Frost Delay-Open to walkers at 10:45

Golf Course will open to walkers at 10:45 due to the heavy frost. The proshop and bag storage is closed today and tomorrow.

Merry Christmas,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Wall Restoration #6

The rain has continued to fall in the Ohio Valley, we have accumulated over 70” of precipitation this year and the long-term forecast is trending on the wet side. These wet soil conditions have created havoc with our autumn project list. We hope to continue to renovate more tees this fall/winter and restore the sloughing wall on #6

The restoration of the wall on #6 has started and stopped on a couple occasions due to the weather. In fact with some much needed help from Mother Nature we hope to continue this week with the removal of a 48 foot section that is damaged. There are a couple issues with this area of the wall that caused it to fail. The drain field behind this area was poor, holding a tremendous amount of water behind the wall, allowing for the freeze and thaw cycle to push the wall forward. Also, there was an undercutting of the footer at the base from the natural flow of the water that aided in shifting the wall forward.

Currently, we have created a small dam ahead of the damaged area to divert water through a 12 inch pipe and roughly 3 feet of soil has been excavated behind the wall. The next steps in the process include removing the damaged section of the wall and lowering the water level further in the creek bottom. Once the area for the new footer is excavated and the soil is stabilized, a new footer will be poured and the Stone Mason will construct the new section of the wall. In order to match the new stone with the old, the entire wall will be pressured washed in the spring and we will try to salvage some of the old stone to be placed throughout.

There are several challenges with this project and a careful plan has been laid out with contingences in place. Please check back here for periodic updates on the progress.

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

#14 Tee Improvements

The renovations on the 14th tee have recently been completed with excellent results. The scope of the work included:leveling, reshaping, and the addition of drainage in the surrounds. The next tee that will be addressed is #16.

Before....

After..

#14 Tee Improvements

The Grounds Staff have just finished the rough grade and drainage on the surrounds of the tee on #14. The teeing surface has been covered with the anticipated rain for tomorrow. With any luck from Mother Nature the rain will be limited, and the staff will begin to level the teeing surface tomorrow.

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Tee Improvements #14

Today, we began placing grade stakes in the 14th tee, outlining the new shape and alignment of the anticipated tees. Work will continue next week, the hole will be open but a temporary tee will be in place.

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Patriot Bermudagrass Practice Tee Trial Results

Throughout the summer months, the turfgrass interns have used the test plot of Patriot Bermudagrass on the practice tee to study the recuperative capacity, specifically divot recovery in comparison to the existing Creeping Bentgrass on the rest of the tee. As expected, the Patriot Bermudagrass has shown excellent recovery rates and playability during a summer of extreme conditions. We would like to continue to monitor the plot throughout the winter months and into the spring to examine how well the bemudagrass stands-up to cold and wet conditions.

One of the concerns with the fast growing capabilities of the bermudagrass, is the possibility of it spreading into the roughs and fairways. This spring, the grounds department will be adding another test plot of Meyer Zoysia grass to further explore the possibility of utilizing this turfgrass on the practice tee. Also, in the spring there will be new practice mats at the practice facility for use when soil conditions are too wet and to reduce wear on the teeing surface.

To view a more detailed assessment of Patriot Bermudagrass on the practice tee, please click here.

Thank you,


Thomas Baillie and Dan Lawendowski
Turfgrass Interns

Tee Renovation #11-Update

Before..............

The Grounds Staff recently finished the renovations to the 11th tee. The scope of the work included; reshaping, alignment, leveling and sodding of the surrounds with a turf-type Tall Fescue/ Kentucky bluegrass blend. The bentgrass on the teeing surface was removed and re-used on the new level surface. The tee will be closed for the remainder of the year to ensure adequate rooting for the 2012 season. Please see the attached photos documenting various stages of this project.

After.................

Next week, the Grounds Staff will begin work on the 14th tee. The scope of the work on #14 is very similar to the work completed on #11.


Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Frost Delays

Looking at the forecast for this weekend it looks like there is a good chance of frost. Please check with the proshop or check back with this site for starting times. The attached video from the USGA gives a good explanation of how frost can damage the turfgrass plant.



Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Tee Renovations Begin

On October 17th the Grounds Staff will continue with leveling, reshaping and realigning the tees on select holes beginning with #11. During the process the existing tee will be divided into two separate tees, all bentgrass sod will be lifted and reused, along with the surrounding turf being replaced with turf type tall fescue. During this process a temporary tee will be used in front of the tee in the rough. Please see below photo of the exisiting and proposed tee placement.





Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Fall Aerification

With the change in the tree foliage it signals that the golf season is slowly winding down. Over the next few weeks the Ground’s Staff and I will be involved with several projects across the course. On top of the on-going projects we will be completing a second aerification to the putting surfaces which will commence on October 24th and 25th. The golf course will be closed on the 24th, but will be open after that with temporary greens where the processes are being completed. Core aeration is a disruptive but, necessary process and a foundation of the agronomic program at HP. The increased aeration and sand topdressing over the years has helped the poor draining and thatchy greens, however through regular testing and recommendations from the USGA and a second independent lab, the agronomic program will expand to increasing sand topdressing applications along with a second core aeration in the fall. The overall strategy is to improve the playability and sustainability of the surfaces by amending the soil with increased sand aiding in shifting the populations from Annual Bluegrass to Creeping Bentgrass . Basically, continuing to rebuild the greens from the top down, eliminating the need to close the course for a major renovation of the greens. The two links below contain recommendations and adjustments from the USGA and ISTRC to the current agronomic program at Hyde Park. Each year the representative green will be tested to quantify the adjustments in the program.

Links of interest:

USGA Consultation

ISTRC Report #9 Green


If there are any questions please contact me:
grounds@hydeparkcc.com

or

513.871.1680

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien

Drainage Improvements #9 green/#10 tee area

The drainage work on #9 green/#10 tee area is nearly complete, the rest of the sod will be laid tomorrow and the area will be open for play, except the new sod, it will be played as ground under repair.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Drainage Improvements #9 green/#10 tee area

The grounds staff has shifted gears to begin working on placing drainage in a traditionally wet area located in the vicinity of the #10 and 17 tees. The drainage will be tied-in to the existing catch basin located in front of the right-side greenside bunker on #9. During this project we also will place drainage pipe in this area for future tie-ins near the green. The red lines on the photo of the 9th green complex show the path of the new drainage. We anticipate having this project complete by the end of this week pending weather.

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Member Improvments-Zoysia grass approaches

The final pieces of Zoysia Grass have been laid on the approaches on holes #2, 13 and 17. As you may have noted the new Zoysia grass looks and plays different than the mature stand on the fairways. With the cooler temperatures arriving, the Zoysia will develop slower and will come out of dormancy behind the established Zoysia areas in the spring. Depending on the weather, this turfgrass will mature and show similar playability to the established areas in May and June when the temperatures become more favorable for warm season grasses such as Zoysia grass.

Thank-you

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Member Improvements Update: Zoysia Grass Conversion

The removal of the bentgrass from the approaches on #2, 13 and 17 is complete, the big roll Zoysia sod is in place to lay tomorrow. During the laying process a temporary green will be located in the fairway. Once the sod is laid, it will be safe to play off of, we ask that all cart traffic please stay off these new areas. Many have already noticed that, the right side of #2 green has been enlarged to capture the original Donald Ross appearance.




Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

USGA Turf Advisory Service-Report

On September 6th, Bob Brame from the USGA Green Section conducted an agronomic consultation at Hyde Park. This was the first visit since I began my tenure in late 2004 and prior to that the last consultation from the USGA was in 2002. This visit was an excellent opportunity to evaluate recent course enhancements such as the new irrigation system, bunker renovation, capital leasing programs and drainage projects across the course. Moving forward, the continued focus on the tree management program along with increasing cultural practices on the putting surfaces, such as aeration and reducing annual bluegrass populations were hot topics during this visit. To view the complete report please click on the attached link.

USGA Report Hyde Park, 2011

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Member Improvements

With the fall weather upon us, there are several improvements to the golf course that will occur. As many people have noticed there are white paint lines located on/ near the bentgrass approach areas on holes 2, 13 and 17. Next week we will begin to remove these bentgrass areas, reshape and lay Zoysia sod in its place. The recontouring is to bring the bunkers more into play and to make it consistent with the rest of the course. The rationale behind the zoysia grass is to improve the playability of these areas, with increased firmness and ball roll for the “ground game”. These enhancements will further reduce expenditures with the reduced inputs that Meyer Zoysia provides. These areas will see reductions in mowing frequency, fertilization and chemical inputs, as well as aerification and sand topdressing. Hyde Park continues to utilize this competitive advantage, shifting resources to other areas of the golf course while enhancing the playability. Over a three year period we plan to convert the remaining approach areas to Meyer Zoysia.


Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Golf Course Closed

With over two inches of rain and counting the golf course is saturated and will be closed for the day. This rain is very beneficial for the aerified greens, aiding in recovery.


Thank-you

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Green Aerification

All greens have been core cultivated, topdressed and fertilized. The recovery time should be roughly 2-3 weeks, depending on weather conditions. Over the next few weeks we will continue to lightly topdress the greens to add addtional sand to the profile. Lineal culitvation and deep tine will commence the week of October 17th.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

2012 Golf Course and Turfgrass Management Internships

Golf Course and Turfgrass Management Internship

The Hyde Park Golf and Country Club Grounds Department in Cincinnati, Ohio has two Turfgrass internship positions available for the upcoming 2012 season. HPGCC is a classic Donald Ross Club est. in 1909, located just minutes from Downtown. The club recently completed a bunker renovation in 2006 and replaced the irrigation system in 2008. Upcoming projects include; tee leveling, green expansions and conversion of bentgrass approaches to Meyer Zoysia.

Position Description:
The intern will be exposed to the full gamut of golf course and turfgrass management issues faced in the northern transition zone. The interns will be responsible for, but not limited to:

 Calibration and Application of Fertilizers and Pesticides
 Proper moisture management techniques
 Irrigation repair
 Leading small crews during projects
 Tournament volunteer opportunities
 Wide array of record keeping

Course Information:
Greens:Bentgrass/Annual
Tees: Bentgrass
Roughs: Turf Type Tall Fescue/ Kentucky Bluegrass
Fairways:Meyer Zoysia Irrigation: Toro Lynx

Compensation:
 $10.00/ hr. with overtime (typical week 45-65hrs)
 Housing provided on-site with meals
 Golf Privileges
 Possible full time positions upon graduation

Contact Information:
Please send resumes and cover letters via e-mail, or mail

Attn: Pat O’Brien, MSM
Grounds Superintendent
Hyde Park Golf and Country Club
3740 Erie Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45208
E-mail-grounds@hydeparkcc.com
Phone-513.526.1903
Blog: hydeparkgolfandcountryclub.blogspot.com

Aerification part 2

Currently we are in a holding pattern for the late summer aerification of the putting surfaces. The recent rain events have allowed us to complete 4 greens. The seven-day forecast does not look encouraging with below normal temperatures, cloud cover and possible rain. Please check back here for updates on the progress, and hopefully we can get one dry day shortly to finish this very important process.

Thanks-you

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Aerification

With a cold-front approaching next Monday, the aerification of the greens might be delayed if the forecast holds true. If this occurs we will continue to aerify the putting surfaces while the golf course remains open. Temporary greens will be in use while the grounds crew is aerifying and topdressing the surfaces. Please check with twitter, this blog and the Golf Shop staff for the latest updates.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Bacterial Wilt on Turfgrass

There has been many questions concerning turf decline in the Ohio Valley. Many people have asked what is Bacterial Wilt? This video from Pace Turf (2010) does a excellent job of outlining this difficult issue to deal with on putting greens.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Innerseeding and Golf Cart Traffic Routing

With the recent innerseeding of the rough there are new turf type tall fescue seedlings beginning to germinate. In order to preserve the new growth, the cart traffic will be confined to the Zoysia grass fairways, in order to get to the fairways an entrance point and exit area has been designated to concentrate the wear. These entrance and exit points are marked with pink flags and a cart sign. Once the seed has matured to a stage where the plant can handle the traffic, carts will be able to return to the regular cart rules, which still prohibits driving or parking the cart in the rough.

Only the holes that have been seeded have entrance and exit points, the remaining holes to be seeded and aerified are #10,11,13,15, and 16. We hope to complete these holes by Wednesday August 31^st.

We appreciate your patience through this entire process. There has been a tremendous improvement in the roughs and the turf-type tall fescue populations, even after one year of the aggressive innerseeding program.

