Corral de Tierra Country Club Maintenance Blog

"Drop In Sometime"

2012-01-28T05:42:00.000-08:00

Minor repairs and improvements are a part of the daily maintenance of the course. This drainage drop inlet was raised and leveled today. This little improvement is good for the mowers (less scalping), players (less awkward lies) and the course (drains correctly keeping the surface drier and firmer).

Backpack Attack

2012-01-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

Spot spraying disease on the golf course is a much more cost efficient and environmentally friendly way of controlling localized disease areas. Instead of spraying 120,000 square feet of turf, we might spray 1,000 square feet and control the problem before it gets out of control.

A 3 gallon backpack sprayer is used to apply a fungicide that should control whatever particular disease we are currently hosting.

Raining Fish and Kelp

2012-01-24T15:31:00.000-08:00

Keeping the greens (and all the other areas of the course) green and growing during the winter is a tricky job. Convincing grass that would normally take it easy for the winter to keep growing takes some special ingredients.

We have talked about some of the fertilizers that we use and the philosophy in the past. The method of application is also interesting. We use a nozzle made by FCI (Rainmaker) that we have calibrated to apply 11 gallons of mix per 1,000 square feet. That is important so that we know how much nitrogen or other ingredients we are really applying to the turf. The application may look hap hazard or unsophisticated but it is really a great way to insure proper over lap without tire marks or doubling up of rates on the over lapped areas. Also, it is a great way to get the fertilizer to interact with the soil, thatch and plant tissue all in the same application without the need to apply water through the sprinkler heads after the application.

Applicator "raining" the fertilizer

This method is good for the environment because the fertilizer lands and stays where we want it. The need for irrigation to be run after an application is removed as is the chance that the fertilizer will be washed to a concentrated area or washed away from the intended sight. Sometimes "old school" methods are still the best. It certainly works for us.

16 Bridge Update

2012-01-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

The crossing over the 16th hole will open soon. The railing needs to be installed so no accidents occur. The wood railing should be completed this week or early next week.

Storm Update

2012-01-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Disregard the date... it is really Monday January 23rd (not the 22nd). Day late, dollar short.

Leaves being swept hole #7

Bunkers on hole #6 being blown out

Leaves being blown and swept on hole #7

Tree behind #11 green being cleaned up

#9 Pine needle debris being blown

Driving Range Drainage

2012-01-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

Win / Win / Win

The guys stay warm by exercising, the driving range is better drained and future repair work to the bunker is avoided.

Just in Time

2012-01-19T06:44:00.000-08:00

As the rains approach for the first time in 2012, we are now better prepared. The creek crossing on hole 16 has been completed and should be in use within a week.

Hand rails and finishing touches will be completed soon even if the predicted rains come.

Jack Frost Visits Corral

2012-01-18T07:15:00.000-08:00

24 degrees two mornings in a row makes for cold soil temperatures, delayed tee times, cold hands and a record breaking consumption of coffee.

1.5 gallons of coffee drank from 5:45 am to 8:45am! Great job guys! Maybe we can break this record tomorrow!

Corral TV 16 Bridge

2012-01-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

A brief video Inside the Corral

Scary Times

2011-11-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year when scary things happen...

yep

time to aerify the greens.

Check out these torture devices we use to aerify the greens in order to provide excellent conditions the rest of the year.

This contraption shoves sharp spikes into the ground!!!ooohhhh

(This is the Wiedenmann Terra Spike that can aerify to a depth of 10". We will use a 1" solid tine to that depth in order to create a column of sand from the surface down to allow the greens to drain and be properly flushed)

Incredible flesh wounds are their specialty!!

(1/2" solid tines used to push sand and soil amendments into the top 4" of the soil profile. This dilutes the organic matter and adds necessary nutrients to just the right spot.)

Medieval nail boards are still the rage!!

(These solid tines made by Miltona are called Job Savers. They are used to create seed beds for over seeding but are also great for use in tucking sand into the top 3/4" of the green. Again, putting the sand and amendments just where they are needed.)

Better than a wooden stake through a vampires heart!!

(These are the 1" solid tines used to create columns of sand that will provide necessary drainage throughout 2012.)

Lots of man hours and many other torture devices are used to complete this painful (for you and me) task. The greens have thrived over the last several years due to the preventative maintenance practices that are currently in place. The weekly fertilization program keeps the thatch under control and the need to do multiple, major aerifications throughout the year unnecessary. This keeps the torture devices locked up in the barn and a smile on all our faces.

November 7th we will aerify half of the golf course. Tuesday the 8th, half the golf course will be closed and half open for play on the newly aerified surfaces. Surprisingly, we always seem to get a good crowd of players who must love to play on heavily sanded, aerified greens out playing that day.

Look for a posting regarding the fairway aerification program soon. You don't want to miss what we have in store for those 30 acres!!

What's Eating You?

2011-08-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

...that is what I asked the greens the other day... What's eating you? They said, "anthracnose, make it stop".

Usually, when the turf here at Corral contracts a disease it is not severe and doesn't take long for the turf to recover. The poa annua suffers and the bent grass is given the chance to continue its' take over of the putting surfaces. The reason for this phenomenon is the way we fertilize the turf. As has been mentioned in other posts on this blog as well as posts written by fellow believers in this method, we are trying to harden the turf plant off so that it is strong, slow growing and less susceptible to disease all while promoting bent grass and deterring poa annua.

Ingredients found in a typical multi vitamin are used to feed the plant on a weekly basis. In fact micro nutrients given in heavy doses can help manipulate the playing surface extremely well.

Vitamin b, citric acid, iron, calcium, iodine from kelp, potassium, magnesium, manganesse, copper, zinc, and boron are all put into a mix that is sprayed on the grass. Good for you, good for the grass.

One ingredient that really helps kick out one of the legs on the 3 legged stool of disease is iron. Ferrous Sulfate dries out the surface and dosen't allow the disease to find a comforatable place to live and spread. Zinc and manganesse act like those losengers that help you recover from a cold or sore throat.

With all that being said....sometimes all the random conditions that are perfect for a disease outbreak fall into
place and the grass sucumbs to the pressure. That is what happened in June to the poa / bent greens at Corral.

Anthracnose got so bad it dropped into the roots and affected the plants to the core making it even more difficult to stop the spread.

This year we were unable to go the entire 365 day stretch without appling a fungicide to the greens as we have in previous years. We did however stop the spread of the disease and witness complete turf recovery in a relatively short time period. The things we normally do and the fertilizers that we normally use will continue to be utilized. I believe the method of keeping the surface dry, smooth and short have helped protect the grass from disease. When necessary, fungicides will be used for the health of the plant just like a shot of penicillin.

Good news is that the bentgrass was not affected and was allowed to overtake the sick poa annua and fill in the diseased areas.

Keeping our Equipment Clean

2011-08-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

Our staff prides themselves on keeping the mowing equipment and utility vehicles in top condition by cleaning them on a regular basis. By blowing the clippings off first, then hosing all debris off before it is parked, they make sure it will be ready to be sharpened by the mechanics or used the next time it is needed.

Ok, Ok you got me!! these are not our utility vehicles that we use to move sand around the course or transport mowers.

Corral has its' very own car wash manned by one of the best in the business, Efren!!

Bring your car to Efren and he can make your 1972 VW bus look just like these vehicles pictured above!! He works wonders!!

Call and make an appointment and fill out a form in the bar, office or golf shop.

Lego my Logo

2011-08-30T02:05:00.000-07:00

Logos are fun to create and can really highlight a tournament or make an outside event feel really special.

Club logo painted in black and silver for the men's invitational

10th tee logo

Old school Corral logo on the first tee

WGA Invitational boots in the sand on hole 11 ... western themed "Rhinestones in the Rough"

Josie's Tale

2011-08-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons (I'm not making excuses) that I have not posted for a while is that I am writing a bunch of other news articles, updates, and articles for publications. I am also over seeing and editing Josie, the club's goose dog's monthly article.

Josie in her WGA Invitational Outfit

Josie dreaming of the day she wins at the dog show

Josie sleeping in a wagon at the house

Josie sleeping anywhere she can... she does a lot of running all day long

The following is the article that Josie wrote for the August 2011 club newsletter.

