Thinning Out

In efforts to keep improving the overall playability of the golf course, some additional Scrub Oak trimming has been done. The clusters of Oak on the left side of hole #18 have been thinned out, so that a poorly placed tee shot can be found. In addition to the Oak being thinned out, the underbrush was also removed. This area will now closer resemble the clusters of oak found on the third hole.



Previously if a ball was hit into the dense clumps of Scrub oak you could barely find the ball, which has led to pace of play issues. Now you will be able to quickly identify if your ball is in play or not and decide what your next shot option will be. This minor change will help significantly with both pace of play issues as well as an overall improvement of playability of the finishing hole.

Making a Comeback

Early in the spring I made a post about the treatment of our Ponderosa Pines with a new soil amendment to help mitigate excessive salts from the drip lines.

We have been treating these struggling trees throughout the season and we are now beginning to see a positive turnaround in most of the trees. What started out as new candling, has progressed into positive new growth on the trees.

Many of these trees appeared to have a date with a chain saw, but this positive turnaround shows that patience is often times warranted. Philosophically, I believe we should do everything possible to save the trees first before cutting them down. There are several opinions around the Village that think if the tree looks bad it should come down without even trying any last ditch efforts to save them. I firmly believe what you are seeing now is proof positive that all options must be exhausted before finally removing any of these struggling trees.

Tree Planting

Several Ponderosa Pines were planted along the eastern side of hole #1. These trees were planted to help with screening of homes that have been constructed adjacent to the golf course. Now that the trees are in place, the berm they were planted on will be final graded and seeded to a native grass to complete the area.

Hanging In

The Ponderosa Pines that have been under stress throughout the golf course are showing signs of improvement. We have been actively treating these trees every two weeks with soil amendments to help correct soil problems. The soils contain high levels of sodium and chlorides that are a by product of the effluent water.

New Candles Pushing Out

If you look closely at the trees there is significant candling or new growth taking place, which is a very encouraging sign. I believe that we would be doing ourselves a tremendous disservice, by cutting down these mature Ponderosa’s without doing everything in our power to save them first.

Stump Grinding

Over the last several years we have lost several trees due to the negative effects of the high sodium and chloride levels found in the effluent water. In the event that a tree is taken down, it is generally replaced with a similar size tree that is spade planted in a nearby location.

Once the dead tree is removed, the only evidence of the tree’s former existence is the stump that is left behind. We periodically rent a stump grinder to remove the old stumps, so that the area can be re-sodded and put back into play. Great care is taken when grinding the stump so that the area is graded out properly, so that once sodded all clues of a tree ever being there have all but vanished.

Close Up of a Small Stump Ground Down

Sodded Over Stump in #5 Fairway

Ips Beetle Management

Proactive Treatment
Here at The Country Club were are very proactive in the treatment of our Ponderosa Pines that exist on the golf course. Each year we contract to spray all of the Pines as a preventive attempt to properly manage the Forrest. These insecticidal drenches are applied to the tree needles as well as the trunk and bark areas.

Symptoms of Ips Beetle Infestation
As adult Ips beetles enter trees and tunnel, a yellowish- or reddish-brown boring dust is produced and accumulates in bark crevices or around the base of the tree.
Small round holes in the bark of infested trees indicate the beetles have completed development in that part of the tree and the adults have exited. The presence of these holes peppering the bark show the beetles have moved to another part of the same tree or to neighboring trees.


These symptoms may be limited to parts of the tree, such as a single branch or the top. However unlike mountain pine beetle, infestation by Ips beetles does not necessarily mean the whole tree will die, but over time, attacks may progress as later generations “fill” the tree and then ultimately the host can die.




Management
To prevent Ips beetle attacks, use practices that promote vigorous tree growth. Properly siting trees in landscape plantings is important to allow optimal growing conditions as the tree matures. Freshly-cut material that results from pruning or thinning practices should be removed from the vicinity of valuable trees. Never stack green or infested coniferous wood next to living coniferous trees.
Trees at risk of Ips attack include newly transplanted trees, trees suffering root injuries from construction, and trees surrounded by large breeding populations of Ips beetles. These types of trees can benefit from preventive insecticide applications.
Insecticides are used as drenching preventive sprays on the trunks and larger branches. These insecticides need to be applied prior to adult beetle infestation. (Remember that overwintering beetles begin emerging in spring as soon as daytime temperatures consistently reach 50 F to 60 F.) However, timing can be difficult to determine since Ips beetles can have multiple, overlapping generations and life cycles. Adults have been observed entering trees during warm days as early as late-February on through November. Because of this extended activity, two treatments (early spring and summer) may be needed to protect trees during high-risk conditions.

Ips Quick Facts...
• Ips is a common group of bark beetles that infests pine and spruce trees.
• Ips beetles rarely attack healthy trees. Most problems with Ips occur to newly transplanted pines or when plants are under stress.
• Several generations of Ips can occur in a season.
• There are 11 species of Ips beetles found in Colorado.

W. Cranshaw, Colorado State University Extension entomologist and professor, bioagricultural sciences and pest management; and D.A. Leatherman, Colorado State Forest Service entomologist (Retired). This fact sheet was produced in cooperation with the Colorado State Forest Service. 12/02. Revised 11/06.