Thank-you

Pat O’Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Summer Patch

The extreme weather conditions over the last months have been a challenge for the staff and turf alike. The putting greens, specifically the Annual Bluegrass populations are exhibiting signs of Summer Patch. Summer Patch, is a soil pathogen that causes root dysfunction on mainly Annual Bluegrass, which generally shows signs and symptoms in July and August when the turf is under a tremendous amount of stress. In order to reduce summer the effects of summer patch we have a comprehensive strategy that includes:

• Promoting Creeping bentgrass (the ideal grass for greens in this region)

• Aggressive aerfication and cultural practices to improve drainage

• The addition of subsurface drainage

• Reducing PH with acidifying fertilizers and added Manganese

• The last line of defense is the fungicide program that includes monthly preventative applications beginning in April and continuing until August

On #6 green we have treated only half of the green curatively. We are going to continue assess how the treated area responds versus non-treated and how rapid the decline will be on the Annual bluegrass. Our goal is to investigate strategies to encourage the bentgrass populations long-term; this project will be only one of many options that will be laid out over the next year.



Thanks,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Turf Type Tall Fescue Inner Seeding

Beginning the week of August 22nd the grounds staff will begin the annual inner seeding of the roughs with turf type tall fescue (TTF). Please operate the carts in the fairway and be aware of instructions on the signs of entrance and exit point to reduce wear on the new seedlings. TTF is the ideal grass type due to its increased drought tolerance and reduced disease susceptibility. Building upon last year population increases of TTF we will incorporate another 6-8 thousand pounds of seed across thirty acres of rough.


Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Tee Aerification

Over the next 3 days the Grounds Staff will be taking adavantage of the cooler days and nights by completing the aerification and topdressing of the tees. The process will commence on the front nine on Wednesday and will be completed Friday afternoon.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Fairy Ring

Over the past couple of weeks, a series of rings have been visible on the putting surfaces and in the fairways. In some cases these areas have even produced mushrooms. These symptoms are consistent with a soil borne pathogen called Fairy Ring. The following video from PACE turf (2010) gives an detailed explanation of fairy ring. Each year fairy ring is targeted with fungicide and wetting agent applications to reduce severity. Currently we are treating the greens with curative applications along with increased hand watering to these specific areas to reduce wilting of the rings.

Tree Pruning

Tree pruning continues across the golf course this week, there is still a tremendous amount of dead limbs that need to be removed particularly in the ailing Pin Oaks across the golf course. Specific areas that will that will be pruned include Holes 1, 8, 13, 17 and 18. The clean-up will be finished by early Thursday, in time for weekend play.

"Old Glory"atop the flagsticks at Hyde Park this weekend

With the July 4th weekend upon us “Old Glory” will be flying atop the flagsticks at Hyde Park. Please remember to place the flagsticks when not in use with your playing partner or in within the cup located on the edge of the green in the rough. The “flagstick holder” is marked with a small US pin flag.

Have a Safe and Happy July 4th.

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Sand Topdressing and Venting

Over the past two days the Ground’s Staff has been busy with sand topdressing and venting of the putting surfaces. The latest topdressing rate was increased to make up for the increased growth due to the fertilizer application of Ammonium sulfate and Manganese along with the above normal precipitation in June. The mowing height will be adjusted to match the increase in sand and the ball roll distance will be reduced until the sand disappears into the canopy. The venting of the greens allows them to dry out faster and improve air exchange with the rootzone to improve plant health for the upcoming stressful months.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Saturated Conditions on the Course:

Over the past week the golf course and grounds continues to be inundated with more precipitation, totaling over 2.5 inches. The extreme rainfall events are not conducive for member play or for the health of the turfgrass plant. As discussed before, the majority of the greens at Hyde Park drain poorly reducing the playability and inhibiting healthy turfgrass health.

In order to quantify moisture levels in the greens, tees and other playing surfaces we use a moisture meter that measures volumetric water content (VMC) at a 1.5 inch depth. This tool allows us to develop baselines for the minimal amount of water needed to sustain the plant as well as it gives a guide when the soil is saturated. When the soil is saturated, practices such as mowing and rolling can damage the plant long-term. Today, the majority of the greens were showing roughly about 25-30% VMC while #15 green is visually wet (many foot prints across the surface) and was showing readings in excess of 45% VMC and greater. Mowing was not possible on this green today and will be monitored closely for plant health. The end result is, this green will play much different then the others from a firmness and ball roll standpoint.

Long- term, this green along with the rest of the 16 other soil greens will be evaluated to determine what the most sustainable solution(s) is/are to improve the consistency of the surfaces.