Josie's Tale August 2011

Dogs Shows… what’s up with that? A beauty contest for dogs? A bunch of prissy dogs prancing around trying to out prance the one before them…. Really? Let me bark to the dogs out there for a second. Come on guys and girls, get a grip… put a paw down and get your pride back, “just say no to the show”.

You might ask how I would know anything about these shows, well, I attended the Del Monte Kennel Club dog show down in Carmel this last weekend, not to compete but for research for my article, and learned a lot about dogs, people and life.

As I exited the truck, the aroma of dogs and all the information hidden within the smells came flooding toward me. Happy dogs, sad dogs, one dog looking for a boyfriend and another just wanting to find that elusive squirrel. Every one of them seemed to have something different on their minds but the owners had tunnel vision. “Just another beauty contest”, I said to myself but then out of the corner of my beautiful brown eyes, (yes I can be vain too), I saw the real competition….obedience and agility trials. These dogs had it together, they knew their job and did it well.

Looking around during the show I was struck by all the different types, sizes, breeds, colors and ages of the dogs there. It takes all kinds to make the show really interesting. Some are there for the competition, some really enjoy the time away from home, some love the activities and exercise yet others just want to chill in their temporary homes away from home.

You know what? This is not unlike Corral de Tierra Country Club. It is where different kinds of people are gathering together enjoying their time away from home in a place that feels just like home. Exercising, enjoying the sites, relaxing, getting special ”treats” from the bar or snack bar…doing exactly what they want with others who enjoy doing it too.

Those dogs had their way of communicating, (which I would not recommend for you) and you have yours. So spread the word about our great get away!!

I didn’t change my mind about dog shows but the adventure to Carmel did open my eyes to a whole different side of a dog’s life. For now, I am more than content running the course, chasing squirrels, digging out gophers and chasing off geese but one day, after I retire ….

Don’t be surprised if you hear about the “The World’s Greatest Dog, Best in Every Class, All time Champion”, me….Josie.

Bugs in a Jug

2011-08-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes fertilizer that has (or possibly has) living micro organisms will be referred to as "bugs in a jug" by superintendents who are skeptical.... in other words they don't believe in the stuff. When you look closely at the labels of these special fertilizers they will include nitrogen and iron and billions of live organisms. When applied, one can not be sure if the living organisms are still alive or doing anything in the soil and for the plant. I would probably include myself in this group of skeptics most of the time.
However....

When the bugs in the jug are really bugs you can see, how can you argue?

My wife bought some lady bugs to eat the aphids that were eating our apple tree in the backyard.

I guess all the environmental talks we have had are paying off.

Thanks

2011-08-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog Reader,
Thanks for continuing to come to the site to check in even though there has been no posts.

15,000 page views in one year?!?! Obviously this blog is read and should continue....so here it goes....

He's Back!!

2011-07-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Today, I had Jason Barti, a local beekeeper, come out and help me deal with a yellowjacket nest behind the 18th green. It was interesting to talk to him about bee/wasp behavior patterns. And how to deal with different nesting sights. In this case, we had a ground nest and there is a particular way to deal with it.

We used some liquid soap and water. Filled up a 5 gallon bucket and poured it down into the hole. The soap helps penetrate the honeycomb and kill the nest. A second bucket of soapy water was added after digging around in the nest and making sure no dry areas are left.

I believe it was successful. But,we'll keep an eye on it.

Gopher Snacks, Robots and Kirby Markers?

2011-06-14T01:26:00.000-07:00

Got your attention?!?!? I thought so.....

This 3 foot length of wire was completed stripped of it's outer cover by a gopher who got a little hungry.

When this happens, the wire makes contact with the soil and grounds out the power that should be sent to the sprinkler head to cause it to water the turf. It can't work and grass dies.

Julio has gotten real good at locating where these breaks are by using a ground fault locator.

Not only do they make dirt mounds and create holes to trip in, now they are ruining the irrigation system.

Robot? Just a little half finished person Mario has been putting together over the last few years with throw away old worn parts. Little did I know when I asked him for a statue to put out near the entry to the maintenance facility he could create such a piece of art. He is just in need of some arms.... what could we use?

Okay.

The real news.

The Kirby yardage markers on the course have been replace with new ones.

Now the numbers can be read easily and all are level and obvious.

Check your yardage and stay below the hole.

More Sand

2011-06-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

Today the fairways were topdressed with sand. The fairways have thrived this year and seem to love the light but frequent topdressings that are completed in a day.

The greens were also needle tine aerified and topdressed with dry sand. A deep soaking with the irrigation sysem should push the sand in and then they will be rolled before the ladies tee off tuesday morning.

Arachnophobia

2011-06-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

This package was left for me last Saturday on my desk.

I came into the office that afternoon to check on things and found this guy crawling around. How did whoever catch this guy get him into the fairly small mouth of this bottle?

Come to find out, he was jumping across the 12th green that morning and needed to be moved. The guys wanted him to be famous so they left him on my desk. After a brief photo shoot, he was released back into the wild unharmed. Watch out.....THEY'RE OUT THERE!!!!!!

Bees #13 Fairway

2011-06-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

The last few days we've had some visitors camp out on a couple of trees along the #13 fairway.
European honey bees. Thankfully, not their cousins the Africanised bees which tend to be more aggressive and less tolerable to visitors. There was another tree on the lower half of #13 fairway that had a second cluster of bees.

The cool overcast conditions where perfect and kept the populations from swarming and easier to collect. We had a beekeeper come out and collected both hives.

Sorry, I couldn't get any closer with the video but, you know I just didn't want to get STUNG!!

Drainage

2011-05-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

With the help of the equipment used during the course wide installation of drainage and the skills learned during that job, the drainage in the nursery was installed in one day.

Drainage was completed in the green as well and the rootzone mix will be installed next.

2-Day Bunker

2011-05-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

The revetted bunker update is that it was completed in 2 days.

Now, everything that I read about revetted bunkers said things like "labor intensive to build", "it took 2 people 2 weeks to build", etc. To tell the truth ... this scared me as we finished up this bunker because I could only guess that either we did it completely wrong and the sod wall was going to cave in or fall over any minute OR we were really good at this type of construction without having any experience.

After finishing the wall, drainage was added and sod was laid on the top and surrounding area.

The drainage is the same as the rest of the bunkers on the course and the floor of the bunker was lined.

With the bunker done, we then moved on to leveling tees and coring out the green.

Even Josie appreciates the new bunker ...

Another Lake? NO

2011-05-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked if we are building another lake between holes 6 and 7.

No.

As has been mentioned in multiple posts and news letters ... it is a sod nursery.

Now that that is cleared up let's talk bunkers. A few years ago I had the chance to visit Ireland and see a few great courses and play out of some tough bunkers.

One type of bunker is the revetted bunker. There are several famous ones out there that no one ever wants to get into for fear of never seeing day light again.

As we started shaping the soil, moving dirt, forming what will soon be a new par 3 golf hole that will be used as a nursery and practice facility, visions of Ireland kept jumping back into my head.

The green started to take shape...a raised green with flared up edges that can be seen from all four tees.

With the coring of the green complete, it was time to decide if a low maintenance, visually different, accent bunker could be created.

The shape of the green surround was created by mimicking the backdrop ... the hills that create the "fence of earth", Corral de Tierra. The left side of the green surround set up the perfect place to sculpt a bunker with a steep face in the back without creating too difficult of a shot for practicing.

But remember...low maintenance ( no problem, flat bottom without a flashed sand face), visually different ( how about a perfect 23 foot diameter circle, can't wait for the satellite photo showing a big white dot) and a accent ( let's create a sod faced circle bunker set 4 feet lower than the green just to the right).

Dig it. Grade it.

Looking down into it.

Looking right toward the front of the green.

Preped and ready to go.

We needed some sod for bricks. Rough sod cut to 18" squares.

Paint the circle and start laying the bricks, add some sand as mortar, compact and repeat.

After getting the first couple rows level, the process sped up.

Our secret weapon for this revetted bunker is an irrigation system to keep the entire wall alive and well.

Subsurface drip irrigation was added to keep this cool looking bunker happy and, well, cool.

The wall is about halfway built at this point but from the tees looks to be about 6 feet tall.

Wednesday we will wrap up the construction of the wall and finish grading the surround. Irrigation and drainage installation continues but should be complete by the end of the week.

It's a Miracle

2011-05-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Children's Miracle Network had a charity tournament on Friday and the staff added a little something extra to the event. Besides having the course in superb condition and the weather turning sunny for the afternoon event, their logo was added in several areas.

