strive to achieve.

We will be making our first roundup application to the golf course on Tuesday March 29th. We will be updating the blog during construction so make sure to check back in and see the progress being made.

Front Left of #1 Green. Eight Feet of putting surface and numerous hole locations will be recaptured.

Back Right of #1 Green. 10 feet of putting surfaces and numerous hole locations will be recaptured.

Tuesday Decemeber 22nd Golf Course Closure

The golf course was closed Tuesday December 22nd for a contracted cultural practice. We started this practice immediately after the last group of ladies from ladies day passed through number two. We were able to topdress all greens lightly, deep solid tine all putting surfaces seven to eight inches deep, roll, fertilize and water. Our Toro 648 will penetrate to a depth of 3 to 4 inches, where  compaction is quite often found in the deeper layers of the soil. Continuous shallow aeration may cause a layer of compaction, which is sometimes referred to as a black layer. At this black layer, roots (as well as water, air and nutrients) cannot extend any deeper into the soil. This is why a program of using shallow and deep aeration is desired.

Lightly topdressing #11 Green

 

Deep Tine Aerifier hitting a depth of 7-8" on #5 Green

 

Quinonez using the new Salsco Double Drum roller to smooth the putting surface

 

Applying Granular fertilizer to all putting surfaces with irrigation following immediately to minimize any burn potential

 

Completion of project on #5 green

 

 

 

 

 

Small Changes with Big Impact

The golf course is taking great shape and we are replacing some amenities throughout the course. We have made some changes this year both visible and operational.   

First, our new equipment package is making its way into our Agronomy Department. Today we received three new Toro Fairway units and we expect to have the entire fleet by the first week of December.

 

New Toro Fairway units are on property with training to begin by the end of the week.

We are used to seeing the car haulers bring the members car back to indicate season is here but this is also a very welcome site as we roll off a new piece of equipment.

 

Second, you have noticed by now that our tee markers are new! The current tee markers are not only consistent in color but also give a more classy/elegant look to the tee boxes.

 

 Finally, we have a new staff member that is responsible for moving all tee markers, filling divots from the previous day, removing all debris from the tee complexes i.e. broken tees, leaves or palm fronds.  New broken tee boxes are positioned behind the tee markers to create a cleaner look to the teeing ground.  Broken Tees will be collected, Divots filled, and Tees cleaned by our team daily.

 

 

We are looking forward to a Great Season of Golf. 

 

 

 

November at Frenchman's Reserve

The Golf Course continues to respond very well to our fertilizer applications and the warm weather we have had.  As a note, the beginning of November 2014 we had lows in the mid-50's and we entered this November with the Lows in the high-70's.  We will continue to make regular fertility applications to Greens, Tees, and Fairways to ensure nutrients are available to maintain a healthy turf.

Greens are in great condition.  We will continue to groom, brush, mow, and roll to maintain ball roll on the putting surfaces.

Bunkers have been checked and sand depths adjusted to be as consistent as possible until we rebuild them.

We have received the first piece of our equipment package this week.  We will continue to receive new equipment through the end of November.  The new equipment will replace equipment that is currently up to 10 years old.  Technology of the equipment has improved greatly other that time and will provide a noticeable difference.

Ropes and Stakes will continue to be used in high traffic areas to disperse traffic patterns on the course.  By redirecting traffic we will have more consistent rough areas on the course.

To see the most recent Golf Course Information please see the most recent USGA Green Section Article for Southeast Region/Florida.
http://www.usga.org/course-care/regional-updates/southeast-region/october-regional-roundtable.html

Traffic Patterns and New Sod

This past week we have seen the addition of ropes and stakes along the cart path system in high traffic areas.  We will monitor these areas on a consistent basis and increase and/or relocate ropes as needed.  As we continue to fertilize the golf course to improve plant health and playing conditions additional fertilizer will be applied to high traffic areas.  Also, we have marked new sod with stakes to prevent cart traffic.  If you find your ball has landed in an area of new sod please treat as Ground Under Repair.

Traffic exiting the Fairway at #3 Greenside bunker

Traffic patterns are very visible where golf carts exit the path at #3 Tee.  We will continue to use  rope and stakes to allow turf recovery.

Newly sodded areas have been topdressed to aid in the recovery/smoothness and will be marked as well.  Please avoid these areas on the course and treat as Ground Under Repair.

 

August Aerification Update

Last week’s cultural practices concluded our final closure for Frenchman’s Reserve golf course aerification this year.  Throughout the week we completed several essential steps to promote healthy turf on our Greens, Tees, and Fairways.  Verticutting, Solid Tine Aerification, Core Aerification, and Topdressing with sand were the primary focus during this time. 

Below are pictures from the greens aerification.

Verticutting Greens Process

8” Deep Tine

Core Aerification Process 

After four days of recovery

Over the next 10-14 days we will continue to see the greens recover from the cultural practices last week.  As mowing, rolling, and topdressing continues the greens smoothness will continue to improve.  During this same time we will continue to see recovery of the fairway expansions throughout the golf course as well.  Plant health will be our main priority through September and October. 

Fairway Expansions

Last week we painted white hash marks along the perimeters of the fairways. Much like the greens, the fairways have lost size and contour through the years. We have identified these areas and will expand to the original contours by Arnold Palmer Design. These areas will require 4-6 weeks of recovery.  Additional fertility and frequent mowing will ensure the fairways will look and play as originally designed.