Thank-you,
Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Tony Blom Metropolitan Amateur Championship Qualifier

The Grounds Staff is busy again with preparations for the Cincinnati Metropolitan that will be hosted by HP on June 21^st and 22^nd. The tournament conditions will be a challenge for many of the best amateurs in Southwest Ohio. The playing conditions on the weekend will be representative of the conditions on tournament days. Come out and enjoy!

Thanks,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Zoysia Color Differences on #17 Fairway

There have been a couple questions concerning the color variations of the Zoysia grass on #17.

The brownish color on a small portion of the Fairway on #17 (about 100 yards from the green) is due to the excessive seedhead production of the Zenith Zoysia this spring.

Typically, this section of the fairway does not have this color variation, but this season you can see a clear line where the Meyer Zoysia and Zenith Zoysia meet on the 17^th fairway. This color variation will disappear over the next couple weeks as the Zenith continues to grow and we mow off the seedhead. The differences in playability of these two cultivars of Zoysia are negligible and Zenith is being utilized more in this area because of local sod production and reduced costs to the end user.

Thanks,

Pat O’Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Practice Tee Trial of Bermudagrass

On the practice tee we have incorporated roughly 2000 square feet of Patriot Bermudagrass into the Creeping bentgrass as a trial to see if this warm season turfgrass could be used long term on the tee.

Hyde Park, similar to many other older clubs does not have enough space on the practice tee for adequate divot recovery. The current teeing space is roughly 20,000 square feet. The ideal space should be double to handle the amount of traffic and healing time required for divots. The question has been raised about using Zoysia grass on the tee to match the fairways but unfoutunately the recuperative capacity of Meyer Zoysia is slower then the creeping bentgrass and would require even more usage of the mats.

Patriot Bermudagrass is cold tolerant, has excellent divot recovery and almost requires zero chemical treatments. This trial area will be evaluated for playability, divot recuperative capacity and cold tolerance.

Once in use in roughly three weeks, we look forward to your feedback on the long-term implementation of this turfgrass on the practice tee.

Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Summer Patch Test Plot # 6 green

What is the rectangle on the back of #6 green?

There have been few questions concerning this area on the back of six green. This area is used as a check or test plot for our summer patch trials. The putting greens at Hyde Park are over 85 years old and composed of mainly soil, drain poorly and have large populations of Annual Bluegrass (POA Annua). Summer Patch is a soil pathogen that causes root dysfunction on mainly Annual Bluegrass, which generally shows signs and symptoms in July and August when the turf is under a tremendous amount of stress. In order to reduce summer the effects of summer patch we have a comprehensive strategy that includes:

1)-Promoting Creeping bentgrass (the ideal grass for greens in this region)

2) -Aggressive aerfication and cultural practices to improve drainage

3) -The addition of subsurface drainage

4) -Reducing PH with acidifying fertilizers and added Manganese

5) -The last line of defense is the fungicide program that includes monthly preventative applications beginning in April and continuing until August

The trial area shows us if there is an infection as well as the effect of the fertilizer applications. This trial area is monitored on a daily basis by the turfgrass interns and other members of the staff for changes in appearance.

For more information on Summer Patch please click here

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintedent

Driving Range Divot Patterns

The video below from DMGCC (IA) gives an excellent explanation on how to best utilize the turf on the practice tee. Theses practices will allow for faster divot recovery on the small practice tee at Hyde Park.

Support of Local Animal Shelters

Part of being a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sancturay Program (ASCP) is initiating programs that contribute to the environment as well as the local community. The Hyde Park Tennis department has started a new program collecting old tennis balls that no longer have any life in them and donating them to local animal shelters. This simple act or repurposing an item that would normally be thrown away helps local shelters that need donations to operate.
Thank-you to the members of HPGCC for your donation to the League for Animal Welfare.

Tee Aerification Postponed

Due to the wet conditions the tee aerification scheduled for Monday will be delayed until the weather and soil conditions improve. Please check back here for updates.

Thanks-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Large Patch on Zoysia Grass

Rhizoctonia large patch occurs on zoysia grass in the fall and spring as circular, dis­ colored patches that expand over time . The disease is favored by cool temperatures and wet conditions and may be especially severe in poorly drained. Generally, patches begin to appear in early in April through late May and again in the early fall as temperatures cool and zoysiagrass slows growth before going into winter dormancy (University of Arkansas Extension, 2007).

