Mid-winter Report

  Fall 2023 Review

We didn't get a fall blog posted so a quick round-up is in order for the close of the 2023 season. Bunker rebuilding was still on the list and the bunkers on 9 green were the target. Drainage, capillary concrete and new Pro Angle sand was installed. Ran out of weather for finishing all sodding so we'll need to button those areas up this spring.  They came out perfect and we're confident they'll be better to play from.

 

9 green bunker before

9 green shaping up

9 green right

9 green new bunkers

Targets

Target greens

On a great suggestion from Head Professional Jason Wall, we killed off and scalped out the range target areas and have planted them to a dwarf bluegrass cultivar.  We'll mow these at tee height which creates a more realistic looking target green for the warm-up area. 

Fall Seeding

Slit seeding perennial ryegrass

As per our usual, overseeding was completed in late September and results were excellent.  As we chase better fairway quality, for current circumstances, pushing perennial ryegrass and dry mowing is paying off.  Consistency and density has improved and for the immediate future this will be our approach.  While talk of bentgrass fairways isn't dead, there's vastly more to it that needs to be discussed; perhaps another time when a new irrigation system can be more seriously considered.

New Maintenance Facility Update

After the first full season working out of the new maintenance building I can assure the members that there isn't a detail that was overlooked.  We are safer, more efficient, and energized to be working out of this facility.  The pride in the grounds crew is palpable and their good attitudes toward the property are contagious.  From the pictures below you can get an idea of why it was such a big deal for the maintenance department to upgrade.  It truly is a state-of-the-art facility.  

2022 

2022

2023

2023

Tree Removals

Every winter conditions eventually get firm enough to thin out areas that are dense with shade.  This winter, work was between holes 5 and 14.  Approximately 40 trees were completely removed by our maintenance staff.  When we're fortunate to have an excavator on site (Thanks Jeff Hanlon), we dig the stumps as opposed to grinding them.  Shallow rock makes stump grinding slow, incomplete, and expensive. We also took 3 major trees down that were directly west of 5 green.  This will let more sun onto the green and reduce debris that lands on the green through spring and fall.  Unrelated freebie: all the pear trees lining 9 fairway got a much needed trimming from the county highway department!

Whole stump removal

 5 and 14

5 green from approach

Winterkill (not)

4 green damaged in 2014 

Holding our breath for the rest of the winter but conditions haven't been a cause for concern. The mechanism for killing Poa annua in greens is generally an unseasonable warm up, rain or melt water puddling on surfaces followed by a fast, hard freeze. We've had the warm up, but not enough moisture or fast freeze up.  We still have February to go, so no promises, but odds are getting better we've gotten through without a winterkill adventure.    

Countdown

 Over the Hump

Oh Canada!

Summer solstice, northern solstice, estival solstice, or just midsummer. At the time of this writing we're a little more than a month past the longest day of the year and we've got our eyes fixed on the coming vernal equinox in September when daylight and darkness are balanced.   We've had some smokey afternoons this summer due to wildfires north of the border making things visually interesting if not a challenge to get a gulp of air.  Rains arrived after and have been on the regular through July after being scarce in late May and June. That kind of pattern leads to healthy thick grass from tee through green unfortunately including the rough.  One downside to conditions that promote lush growth are that green speed numbers suffer and wet bunkers are harder to keep consistent.   

Nursery

Rock picking

Ready to seed

A good catch

                                   

Adding to the landscape between 7 green and 3 tee will be a new green, fairway and tee nursery. Planting was done in August to  target optimal soil temperatures.   

Grasses in the nursery will be as follows: 

• Fairways and rough: Perennial ryegrass/dwarf kentucky bluegrass  
• Tees, collars,  putting surfaces: 777 bentgrass + Poa annua

 Course conditions

Aside of minor skirmishes with disease and some early season drought conditions, the course has performed extremely well and shows no signs of stress. Our biggest challenge this year was repairing the construction trenches for the new maintenance building. The rains helped us there but with those rains came a smaller window for getting weed control measures in place. Control has been a challenge and we'll endeavor to get everything treated by fall so we're clean going into next season. 

