Cultural Practices at Olde Florida Golf Club

It has been an extremely productive week at Olde Florida. This was the first closed week of the summer and the golf course operations staff was busy performing the beneficial cultural practice of aerification.  

Aerification is the mechanical process of creating air space in the soil, which promotes a healthy rooting system. Turfgrass on a golf course endures significant stress and compaction from golf play and equipment traffic. Through aerification, an infusion of air, water and nutrients brings a resurgence of growth, keeping turfgrass durable during stressful conditions. While somewhat disruptive to golfers, aerification is absolutely necessary to maintain a healthy stand of turfgrass. Failure to perform sufficient aerification often results in poorly drained soil, thin turfgrass stands, and problems with disease and insects.   

Aerification of #8 fairway

Greens aerification on the short-game practice area

Aerification and topdressing are also vital in the management/reduction of thatch. Thatch is a loose, intermingled organic layer of dead and living shoots, stems and roots that develops between the turfgrass and the soil. Thatch build-up occurs when turfgrass produces organic debris faster than it can be broken down.

Thatch can be beneficial and detremintal. The detrmining factor is the amount and composition of the thatch. For example, a thin layer of thatch provides insulation against temperature extremes and fluctuations in soil moisture. Some thatch also provides the much-needed resiliency of the playing surface. However, excessive thatch causes numerous problems including poor rooting, scalping and pest problems.

Topdressing #1 green

Topdressing a tee on #5

Thatch on #8 fairway

National Golf Day 2016

Today I am in Washington D.C. to participate in the ninth annual National Golf Day, which is organized by WE ARE GOLF. WE ARE GOLF is a coalition of The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the Club Managers Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association, the PGA of America, the World Golf Foundation, the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Golf Course Builders Association of America, the Ladies Professional Golf Association, the National Alliance for Accessible Golf, the National Club Association, the PGA Tour, The First Tee, the United States Golf Association, and the U.S. Golf Manufacturers Council. 

Florida GCSA Past Presidents Kevin Sunderman, Greg Pheneger and I, National  Golf Day 2016

WE ARE GOLF was founded in part because it was evident the golf industry was misunderstood by 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 helped to level 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.

With 2016 being an election year, it's more important than ever for the WE ARE GOLF coalition to continue to educate our nations lawmakers on golf's economic, environmental, charitable, and fitness benefits. This years event will feature special attendees Davis Love III, 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, Vice Captain Steve Stricker and LPGA legend Nancy Lopez. Throughout the day golf industry leaders will meet with members of Congress, the Executive Branch and federal agencies to discuss the game's nearly $70 billion economic impact and its nearly $4 billion annual charitable 
giving. 

Speaker of the House John Boehner and I, National Golf Day 2015

Low Direct Light Intensity Readings in January and February in SW Florida

Growing turfgrass has been a challenge in Southwest Florida in January and early February due to the cool temperatures and the much lower than normal light intensity. The weather has required numerous changes in the facilities agronomic practices.

Cool and cloudy conditions in January and early February required the staff to make adjustments in the management of the turfgrass at Olde Florida Golf Club

Increased rainfall has also created dificulties this winter. The historical monthly average rainfall in January is 1.9" and the average for February is 2.0". From January 1 to February 16, 2016 Olde Florida Golf Club has received in excess of 13" of rainfall. 

The lake on hole #16 after 5" of rain on January 27 and 28. 

While this article on the direct light intensity (DLI) in Januray in SW Florida is fairly technical in nature, it helps to explain the reason why turfgrass growth in the region this year has been reduced. Fortunately, the forecast is improving each day and Olde Florida has been able to hold its own during the less than ideal growing conditions of January and early February. 

In part, the golf course fared well due to the health of the turfgrass entering the stressful period. December 2015 set several records for high temperatures. While managing the excess growth in December was often dificult, it enabled Olde Florida to enter January 2016 in great condition. 

It was a challange to maintain the desired heights of cut in December due to the excessive growth 

One change that was required in December was increased nutrient input. While it might seem counter intuitive to feed the plant when it was growing so aggressively in the winter, we were aware that the plant was rapidly utilizing its stored reserves, which needed to be replaced prior to entering the cooler months of January and February.