After downloading their new 2011 logo off the Internet, I decided that since it was so simple we could make a template out of cardboard and make each tee maker part of the logo.

The "basket" part of the logo hot air balloon is supposed to be red, and it was for the red tee markers, but it had to be blue for the men's tees.

The logo in the sand on hole 11 was added for the final touch.

Another excellent presentation of the fabulous golf course.

A Great Day to be a Duck

2011-05-18T06:39:00.000-07:00

It has been raining now for days.... in MAY!!

It was a great day for us to level some tees in the new nursery area while the "DUCKS" were playing in the rain.

The California Women's Amateur Championship was welcomed back to Corral with some fitting wet weather for the CWAC. You know how ducks love the wet weather! The spotters and officials seem to be having the worst of it... sitting in a cold, wet cart while the players are keeping themselves warm with the stress of shooting a low score.

The rain, unexpected for this time of the year, was great for the project in the nursery area as well. It settled the dust and made clear where drain lines are needed.

Nursery

2011-04-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Nursery

"a place set apart for young ; a place where young trees or other plants are raised for transplanting ..."

From time to time the inevitable happens and turf grass dies. Without a good nursery area available to raise the same identical turf, the job to repair damaged areas successfully gets extremely difficult quickly.

The old nursery area between holes 6 and 7 had been reduced down to a 4,000 square foot green that had accumulated a large amount of thatch. The sod was no longer able to be used for major repairs to the greens but was OK for small areas needing cup size plugs. Thankfully we have not needed very many plugs and no major repairs have been necessary either but ... you never know.

Since we need a nursery and the best nurseries are maintained the exact same way as the rest of the course, we decided to build another golf hole. This 140 yard par 3 golf hole will serve as a practice area as well as the nursery. It will be mowed, fertilized, top dressed and cared for exactly the same way as the rest of the holes.

So far we are on budget ...$0.00

The equipment is either ours or borrowed, the grass that was the nursery green will now be the 16th extended collar and the Black and Blue 8th tee, the soil that is being excavated is sandy making it a great growing medium and the grass will be grown in from aerification plugs off the course and some seed.

This project will beautify the over grown no man's land, provide a much needed nursery and be a great practice facility addition.

Walking the Runway

2011-04-29T23:07:00.000-07:00

Members can now walk the runway in style across the bridges on holes #2, 3 and 9.

This non slip material is held down with screws so we can easily repair the bridge or remove the mat to clean underneath. Just one more way we are trying to keep the members safe on the frosty morning walks.

Another "runway" is the plank foot bridge across the creek on hole #9. When the creek is not flowing, this new addition will give the membership a firm footed walk across the soft sandy creek bed. Please restrict the use to foot traffic only. Carts are not meant to travel here and will only ruin the planks prematurely or get themselves stuck.

Taking the Hump Out

2011-04-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Tees, over the years develop a hump in the middle where most of the wear occurs thanks to divots and the process of filling them. The lower driving range tee was a great example of a narrow tee with a severe hump ("crown") in the middle. So much so, that it was nearly unusable.

Day one: sod cut and removed, material leveled with laser level and prepared for sod.

Day two: big roll sod laid by our staff

Day three: ready for use.

The par three, 8th hole blue tee is another glowing example of a tee with a hump / crown that is in need of leveling. The amount of use this tee gets is incredible so the size of the tee needs to increase as well. With the work in the nursery between holes 6 and 7 generating soil, we thought this would be a great time to repair the 8th tee as well. Monday, May 2nd the blue and black tee will be enlarged and leveled.

Sometimes

2011-04-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get to spend time with my family ....

Being impressed with special skills....

Sleeping at baseball practice...

Cheering at games...

Supervising the fashionable landscape staff...

while enjoying a root beer float, eat it with a spoon thick ....

Taking hikes with Josie and the kids...

Never mind ......., irrigation mainline break, got to get back to it.

Maybe next Saturday will be just as good.

Happy Easter!!!

Raging Waters Amusement Park comes to Pastures of Heaven!

2011-04-21T02:39:00.000-07:00

We are not selling tickets to the log flume yet ... still have some kinks to work out with insurance and all ....

Toro Creek, which meanders through the golf course, is finished flowing for the season. Damage in the form of a giant sink hole under the first fairway was repaired and the pipes carrying water under the 16th weir will be replaced soon also.

Until next season, the amusement park ride will be closed, unlesssss ..... maybe we could call it the "Golf Ball Eating Sand Monster"! I can see it now... "Step right up ladies and gents, test your golf ball hitting skills against the meanest, dry creek bed in the county ... if your DARE! HA,HA,HA,HA"

Carl Spackler Would Be Proud

2011-04-20T01:13:00.000-07:00

We have not gotten to the point where we are bringing out high explosives to manage our gopher population yet, but we are not ruling it out.

Click here for a Video of Carl's Plan

So far we are trapping them, and putting poison out for the gophers and the field mice that create tripping hazards by digging holes. These bait stations keep the poison dry and protected from birds and larger animals.

If the traps and poison don't get them, our secret weapon ,Josie, will track them down.

When she finds them she gives them a stern talking to ... face to face.

Every now and then she finds one that refuses to listen and obey. How dare they turn their back on you Josie!!

Sooner or later they all come around ...

We here at Bushwood .... I mean Corral, thank you for your patience while we deal with pests. Click here for a short video for those who just can't get enough Caddy Shack!

Oldie but Goodie

2011-04-19T03:22:00.000-07:00

Who is the real oldie but goodie??

Sure the Tractor is over 30 years old, has over 20,000 hours on it and is still used weekly (check out the fancy new fenders we put on it!!!) ..... Sure the blower is 25 years old and still does it's job without complaining ...... BUT do you see the guy in the background?!?! Brian has been here 21 years, still keeps the equipment running eventhough he has a bunch of guys trying to create work for him by breaking everything they touch ... or so Brian claims this is the case. Sure Brian doesn't have fancy new fenders and he does sometimes complain, but I have not met a happier mechanic ..... I know what you are thinking but I really meant that as a compliment.

Thanks Brian for putting up with us and keeping the wheels rolling.

FYI: Brian is not an "oldie", he is mature beyond his years.

These Whiskers Don't Need a Shave

2011-04-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

Think of them as mini hazard stakes. Whiskers, stake chasers, marking flags ... call them what you will but they make a great alternative to always having to paint the hazard lines.

What started out as a way to permanently mark where the hazard line should be painted and also mark where a mow line should be maintained, ended up being an excellent way to provide a great hazard line.

Just as noticeable but less obtrusive than 1.5" stakes, these whiskers are easy to maintain, can be seen from a distance, last for years, are easy to install and define the hazard line quite well.

We are still testing them out, but if we could reduce the use of paint put on the turf we could save hundreds of dollars of paint costs, reduce waste in the landfill, keep the hazards well defined and better utilize hundreds of hours of labor annually.

Eco-friendly Hazard lines. Go figure, what next.

Masters Goes West

2011-04-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Corral National beat some golfers up Saturday, April 9th during the Masters Mixer, but Michael Schoeder had no problems all day. He never missed a putt that was within 8 feet and shot a personal record 34 on the back nine. Michael won the individual, the team and the Pro/Am ..... can you say trifecta? When you're hot, you're hot and when you're not .... well, better luck next year.

Flowering Wildly

2011-03-19T05:08:00.000-07:00

Last year we started using wild flowers to add color to some of the out of play areas. With good success last summer into fall, we decided to try to keep those areas flowering year round.

After the summer to fall flowers were done showing their color and were fading into the sunset, we scalped the areas down and seeded with a blend that was to emerge in the spring. Well, spring has sprung and the flowers are starting to peak out. Yellow, orange and purple swaths are starting to show on the east side of the pond between holes 15 and 18.

These flowers are still young and will grow to be about 12" tall with multiple flowers are each stem.

California Poppys are also starting to emerge but it will be a while before they flower.

Textures

2011-03-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

My daughter is in 4-H and has been taking part in a photography class. She is doing a great job and has an eye for interesting subjects ... so much so she won first place in her division and then best over all / peoples choice award for another photo.

Her most recent assignment was to photograph textures and patterns.

Back to the golf course for a tie in from my personal life....

Walking the golf course this last week with her asignment bouncing around in my head really opened my eyes to all the textures and patterns we have out here on the course. In fact EVERYWHERE I looked I saw textures and / or patterns.