Fairways have improved tremendously.  A new strategy was employed and we've had success. With some creative tee time adjustment we mowed 'dry' whenever we could.  Instead of killing worms with chemicals we simply mowed when they were less abundant (later in the morning). Mowing dry allows worm casts to break up instead of smear into the grass. It's a minor disruption to tee times but this small difference in turf dryness has made a huge difference in fairway quality and is one we'll keep doing in years to come. With the wet year, it's been a great test for this method.  

Greens have been healthy due to the ample rain. The other side of that coin is excess moisture contributes to inconsistent green speed.  Otherwise growth has been accelerated with regular rains helping to heal areas quickly. 2 & 4 green did their annual about-face in the hottest part of summer but with some hand holding they've turned the corner and are responding to inputs. Growth regulators course-wide have been used sparingly as their usefulness is diminished  when moisture and warmth are this plentiful. 

Venting greens midsummer to let air in

The biggest challenge continues to be cart traffic. As we removed roping ahead of men's MG, traffic patterns started taking a toll within days. This problem is a blessing and curse for popular courses that enjoy enthusiastic golfers. GPS control on carts will become affordable in the future and will give us the tool we need to keep carts from getting into trouble without having to erect a maze of rope and stakes that are visually unappealing.  Until then, we'll rely on ropes and golfer self-awareness.    

On Golden Pond

Trimming cattails is a coveted job of the summer staff

As talk is continues about developing a more up-to-date master plan to address the next 50 years at Tuscarora, a high priority of that plan will be steps to handle the pond and creek on holes 10,11,12,15.  

Regular trimming is required for playability

Pond history: 

• Average depth of pond is 3' with a bottom of solid limestone.
• Pond is part of a 'Karst topography' formation that terminates on hole 15. 
• Pond was originally a wetland and fed primarily from residential and agricultural runoff with some minor seepage coming from the larger ponds across Howlett hill road (11 green area).
• Army Corps of Engineers were consulted in 2009 to help re-shape a smaller pond in front of the willow on 10 into the winding creek that it is today.
• Pond and waterway was studied by ESF in 2017 to determine whether it could generate enough water to be used to supply an irrigation pond. The verdict: Not feasible or affordable at this time.
• Pond on 12 was dredged twice after 2 silt incursion events  created by ag/land management decisions across Munro road on land leased by the Hourigan Family Dairy. The DEC was notified after the second incident.
• The current condition of the pond/water is healthy and odor-free as compared to past years when there was no vegetation allowed.  Wetland plants and naturalization act as a filter for nutrients and silt, lessening the decomposition smell that used to plague that area when it was mowed closely.
• A decision on what the pond should and can be needs further discussion and consideration.  New DEC guidelines and laws pertaining to New York state waterways and wetlands are in play which is a new wrinkle to deal with.  A good regional golf course architect or waterway consultant will be able to guide the club through those regulatory 'waters' when the time comes.          

Where the water goes on #15 and why treating the pond with chemicals is a sensitive issue

Great potential here for something special

      

Fall/Winter Projects

Another beautiful sunrise 

We'll be returning to our roots of bunker, tee, and tree work for this winter.  The success of  5 new 'capcon' bunkers on 11 and 18 proves we can fix our bunkers in-house.  It may take longer than a contractor could do it, but eventually we'll get to all of them. The target is to complete 1-2 holes a year depending on the severity of the reconstruction.  30 bunkers remain to be restored and the order they are taken will be guided by the greens committee.   

#4 narrowing as trees get bigger.

Arbor day was a good idea for anywhere that wasn't a golf course. Hundreds of courses across the country are reclaiming their courses from the overplanting craze it wrought from the 60s through the 80s.  Problems growing grass dissolve when sun gets through and tree roots aren't robbing resources. As we witness improvements in areas that had this work performed, the need for future removals becomes obvious and less controversial.  

