Driving Range Update

We are several weeks into the driving range renovation project so I thought an update with was warranted.

When construction of the new driving range is complete, it will be grassed with Celebration bermudagrass. Therefore, to avoid contamination it was necessary to eradicate the mixture of bermudagrasses on the existing driving range.  To accomplish this an application of RoundUp, a non-selective herbicide was applied on March 30th. It is impossible to eradicate bermudagrass with a single application. Therefore, after regrowth was evident, the range received a second application of herbicide on April 27th.

Almost a month after the initial herbicide application
regrowth was evident on the driving range. 

Both existing driving range tees had previously been renovated to Celebration bermudagrass. Celebration has improved traffic, cold, shade and drought tolerance. Since both tees were 100% Celebration I did not spray them with the herbicide. Over the last few weeks my staff has removed all of this turfgrass (over an acre) and we have relocated it to high traffic and/or shaded areas on the golf course.

Removing Celebration bermudagrass from the east range tee
for use on the golf course. 

Preparing an area to the left of #11 green for Celebration sod.

Area to the left of #11 green after installing Celebration sod
 from the east range tee.

This week construction on the range has progressed rapidly! All of the dead turfgrass on the driving range was removed by bulldozers. This organic material was relocated and is being buried beneath rock that is used to construct the sub-grade of the new driving range.

In most areas of Southwest Florida soil is scarce, but limestone rock is abundant. When we constructed Olde Florida Golf Club in 1992 the entire sub-grade was constructed from limestone material that was excavated from the lakes we created. Approximately three feet of soil was then placed on top of the limestone sub-grade. This is how the existing range was constructed and the new range will be built.  

Turfgrass being removed around the west range tee.

Turfgrass being removed around west range tee.
In the background a trackhoe is stockpiling good soil. 

Also this week good soil from the existing range is being removed and stockpiled for use on the new range. Existing rock is being relocated and additional limestone material is being imported to construct the sub-grade.

Soil being removed from the top of the rock sub-grade on the existing range

Large boulders being crushed by a hydraulic hammer. These boulders are located
 under what will be the mounds that frame the west side of the new driving range.    

Limestone material being added under the area that will be the south tee

The plan that was provided by golf course architect Rees Jones, Inc. details all of the features on the new driving range, as well as the required elevations.  The north and south tees, as well as the chipping greens (north of the north range tee) have been located and are currently being constructed.

This pipe is located on the center of what will be the north range tee.
As you can see by the elevation depicted on the pipe, as compared
to the area behind where the new tee will be located,
significant fill must be added to the entire area.  

Olde Florida Gives a Hoot!

Last year Olde Florida placed four Screech Owl nesting boxes on the golf course. All four of the nesting boxes are currently being utilized. In two of the four, hatchlings are being nurtured.

Eggs remain unhatched in the other two boxes.

The Screech Owl is still widespread and fairly common, but thought to have been gradually declining. However, the decline has been helped in some areas by the installation of nest boxes.

Screech Owl’s are a robin-sized night bird. They are common in city parks and suburbs, where many human residents are often unaware they have an owl for a neighbor. The owl spends the day roosting in holes, nesting boxes or in dense cover and become active at dusk. Despite the name, Screech Owl’s do not screech; the voice of this species features whinnies and soft trills. 

Next year additional Screech Owl nesting boxes will be added around the golf course and the clubhouse.

National Golf Day 2015

This week I am in Washington D.C. where on Monday and Tuesday I will chair the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Government Relations Committee Meeting. On Wednesday, the Committee and the GCSAA Board of Directors will participate in National Golf Day, which is organized by WE ARE GOLF. 

GCSAA, along with the Club Managers Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association, the PGA of America and the World Golf Foundation are founding members of WE ARE GOLF. 

Founded in 2009, WE ARE GOLF is a coalition of golf’s leading organizations. Among others, additional members of WE ARE GOLF include the PGA Tour, the U.S Golf Manufacturers Council, the American Society of Golf Course Architects, The LPGA, The Golf Course Builders Association and the United States Golf Association.   All of these organizations, and others will be represented on National Golf Day.  

WE ARE GOLF was formed in part because it was evident the golf industry was misunderstood by too many elected officials. Perceptions of the game simply did not coincide with reality. By focusing on the nearly two million Americans whose livelihoods are tied to golf, WE ARE GOLF has leveled the playing field for the thousands of small businesses that make up the industry. As a result, golf is no longer being excluded from important legislation and our elected officials have a better understanding of the myriad of benefits the game brings to their communities.

The nearly two million U.S. jobs generated by the nearly $69 billion golf industry, and its vast economic reach are at the core of WE ARE GOLF’S message. In addition to better demonstrating golf’s profound economic clout, WE ARE GOLF illustrates the industry’s health and wellness benefits, its unparalleled charitable giving, and its environmental sustainability initiatives.

Driving Range Renovation

The driving range renovation at Olde Florida is progressing on schedule.

The first application of non-selective herbicide was applied to the range on March 30th. The second application will be applied on April 27th. Between applications the turfgrass is fertilized with quick release nitrogen and irrigated to encourage re-growth. Multiple applications of herbicide are necessary to eradicate bermudagrass. 