Providing the plant the necessary nutrients prior to entering the stress period was critical 

Fourth ... and Final Summer Update

Cultural Practices

The last closed week of the summer was September 21-28th. The golf course operations staff used the week to perform the final vertical mowing of the greens. This process was followed by a sand topdressing and a solid tine aeration. With the necessary summer cultural practices complete, and we head into our winter golf season, increased emphasis will be placed on green speed and trueness.

Topdressing greens after vertical mowing

Solid tine aeration 

Annual "Mini Bunker Renovation"

The staff also used the last closed week of the summer to complete a significant portion of our annual "mini bunker renovation". With the average annual rainfall in Naples being just under 60 inches, and 65% of this occurring between June and September, bunker washing and bunker sand contamination are an issue. Annual maintenance at the end of each summer helps us provide the membership with a consistent, quality bunker surface in the winter golf season. It also enables us to avoid a costly complete bunker renovation. 

The first step in the process is to remove the top layer of sand (1/2 to 1") from each bunker. The sand that is removed is used to topdress the bunker face. This reduces the time and expense of removing the sand and it also provides an agronomic benefit to the turfgrass surrounding the bunker.  

Removing the top 1/2 to 1" of existing bunker sand

Topdressing the bunker face with the top layer of existing sand

The remaining sand in the bunker is then leveled to a consistent depth (2, 3 or 4"). The final step is to add new, angular bunker sand to bring the total depth to a consistent 5" 

Driving Range

The driving range grow-in is progressing and the range will be ready for use on the scheduled October 15th opening date. Since my last update 1,000 linear feet of 6" drain tile was added in areas that needed additional subsurface drainage. 

Installing subsurface drainage at the driving range 

Installing subsurface drainage at the driving range 

Installing subsurface drainage at the driving range 

Rolling the sprigged landing area of the driving range

The two chipping greens on the short game practice facility were sprigged on August 27th, so at the time of the range opening they might be a little thin/open, but they will mature quickly. 

Mowing of the west chipping green 5 weeks after sprigging

Rolling the east chipping green 5 weeks after sprigging 

Irrigation Maintenance

Also since my last update, we raised/leveled every irrigation head, valve box and quick coupler on the golf course. With over 1,100 heads the process took three weeks to complete. Due to settling and the elevation of the playing surface from thatch production and cultural practices such as topdressing irrigation heads routinely need to be leveled. 

Raising an irrigation head and quick coupler on hole #1

An irrigation head after being leveled

New Tees

The new Super Senior, Forward, Senior and Middle tees that we added this summer are all established ready for play. 

Topdressing the new sod on/around the new Super Senior, Forward, Senior and Middle tee on hole #10

Summer Update 3

It has only been a few weeks since my last update, but our progress on the golf course and the new driving range has been significant so I felt an another report was warranted.  The golf course was closed last week (August 17 - 24). This was the fourth closure of the summer. Among other tasks, my staff performed a vertical mowing of the greens and completed the final fairway aerification of the summer.

#1 green and fairway

Last week we also finished the tee project. As a reminder, we added or moved twelve tees on eight holes. The holes impacted are 1, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 18. The project was a joint effort with my staff and Glase Golf, a contractor who has performed work for me at Olde Florida in the past.

After my staff removed all of the existing turfgrass, the contractor constructed the tees. I then approved the size and elevation the new tees. Following approval, the tees were laser leveled to a 1% front to back slope. My staff provided the final smoothing, a pre-plant fertilization and then re-grassed all of the areas where tees were removed or added. After the turfgrass was rooted, my staff began smoothing the surface with topdressing and a vibratory roller.

Greg Muirhead, Senior Vice President at Rees Jones, Inc., has since visited Olde Florida and provided his final approval of the project.

Using a laser transit to set the elevation of the new forward/ super senior tee on #16  

Removing the old forward tee on #14

Laser leveling the new forward/senior/super senior tee on #14

The new middle tee and forward/senior/super senior tee on #10 ready for grass

Grassing the new forward/super senior tee on #9

Rolling the new forward/senior/super senior tee on #1

My staff has also been creating the new tee markers that will be used to distinguish the five marked sets of tees. The championship tees will remain in place and will be noted on the scorecard, but they will not have a tee marker.

To create the tee markers, wood of a similar diameter was cut with a band saw into pieces 1 1/2" thick. The pieces were then sanded with a belt sander and "branded" with a custom made electric branding tool. Roman numerals one through five were used. Spikes were added to the bottom of each marker and the final step is the application of a wood sealer.