Overseeding is coming

It's time to return to our tried and true practice of slit-seeding fairways.  We backed off for a few years around Covid because seed was scarce but supply chains have loosened up and we'll be starting this process again after Labor day. We'll also be adding an aerification to 10 and 12 fairways in September to reduce the thatch build up. These fairways are the wettest and as a result, most infested with bentgrass.  The dirty secret of keeping good bentgrass fairways is the religious devotion required for thatch control.  It just has to happen if quality is expected. 

Greener Notes - Centennial Edition

 Year of the Rabbit

To honor the 100th anniversary through this season, I'll include a little visual history with every post.  Back before digital cameras and cell phones, I documented course improvements with real film.  I still have some paper pictures from the early 2000's as well as hundreds of digital photos from the following years to current day.  Many of the course changes made over the last 20+ years have been long forgotten. Some where good ideas and others less so.  Along with the usual course updates and reports, expect a short stroll through memory lane, from a property improvement perspective.  

1990's

2015-16

Present day

Maintenance Facility Progress

1999-2022

March 2023 makes it 5 months since we broke ground on the new building.  Progress continues at a brisk pace as we close in on occupancy in April. 

2023

New Electric, phone and data, and a permanent municipal water supply have all been installed.  If you've been following along on Instagram you've seen the process unfolding.  

New 3-phase power

Permanent water and septic at the shop will be a treat.

Course Work

The crew has been split between our usual winter season maintenance, repair and sharpening and helping contractors with trenching, conduit, and water line installation. With the mild winter and absence of frost in the ground, getting heavy equipment on the course for tree work has been limited.  The exception has been a contracted logging of the woods between holes 4, 5, and 6.  About an acre of Scotch and Austrian Pine were thinned out to increase air circulation, light, and improve playability for those 3 holes.  50-60  trees were left in the area to create a more aesthetically pleasing parkland setting similar to the rest of the course.  All the snags,  underbrush and stumps have been ground out and grass will be planted throughout the new space.  Finding errant shots will be easier and maybe even playable. The area will be a work in progress through the season as we transition it from wood lot to parkland. I expect it to be fully in play by mid to late summer. 

Aspect from #4 

  

Rotary Axe

Trench Warfare

As play starts returning to the course, golfers will be met with 2  major trenches that cross three holes.  The new municipal water line crosses 7 fairway and the new electric service crosses 16 and 17 fairways and rough.  As ground dries up and weather cooperates, trenches will be raked, seeded and sodded.  The target for these areas to be completely back in play is by Memorial Day. Cart crossings and routing through these areas will be regulated. 

 

16 fairway

7 fairway

The Final Countdown

As this gets posted it's now March 29 and opening day is around the corner. Whatever weather may come Tuscarora always opens on  either side of Masters week and this year's no exception.   This year we're shooting for April 5th for opening for walkers.  Carts will be allowed when drier conditions prevail.  Some late breaking news - after a years wait, the new practice mat system is on site and ready to be installed. The mats will be in use until we see soil temps in the 50s. Welcome back!

La Nina in Control

Making Hay

With the amazing weather pattern we've enjoyed for over a month we're seeing another year of extended golfing conditions and excellent working weather.  Leaf drop is almost over as we wait for the oaks and some of the maples to let go. We appreciate you bearing with us as we try to keep up with leaf work - it seems never-ending and an extra challenge working temporarily short-handed.   

Not all that glitters is green

Although mild weather is great for your game and mental health, the jury is out on how it affects winter hardiness of Poa annua on greens. As the picture above reminds us (9 green in April 2022), Poa annua does poorly when it's 'woken up' mid-winter and then rapidly refrozen.  This isn't a new phenomena, it's well-known for the species.  What's new for our latitude is trying to gauge how much a delayed dormancy (warmer autumns) might help or hurt the plants winter hardiness.  In a perfect world the plants harden off slowly as cold weather arrives in October/November (in our region) and enter a state of suspended animation for the remainder of the winter. Since 2014 that's not been the case. 

