Tree Work Targets Safety Concerns

Many members and golfers ask the question " Why are you taking that tree down"?  Well, sometimes the answer is a master plan removal, while other times the answer is a safety concern.  As the picture above shows, this is the tree left of 8 green that sits very tall and limits access to the back left of the 8th green.  As you can visibly see from the picture, this tree was a major safety concern as it was totally rotted and in a severe state of decline.  Often times this type of deterioration goes unseen by golfers but we carefully monitor every tree on this property as any diligent golf course operation should.  If this tree ever fell while golfers were around it, the results would be catastrophic.  So rest assure, as you are playing your next round, we have examined every tree you may happen to land your golf ball under.

Mike O'Neill, GCS

Winter Prep For The Golf Course

Well it's that time of year again, the time of year we prep the golf course to go through another Central New York winter.  The winter we had last winter was not much of a winter which allowed us to provide some excellent conditions very early in the Spring as opposed to the long cold winters we typically experience here .  In prepping the golf course for the winter there are many tasks that need to be accomplished before the snow flies.  Pictured above is the application of a snow mold prevention spray.  We spray the greens, tees and fairways just before Thanksgiving to provide winter long control of a potentially devastating disease called snow mold. While spraying the correct chemicals certainly helps, it does not eliminate the even more devastating problem of ice layers on our fine turf.  Ice can suffocate the turf and cause widespread kill very very quickly.  We can only hope that mother nature is as kind as she can be to our golf course through the course of this winter and we can get out there in the Spring as early as possible.

Mike O'Neill, GCS

How To Put Your Home Lawns To Bed In The Fall.

Raking your leaves in the fall has been common practice practically forever, yet there is a better way to help improve your lawn by using the resource our trees provide us with every fall. Leaves are a good source of Nitrogen and can improve your soil structure by mulching them in your yard.  Please read on...


'It's great to have big shade trees in your yard. But, come fall, you can start to resent them. Those big trees drop leaves, and that means extra work, hassle, and lost time. However, there's good news. A recent study done at Michigan State University shows that you can forget about raking, blowing, and bagging leaves. Instead, just mulch them with your lawn mower and feed your lawn with a good fertilizer. It'll save you work, improve your soil, and add nutrients. Here's how to do it.

Chop those Leaves with your Mower
Take the grass catcher off your mower and mow over the leaves on your lawn. You want to reduce your leaf clutter to dime-size pieces. You'll know you're done when about half an inch of grass can be seen through the mulched leaf layer. Once the leaf bits settle in, microbes and worms get to work recycling them. Any kind of rotary-action mower will do the job, and any kind of leaves can be chopped up. With several passes of your mower, you can mulch up to 18 inches of leaf clutter.

Feed your Lawn to Speed Up the Process
Microbes do a better job recycling carbon from leaves when they have nitrogen. A nitrogen based fertilizer can help break down your mulched leaves faster. So your grass will grow better, and your microbes will work harder, when you feed your lawn after mulching those leaves.

See Great Results in the Spring
When spring arrives, you'll notice something. The leaf litter you mulched up in the fall will have disappeared. Your rake will look dusty and neglected. And your grass will look greener than ever.

Mulching: a Better Use of Resources
When you rake your leaves, it costs you. Your local taxes pay for trucks to sweep up your leaves or pick up your leaf bags, which often end up in landfills. If you burn leaves, you're just sending up clouds of carbon into the atmosphere. Mulching leaves simply recycles a natural resource, giving you richer soil for free.'

Mike O'Neill, GCS

Pond Project #8

The pond project has all but wrapped up except for some seeding work around the edges of the pond where the excavator did some damage while prepping the pond.  The pond has been lined with clay to keep the water from leaching, and rock installed along the edge to aid in erosion control as well as improve the overall appearance of the pond.  The pond is now full of water and ready for your viewing pleasure!

Frost and Impacts To The Golf Course

With regards to frost, there is something very important that many golfers are not aware of. When we arrive at the course in the morning, it very well may be frost-free. Quite often frost develops as the sun begins to rise and can continue to develop into a heavier frost even after sunrise as the temperature tends to drop a bit. We do our best to update you with current course conditions as early and often as we can, but don't be surprised if the frost develops on the course while you are already on your way for your morning tee time.

