September Weather Summary

 Temperature:

1. Hottest Week: The hottest week was from September 2nd to 8th with an average high temperature of approximately 84.19°F. This period would be particularly stressful for bentgrass, as it is well above the optimal growth temperature range of 60-75°F.
2. Coolest Temperatures: The coolest high temperature was 63.8°F on September 27th. This would be more within the comfort range for bentgrass, reducing physiological stress on the plant.
3. Mean Temperature: The overall mean temperature for the month was 65.9°F, which is within the optimal range, but the highs were often outside of this, creating intermittent stress periods.

Rainfall:

1. Total Rainfall: The total rainfall for September was 1.31 inches, spread over 9 days.
2. Maximum Rainfall: The maximum amount of rain received in a single day was 0.27 inches on September 17th.
3. Days of Rain: There were 9 days with rainfall greater than 0.01 inches and 6 days with rainfall greater than 0.1 inches.

Bentgrass Water Requirements:

Bentgrass typically requires about 1 to 1.25 inches of water per week under moderate conditions. Given that the total rainfall for September was 1.31 inches, this is significantly below what bentgrass would generally require. In a hot week like that from September 2nd to 8th, water requirements could be even higher due to increased evapotranspiration.

Implications for Bentgrass:

1. Stressful Periods: The hottest week (Sept 2-8) and any other days with high temperatures would be periods of high stress, requiring special attention to irrigation, potential disease outbreaks, and possible adjustment of mowing practices.
2. Less Stressful Periods: Days like September 27th, with a high of 63.8°F, would be ideal for bentgrass, offering an opportunity for recovery and potentially for carrying out more disruptive maintenance activities like aeration.
3. Water Deficit: Given the low rainfall in September compared to the bentgrass water needs, supplemental irrigation would almost certainly be necessary. Depending on soil type and other conditions, more frequent watering may be needed, especially during the hottest week.
4. Disease and Pest Management: Hot and stressful periods often coincide with outbreaks of diseases like brown patch or dollar spot and increased insect activity, requiring vigilant monitoring and possible chemical treatment.

Golf Maintenance September Schedule

Overview:

September will be a pivotal month for golf course maintenance. The core focus will be on course recovery through aerification, seeding, and targeted weed spraying. In addition, the onset of fall will necessitate a transition into leaf cleanup as part of our daily tasks.

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Scheduled Activities:

Greens Aerification

• Dates: September 18th-19th
• Course Availability: The course will be closed during these two days and will reopen on Wednesday morning.
• Procedure: The greens will undergo aerification using 5/8-inch tines, filling all holes comprehensively. This process will closely resemble our spring aerification activities, albeit with quicker healing times expected during the fall season.

Tee Box Aerification

• Dates: Two weeks following greens aerification
• Course Availability: The course will remain open. Aerification will be conducted gradually over four to five days to minimize disruption to regular play.
• Note: This is a crucial step as labor shortages precluded us from aerifying the tee boxes in the spring.

Fairway and Rough Aerification

• Procedure: Both areas will undergo extensive aerification, with special attention given to high-traffic zones, including on and off fairways, tees, and greens.
• Equipment: Our new tractor and pull-behind fairway aerifier will be utilized for larger areas. Smaller areas between the greens and bunkers will be treated with stand-on aerifiers rented from a local vendor.

Seeding and Top Dressing

• Focus Areas: Specific problem spots in fairways, roughs, and around greens will receive seeding and top dressing to aid natural regeneration.

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Weed Spraying

• Targets: Dallis grass in fairways and on the driving range tee.
• Timing: Weed spraying will commence once temperatures drop to appropriate levels.

Leaf Cleanup

• Frequency: Leaf cleanup will become a daily routine and will continue through the early weeks of December.

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Regular Maintenance

Cooler fall temperatures and anticipated normal rainfall levels should facilitate a return to standard course conditions. Routine tasks such as mowing greens and fairways, raking bunkers, and mowing the rough will continue alongside these specialized activities.