1 1/2" thick pieces of wood

Smoothing the surface of a tee marker 

Branding a tee marker

The final product

We have also made terrific progress on the driving range in the last few weeks. Grassing is now 75% complete. After the final shaping was approved by Rees Jones and his Senior Vice President Greg Muirhead, my staff applied a combination of pre-plant fertilizers and a pre-emergent herbicide.

Pre-plant fertilizer being applied

All mounding on the new driving range, the north tee and the short game practice facility have been grassed using rolled sod. The grass that is being used is Celebration bermudagrass. Celebration has improved traffic, drought and cold tolerance as compared to earlier varieties of hybrid bermudagrss. It also has an excellent recuperative ability. SMR Farms in Bradenton, Florida is my preferred vendor for Celebration and they provided all of sod and sprigs.

Rolled sod arriving from SMR Farms

Rolled sod being installed on the north range tee

Rolled sod being installed on the north range tee

The landing area (center) of the range, and the south tee were sprigged using a "sod to sprig" method. The sod to sprig method decreases the grow-in period by several days. Once sprigs are on the ground it is vital they remain wet all day, everyday until well-established.

Machine planting sprigs on the landing area of the driving range

Hand planting sprigs on the new south tee

Irrigating sprigs on the driving range

The irrigation system that was installed on the new driving range utilizes the same components and technology we used on the golf course during the irrigation renovation in 2010.   The system on the driving range was installed by Leibold Irrigation. Leibold was chosen because they are a terrific irrigation installation company, and they are the same company who performed our irrigation renovation in 2010.

Connecting signal wires from the individual irrigation heads on the new driving range to a field satellite   

Both of the greens in the short game practice facility have also been completed and grassed. The greens were constructed to USGA specifications. The collars were sodded with TifGrand bermudagrass and the greens were sprigged with TifEagle bermudagrass. These are the same varieties of turfgrass used on the greens and collars on the golf course. The TifGrand and TifEagle came from Pike Creek Turf, which is also where the turfgrass was purchased for the greens and collars on the golf course.

Providing the final float on the east chipping green prior to grassing

Pre-plant fertilizer being applied to the east chipping green

Hand sprigging the west chipping green

Slicing in the sprigs on the east chipping green

Summer Update 2

The summer continues to be very busy and extremely productive at Olde Florida! A brief report on what has been accomplished since my last summer update is below.

The weather has been seasonable this summer. In July we did receive 12" of rain, which is slightly more than the historical average, but it did not created any major issues.

The normal cultural practices are being completed. Since my last update the entire golf course has received an additional aerification.

Fairway/rough aerification on #16

Fairway/rough aerification on #10 

Collar aerification on #15

Construction on the driving range has also made significant progress since my last update. A comprehensive subsurface drainage system has been installed on the entire range, both the north and south tees have been constructed and the irrigation installation is progressing. The two tees will provide over 65,000 square feet of teeing surface. 

Subsurface drainage being installed on the driving range

Irrigation being installed on the south range tee

A mainline isolation valve being installed on the driving range

The short game practice facility is also nearing completion. Both of the chipping greens were constructed to USGA specifications with two bunkers on the east green and one bunker on the west green. The contouring of the area will allow for a variety of surface conditions to replicate shots on the golf course. Fairway bunkers have also been constructed next to the north and south tee.   

At the base of a USGA specification green is a 4" gravel layer 

Under the 4"gravel layer is a subsurface drainage system

Sand being added to a green side bunker on the east chipping green

The view looking south from the east chipping green

In addition, construction on the twelve new middle, senior, super senior and forward tees is underway. Work is being done on holes 1, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 18. After I located the tees in the field from a plan prepared by Rees Jones, Inc., my staff removed 70,000 square feet of existing grass.  Glase Golf is currently constructing the tees. When finished, my staff will install Celebration bermudagrass on the tees and surrounding slopes.   

Sod beng removed from what will be the new middle tee on #10

Sod being removed from the new forward and senior tee locations on #9

Soil being added to new forward tee on #10

The new middle tee on #10

Today, Rees Jones and Senior Vice President of Rees Jones Inc., Greg Muirhead were at Olde Florida to review the driving range and the additional tees being constructed on the golf course. Both gentlemen were extremely pleased with the work that is being done.  

(L-R) Rees Jones, Darren Davis, Greg Muirhead