Next time that your mind wonders .... take a look around, where ever you are, and look for textures and patterns. Telephone poles going down the road, crop rows, windows in a building, concrete, grass, bridge construction, tire tracks ...

These two photos were taken on the course.

Most of you know what this photo is of, but do you know WHERE it was taken?

.eert eromacys a ni yawriaf fo thgir keerc eht fo edisneerg ,31# eloH : rewsnA

Rolling

2011-03-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

Rolling is an important part of our maintenance for the greens at Corral. Over the years we have used everything from a light weight TruTurf roller to a 3 Ton vibratory asphalt roller on our greens for everything from construction to aerification repair or just everyday rolling.

Currently, we are using a Salsco roller. This gas powered two large drum roller does a great job smoothing the surface, decreasing disease pressure, leaves a clean surface (doesn't bubble up any topdressing sand) and increases ball roll.

Rolling the greens 4 to 6 times per week really helps keep them in top condition

Dull to Shinny

2011-03-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

The tee markers that we use are colored balls with a spike coming out of the bottom (Fore-Ever-Marked medium tee markers with short neck). They work well, are very visible, classic, commonly used in the area but are expensive to replace. $12 each doesn't sound bad until you multiply it by 8 on each hole and 18 holes ... 144x$12=$1728+ tax = $1870

Instead of buying new we refurbish ours form time to time. All the markers are brought in on a closed day and the work begins. A drill is used to spin the ball while sand paper takes off the finish and roughs up the surface.

Then the balls are dipped in a two part solution that revitalizes the tee markers and gives them a brand new glossy finish. (Total cost $400 every other year)

They then drip dry and solidify over night.

The next morning they are ready to be put back out onto the course before play so nobody even realizes they were missing. Even in the early morning low light they are shinny once again.

First Fruits

2011-02-22T05:05:00.000-08:00

Over the years we have added plant material and sometimes crops to our landscape areas for beauty and for the harvest. This year, the warm temperatures now combined with the rain have brought the blooms out early.

Frank with the first of our artichokes this season. Is it really as big as his head?!?!

Ok, so it's not that big (nothing is as big as Frank's head) ... but I am sure the next ones will be bigger.

Bulbs have jumped out early this year.

Fava bean pods are getting big fast.

Wild flowers are now starting to bloom.

Blec @ St Andrews and Corral

2011-02-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

Check out what I just found!! Go figure, St Andrews (the greatest links course ever) uses the same technique to drain it's fairways as we do. 600 years of golf there and they are still not done with all the "construction" and drainage work. We have only been at it for 51 years here at Corral de Tierra Country Club. What will our future hold?

St Andrews Drainage Link (click here)

The Blec Ground Breaker / Sandmaster slicer and sand banding machine has been used at Corral for the last four years with great success.

Drainage + Topdressing = Happiness

2011-02-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

4" of rain fell on the course over the last 6 days and yet we mowed fairways on Sunday and the carts are NOT restricted to the paths today, Monday, Presidents Day Holiday.

Just 48 hours ago the rain was falling hard and now no water being splashed up by cart tires.

We weathered the storm and are now reaping the benefits of an excellent drainage infrastructure. Come out and enjoy the course before more rain (and possibly snow) hits later this week.

It Just Keeps Coming

2011-02-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

After a dry January and much talk about a dry La Nina year destined to cripple the area .... RAIN. And lots of it!! Tuesday night, after finishing the topdressing of the fairways, brought a half inch of rain.

Wednesday another .35 inches fell and the creek started to run. Golfers (a few with shorts on) came out anyway.

Thursday, after sending the crew home early, rain and sleet fell for another 1.3 inches. Believe it or not, golfers were out.

Friday, another short day for the crew, .85 inches fell with a couple of really hard down pours.

Yes, we had golfers.

Saturday started out nice but more rain blew in for another .65 inches.

We were able to mow the greens and rake the bunkers and players were out in force.

Now lets' watch how well the drainage works!!

Sanding a Little at a Time

2011-02-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

We have applied 70-80 tons of sand per acre to the fairways annually each of the last 5 years. This may seem like a lot but it is necessary to keep the thatch under control and the ability of the surface water to continue to access the drainage system below.

What IS a lot is the amount of sand that has been applied in the spring all at one time. 45 tons per acre in one application is an incredible amount of sand for the turf to absorb at one time. After considering all possibilities, the agronomically and financially better practice is to apply the topdressing in smaller amounts more often. Agronomically, the sand will have a thinner layer of organic material to break down and will possibly do it even faster. Financially, we will be able to apply the sand ourselves with our own equipment saving the cost of an outside vendor.

February 14-16 we are applying the first dose of sand at 10 tons per acre. Hopefully the predicted rain will help push the sand in and the process will go smoothly.

The Bunker "FLIP"

2011-02-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

Since the installation of our new bunkers 3 1/2 years ago, the sand has performed very well and has added to the fun of bunker shots. But, as time goes by the sand tends to settle down and get somewhat firm. (causes: rain, overhead irrigation, hand and machine raking). This increases the challenge of an already difficult shot.

So, we decided to turn over the sand by hand or flip it to soften the flatter areas for a better playable lie. The club head should enter and glide through the sand instead of bouncing off the hardened sand. A firm bank will remain in order to allow balls to funnel down to the flat bottoms.

After the turning process is done, we will take our mechanical rake around the bunker and then smooth out the sand with a final hand raking.

The result is a softened groomed bunker that will play better and add to the enjoyment of the round.

Lava Flow

2011-02-08T18:51:00.000-08:00

The sand in the bunkers has been trying to escape and has been jumping out into the grass. Actually it has been drug out by the mechanical sand rake and blown out when the guys blow the pine needles and leaves before raking. Either way it was in need of being escorted back into the bunkers where it belongs soooooo ...

The guys used hoses and washed the sand back into the bunkers temporarily creating the lava flow look around the edges. The next morning before play arrived the bunkers were put back together, raked and the grass along the edges could live to see another day.

Spruce up the Trees

2011-02-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

I know we don't have spruce trees but we did need to try and make the oaks and cypress trees a little nicer around the bases.

A little gorilla hair mulch in the tree wells should make them look a little fancier and not affect play.

Superbowl Mixer XLV

2011-02-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

Did not matter who you were rooting for, we had you covered if you were playing in the Men's Superbowl Mixer.

Not sure if anyone hit it long through the goal posts but they were there just in case.

Owls...the better gopher trap

2011-01-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

The crew, armed with many traps, have kept the gopher population under control but reinforcements are on the way. Apparently, owls eat alot of rodents. All kinds, big and small, and none safe when these warriors are around. When I say they eat "alot" that means 60-70 lbs in an eight week period when there are babies involved. "Alot" means 1500-3000 rodents in a season. Wow!

So in order to help recruit these new crew members, housing was erected. The first owl condo was placed between holes 1 and 9 with others to be placed in the native areas across the entire golf course.

This is just another attempt to reduce pesticides and improve conditions for less money.

Looks like there is a buffet close by this new house....."come and get it"!! Who knows, we might even put one of our infrared security cameras in one of the boxes for Corral's first Owl Box Cam. Stay Tuned!

Giant Gophers?

2011-01-14T07:36:00.000-08:00

If you look to the right of the 6th hole you will see mounds of dirt piled in the "boneyard". It is not giant gophers or work on the well that has created these temporary mounds. As we remove kikuyu grass from the deep roughs we are burying it deep in the bowels of the boneyard. When the holes are filled and capped with plenty of soil, the remainder will be used on maintenance projects or just spread out in the area and replanted.

New Year, New Sign

2011-01-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a great crew, I won't be making very much money.

A Look Back on December 2010

2010-12-28T09:42:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy few weeks and I wanted to update the blog before the end of the year. So here is a look back at December and several new updates that have been waiting to be posted.

2010 Roberto Cup

2010-12-28T09:40:00.000-08:00

A great time was had by all who participated in the 2010 Roberto Cup Tournament. A little free hand painting in the sand proclaimed the festivities.

Santa's Sleigh Ride

2010-12-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

The WGA's Christmas Tournament and Party was a grand time. The cross country tournament took the ladies over the hills and through the woods and back to the clubhouse they went. The first hole send the ladies off the 10th tee, down the hill and onto the 18th green, a simple par 3 for the first group. Several of the ladies had to show me their tee shot and I must say they were impressive. There was some talk about changing the course to include this new par 3.