Here are three general rules of thumb when it comes to predicting whether or not we will have frosty conditions:

• Frost typically occurs at temperatures of 34 degrees or lower; it does not have to reach 32 degrees as many believe.
• Clear skies increase the potential for frost; cloudy skies tend to "insulate" better, resulting in warmer air and surface temperatures.
• Wind also influences frost development. Windy conditions can prevent cold air from settling in, again resulting in warmer air and surface temperatures. That being said, if the wind temperature is below zero, it can be quite damaging to the turf.

There are other factors that determine whether or not frost will develop, but these three are the most accurate when it comes to predicting it.

I could go on and on explaining the damage caused from traffic on frosty turf, but I'll leave that to the USGA Green Section Record via this video."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRcE-gUVa3M&feature=youtu.be

Starting Over With Flower Beds On The Golf Course.

Since the fast paced aspect of the season has slowed some, we have focused on some of the detail work on the golf course and clubhouse landscaping.  We have taken the approach that, low maintenance plants aren't always the best looking for a given landscape.  We have transformed many beds at the clubhouse as well as #8 and #11 tee areas.  We have planted some attractive perennials and will be supplementing the open areas in each bed with some colorful annual flowers next Spring.  I believe these areas will be much improved for the remainder of this year and look phenomenal for next season.

Mike O'Neill, GCS

Aeration Schedule Around Rain

The above diagram shows the benefits of core aeration.  Oxygen into the root zone to promote vigorous root growth as well as the removal of unwanted organic matter in the thatch layer of the greens.  We were only able to get greens 1 thru 10 done today as a result of the rain coming in the near future.  We will be finishing the greens whenever weather allows us to get back out there.  We cannot aerate if there is any chance of rain in the forecast as this will create an even bigger mess that will effect play for an extended period of time.

Mike O'Neill, GCS

Why Is Our Course So Dry In Spots?

A big pat of the reason we have so many dry spots on the course is our lack of proper irrigation coverage on the course.  The other major problem is we have had a major irrigation leak every week for quite a few weeks in a row.  When this happens certain parts of the course do not get any water until we can fix the problem, which as of late has been extensive.  So next time you think we are not watering the course enough, there is probably a good reason why a certain part of the course is drier than others.  The pics above show a main line break next to the 11th green.  This fix is still ongoing as we ran into numerous issues down 4' in the ground with the old piping.  As mentioned before, other things on the course are not getting done as we attend to these 2 to 3 day fixes on the old irrigation system.

Irrigation Leaks, We lose More Than Just Water!

We will typically have around 2 dozen irrigation leaks in a season here at Bellevue.  The combination of very poor installation techniques as well as 40 some year old pipe makes for problems all season long.  Some leaks or breaks are minor and some are sever such as this one that happened today right in the middle of the 12th fairway.  Such as the title says, when we have a leak or break we lose a lot more that just the water leaking out of the pipe, we lose valuable labor hours.  A leak like this 4" main line leak ties myself and my 2 assistants up for the entire day when we could be working on something else to better your golf course.  Frustrating as it may be, this repair needs to be made and it needs to be done right to allow the pipe to function properly in the future.  The big problem with the leak pictured above is we have to drain the whole upper half of the irrigation system which is a lot of water lost that we have to pay for.  So in the whole scheme of things, we are losing labor and money tied up in water costs, not to mention the supplies needed to make the repair.

Mike O'Neill, GCS

Proper Way To Replace/ Repair Divots.

Replacing a divot is a common practice in a round of golf for a conscientious, courteous golfer.  Many golfers have good intentions with the methods they use to replace their divot but often times their method is not the best way to allow the turf to fill back in and heal up the quickest.  I see it all the time, someone puts divot mix in the divot and then proceeds to put the taken chunk of grass back on top of the divot mix, this is a sure way to kill the divot because the sand mix holds no moisture for the divot to heal properly.  Bottom line is, find the divot you have taken and replace your divot first, and then step on the divot to ensure it doesn't get mowed up or blown away.  If the divot is in many pieces or is very thin, it is best to just use the divot mix provided in the carts or bottles.  After the divot is replaced, it is ok to fill in any voids with the divot mix provided to allow the area to be playable as soon as possible.  Also, the divot mix should be stepped on and smoothed out with your foot to fill in the entire divot, not left in a pile. 

It should also be mentioned that the divot mix is intended for the short cut areas only, (tees and fairways) it is not the correct material to put in any rough areas.  

Mike O'Neill, GCS

Golf Course Vandalism!

