Cart Paths Only??

So far this March the weather has been unusually warm and free of snow or any moisture for that matter which has been great to get players out on the course. We have already had more than 650 rounds played in the month of march which is not something that happens very often.

All of the play is great form a revenue standpoint, but the amount of traffic coming from golf carts is taking it's toll in areas. We are technically still restricting carts to the paths only, but with the high number of handicap flags being issued a lot of wear is beginning to show up in the rough areas on the golf course. The grass is not yet growing and therefore not able to handle the traffic it is being subjected too. Many of the cart path exit and entry points are showing a great deal of stress already, this is not a good thing because these areas receive the brunt of the traffic all season long.  If these areas are worn now, it will be a long and difficult road ahead.

Until the turf is actually growing and can recuperate from the traffic it is extremely important that all carts follow the signs and traffic ropes so that these sensitive areas can be protected.  Your cooperation with this will enhance the golfing experience had by all of the membership.

What Is The Purpose Of Winter Play

 I found a great article to covers the basic reasons why we go to temporary greens in the winter months.

Here are a few excerpts from the article;
"If winter play is a controversial topic at your facility I urge you to ask the following question. What is the purpose of winter play? I doubt golfers want to compromise turf health or future playability. Instead, winter play allows golfers to work on their swing, get outdoors, and stay active and exercise......This leaves us at a crossroad. Do what's best for the turf or what's best for the golfers? The answer is undeniably do what is best for the turf!"

The article can be read in its entirety at the USGA's website Here

Winter Setup

Now that it is December we have gone to our winter golf course setup. This includes restricting carts to the paths and the use of temporary greens for the next three months.

We do all that we can to protect the golf course durring the winter months so that less outsides stresses are put on the turf.  This is key to having the course come out of winter in better condition and giving it a head start for the next growing season.

During the winter months the turf is unable to recover from divots, ball marks and wear caused by foot and cart traffic. Once the turf begins thinning out from these stresses the opportunity for Poa Annua invasion is significantly increased. Currently we dedicate a lot of resources to mange the Poa populations and by us not taking these extra precautions we would not have the same efficacy of control.  

From Blow Out To Snow Out

The day started off nice, but the weather was predicted to change by days end and it sure did.  We are into our second day of blowing out the irrigation system and it turns out our timing was pretty good to put the irrigation system to rest for the season.

Unfortunately we did not complete blowing all of the system out and we will have to finish up a few holes tomorrow with snow on the ground.  The hardest part will be getting the compressors around in the snow, but we will get it done one way or another.

Opening For Play

After nearly three months of snow cover the golf course will once again be open for play. This past weeks mild temperatures combined with snow removal has once again made the golf course mostly playable.

There still will be many northern exposure areas which are holding snow, but overall the majority of the course is clear. Currently three of the holes remain unplayable (#1,#3 and #4) other wise you will be able to get out and enjoy the course once again. We have begun the enormous task of cleaning up the Elk crap and Pine needles that were deposited in large quantities throughout. Our initial efforts have been made to both the greens and tees and will move onto fairways as weather and time allows.

The greens will once again be open for play after being on temporaries through the winter months. The use of temporary greens is perhaps one of the most important things we do to protect the overall heath of the greens. The elimination of golf traffic in the winter allows us to better fight Poa Annua and unnecessary wear and tear on the greens when they are unable to repair themselves. This break allows the greens to come out in the spring in better condition and be better suited for upcoming season long stress that they are subjected to.

Lingering Snow In Northern Exposures
Flags Back On The Greens