Patches start as circular, discolored areas. At times, the borders of the patches will be orange, which indicates that the disease is active. The orange border consists of newly infected plants where the lower leaves are just starting to die as the fungus invades and kills the leaf sheath below the blades.

The fairways at Hyde Park are treated in the spring and fall each year for Large Patch. With over 13" of rain in April, signs and symptoms of Large Patch are active in small areas and will be retreated when possible.

This photo is taken on #5 fairway, notice the Large Patch thriving well in a puddle.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Rain, Rain and More Rain....

The month of April has been one of the wettest on record and the rain continues to fall. To date, 9 inches of precipitation has fallen at Hyde Park. The 30 year average is 3.9 inches and last April we had accumulated 2.5 inches. Mother Nature has a tendency to average things out.

Overall, the golf course is holding up well, and if there is a silver lining to these rain events it helps us pin point further deficiencies with drainage across the golf course. Also, in the past week, two trees sustained significant damage. A large Pin Oak behind #9 tee and a Beech tree located near the forward tee, also on #9. The grounds staff behind the scenes continues to do a tremendous job getting the golf course ready for play.

In the meantime we are hopeful that the extreme weather will subside and allow everyone to play golf.

Sincerely,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Men Opening Scramble Postponed

Unfortunately, Mother Nature has not been cooperating this month to get out and enjoy the golf course. With almost record rainfall for the month of April, and more anticipated, the Men’s Opening Day Scramble has postponed until Saturday, April 30th. Please check with the Golf Shop for updates, as well as here for the latest course conditions that are updated daily via twitter.

Cool Weather Crops

With the cold and rainy start of this spring most people don’t think of growing flowers and vegetables. There are multiple cool weather flowers and vegetables that love this time of year such as the tulips planted last fall which are now in full bloom.

Also, in the vegetable garden located behind #4 green, cool weather crops such as cabbage, peas and radishes were planted mid-march in hope of extending the growing season. Succession planting of cool weather crops before the warmer summer crops of tomatoes and squash is a great way extending the growing season and the productivity of the garden. The goal of the garden is to help keep food costs down as well as providing fresh organic “home grown” produce.

For additional information on cool weather vegetables click here

ALSO

Keep an eye open for spring wildflowers now in blooms like
Virginia Bluebells AND White Trillium

Aerification

All greens are complete! We expect a two-three week healing period.

Thanks,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Green Aerfication Continues

Green Aerfification continues today with the golf course open. We hope to finish by early afternoon on Thursday. Please avoid hitting into the Grounds staff while they are completing the process. The order we will be completing the aerification is as follows.
(9,18,practice,1,17,8,12,2,3,4-7)

As always, thank-you for you patience.

Green Aerification on #9

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Green Aerification

One week of healing after aerification

The Aerification of the greens began today, with good success until the rain moved into Southwest Ohio. The grounds crew managed to complete six greens (10,11,13,14,15,16). These greens were chosen because of their location on the course and the soil conditions. With 3/4 of an inch of rain today it is unlikely we will be able to aerify tomorrow due to the moist conditions. We are hopeful to continue on Wednesday and finish this week. Please stayed tuned...

Thank-you

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Green Aerfication Postponed

Due to the unseasonably cool weather and wet soil conditions the putting surfcaes at Hyde Park will not be aerified as scheduled on March 28, 29 &30th. Instead, we hope to aerfiy starting on April 4th and continuing through the week.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Dormant Zoysia and Cart Traffic

The Zoysia Grass fairways are slowly starting to green-up in many areas of the golf course. Zoysia grass being a warm season grass typically breaks dormancy in mid to late April and then enjoys the hot Cincinnati summers. Depending on the growth pattern (based upon soil temperatures, day length and air temperature) of Zoysia, in the early spring and late fall, cart traffic is limited to orange flag carts until growth resumes. When the Zoysia is dormant the recuperative capacity of this turfgrass is negligent and can take a significant time to heal from cart traffic damage. Last season, cart traffic to the fairways was permitted April 9th. In the coming weeks mother nature will determine when the Zoysia will wake up. Please refer to the rooster book, golf shop and signs posted on the carts concerning cart rules. As always, please Do NOT operate or park golf carts in the rough.