An unfortunate event occurred Tuesday night/Wednesday morning on the golf course, vandals decided to drive their car on the golf course causing some obvious damage.  Number 16 and 18 greens were driven on with the intent rip up the playing surface. Thankfully, only superficial damage occurred to the greens.  Tees that were rutted and driven on include 7,15 and 18.  Fairways 16 and 18 were rutted up as well.  My staff has already taken the steps this morning to promote the recovery process of the playing surfaces.  The greens were aerated with very small aerating tines and triple rolled to smooth out for play and will continue to be rolled and modified to smooth out to the original condition.  There is going to be a period of time here where it will be bumpy through these areas.  Please try to avoid playing on these areas as they need a rest to heal up quickly.  Thank you for you cooperation as we get through this unfortunate turn of events.

Mike O'Neill, GCS

A New And Much Improved Pond.

The pond on hole #8 was recently dug out with the use of two different excavators.  This pond, as everyone knows, has been a major eye sore for a very long time.  The pond had silted over to the point that the fountain aerator could barely operate in the middle of the pond, not to mention the terrible smell!  We rented a few excavators and hired a truck to haul the material out for us.  The end result after removing roughly 400 yards of material, is a pond that not only looks and smells a whole lot better but a pond that will function properly.  The area will remain marked as a "Ground Under Repair" until the surrounding area heals up to be playable.


Mike O'Neill, GCS

Dry Weather Makes for A lot More Work for the Grounds Staff.

The recent dry weather makes our job very difficult on the golf course.  Our irrigation system is lacking to say the least, so for us to deliver the beautiful golf course everyone expects, we have to perform a lot of extra labor to provide that.  You can see in the picture above, the sprinklers do not cover many areas so we run a portable sprinkler to deliver the water to where we are lacking on the course.  Many times we are running the sprinklers on the main playing surfaces like the fairways and tees.  We have many tees on the course that have no irrigation at all from the system.  In addition to the lack of water deliver from our system, we have a golf course that is predominantly sitting on ledge and shallow bedrock, so we apply an extensive amount of water just to keep the turf growing on the rock underneath.

The problem and the trick to watering the golf course is to apply just enough water so the turf is still firm and playable but not too dry that turf is lost.  The problem occurs when too much water is applied, sacrificing playability and allowing disease pressure to increase.  Please understand when you see a browned out spot out there on the fairways or tees, it is a result of us trying to provide the best possible playing conditions without having any standing water on the course, as you can imagine, this is an extreme juggling act with the irrigation system and mother nature!

Mike O'Neill GCS

Seeding the Expanded Fairway on 18

We have recently borrowed a slit-seeder to renovate our expanded area on 18 fairway.  The area was sprigged last fall and we are continuing the process to get the fairway to fill in and be playable in the near future.  Currently the area is labeled "Ground Under Repair" so please move your ball to the nearest playable surface.
Mike O'Neill  GCS

Too Much Traffic!!!

The above photos show the practice green next to the room on the green.  Notice the stressed brown areas in the corner of the green.  This is a result of too much foot traffic in this specific area.  The area is already dry, as we maintain the greens on the edge of wilting to promote the best possible putting surfaces we can.  The concentrated walk on area just pushes the grass over the edge and it starts to go south.  We can prevent this by avoiding areas such as this as we walk on or off of a green.  We could certainly avoid this by watering the greens more often but I don't believe many members would like the resulting wetter greens for playability.  Please avoid these areas and take note of the fence set-up there, it is there for the betterment of the green.

Mike O'Neill
GCS

Brown Ring Patch on Greens.

Many have probably noticed the yellow rings on a few greens on the course recently.  This is a fungal disease called Brown Ring Patch.  This disease infects the green primarily in the spring.  A spray application was made a week ago with not much control.  I have applied another application today in hopes it clears it up.  The disease is strictly aesthetic and has no effect on ball roll on the greens.  Once the disease is controlled with the fungicide spray applications, it will grow out of the disease in no time.

Mike O'Neill
GCS

#18 Bunker Project Update

The project is in its final stages; here, Mark Nichols, the assistant superintendent,  is applying a polyurethane coating to the bottom of the bunker to bind all the rock together.  This will keep the rocks and soil particulates from migrating into the bunker sand.  New bunker sand has been ordered and will be installed as soon as it arrives.  The old bunker sand stored in the bunker next to the new bunker will be used to top off bunkers on the course that are lacking sand.  The new bunker will be complete and ready for play by the end of next week.

Mike O'Neill
GCS

Aeration, Long Term Benefits For The Greens.

A deep and healthy root system on greens isn't an accident. Many management practices are implemented to maximize root growth. One of the most important of these practices is occurring this week... the practice of solid-tine Aeration."