Last year we got lucky as many courses in our region suffered extensive winter damage through no fault of their own and some escaped without a scratch, again, through primarily good luck.  There's some correlation with how high greens were mowed going into winter (too low-too late increases damage) but it's anecdotal evidence for now.  Unfortunately without a real crystal ball we get to wait to see what's in store and hope for a colder than normal, no-thaw winter. 

New Digs

It's been there a while...judging from aerial photography from the 1930's the original shop looks like it's been standing on or near the same foundation for around 85+ years.  It's served its purpose dutifully and was adequate for what was required of it. 

Tuscarora's history is rich in character and lore. As the club was finally able to purchase the land and have a hand in their destiny, improvements flourished, and they still do. The latest of these 'upgrades' coming on-line in spring 2023 is a turf care facility that can truly be called state-of-the-art.  

The plan for this facility has been a work in progress since 1999.  It was never a secret the golf club needed a new maintenance facility.  We knew there'd be a time and place for it given the aspirations of the members.  As we bring it up out of the ground and into reality I'll be doing more posts on the benefits and features it adds to the property and how those things improve the golfing experience and the clubs place in the community. Not only will our maintenance staff have a home they can be proud of but they'll have a place that is truly able to provide the technical support and safety a workplace should provide.

Still Waiting

 

 Remember those awesome practice mats for the range we ordered in February?    It's been an experience this year dealing with it and trying not to blame the company for things out of their control.  If you're in manufacturing, or a distributor for a manufacturer who's dealing with supply chain and labor issues - hats off to you. It's supremely frustrating to have folks  completely prepared only to have to tell them there's yet another delay.  Our latest update from this company was 'before Christmas' after postponing three separate times through the season.  Hope is we'll have them by opening day in 2023. Fingers crossed. 

A Wormy Situation

It's far and away the worst attribute of the property. Of any disease, weed, insect, or winter injury - worm casts are the final boss.  It's sparked debate over grass type, mowing schedules, height of cut, and management acumen. The list of remedies from the course across town, or the self-proclaimed turf expert who likes to give their opinion seems never-ending and it's all well intentioned. What I've settled on for the time being is a solution that I'm certain works and works universally.  Namely it's mowing when the turf is dry. It's the way forward. 

To accomplish this we've added a third fairway mower to our fleet and will be coordinating with the Pro Shop to fit our fairway crew in during slower times of the week. What that may look like from the outside is fairways being mowed during early afternoons. We won't be making golfers wait and will schedule this to minimize contact with play. 

Other plans are using some new growth regulators during the wormy seasons to reduce the need to mow as often. This lessens the smearing that the mowers do which is where the  cycle of damage starts.  It also gives the fairways a tighter denser canopy that can improve the ball lie in spite of the castings. Notice the difference in the picture below of turf treated from 200 yards in on #5.  It has a slightly different color and texture than turf from 200+

 

We're going to find a solution for this problem without resorting to measures that are unsustainable if not vaguely illegal.  The talk of bentgrass fairways isn't dead, but there's much more to be discussed and prepared for before we embark on that voyage. 

In the interim, there's a mechanical fix here that will be explored.  It's affordable, safe, and sustainable without resorting to chemically nuking the worms from orbit.

Platform Change

The grounds department doesn't have a big social media footprint by design. We keep it impersonal and drama-free because nobody needs that. We try to provide information on all things turf and golf course adjacent, especially relating to Tuscarora.  As twitter goes through whatever its going through I decided to take the account over to Instagram for good.  The sharing and production tools are better and I hope the engagement and usability is too.  As the curator of the account I wanted something that's more attractive to use and experience. 

Without opining on twitters latest foibles it's enough said that we have a new social media home for the Tuscarora Grounds Dept. on Instagram @tuscaroragroundsdept 

https://instagram.com/tuscaroragroundsdept?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Please visit us, interact, and don't hesitate to DM us for any burning questions about why greens are slow, omg who cut the pins, why people won't fix ballmarks, and whether DeeDee ever gets tired.