The Celebration bermudagrass range tees were not sprayed with the non-selective herbicide. The new range will be grassed with Celebration so there is not a concern with contamination of the new turfgrass. In addition, when the range is closed for play later this month the Celebration will be removed from the driving range tees and used on the golf course. Celebration is an improved variety of bermudagrass with enhanced shade, drought and traffic tolerance.

With the current east/west layout being reconfigured to a north/south orientation land to the north and south of the range needed to be cleared. A clearing plan is shown below.

The land to the north of the range has been cleared. The organic debris will soon be reduced through the use of a tub grinder. The area to the north of the range was void of almost all soil. Consequently, the predominant plant species was Brazilian Pepper. The land to the south of the driving range is currently being cleared.

The driving range will remain in open until April 30th. If construction progresses as planned the new range and short game practice facility will re-open on October 1st. 

Annual Report to the Olde Florida Golf Club Membership

Annual Report to the Olde Florida Golf Club Membership

By Darren J. Davis, CGCS

April 7, 2015

The 2015 winter golf season at Olde Florida is winding down and my staff and I appreciate your support and positive feedback. Soon we will be switching gears from routine maintenance to our summer project mode. In addition, we will begin work on the necessary cultural practices such as aerification, vertical mowing and topdressing, which enable us to provide you with quality golf course conditions in the winter months.

For most of the winter season the weather was conducive for turfgrass growth. This enabled us to maintain a healthy stand of turfgrass as well as produce a height of cut in the rough that allowed for good contrast with the fairway.   

Last summer we completed several in-house projects. The most noticeable was the renovation of #18 senior/forward tee. As in previous years, last year we also completed a mini-bunker renovation just prior to our winter golf season. With the average annual rainfall in Naples being just less than 52 inches, and 65% of this occurring between June and September, bunker washing and bunker sand contamination is an issue.

Last summer we also completed an aggressive Brazilian Pepper removal project. Brazilian Pepper is an invasive plant that alters plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structure and ecological functions. Beginning this summer we will institute a property-wide maintenance program.   

For the third year in a row our Purple Martin structures are being utilized. The structures are located behind #2 championship tee. In our first winter (2013), we successfully fledged three Purple Martins. Although Purple Martins migrate each winter to South America, they remain incredibly faithful to their colony (nesting) sites each year. This was the case at Olde Florida. The Purple Martins from 2013 returned in late January 2014 to again utilize the nesting structure and over a dozen Purple Martins were fledged.  With a second structure being added this winter the number looks to have increased.  

If you desire more information on our activities throughout the year, I utilize several forms of social media to provide course reports and other timely information on club activities. A complete list of these as well as articles, videos and blog entries can be found on my website   

#10 Green, April 2015

   

Thank a Golf Course Superintendent

Since the origination of the game, golf course superintendents have been giving golfers a reason to love the game. Now, some of the best players in golf, from Jack Nicklaus to Rory McIlroy are taking part in a promotional campaign to “thank a golf course superintendent.” The thirty-second commercials produced by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) will begin airing on the Golf Channel in April, and radio, print and online advertising will run in numerous markets across the country.

One television spot features a montage of clips from Nicklaus, McIlroy, Michelle Wie, Nick Faldo, Rickie Fowler, Graeme McDowell and Matt Kuchar. While a second spot features Johnny Miller, Davis Love, Nick Price, Colin Montgomerie, Jason Day and Karrie Webb.

The GCSAA is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf.

Click here to view one of the thirty-second commercials:  Thank a Golf Course Superintendent

Cold and Frosty...

Due to the inland locale of Olde Florida Golf Club, most winters we will receive a couple frosts. When frost occurs, the turfgrass is damaged and the leaf blade turns brown. Occasionally conditions are favorable for a "hard" frost resulting in a complete blighting of the turf canopy, but normally our frosts are “patchy”.  When a frost is light, or it’s limited to just one day, there are variances in frost formation and leaf damage. The variances are related to the turf canopy height, density and moisture level. 

Rough at Olde Florida Golf Club after a "patchy" frost

#4 green complex after a hard frost

On rare occasion we will receive a hard frost, or multiple frosts in a short time period and the rough can turn completely brown. “How long will the rough be brown?” is a common question when this occurs. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to provide a definitive answer to the inquiry. The rough, like all of the playing surfaces at Olde Florida, are bermudagrass. Bermudagrass is a warm season perennial species adapted to tropical and subtropical climates. It grows best under extended periods of high temperatures, mild winters and moderate to high rainfall. In general, extended temperatures below 30°F kill the leaves and stems of bermudagrass. While it will be slow, research has demonstrated that bermudagrass will continue to grow with night temperatures as low as 34°F, if daytime temperatures are near 70°F.

A hard frost around the practice green at Olde Florida

In general, bermudagrass grows best when the average daily temperature is above 75°F. Soil temperature, as influenced by air temperature, is also very important to the growth and development of bermudagrass. Soil temperatures above 65°F are required for significant growth. The optimum soil temperature for root growth is around 80°F.

Checking the soil temperature on a tee at Olde Florida