Tee Monuments Get Face Lift

2010-12-28T09:30:00.001-08:00

Several years ago we made our own tee monuments out of cypress wood. We had someone with a portable saw mill cut the wood into 8" x 8" beams and we took it from there. The crew was then in charge of cutting, sanding and branding them so they were ready for the golf course.

The weather has gotten the best of them so it is time to resurface them.

After sanding them back down to smooth clean wood, we brand them with the hole number and logo.

A propane burner is used to heat the brands.

Welding gloves used for safety and a steady hand used for neatness.

This year we are sealing the monuments with a clear varnish. Past years we used linseed oil but it seemed to attract dirt.

Red Thread

2010-12-28T09:30:00.000-08:00

The buffer zone of fine fescue is meant to keep fertilizer out of the pond. We have become so good at keeping fertilizer away from this area that red thread, a disease that is a sign of low nitrogen, is present. We are using the disease as an indicator that we are being successful at reducing the amount of nutrients put into the pond. Red Thread Info

Drag Race

2010-12-10T10:49:00.000-08:00

What would happen to you if you were standing in water all night and into the morning without boots on??

I think I would probably catch a cold or not be as strong as I could be if I were to do that....and I don't have plans to do so anytime soon.

The grass on the golf course is similar to us and our bodies in many ways. This is why when we fertilize we often use many ingredients that you would find listed on a vitamin bottle. In order to reduce disease pressure we also try to get the dew off the plant quickly in the morning. One way to accomplish this is to "drag" fairways. A chain is pulled behind two vehicles and sweeps the dew off the grass helping to reduce the time that the grass has it's feet wet. It is a much cheaper and eco- friendlier way (no fungicides) to keep disease away from the turf.

We Pay to Save

2010-12-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

Vote for my money saving tip on the Golf Course Superintendent's Battle of the Budgets contest!!

http://www.gcsaa.tv/TurfWars/entries.php

Greens Aerification Update

2010-11-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

The greens were aerified multiple times with the goal of inserting as much sand into the profile as possible. That goal was achieved by pushing 2000 lbs of sand per 1000 square feet to depths varying from 1/2 inch to 10 inches.

By rolling with a 3 ton roller, the surface was smoothed back out quickly with no damage to the turf. The roller did a great job but there were areas that needed a little extra weight so we added another ton as pictured below.

Just kidding .... the roller was parked for this family photo but it is nice to have a picture that boggles the minds of most greenkeepers.

Some putting greens received an additional aerification with the 1" tines and more sand was applied.

I am pretty sure that there was not one square inch that did not get poked by a tine and sand inserted into the profile. This process has worked each of the last 5 years as we transition our push up / soil based greens towards sand based putting surfaces.

The greens were mowed Tuesday afternoon ( 1 week after completing the process) and are recovering quickly. The weather has really cooperated this year. The warm temperatures and the possibility of rain this weekend will continue to help the recovery.

"BLEC"ing

2010-11-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year when we aerify the fairways with a machine the slits the turf and soil then injects sand into the lines. The machine is made by BLEC and is two machines put together. The Groundbreaker in the front slices the ground with rotating knives. The next machine, called the Sandmaster, opens the slice up, drops sand, compacts the sand into the channel, funnels more sand over the open slit then compacts it again. The final product left behind is 6 slits, 10 inches apart full of sand and some sand leftover on the surface to be drug in as topdressing. We have done this operation for the last 4 years with great success. The slits keep the surface water draining to the drain pipes that were installed 4 years ago. The goal of firm, smooth and healthy turf has been able to be achieved thanks to this great tool and a commitment to continue with an adequate topdressing program.

Fall Aerification Alert

2010-11-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

The fall aerification process to the greens will begin on Monday, November 8th. The front nine greens will be completed and then opened for play on Tuesday. The process will continue on the back nine holes on Tuesday and the entire course will re-open on Wednesday.

5 tons of dry sand will be put on each green to help amend the profile.

Holes will be made with varying diameters and at varying depths.

1" diameter / 10" depth / 6"x3" spacing

1/2" diameter / 3" depth / 2" square spacing

1/4" diameter / 1/2" depth / 1" square spacing

Calcium, fertilizer, Bent grass seed, and other secret recipe ingredients will be applied.

The sand, amendments and seed are then brushed and worked into the profile and surface. Rolling with a 2.5 ton vibratory roller and smoothing with plate compactors will help get the surface back to its' firm and smooth condition quickly.

Corral in the News

2010-10-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

The 17th Green Renovation made the news at Turfnet.

http://www.turfnet.com/view_news.php?obj_id=675

Fine Tuning Four

2010-10-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Over the years of doing construction projects and drainage we have found that it is better to let the turf grow in, the ground settle and let the water show us where to cut the drain lines. During the grading process, we could see that there would be areas that would require drain lines and areas that would trap the water. Even though these areas were present, the contours and no dramatic lows were more important than making sure that every drop of water had a way to escape. Our technique of drainage installation that we have used across the golf course enables us to drain areas that would normally be difficult. Julio Cervantes enlists a laser guided trencher to verify that every drain line will take water away and that the fairway will provide a firm playing surface.

Proof

2010-10-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

At least five days per week the greens are mowed as low as .065 inches. It is very important the the men that mow these greens check for ball marks before beginning. If a mark is missed there is a good chance that the high spots around it will be scalped and a bigger and longer lasting blemish will be present. A good way to follow up to make sure this practice of checking the green before mowing is happening is to check the dew for foot prints. I have not been able to find one staff member that can levitate across the green ... so, no foot prints means you didn't do your job.
YOU can help!! By fixing your ball mark right after it happens, you can help the greens heal faster, play better for the players coming after you and decrease the chance that a mark gets missed and scalped in the morning.

Thanks for fixing your ball mark and one more!

(Please see the Golf Shop for ball mark tools)

Spooky 3rd Hole

2010-10-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

In honor of this time of the year...a shot of the 3rd hole through a spider's web on the bridge.

Little Something Extra

2010-10-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

In today's competitive market for events at golf courses, we are looking at ways to show the client that we appreciate their business and would like to do something a little extra special for them. The same thing holds true for member events and member / guest golf outings.

One way that the Maintenance Department goes a step farther is by creating works of art in the sand. Usually a logo is painted somewhere on the course without the event coordinator, member or guest requesting it or even aware that we will be donating this to the event. In about 1 hour and a few cans of paint, a special memory can be created that shows the member or guest that we care and want them to come back again and again.

Spreckels Union Educational Foundation event

Spreckels Pirates and the SUEF logo

California State University Monterey Bay President's Cup

"Otter"ritory

2010 President's Cup

From paper to "canvas" in the sand

NICKELBACK

2010-10-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about the Canadian rock band....http://ilike.myspacecdn.com/play#Nickelback:If+Everyone+Cared:52100:s234039.8523208.6205455.0.2.208%2Cstd_1c815d4c8a344118af056005bbe34eba

I am talking about the nickel that I would like to give back to the person who dropped it the fairway yesterday. Coins, ballmark tools, ballmarkers and even wooden tees can do a lot of damage to the equipment.

This is actually parts of two nickels that the reels (blades) of a fairway mower gobbled up and spit out.

Thankfully, the mower avoided hundreds of dollars of repair work, but next time it might not be so lucky

Don't Think She Just Lounges All Day

2010-10-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

Getting Used to the New Office

2010-10-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Taller but Shorter

2010-10-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Either I am getting taller or the days are getting shorter

As the days get shorter and the shadows get longer the turf requires less water. Even though we had a few days over 100 degrees last week the turf didn't really suffer. The days being shorter helps the grass to recover quickly with the cool night temperatures.

By reduceing the amount of water that is used and only watering exactly where it is needed, we are limiting the areas that would quickly become overwatered and soft as well as reducing the expense of pumping water.

Have a Heart, Walk

2010-09-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

September 18th my family and I became "TEAM PROJECT PLAYROOM" as we walked in the "Start! Heart Walk" at Laguna Seca Raceway. My wife Melissa exceeded her goal of raising $500 thanks to the help of several good friends being willing to give to a great cause.