Pesticide Usage

The Facts About Golf Course Pesticides

Golf Courses are:
• Community green spaces that provide recreational opportunities and also offer and enhance wildlife habitats.
• "Air conditioners" that produce vast amounts of oxygen while cleansing the air of pollution and cooling the atmosphere.
• Water treatment systems: Healthy turfgrass is an excellent filter that traps and holds pollutants in place; courses actually serve as catch basins for residential and industrial runoff; many courses are effective disposal sites for effluent wastewater.
• Among the best ways to reclaim and restore environmentally damaged sites, such as landfills.
• Businesses that contribute substantially to communities through employment, taxes, property value improvement and enormous charitable support.
Scientific Data:
• Independent university research supports the fact that well-managed golf courses do not pose significant risks to environmental quality, wildlife or human health.
• The modern pesticides and fertilizers used to maintain healthy golf course turf have been thoroughly tested and are considered safe when used according to label directions.
• A pesticide product today has typically undergone more than 120 studies at a cost of $50 million before it is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Today's Golf Course Superintendents are educated professionals who care about environmental quality.
• Most of today's superintendents have college degrees and substantial continuing education.
• Superintendents are the nation's leading practitioners of integrated pest management, a philosophy that reduces the potential environmental risks of pesticide usage.
• Virtually all golf courses employ at least one state licensed pesticide applicator who is trained in environmentally sound pesticide use.

Are golfers at risk?
• No. There is no scientific evidence that golfers face any chronic health risks from the pesticides used to maintain courses.
• Once a liquid pesticide product is applied and the turf is dry or the product has been watered in, there is very little chance of exposure to golfers or others who enter the area.
• Golfers with possible chemical allergies are always encouraged to contact superintendents to find out what products might be in use.
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Scrub Oak Thinning

Similar to the Ponderosa Pines the Scrub Oak has grown significantly over the 23 year period of time that the golf course was built. Many areas on the course have become overgrown and now have a negative affect on playability. One of the areas we have recently targeted is the hill leading up to #9 green. I have seen early pictures of how the hole looked back in 1985 and the Scrub Oak was non existent to the left of the rock outcropping. We have removed the Scrub Oak and reseeded the area with a true native grass that will allow for a more playable area on the hillside. The hole now more closely resembles and plays to the original design intent.

#9 Before


#9 1986 Opening Season


#9 After

Trees and Turf Best Friends?

Both routinely co-exist most everywhere you look, but on the surface and below a tremendous battle is taking place. Both are competing for space, nutrients, soil moisture and sunlight. When the pendulum shifts in the favor of one of the species the other almost always suffers and declines in vigor and health. The best examples of this can be found on putting greens that are heavily shaded and as a result they are often the weakest greens on the course. Over the years we have drastically thinned out trees that shade our greens and each have improved with the passing years. The best example of this could be found on #11 green where two massive trees were removed as a part of the bunker renovation project. This green has gone from one that had to be babied daily, to one the stronger ones on the course.

Soil Modification in Tree Drip Lines

Tree care in the winter is almost more critical than during the summer. It is during this time that the trees are more susceptible to desiccation which predisposes them to other failures such as insect infestation and poor soil quality issues. We address these concerns with active winter watering targeting the more stressed trees. Water applications are made to the tree drip lines that include soil amendment such as Gypsum and other proprietary chemicals that address the poor soil conditions.

Tree Reports

From time to time we have outside consultants look at different areas on the golf course. One of the more visible areas that are observed is the overall health and appearance of our Ponderosa Pine forest. For the past thirteen years we have utilized Swingle Tree to manage our forest that the golf course is cut into. Swingle has handled all of the preventive spraying of the trees for IPS Bark Beetle as well as other selected services. Some of these other services that have been provided are: Iron injections, fertilizer drenches, anti-transparent applications and radial fracturing. The biggest obstacle we have in properly maintaining our trees comes from the water source the course is irrigated with. We utilize effluent or reclaimed wastewater which is environmentally responsible, but it comes with some significant negatives. The problem with the water is the high levels of sodium and chlorides both of which have negative effects towards plant growth. Below is the latest report from Swingle as to the overall health and condition of the trees on the golf course.

Radial Fracturing of Tree Drip lines

Radial fracturing is one of the techniques we have had Swingle Tree perform on some of our more critical trees. This is an aggressive procedure that is done to the soil underneath the drip line of the tree as kind of a last ditch effort to save it. Below is a link to an article found in Grounds Maintenance Magazine that details the procedure.Treating soil compaction near trees

Tree Management

Golf course management encompasses not only the management of turfgrass, but the management of trees and other native plant materials. Trees can have negative impacts to the quality of turf. The tree canopy blocks direct sunlight from hitting the turf and slows the production of chlorophyll, which is a key component of active plant growth. Eleven green is a perfect example of how removing two trees that heavily shaded the green surface has improved the quality of turf significantly. Additionally trees that become overgrown as they mature can also have a negative effect on the playability and strategy of the golf course. The Country Club is 23 years old and several of the Ponderosa pines that were small at the time of construction, have become problematic over time. The pictures below show before and after shots of different holes and how the playability has now been improved due to tree removal. Not all of these trees were cut down as one of the pictures show several were relocated to other strategic locations on the golf course.
Hole #4 Before

Hole #4 After

Hole #6 Before

Hole #6 After

Hole # 10 Before

Hole # 10 After

Tree spade removing tree to be relocated