Solid-tine aeration pokes a long, solid spikeinto the putting surface. Although millions of holes are being punched, we are only affecting 3.5% of the putting surface. Each hole relieves compaction and creates a channel for fresh air and water to enter. A layer of sand on the putting surface is brushed until each channel is filled. Sometimes the sand bridges within the hole and doesn't allow for a complete filling of sand. This can be very beneficial. The pocket of air remaining in the bottom portion of the channel becomes a perfect environment for new root development. When new root growth reaches these open channels, the roots fill the voids and can extend down 10+ inches. We witness this benefit during our normal cup changing practices. Upon removing the 6" deep plug from the new pin location, roots will be hanging out several inches of a deep-tine channel.

Some other factors that promote a deep, expansive root system include:

• Proper water management. Over watering encourages short, lazy roots. Allowing the soil profile to remain on the drier side, encourages deep, aggressive roots.
• 
  Proper fertilization will promote root growth during ideal temperatures. Improper fertilization causes the turf leaves to grow at an accelerated rate at the expense of the root system. So, 'just fertilizing' isn't always the best thing.Maximizing photosynthetic capabilities by not mowing the turf too short, too soon. Think of the grass blades as little solar panels. The larger the panel, the more energy (food) can be created and stored.
• Continued soil aeration by venting the putting surfaces with needle tines.

The speed of recovery from solid-tine aeration will be directly influenced by the weather. In a normal year, the putting surfaces will be 95% healed in 7-10 days. If night time temperatures continue to remain cold, the frosty mornings could slow the growth rate of the grass. Besides growing over the solid-tine hole, the turf must also grow through the 20 tons of sand that has been applied to the surfaces. The greens maintenance will be alternated with rolling and mowing to reduce the mechanical damage from the mowers. Once healed, we'll begin slowly reducing mowing heights and preparing for summer playing conditions, set to develop a deep and healthy root system.

Mike O'Neill

GCS

#18 Bunker Project Almost Complete!

 The bunker project and fairway expansion is shaping up nicely as of this week.  We have sodded both sides of the hole and installed the drainage layer.  Next, we will be applying a permanent polymer coating to the stone to keep the stone sub-layer in place and to keep the stone from migrating into the bunker sand in the future.  This process also keeps soil and other contaminants from entering the bunker sand.  We look to complete the entire project and have the bunker open for play next week if weather cooperates.

Mike O'Neill
GCS

A New Look for Many Holes On the Golf Course.

Over the winter, the grounds staff has been very busy pruning and clearing lanes on each golf hole on the course.  Many lanes from the tee boxes were grown in and creating an unfair view of the golf hole.  Case in point is hole #10, as pictured above.  The trees on either side of the hole were pruned back to provide this view we have now.  This golf hole is already tight off the tee and reminiscent of the 18th tee view at Augusta National.  So I found it fitting to post this pic to show how tight many golf holes are here in comparison to Augusta for Masters week.  I believe many golfers will appreciate the new look on this hole as well as many of the other holes on the golf course.

Mike O'Neill
GCS

The Grass Is Growing!

The early golf season presents many challenges for the maintenance staff, the biggest being devoting much of our work week to keep up with the grass that is growing out of control.  With a limited staff this time of year it makes for a long week for our full-time staff.  What happens is when the plant goes dormant in the fall it stores all of its "Food" or carbs in the crown and root system.  When temps get up in the spring for consecutive days the stored "Food" is release in the form of top growth and the grass grows as aggressively as it will all season.  We have done our best to keep up with the growth but there are certainly thick areas of rough out there on the golf course.  The course is actually pretty clean right now with minimal sticks and debris around so we should be on the right path to a great golfing season.

Different Grasses on the Greens

Many will notice our greens look like a patch work quilt, this is due to the many different species of grasses we have on our greens.  Over the almost 100 years of our greens existence, the greens have evolved into what they are today through grass selection or the strongest survive selection.  All of the different looking patches on the greens, such as visible in the picture above, are a strain of Poa Annua.  This grass has been around forever and is the main intruder or weed in any green setting.  We cannot remove poa so we manage it the best we can and can obviously make it work well in our green setting.  The older perennial type poa's like we have, actually are a better putting surface than most bentgrass cultivars on the market today.  The problem with poa is that it produces seed heads and can impede smooth ball roll.  We time the application of growth regulators in the spring to inhibit or eliminate the seed from forming.

Mike O'Neill
GCS