Project Playroom is a non-profit organization that serves the community as a toy lending library for special needs children in Monterey County. Nearly one year old, this library is located on Garden Rd near the Monterey Peninsula Airport and was founded by Michelle Chisum and Melissa Ayres after seeing the need for families with special needs kids. Manipulative toys, learning aids and fun games fill their small office space ready to brighten some child's life while teaching and stretching their minds and physical abilities.

http://www.projectplayroom.org/

Team Project Playroom, my family, walked in the annual American Heart Association walk for two reasons. First was to bring awareness to more families that this toy lending library is available and ready to serve the community. Second was to raise money for an association that is raising funds to save lives from heart disease and stroke, the nation's number 1 and 3 killers.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053039

Ryan was able to start the walk at the front of the pack with the rest of the "Red Cap Survivors" and continued to walk strong through the entire 5k loop. As an added benefit, the Mazda Race track had lots of action thanks to all levels of race cars performing practice laps

The staff at Corral de Tierra Country Club has been affected by both heart disease and stroke. One staff member's wife had a stroke and my son, Ryan, had open heart surgery at 15 months of age to repair effects of congenital heart disease.

Walking at Corral de Tierra is a great way to get some exercise, become heart healthy and enjoy your round of golf a little better. I find that when I walk the course in the morning instead of drive a cart, not only do I see more and different things that need attention but I also get around the course just as fast.

The Big E

2010-09-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Mowing patterns help distinguish the different heights of cut and where exactly the fairway, rough, tee or green starts and stops. By varying the patterns or direction of the mower, the grass does not begin to have a man made "grain". However, in order to create these patterns the grass needs to be mowed in the same fashion several times to "burn" the lines. Different patterns are utilized to create a different look for different times of the year. The most economical way to mow fairways is a circle pattern also known as "black and white". By mowing the fairway clockwise or counter clockwise a half dark, half light pattern emerges. Straight lines, cris cross, contour are all variations that are used from time to time.

Currently we are mowing a pattern know as "The Big E". This pattern is named after Corral's first NCGA Intern Earl Kennel, who is now the superintendent of the Dunes course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach. Earl is know to use this pattern from time to time after introducing it a few years ago to the lush ryegrass fairways of his course. By having two fairway machines mow the same direction offset from each other then turn and make the next pass in the opposite direction and extra fat lines are created. This pattern is easy on the eyes yet distinguishes the fairway nicely.

Hurting Poa

2010-09-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Like expected, the greens have made a significant comeback, and are rolling true and fast. The deep aeration, interseeding of bentgrass and topdressing have all helped in the recovery. Although playability is back, there is a few areas on greens that have a tan hue to them. These symptoms are due to the buildup of sodium in the soil. Our irrigation water has high levels of sodium and as we irrigate the sodium continues to build in the soil. There is a number of practices that help deal with the effects of this process but the best remedy is fresh water.

The good news about this issue is because bentgrass has a higher salt tolerance than poa annua, the bentgrass is thriving. In the picture at the top of the page you can see the bentgrass being unaffected and the stunted poa. This pushed the competitive advantage in favor of the bentgrass, but once the rain season arrives the poa will bounce right back.

4 A Safe Bail Out

2010-09-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hole 4 underwent a change this past week with the removal of the cart path that was close to the green and creating safety and playability issues. The goal of the project was to provide safe parking and travel for golfers while enhancing the bailout area to the left side of the hole to allow golfers a chance to avoid the lake on the right. The final step is to have the cart path between holes 4 and 5 installed which will take place over the next 2 weeks.

Sod cut turf and prep for removal

Strip all the grass so grading can begin

Begin cart path removal by breaking concrete

Use bulldozer for shaping the terrain. The mounds to the left of the hole will be cut down over 6 feet and pushed further left to create a larger fairway and better visibility

Haul broken concrete to the recycling plant

Continue to shape and fine tune the grade of the approach

Re install irrigation checking for proper spacing and coverage

Begin finish grading

Hand rake and prep for the installation of sod

Install 16,000 square feet of rye grass. Rolls are 4 feet wide and 100 feet long and installed using a special machine.

Make the transition between old sod and new sod smooth by adding sand and raking smooth.

With the correction of the sprinkler locations in the fairway, rough and aprons, it was necessary to correct the green's heads also.

Pulling new pipe and wire for the greens.

Just add water

This project could have been a simple "remove the concrete and throw some seed down" type of job but it would not have been right. By changing the shaping, correcting irrigation spacing and coverage, putting new sod back and making the path wide enough for safe traffic flow we did the job right the first time in an expedited time frame.

This project was recommended in writing by several different members over the last several years. The Green Committee and the Board of Directors approved the project after reviewing the need for the change. Thanks to their foresight, the fourth hole is safer and will provide a better playing experience for years to come.

Cartpath Routing

2010-09-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

The process of removing the cartpath turning area on 4 began Tuesday and work continued today. The cartpath was removed due to its close proximity to the only "bail out" area on the hole. Balls were hitting the cartpath, bouncing well past the green and leaving the player with an impossible recovery shot dealing with trees and bunkers.

While removing the cartpath we also slightly shaped some areas to lower the mounds on the left. These mounds helped hide the cartpath, but appeared unnatural and didn't work with the aesthetics of the hole. The new areas will still hide the cartpath but will not have such a visual impact and will provide the player with some interesting options around the green.

Tomorrow we will continue to move a little bit of soil around and then start to sod prep. This will include lightly rototilling the area and raking it smooth. By Friday we will be ready to install sod and the new cartpath will go in shortly after.

Grassing Line Changes

2010-08-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

All golf course greens and fairway have a tendency to become smaller after years of mowing. This happens because the operator has the fear of scalping the higher cut turf and mows a little inside the collar. After years of mowing slightly inside the interface, greens and fairways become smaller.

To correct the situation we have mowed down some areas around greens and bunkers. These areas do not look so good right now but after a couple weeks they should be similar to the other fairways. To help along the process we aerified, overseeded and sand topdressed these areas.

By making these changes the course will be more enjoyable for everyone to play and give the player the opportunity to hit different types of shots.

In addition, we have straightened some of the fairway edges to remove the many curves and present a cleaner look.

Expanding green and collar around #1

Fairway expansion on #7

Amending Drain Lines

2010-08-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Years ago drain lines were installed on a few greens that were not performing up to the standards of the others on the course. The drain lines work, but due to the sand being too coarse, they do not hold sufficient water. The lines need constant hand watering and the turf quality has been slowly declining in these areas due to a lack of water. Today we started the process of aerifying, applying amendments and topdressing the lines. We used an aerifier with only two blocks to remove cores only from the drain lines. We then applied Zeba, a wetting agent that holds water in the soil, to help sustain soil moisture in the lines. We then applied the correct sand, which is finer textured, to backfill the holes. After watering and rolling the lines should be healed in a few days. With our continued topdressing program we will continue to build up the sand layer and get all 18 greens to a similar growing medium.

Going Deep

2010-08-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

In our continued fight against our disease issues, we used the Wiedenmann aerifier to deeply aerify greens on Monday. Armed with small diameter, solid tines, this machine can reach depths of about 6 inches. By going deep, water is allowed to move down and through the soil profile, and help dry out the greens more quickly. In addition to the aerifying, we are continuing the process of spot seeding bentgrass in the areas with the most wear. We are starting to see some progress on some of the greens and hopefully the weather will start to cooperate to increase seedling germination and growth.

Setting Up for the Silver Spur

2010-08-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

The time of has come for the annual Silver Spur Invitational. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing the course in the weeks leading up to the event. In order to have the course looking its best we had to properly time fertilizer applications, topdress greens, choose pin locations and fine tune our water management. This is only one side of the story though. Each morning we have 4 hours to get the course ready for play. In this time we do the following things:

1. Double cut greens

2. Cut tees and collars

3. Triplex approaches

4. Cut fairways

5. Move tee blocks and cut cups

6. Rake bunkers

7. Roll greens twice

8. Drag fairways

9. Fill divots

10. Paint logos

Thanks to the hard work of the golf course maintenance staff we were able to get all the work done and present the golf course in the best way possible.