A shot that currently hangs up in the rough on a slope, will roll down the slope and back to a flat surface of the fairway.

These expansions will increase landing areas and align contours to the original design.

Working on the Greens

We have made it through the most difficult time of the year for the Bermuda. Since March we have seen very good recovery on some areas on greens, through sound cultural practices, supplemental irrigation, hand watering, and most importantly mother nature. We seem to have skipped spring and gone directly into almost summer temperatures since mid march, this has been a top factor in the recovery of the weak areas throughout the golf course. Also on Friday April 10th, we sodded out what we as a department felt was the worse areas, back of #1, back of #2, back and front left of #4 and back of #9. #5, #8, & #12 will be addressed Monday.  We will pay extra attention to these areas going through the aerification schedule and also during the summer to ensure that the condition of these areas improve next season.



April 9th we began the process of removing sod on these areas. Pictured is back on #1.

 

Early morning on April 10th we began the process of replacing with healthy Tif-Eagle sod.

 

 

We are expecting this sand to be washed in through the weekend with hand watering and overhead irrigation.

 

As expected the sand has worked into the low areas and turf leaving us with a much nicer appearance.

 

We had to cut sod from the putting green to finish up, we will be replacing this on Monday afternoon.

 

 

Update on Foliar Fertility.

Beginning in November we started to make foliar applications of fertilizer to the fairways and tees. Since that time we have seen a huge benefit in playability and color response on these areas, most notably the fairways. The property is in terrific shape and we are very excited for the Club Championship this weekend.

#8 Fairway maintained at .450 3-24-15

 

Very nice look down at #17 Green. 3-09-15

 

Effects of Winter Weather.

We field a lot of questions about discoloration and recovery of turf during the winter months. The cooler temperatures during the winter make the Bermuda less active across the entire golf course. We are very proactive and use due diligence when we see a cold stretch coming in, we will manage the plant health and tissue as best as possible. Raising of mowing heights, additional fertility application prior to, and use of pigments to keep the canopy of playing surfaces as warm as possible. While day time temperatures have been close to the historical average, we have been well below the average during the nights with temperatures in the mid 40's to lower 50's.

#18 Taken on Dec. 8th just prior to the most recent cold event

#18 Taken on Dec. 14th, after 3 consecutive nights in the 40's, with a noticeable color difference on the fairway and also the putting green 

 

 

For more information on this topic, please follow the link to the USGA Green Section article. Cold Weather Blemishes.

Foliar Fertility

As the temperature continue to cool down we have had to alter our fertility program for the winter months. As soil temperature drops the bermuda become less active, we will be supplementing foliar fertility in with our existing granular program. By definition this is the application of foliar sprays of one or more nutrients to supplement traditional soil applications of fertilizers. There are several advantages to foliar feeding, also known as spoon feeding, such as rapid plant response and low burn potential but some disadvantages include lower rates and increased applications. We currently use this process on the putting surfaces and we are going to be extending this outward on to the tees. We are very excited to see the results as we move forward into this new aspect of our management program.

We recently replaced our old shelves in our pesticide building. All products have been classified and alphabetized.

These are two of the main products we will be applying to all areas of the golf course. 

A foliar fertilizer package being applied to the greens. 

Drainage Improvements

We are in the final phase of our major project season. We have started to correct some drainage issues around the golf course. We are currently installing a new catch basin in the middle of #17 fairway to help the performance and playability of the landing zone. We appreciate the patience as we know it is unsightly but we have sodded the area to celebration bermudagrass. It will remain ground under repair until the new sod is able to be played from. We are very confident that this will improve not only playabilty from the area but also aesthetics as the area was very unsightly.

Here we see where the turf remained under water for several days resulting in turf loss.

Efrain removing sod and getting ready to start the grading to the drain.

Quinonez is putting the final touches on the main line connecting to the bunker drainage.

A look down the line before the installation of the drain. 

The work continued into the morning and here the staff is preparing the last lines.

Project is complete and Celebration has received a couple mowing's

Practice Facility Divot Patterns

The most efficient way (in terms of range tee usage) for hitting practice balls and creating divots is to use a linear pattern.

The three patterns of divots in the picture above are traditionally seen on practice facilities. The scattered and concentrated patterns take up large amounts of space on the practice facility, allow for fewer and less efficient tee set up practices and requires a greater frequency in tee rotation. A consistent linear pattern, as suggested by the USGA, leads to a more effective use of the practice facility as well as quicker turf recovery.

Practice Facility Progress

DST Sports Turf construction has finished grading and re-grassing the chipping and putting green surrounds behind the half way house and we are looking forward to opening it in the near future. The tif-sport bermuda in this area was extremely weak. The area was regraded to allow for more efficient water runoff movement, and the practice bunker was restored back to its original shape. We replaced the Tif-Sport Bermudagrass with Celebration Bermudagrass, a heartier variety better suited for our practice facility.

The original practice area just before the construction and regrading began.

With the sod stripped, the surface was regraded and the bunker restored to its original design; the greens remained unchanged.

The sod has been laid out, and requires water, topdressing and time in order to become properly established.

The final step in the process consists of a heavy topdressing and brushing regiment in order for the turf to tighten up and become ready for play.