Fall is here! What does this mean for the Grounds?

The fall season is a very busy time of year for the Grounds Staff and I as we prepare the golf course for next year. Many of the agronomic practices that are occurring now will have an impact in 2015. As many have you noted we have been engaged in:

• Aerifying and seeding the roughs
• Fall fertilization of all surfaces
• Removing summer annuals and planting of fall material
• Herbicide applications to the all rough areas
• Mowing of all high rough areas and herbicide applications
• Deeptine aeration of greens in late October/Early November
• Deeptine aeration of all tees and deep vertical mowing

This time of year we shift gears slightly to project mode of enchancing the property with various small in-house projects. This year is no different with several projects planned including:

• Tee leveling and reshaping
• Bentgrass approach conversion to zoysia and enlargement of these landing areas. We are planning convert the last approach areas if holes 4, 6 and 8.

Work has begun on the approach on 4. With the help of Golf Course Arcitect Tim Liddy, the scope of the work includes:

• Enlarging and reshaping of the approach to allow for greater visibility and increasing playability for the higher handicap golfer
• Conversion from bentgrass to zoysia grass
• Slightly reshaping green to Ross design
• Clean horizon lines on the back of green to give subtle look the green is much larger then it is
• Addition of short grass closer to the bunker to add greater challenge

Here are a few photos of the work thus far and a Ross sketch of the 4th green

Original Shape of Green

Before

New shape of green and approach, clean horizon line at back of green, almost ready for Zoysia!

 

Continuing this fall, drainage will be added to another 5 greens. After the next 5 greens are completed this will 6 greens left to drain. This process has and will continue to improve the consistency and health of the playing surfaces, please stayed tune for details.

Speaking of putting surfaces I wanted to pass a reminder along to fix you're ball marks (pitchmark) and any other ball marks that have been missed. The below graphic shows how to fix a ball mark properly, a properly fixed ball mark will allow the turf to heal extremely quickly and not leave an unsightly scar.

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Grounds@hydeparkcc.com or follow us on twitter @pobrienhpgcc for the latest updates on the grounds.

 

 

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Labor Day- Rain Delays Due to Poor Drainage

During the Labor Day Men's golf event there was a rain event that left almost .75" of rain in less then 30 minutes. There was almost an hour and half delay due to standing water on many of the putting surfaces, except for the 7 greens that have internal drainage. Many members left the event due to the delay and many asked why the delay was so long? The short answer is that these near 100 year old putting greens lack internal drainage. Standing water, needed to be physically squeegeed off many of the greens, hole locations had to be moved to higher ground for playability and to avoid turf damage. Adequate drainage is one the key building blocks of healthy turf. If all the greens had drainage the delay would have been a half hour. The 7 greens with internal drainage had no standing water on them after 20 minutes!

16 Green Physical Removal of Water- no drainage

15 green has internal drainage- note balls left on green ready to play!

Over the years the club has invested a great deal into the infrastructure of Hyde Park, all areas of the course have been renovated in some manner including:

• Multiple bunker renovations
• 3 irrigation systems
• Multiple tee renovations including drainage and new grass
• Additional and renovated cart paths
• Zoysia fairway conversion
• Complete hole renovations
• Rough renovations

Since the early 1920's when Donald Ross designed HP the only infrastructure that has not been upgraded (Except for 1 green and added drainage in 7 greens) is the most important surface; the putting greens. They drain poorly and the grasses do not preform with the same consistency and cost more to maintain compared to the newer varieties that we have been testing at HP for several years.

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact me or follow us on twitter @pobrienhpgcc

Below are few more photos of the greens following the rain event on Labor Day.

11 green

2 green

10 Green

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

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