Adding Subsurface Drip Irrigation

2010-07-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

When the bunkers were rebuilt a few years ago all the faces had drip irrigation installed. This has been a tremendous success and has eliminated the need to hand water bunker faces. It has also kept the grass alive and thriving in a difficult area to grow grass, due to the sand splash, traffic and severely sloped areas. This summer we have gone around to a number of bunkers and added more drip lines to some of the bunker areas that were not equal to the others. Most of these were south facing slopes or areas that received much more traffic. The installation is very simple with the use of our mole plow attachment for our sod cutter. We simply pull in the extra lines and connect them to the others located around the bunker. When the sod heals in a few days it will look like any other bunker. Small projects like this continue to keep our bunkers in perfect condition throughout the year and will help delay the next time the bunker need to be rebuilt.

What Happened to the Greens?

2010-07-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Getting to the root of the problem we have been dealing with took sometime and detective work. It reminds me of the story of the old lady who swallowed a fly and then had to devour a spider, bird, cat, dog etc. to catch the previous thing she swallowed. Unlike the lady who eventually swallowed a horse and died, of course, the greens are far from dead.

Through some detective work and ruling out many possibilities the root of the problem was identified. I will start at the root and work forward... just the opposite of what we had to do.

The intake screen in the middle of the pond that filters the water entering the irrigation pump system was installed 18 years ago and is now missing a 3 foot by 3 foot section of screen. We discovered this after sending a diver down to investigate.

Usually this would not be a big deal but it is when large fish (12 lb. carp) swim into the intake pipe and are sucked into the system. The bones the size of your index finger get jammed in the valve that clears the filter and then the filter no longer works. When the filter gets plugged during the irrigation cycle it would normally back flush itself and get back to working properly. But this isn't happening. Instead, the pressure of the system drops due to the clogging and the sprinklers no longer throw water the 65 feet they are designed to but now dump water close to the head. The water naturally flows to the closest low area and puddles.

This puddling created a great place for pythium to form since the drainage in the greens is either non existent or not sufficient. This disease is not common in our area especially during the dry summer months because it needs wet conditions to really take off.

Even though we have been trying to remedy the problems from the top down we knew the only way to stop it completely was to find the root of the problem.

The solutions include sprayiing fungicides, needle tine the greens to help drain the soil, soil amendments, seed and the list continues. The greens are a little slower than usual due to the babying of the few greens affected by this problem but over all the ball roll is still good.

We will update as the cause is remedied and the situation changes.

Instant Shade

2010-07-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

This pond needs a little color.

As life expands into the pond between holes 15 and 18, algae creeps in also. Even though this is food for the fish, we really don't need very much of this growing in the new pond. One way of keeping algae under control is to shade the plant from necessary sunlight.
Pond dye stops the sunlight from penetrating to the bottom of the pond and slows the growth and spread of algae.

It took a few hours for the dye to spread throughout the pond and give it a deep dark color similar to the ocean. Surprisingly, even though we have been using about 150,000 gallons of this water each night and replenishing it with fresh well water, the pond has kept it's color for over 3 weeks.
The dye also hides the golf balls that have found there way into the pond. I think this provides a safer golfing experience because the golfer no longer gets too close to the pond, leaning over the water fishing balls out.

Wildlife Invasion

2010-07-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

As we move into summer a number of different animal species have begun to call our new pond home. The primary reason for this is the buffer strip of fine fescue sod that was laid around the entire edge of the pond. It ranges from 5 to 20 feet wide and will grow to about two feet tall. The buffer strip provides a great habitat for birds, frogs and many other animals to raise young and search for food. This is a small change that does not cost any money to implement but the results speak for themselves

In addition, fescue requires way less fertilizer and water than other grass species, which allows us to avoid applying nutrients into the water. If extra nutrients were applied to the surface water an algae bloom could occur. These blooms have a very detrimental impact on water quality and can lead to fish kill. .

Golf courses often get a bad reputation for being unfriendly to the environment, but in most cases this couldn't be further from the truth. Areas such as the buffer strips and unmaintained areas between holes provide fantastic habitat for many types of animals. In just the past few weeks I have seen many different species including: frogs, red-tailed hawks, mallard ducks, foxes, deer, owls and turkey vultures. Next time you are out playing take a look up or down and you might be surprised at the wide variety of wildlife we have on our course.

Gypsum Applications

2010-07-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today we applied gypsum in conjunction with our monthly needle-tine aeration and sand topdressing. Gypsum is necessary due to the poor water quality that we need to use to irrigate with. Our water has a high amount of salts, specifically Sodium, that can cause soil and plant issues. The Sodium takes up critical spaces on the soil particles, which should be available for other plant nutrients such as Calcium and Magnesium. In addition, if left untreated, the Sodium could lead to compaction and poor drainage characteristics in soil. The Gypsum that we applied contains Calcium. Calcium pushes the Sodium off of the soil particles because it has a higher affinity for the negatively charged soil particles. We do this during our monthly aeration because it can be a messy job and the aeration helps push the Gypsum into the soil. Also, since this is a soil problem it allows the reaction to happen in a shorter time frame.

Who's Your Mother?

2010-07-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

"Necessity is the mother of invention"A motto heard and witnessed on almost a daily basis at Corral. Recently, the problem of grass, weeds and dirt accumulating in the cracks on the concrete cart paths was getting on my nerves. In the past, an old broom stick with a nail in the end was drug through the crack to clean the debris out. Before it could get blown out and moved aside, some of the junk had been drug back into the crack and run over by equipment or carts. Not acceptable. Mother Necessity visited me in my sleep and I asked Brian our mechanic to put a braided wire wheel on the end on a weedeater shaft the next morning. Before you know it my nerves had settled and the cracks in the path were clean and the debris thrown well off the path. We aren't done with all the cracks but it sure is working better and faster with our new invention.

As seen through many of our blog posts we have come up with some new and inovative ways to get the job done. Some times it is just thinking ahead that pays off the most. 5 1/2 years ago when I began at Corral, I knew some of the things I wanted to apply to the turf was going to be rough and corrosive on the equipment, particularly the spray rig. By making a custom made stainless steel tow behind spray rig, we have saved thousands of dollars. Many courses applying the same fertilizers we do have gone through 2 spray rigs due to rust in the last 5 years. Recently, the first item that needed to be replaced was part of the hose reel. The switch gave out after being used at least 21 times every week for 5 years and getting ferrous sulfate overspray dripped on it. The rig is stained with iron but still in top shape.

Bunker Cultivation

2010-06-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why the slopes of the bunkers are smooth and the bottoms raked? The reason for the smooth slopes is to help create a firmer surface. By having the slopes firm it prevents the possibility 0f a friend egg lie and the ball usually rolls down to a flat spot. This is a good thing for playability but after a few weeks of constantly raking bunkers in this manner, the sand has a tendency to become very compacted. This not only causes problems with playability, but creates a perfect habitat for algae growth. The algae then turns the sand an unappealing blackish green color.

To correct the situation we use a sand pro to mechanically rake the bunkers. The sand pro has bolts on it that first help de-compact the sand down to 2.5 inches, then leaf rakes that produce a smooth finish. It is important to have an experienced operator on the sand pro because more harm can be done if the operator hits the bunker edges or lowers the cultivation bar to the incorrect depth. After the sand pro goes through, the remaining areas are hand raked with a garden rake to produce a similar result. In addition, this week we will not be smoothing the bunker edges like normal. This will help the sand dry out and eliminate the algae growth. It's funny to think about all the time and money that goes into maintaining hazards.

White sand underneath sand contaminated with algae

Cultivating bunkers with sand pro

Smooth edges to prevent fried egg lies

Disease Control

2010-06-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

We currently have a disease that we were unfamiliar with and after sending out turf samples, the disease was identified as cool season pythium. Pythium is a disease that is associated with poor draining, overwatered soils. This make sense because the first signs were found in low lying areas. To control the problem we applied a mix of two fungicides today to help stop the pythium. This application will be followed by one more application approxiaxently 10 days from now. The good news is that the pythium has hit the poa annua in our greens hard and has allowed the creeping bentgrass to begin to fill in. We have also increased the fertility and overseeded the weak areas to help the greens to recover. If all goes to plan we should have completely healthy greens in a few weeks.

U.S. Open Championship

2010-06-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to be able to volunteer this week at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Over 80 volunteers from around the world gathered to help Chris Dalhamer and his Pebble Beach staff. Upon arrival it was easy to see their hard work and they had the course in prime condition leading into the event. It is up to the volunteers and crew to work together to setup the golf course in a few short hours each morning and afternoon. My job assignment for the week was to hand water tees and fairways. Obviously, the USGA wants to put as little water down on all playing surfaces as possible, so we only watered the areas that were showing signs of wilt. It was interesting to see such a huge operation come together for a week for one of the biggest tournaments of the year. After a long week of waking up at 3 in the morning and getting to bed at 10 it was good to see a champion crowned on Sunday night.

