"What Do You Do All Winter?"

Happy New Year from the Maintenance Team!

The most single asked question we get, is "what do you do all winter?".

The winter off-season includes snow removal, tree pruning and removal, equipment maintenance and repair, and construction or renovation of golf course features that can include tees, greens, bunkers and rough areas. It is also critical that the turf conditions are heavily monitored for health.

Planning and training is a big part of the off-season as well. Fertilizer and chemical applications plans are made, as are cultural practice plans for the next year. Our Team works very diligently to prepare for the unexpected weather Mother Nature can dish out. Team members renew memberships with industry partners and gain more training in areas like safe tree maintenance=.

Winter is also the time for continuing education. This off-season, some of our Team members will attend the Michigan Turfgrass Conference as well as the GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) Conference. These conferences provide educational updates to new turf products and procedures in managing cool-season grasses. These educational opportunities are key to our success in maintaining quality turf conditions.

South Property Update:  Trees have continued to be planted on the left of 6. We will assess the need for additional tree plantings in the spring as well.

Four Norway Spruces have been planted on the left of 6 fairway. Four more are planned to be planted this winter.

December Maintenance

The Maintenance Team has been busy working on the 15th hole's front-left greenside bunker. It is being renovated to function and appear the way it was constructed. Bunker sand and sod is removed from the face, the original edges are found and graded to where the bunker edge should be located. It will then get new sod and sand levels will be adjusted to meet our standard criteria

Off-season bunker rebuilding is a common practice at Radrick Farms Golf Course.  While the weather conditions can be rough on the Team, it is easier and more efficient than doing this work during regular play.

Sod being laid on bunker face

Before

Bunker edge reclaimed and graded

Bunker Edge

Bunker Edge

Why Does the Golf Course Close?

Why does the golf course close when the forecast has a couple more nice days left?

The Maintenance Team needs the right weather conditions to apply fungicide to all bentgrass surfaces, topdress greens and pickup all the accessories from the golf course. These next couple of days look like the right weather to "put the golf course to bed" for the long unpredictable winter ahead.

Plant protectents are applied to all bentgrass surfaces to protect them against gray and pink snow mold. These diseases thrive in the cold wet conditions with or without snow. The conditions needed to apply the products include little to no wind and no moisture from rain or snow. They need to dry on the plant. The next couple of days look like our window to apply these products before the weather turns and stays cold.

Another important process is heavy topdressing on greens. This layer of sand helps protect the greens surface from desiccation from the wind during the Winter. It also "tucks-in" the crown of the plant for the long haul until Spring. This topdressing takes place after the fungicide has been applied and has dried.

The last steps of winter preparation include cleaning all leaf and tree debris off the golf course, storing all the accessories from the tees and bunkers, roping greens, and installing silt fence around key bunker faces.

The Maintenance Team has appreciated our customer support for the entire 2013 season. We thank you for your continued understanding and support of the maintenance practices here at Radrick. We hope you have a great holiday season and look forward to seeing you in the Spring of 2014.

Fall Maintenance Update

The Maintenance Team has been busy this fall working on core aeration of the greens, tees, collars and approaches.  We have also been planting new trees on 8 and 9 to protect the natural feel of the property from the neighboring development work.

We will be aerating the north practice green with our new deep tine machine this month and experimenting with tine size and spacing so we can determine its use in the cultural program we have for the greens for next season.

Please be conscious of the Maintenance Team while trees are being planted and leaves are being picked up.  Unfortunately, these are the types of maintenance activities that must be done during normal play. We appreciate your continued support!

Digging hole for new tree

90" Tree Spade bringing new tree in.

View after 7 trees planted

Close up of Norway Spruces that were planted

Greens Aeration

It's that time of year again when the Maintenance Team makes a big, huge mess on greens that have been in great shape all year.

Why do we aerate?

Here is a link to an USGA article that discusses why we aerate. http://gsr.lib.msu.edu/2000s/2003/030301.pdf

Here is another link to a video by the USGA. http://www.usga.org/turf/articles/video/aerate_greens.html

Greens will be aerated with a 1/2" hollow tine. Soil, thatch, and other matter are removed, then
the holes are filled with sand.  This process manages organic matter, relieves compaction and 
surface tension, and at the same time creates pore space for air and water. It also gives new 
roots an excellent place to thrive. Greens should be healed in within 10-14 days.

Aeration hole from this spring. Notice new roots in aeration hole filled with sand.

  

Ball Marks

How long does it take to fix a normal ball mark?  Ten seconds?

One of the many metrics used to assess our performance includes a periodic assessment of the golf course features using an objective seven point scale. Unfortunately, most of this season's greens ratings have had deductions due to excessive ballparks.

The maintenance team can provide superb playing conditions day in and day out, but we need your help. Ball marks detract from the quality of the putting surface for every player that plays the course. We counted more than 140 ball marks that were either not fixed or fixed improperly on one Saturday morning in May. (See the photo below.)

Each white tee is stuck into a ball mark on our 15th hole.

Wherever you play, please do your part and follow this simple golfer etiquette protocol. Don't be afraid to use a little peer pressure.  It will make the putting surface healthier and more enjoyable for you!  Here is a link from the USGA how on to repair ball marks: USGA Ball Mark Repair.

Thank you for your help and your support!

Courtesy Cut: To Have or To Have Not?

Intermediate cuts are used mainly for tournament conditions like we had for the 35th Michigan Junior Amateur State Championship. The intermediate cut was set at 2" and mowed 4 times in five days. Rough mowers were set at 3" and mowing was completed the week before the tournament. Rough was not cut at all the week of the event. By not mowing, rough in areas exceeded 8". Rough at that length is entirely too penal for regular play... that's a U.S. Open length!

A recent article by the USGA Green Section entitled "A Waste of Time and Resources" (http://gsr.lib.msu.edu/article/oatis-waste-7-26-13.pdf)  discusses the value of a courtesy cut. This article is timely and insightful.

At Radrick Farms fairways are mowed less than 1/2" and the rough is mowed at 2". By using the USGA's recommendation, IF there were to be a courtesy cut, that cut would be at 1.25" and the rough would be at a minimum of 3.75". Rough of that height (3.75") would considerably slow the pace of play and detract from the enjoyment of the game not to mention the added maintenance costs of maintaining the intermediate cut.

So, the crew will be mowing and blowing clippings in the rough. Rough height is set back at 2".