Thanks,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Greens Aerification Approaching

In order to continue to improve the playability and the health of the putting greens at Hyde Park a series of practices are implemented each season during the spring and fall. Core cultivation or aerification is a mechanical process that creates more air space in the soil and promotes deeper rooting, modifying soils and removing thatch thus helping the grass plants stay healthy and creating a firm surface to putt on. The soil based greens at Hyde Park, in some cases are over 85 years old and drain poorly. Based upon soil physical properties testing we strive to modify/remove approximately 25-30% of the surface area of the putting surfaces. Attached below, are photos of a few of the processes that are employed  in our cultivation practices.  In the upcoming weeks a schedule will be posted on the blog and twitter to update the membership when the practices are occurring.


Deep tine aeration (fall)




Lineal cultivation with sand injection (spring and/or fall)



Dry Ject sand injection (fall)



Core cultivation (spring and fall)

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Larry Drehs

Hyde Park's own Larry Drehs, PGA Golf Professional on the Golf Channel. Good Stuff! See Below...

Annual Bluegrass removal on Zoysia fairways

In order to maintain a high level of playability on the Zoysia fairways, many cultural practices are employed such as; aerfication, adequate fertilization, proper watering practices and increasing light to the plant. These practices improve the health of the Zoysia grass, reducing unwanted weeds such as Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua). Each year the fairways are sprayed twice with a herbicide to eliminate any Annual Bluegrass, the encroachment of the Annual Bluegrass, if left untreated will reduce the health and playability of the Zoysia. The below photos were taken during the recent application to the fairways at Hyde Park.


Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent




Clumps of  green Annual Bluegrass in Zoysia Fairway




Walking spray boom with shield to get clean line between fairway and rough 



Golf Course Closed

The golf course is closed today due to the frozen/thawing turf, we hope that the warm weather will allow for play on temporary greens later next week.  Attached is a further explanation from the USGA concerning the impact of freeze and thaw effects on the surfaces from foot traffic.

"Traffic damage on frozen turf areas usually occurs during periods of freezing or thawing. The most devastating situation occurs when the grass blades and the upper one-half to one inch of soil has thawed, but the ground beneath their level remains frozen. Traffic will create a shearing action of the roots, rhizomes, and crown tissues at this time. This is comparable to cutting the plant tissue from the underlying root system with a sod cutter. Complete kill of leaves, crowns, and rhizomes can occur if the temperatures soon drop below 20° F. Symptoms from this severe injury include whitish to dark brown leaves that may mat on the surface. Once temperatures allow thawing to a depth of three to four inches, the probability of turf damage declines since about 75 percent of the root system is in the upper four inches of soil. Frequently soil probing is the only positive way to effectively monitor the freezing level. Traffic should be adjusted accordingly (USGA, 1984)."


Please stay tuned for updates on twitter, the Golf shop and the Grounds Blog.


Thank-you,


Pat O'Brien


Grounds Superintendent

Tree Program: "Brush" Removal

Tree Management at Hyde Park:

As part of the tree management program at Hyde Park, a focus has been placed on the extensive removal of “brush” including Honey Suckle, Poison Ivy and various types of vines. This program has opened up vistas, improved air movement and reduced encroachment of these weeds that inhibit growth of native tree species and shrubs. Close to six acres of “brush” has been removed since 2004, with the current initiative focused along Erie Avenue and the left side of # 2 tee. In the long-term the work beside #2 tee will include planting of fine fescues and various native trees to enhance the area. Below are a few photos from past areas that have been cleaned up.

Right of #7 Green

In front of #14 tee

Right of #7 green

Right of # 7 green

Attached, is a link for further information on the removal of Honey Suckle.(http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/dnap/invasive/1amurhoneysuck/tabid/1996/Default.aspx)



Thank-you

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Snow Mold Preventative Fungicide Application

The bentgrass tees and approaches at Hyde Park were treated with a fungicide to prevent Snow Mold on Thursday. One application is applied annually to the greens, tees and approaches from November to January.

What is Snow Mold?????


There are two types of snow mold that may affect turfgrass, gray snow mold and pink snow mold. Gray snow mold is rarely a serious problem in South West Ohio since it requires extended periods of snow cover to develop (30 days for mild infections to begin and 90 days or more for serious outbreaks). Unlike gray snow mold, pink snow mold does not require snow cover but snow cover can promote disease outbreaks in certain situations. Since pink snow mold is promoted by wet conditions, we can reduce the possibility of disease by maintaining normal mowing heights into the fall until growth has nearly stopped to avoid long grass that may become matted and wet (Purdue University, 2004).

Applying fungicides to the 1st tee