Wildflower planting - triangle #11,12,and 17

2010-06-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

The area between holes #11,12,and17 was pretty much untouched and provided no aesthetic value so, it was decided to establish some wildflower seeds and try to beautify this area.

The decision to use a water cannon (high flow impact sprinkler) has worked well by providing adequate moisture for the seedlings and covering a greater distance.

This sprinkler can operate manually at three different locations by turning on an adjacent ball valve off an 2" line or it can automatically run through our irrigation controller system.

The watering time is still being adjusted, but we are currently running water 20 to 30 minutes per station.

The different variety of wildflower seeds that we are using are as followed.

Cosmos / Cosmos bipinnatus
Black-eyed Susan / Rudbeckia hirta
Indian Blanketflower / Gaillardia pulchella
Alyssum Royal Carpet / Lobularia maritima

A future posting will show the final result.

"Start the Pump"

2010-06-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Today we completed the final steps of the installation of our new well. We had Industrial Pump connect the electrical work and Julio finished the remaining plumbing work. Once that was completed the well was ready to pump. The nice thing with this well is that it has a submersible pump. By having a submersible, golfers will not be able to hear the motor running. In addition, we have installed probes that monitor the level of the water. These probes will let the motor know when to turn on or off based on water level. Now that our well is finished it should provide us with about 225 gallons per minute for many years to come.

Effects of Trimmit

2010-06-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

Trimmit is a plant growth regulator that significantly slows the growth of poa annua and has no effect to creeping bentgrass. It is one of the main reasons we have slowly increased the percentage of creeping bentgrass in our greens. The best time to see the effects of the Trimmit is in the morning with the dew still present. In the picture below you can see the stunted growth of the poa annua and the normal growth habit of creeping bentgrass. By keeping the poa highly regulated the bentgrass can continue to spread via stolons. It is a slow process but strides are being made in reducing the populations of poa annua.

Back Home

2010-06-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

Doug was able to catch ten carp that were located in the irrigation pond between 3 and 4. Last summer as the pond was allowed to drain down in anticipation of the expansion project it came apparent that something needed to be done with the fish that were still in the pond. We caught around 200 fish and placed them in the irrigation pond. Check out here for more info. It has turned out to be a lot tougher to catch the fish in the irrigation pond with the deeper water. We will continue to pull fish out with a net when they come close to the pond banks in the early morning and move them over to the new pond.

In addition to the carp, last week the Monterey County Mosquito Abatement stopped by to drop off some fish that specialize in eating mosquito larvae. If you have looked in the pond you would have noticed thousands of little larvae swimming around. Hopefully the new fish will flourish and help control the larvae before they leave the water.

Expanding Greens

2010-05-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

This past week we began the process of enlarging number 15 and 18 greens. These two greens needed to be enlarged for two different reasons. On number 15, the front section of the green was only about 6 paces wide, creating a very narrow target. If nothing was done about the problem, there would only be two "pinnable" areas on the green. On 18, we enlarged the green to pick up two more hole locations, middle left and front right.

To lower the height of the collar to the same height as the greens we use another mower to slowly lower the height of the grass. After mowing the few extra lines the first time, there was some scalping on the areas. Luckily most of these areas are bentgrasss and with some extra topdressing, spot aerifying and overseeding these areas will be down to regular greens height in a few weeks. To prevent these areas from shrinking again we will carefully monitor the greens to make sure no area is skipped while mowing the cleanup pass. Also, if necessary, we will mark the green edges with paint to guide the operator while mowing.

Right side of 18 with minimal scalping

Left side with more scalping

Fertilizing Roughs and Green Surrounds

2010-05-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

It's been a few months since our last granular fertilizer application to the roughs and it is starting to show. In the spring due to the winter rains, everything was growing rapidly and verdant green. Now heading into the summer and our irrigation season, the roughs have been lagging behind. This is even more apparent when one looks at the new sod around the pond construction area. About one month ago we fertilized the extreme pond edge with a drop spreader. This area is dark green and doing well and areas right next to the edge is brown and thin. When the nitrogen releases in a few days all of the roughs will once again be green again.

# 10 Surround

2010-05-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

The grading process goes through a few different stages. First, the soil that was taken for the project was dredged from the old #15/18 pond sub-surface. The material was very good to use because it was high in organic matter from years of decomposition. But, unfortunately it was very wet. So the waiting game started. We needed to adequately dry out the soil to allow equipment to function properly without getting stuck. Second, our tractor w/rototiller turned the soil and provided a rough grade. This makes it easier for our sandpro utility rake to move soil in the finish grade.

A future posting will show the final result.

Quail Lodge

2010-05-20T09:29:00.001-07:00

This Quail Lodge was discovered behind the shop, under a board, by Josie. She alerted me that we were infiltrated by enemy combatants but I explained that these refugees from another local golf course just wanted a safe haven. I am sure that they have be oppressed for many generations .... having to pose for endless hours while some artist steals their likeness for another sign or golf flag. I say "Give us your tired, your hungry, your quail, your dunes, your shore. Give us your fairways, your pebbles, your bays and hills ... we will surround you and protect you with the "fence of the earth".

Setting the Pump

2010-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

While developing the well, we used a temporary pump and motor to clean out the well so that we would not damage the permanent pump with all the sand and debris that was in the casing. Now that the power is ready at the well site, the permanent pump and motor can be installed.

The pump will be set 400 feet down and the water will travel up to the surface in a 4" pipe shown here.

The well head is at the base of the red foot of the boom truck. The crane is moving a spool of wire that will be used to energize the motor 400 feet down (hence the term "submersible pump").

Pump, motor and wire leads ready to go in.

The pump is in .... now to attach all that 4" pipe.

One 21 foot piece being hoisted into position.

Each piece has to be tightened by hand after the treads are cleaned and lubricated.

If the big boys can't do it, then bring out the cheater bar and let the smaller guy have a shot at it.

The Bees Knees

2010-05-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

A week ago the Golf Shop called with a concern about a lot of bees around the first tee and the back side of the shop. Well, spring is in the air and the bees are on the move. The hive is out swarming while they are looking for a new home. They stopped to rest on a small bush outside the Golf Shop while they sent scouts out with real estate agents. In this market it didn't take them long before they found a place (probably bank owned) with just the right amenities. They headed for the four corners area latter that night and have not been heard from since. If you see them, tell 'em they owe us for the branch they broke off the bush.

The Tale of Two Ducks (Part One)

2010-05-18T00:04:00.000-07:00

Donald and Daisy swimming in thier new 3 acre bath tub.

Both ponds on the course have new ducklings swimming around on them. They are motoring around not really afraid of anything and "cheeping" as they go. They are the newest addition to the pond between 15 and 18 and are enjoying the new surroundings. Life is evolving at the pond with algae growth, tadpoles, full size frogs, swimming bugs and more. Soon we will have fish and the cycle of life will begin rolling along.

Ted the Tadpole hanging out in the pond waiting for his day to grow some legs.

The Tale of Two Ducks (Part Two)

2010-05-17T23:01:00.001-07:00

The second birth of a duck took place this morning and it started in my office at the computer.

The California Women's Amateur Championship website has a picture of a logo painted in a sand waste bunker and a green complex in the background. This photo was taken last year during the Senior Women's Championship played at Corral. The ladies liked the small touch of their logo painted in the sand of the creek on hole #11 so much that they put the photo on their front page and asked to have the same thing done this year. CWAC (pronounced QUACK) has a logo of a duck with a golf club. The first step of the birth of a duck is to research. Find a picture of the logo and print it.
With pencil and straight edge, a grid is drawn over the the logo.
The grid is done and notes of size and scale are written down. One cup of coffee before 6:00am will give the boost of energy at just the right time.
Gather supplies...paint, string, tape measure, 2nd cup of coffee.
Rake out the site of the new duck.

Lay out a grid in order to get the scale right and have plenty of reference points.
You have to start somewhere....I started at the top of the head this morning.

After the third cup of coffee, the duck is starting to take shape.
Time to add the extras like the initials of the group and black outlines on the logo.

Finally the duck emerges .... the new addition will be with us for just a few days while this tournament is hosted at our golf course.