Course Conditions Report

 

Executive Summary:

The current period is one of extraordinary stress for the golf course, characterized by a prolonged drought, high temperatures, and sporadic rainfall. These climatic factors have manifested in visible brown spots across the greens, fairways, and roughs. Additional challenges include pest damage, specifically from white grubs, and an outbreak of Dollar Spot disease. Mechanical issues with our irrigation system and the absence of a functioning tractor for aeration have compounded these challenges.

Detailed Observations:

Weather Conditions:

• We are in the midst of a small drought, having received only 1.5 inches of rain over the last 25 days.
• Experienced 16 days with zero rainfall, followed by a 1.5-inch downpour, and currently are in a stretch of nine more days without rain.
• Late August and early September have seen higher than average temperatures.

Turf Health:

• Brown spots are apparent around greens, on fairways, and in the roughs.
• Some greens are beginning to show signs of burn around the edges, although their overall condition remains fair.

Pest & Disease Management:

• Notable white grub damage exacerbated by crows seeking to eat the grubs.
• An outbreak of Dollar Spot occurred after the solitary rain event, affecting the greens, tees, and fairways.

Mechanical Issues:

• Currently operating at half pumping capacity due to issues with our irrigation system.
• A tractor essential for fairway and rough aeration has been out of service but is expected to be replaced next week.

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Mitigation Measures:

• Labor Day weekend was used for spraying the fairways for Dollar Spot, while the greens and tees were sprayed the prior Thursday and Friday, respectively.
• A new tractor has been acquired, enabling us to catch up on deferred aeration tasks across the fairways and roughs.
• We continue to maintain the greens at a higher height of cut, presently at .160 inches, to be reduced as temperatures fall.

Upcoming Interventions:

• Chemical treatment for the severe Dallisgrass infestation on the driving range is planned for the upcoming weeks.

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Conclusion:

While the current weather conditions have been less than ideal, creating a range of challenges, remedial measures are in place. A comprehensive aeration schedule and overseeding treatments are planned for the immediate future. It is essential to acknowledge that course conditions are not just a reflection of current practices but also of our resource limitations earlier in the year.

2023 Turf Equipment Discussion

Existing Equipment Issues

Tractor and Backhoe

Our 1976 Ford tractor is critically outdated with hydraulic fluid leaks and structural issues, especially concerning the front wheels. Similarly, our backhoe has presented operational difficulties, notably in winter start-up, and consistently requires mechanical assistance. Both pieces of equipment are far beyond their serviceable years.

Toro 4500 D Rough Mower

This is our primary machine for maintaining the rough and it constitutes 70% of the workload in that area. Despite being new and within its first season of a four-year lease cycle, we faced multiple malfunctions. Although covered by the warranty, supply chain disruptions led to a full month of downtime in June, adversely affecting course conditions.  Things are running very smoothly with this piece of equipment now.

Pump Station & VFD Drive

Operational since March, the pump station's VFD drive's computer controller had to be replaced at a cost of $9,000. More recently, a leak in the radiator cooling system led to water intrusion into the main panel, damaging the starter contactors for Pump #1 and Pump #2. This has cut our pumping capacity in half during a crucial period of early September heat stress.  Repairs will be made to the pump station by outside contractors next week.

Fairway Spray Rig

Our fairway spray rig suffered overheating, radiator blowout, and a blown head gasket. Though the block was not cracked, we faced two months of downtime due to part unavailability, stretching our remaining spray rig to cover the entire course.  In order to accomplish spraying everything with only one sprayer, weekend spraying occurred with great frequency.

Fairway Mower

Our fleet of fairway mowers is nearing eight years of service. Currently, we are down to a single operational mower due to a back-ordered hydraulic line, severely affecting our maintenance schedule. 

Approach Mower

Responsible for the driving range tees and approaches, this mower recently suffered a starter failure, resulting in one week of downtime.

Small Rough Mower

This older machine unexpectedly caught fire on hole #17, rendering it permanently out of service. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Future Equipment Investments

John Deere Tractor

We have ordered a new John Deere tractor, which is likely to arrive within the next week. This investment is a significant step towards modernizing our equipment inventory.  The new tractor will be utilized immediately in blowing clippings and fall debris from the golf course.  It will also play a pivotal role in achieving our fairway aerification goals.

Leaf Vacuum Attachment

For fall and spring, we are exploring acquiring a leaf vacuum attachment for our dump truck, aimed at streamlining our leaf collection process.  Eliminating most of the leaf bagging from the process will save time and make the process slightly less laborious.

Tow-Behind Blower

We are in the process of obtaining quotes for a tow-behind blower that can be utilized for fairway maintenance, aiming to optimize our workflow.

Additional Rough Mower

We are evaluating options for acquiring a smaller rough mower to replace the units we have lost, depending on availability and our budget constraints.

Conclusion

The year 2023 has been particularly difficult in terms of equipment reliability and availability, stretching our maintenance team and mechanic to their limits. Considering this, proactive planning and investment in new, reliable equipment are imperative to maintain the high standards of Kenmure Country Club.

Crew Update Sept 2023

 I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the 2023 golf maintenance crew at Kenmure Country Club. This year has presented us with various challenges and opportunities, leading to some notable changes in the crew's composition.

Staffing Changes and Rebuilding

Before delving into individual performances, it's important to note that 2023 has been a year of restructuring. In February, the team was reduced to just myself and our mechanic. However, by March, we successfully rehired four of our previous seven contract labor employees. This provided immediate relief, as these individuals were already trained and could seamlessly transition back into their roles.

New Staff Members and Successes

While we were fortunate to retain some familiar faces, the quest to rebuild a solid management and backbone staff presented its share of both triumphs and setbacks.

Brad: Our first new hire was Brad, a semi-retired individual from Queens, NY. Brad previously worked in the food service industry but sought a new direction in golf maintenance. His enthusiasm and quick learning skills have already led to improvements in course setup, which includes tasks such as moving tee markers and changing cups.  He has also contributed greatly to landscape maintenance and mowing fairways.

Ricky: A recent high school graduate, Ricky joined our team with a personal goal of physical fitness in preparation for a military career. Not only has he lost over 30 pounds, but his work quality has consistently improved since he started.  Ricky is very friendly and always has something interesting to talk about.  He has learned a lot about golf maintenance this year and I hope that he sticks with it.

Holly: My wife Holly joined us after Mother’s Day to manage our horticultural endeavors. With her expertise in gardening, Holly took charge of planting and maintaining all flora around the club and entrance. She personally installed most of the annual flowers you see around the club and continues to care for them.

Austin: A Brevard native and college graduate with prior experience in National Park services, Austin has been in training to become our spray technician. He will soon complete his training and acquire his pesticide license.  Austin has also learned a great deal about golf course irrigation and has been able to troubleshoot and fix problems on his own.

Lynden: Primarily tasked with operating the large rough mower, Lynden has evolved from a work-in-progress to an exemplary employee who is reliable and proficient in his role.

Challenges and Learning Experiences

Not all hires were successful; we faced challenges with an Assistant-in-training and an initial horticulturalist who did not meet expectations. Despite their enthusiasm during the hiring process, they struggled to excel in their roles, leading to their eventual departure.

Overall Progress and Future Outlook

On balance, the year has yielded more successes than failures. Our team has weathered the challenges of a hot and laborious summer, and as we transition into the fall, we will focus on training for tasks like aerification and overseeding. The question that remains is the long-term commitment of our new hires; this will become clearer as we move into the off-season.

Recent Acquisitions and Hiring Plans

We recently hired two new contract labor employees to replace two that departed in late July, alongside the loss of two college employees in early August. These new hires are currently undergoing training on various tasks. Additionally, we are launching a hiring campaign for part-time weekend staff.