Tractor w/ Verti Drain aerifier

1" by 1" spacing

 Piercing the Surface

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning we had the opportunity to "pencil tine" our putting surfaces.  This aerification process provides soil relief in the form of increased oxygen to our root system, reduction in compaction, water infiltration and enhance fertility uptake.  Although this machine creates a bit more surface disruption than our "needle tine" machine, there is little to no effect on playability. 

 

We started early this morning with three tractor-mounted Verti-Drain aerifiers equipped with 12 inch tines.  They leave a hole about the size of a pencil(3/16").  The surface holes will disappear in 3 to 4 days with routine maintenance however the underlying benefits will last 6 to 8 weeks.  We will continue to mow and roll to provide optimum playing conditions. 

 

This is just one more cultural practice that we employ to provide consistency throughout all of our putting surfaces. 

 

I would like to thank Erik and his staff for adjusting their schedule to allow us to complete this work in a timely fashion.  In all of my travels I have never worked with a more cooperative Head Professional.  Erik wants the best for Stonebridge and supports all my efforts on the golf course.

 

A special thanks to Mr. Kerr and his group.  They were first on the tee and did a wonderful job of playing at a comfortable pace and not pushing our maintenance operation.  

Rollers to provide smooth surface

 "When In Rome..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The golf course received a new course rating from the Florida State Golf Association.  As expected the new rating reflected the true difficulty of the course.  This means the golfers at Stonebridge are better than they thought they were.  Shooting the same score on a more difficult course will result in lower handicaps.  Along with the new rating, the scorecards needed to be adjusted and a new tee marking system was initiated.  The new tee markers have Roman numerals to designate the teeing area.  This marking system allows for a cleaner and more refined presentation throughout the course.  It also eliminates the stigma that is sometimes associated with playing from a certain "color" tee.  This approach is appreciated by the golfers that choose to "Tee it Forward".

 

 

One of the questions that is repeatedly asked of me and my staff is: "Why are the lake levels so low?"  The lake levels have dropped considerably since the middle of October, when the Summer rains came to a halt.  Our lakes are designed to release excess water into our neighboring wetlands through outfall structures located on holes #8,#9 and #18.  This system protects our property from flooding and ensures proper levels entering the dry season.  Although dramatic at first, the lakes have remained consistent through the recent weeks.  Our water supply is a critical asset to the entire property.  My role as an environmental steward weighs heavily on Water Conservation and Asset Management. 

 

 

I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season! I am looking forward to the new year.  As we strive for perfection, we just might bump into excellence.



Adding a Little Color to Stonebridge

Winter Annuals

On Monday, November 18th, we received delivery of our winter annuals.  The entire staff put in long hours to ensure a timely installation of all the flowers.  I would like to commend Lee Dixon, our Common Area Manager, for the plant selection and design of all the beds.  We are looking forward to a very colorful and vibrant season.

Below are a few pictures of the activities and oddities found around the golf course.  The first picture shows the results of our Root Pruning project we completed in late October.  This process severs the feeder roots that rob the turf of essential nutrients and moisture.  The turf outside the line is thriving due to decreased competition from the tree roots.  The second picture is our Pencil Tine aerification program.  This vital part of our cultural program helps to relieve compaction, increase oxygen levels in the soil, improve percolation and enhances nutrient uptake.  We complete this task ahead of play and follow the aerification with a roller.  This ensures a quality putting surface throughout the season.

The last picture is another installment of my "photo quiz".  Late last week I discovered a number of these spots on #5. They were scattered throughout the center section of the putting surface. The brown turf is surrounded by a deep green ring of turf.  This is the result of "bird droppings", the concentrated acidity in the middle, tinges the grass and the overwhelming amount of nutrients in the substance results in the dark green edges.  We are working with our "fine feathered friends" to fine tune their distribution, in an effort to reduce our fertilizer requirements.  Stay tuned.


Root Pruning Results

Pencil tine aerification

 



Putting Surface #5

Discolored Turf #7

Encroachment Control

Staying Informed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This is just a quick note to explain a couple of the odd markings you may see in your travels throughout the course, and a reminder to us all about cart traffic.

 

The picture depicting the discolored turf on #7 may be a mystery to some observers, however this is quite common.  This usually occurs during the summer time, on the first tee, in the midst of mosquito season.  The two green spots in the middle of this photo are actually foot prints and the discolored turf is the result of a "Bug Spray" application.  The spray does not kill the turf but it is unsightly for a few days.  A quick fix would be to apply your protection while standing on a cart path.

 

The second photo shows a routine practice to control encroachment onto our putting surfaces.  An edger is used to define the perimeter of the surface and cut the "runners" of Celebration from the surrounding collars that are growing into the putting surface.  This practice is performed throughout the year to ward off contamination of our TifEagle putting surface.

 

Last but not least, a practice that we are all guilty of, at some point in time.  The "Two wheel on, Two wheel off" syndrome.  This phenomenon occurs when our "Superior Focus" on our golf game and our overwhelming enjoyment of our surroundings, super cedes our sense of awareness.  This is most commonly found when parking your cart and on the gentle curves of our cart paths.  As with any syndrome of this sort, there is no proven cure. Awareness and Education are the first steps in our long battle against  "Two wheel on, Two wheel off" syndrome.  Not to be confused with "Chronic Straddle Disease".  If this condition persists for more than four hours, please consult you doctor! (or Ranger)

 

 





#17 Green repair

New Sod

Trick or Treat

 

 

October 31st marks the last day of reciprocal season and the beginning of the Stonebridge experience. The new season starts with, new flowers, new flags, new flagsticks, new cups and soon to be delivered, new Tee Markers.  We are excited about the future of Stonebridge, the new clubhouse will provide a centerpiece for a magnificent Country Club environment.  Our goal is to use the golf course and grounds to paint a complete picture. 

 

 This summer provided quite a few challenges.  A tremendous amount of effort was put into the recovery of a few weak areas on the greens.  Although substantial improvement was evident, I made the decision to sod the most affected of the areas.  With a firm grasp on the root of the issue and a hearty debate between playability, presentation and aesthetics, I made the decision to jump-start the healing process.   The act of sodding a portion of a green is an arduous one, careful attention is paid to maintaining the integrity of the green.  A great deal of effort was exerted to preserve the playability and aesthetics. 

 

The benefits of an "ABNORMAL" summer is the revelation of deficient characteristics around the property.  These are the challenges we are charged with correcting, on a daily basis.  We have a great team in place to maintain and exceed member expectations.  

#15 Tee

#15 Berm

 Burning the Midnight Oil

 

 

 









 The last week of October always has us scrambling to tie up all the loose ends.  This year is no different, except there seems to be an infinite amount of loose ends.  The winter annuals are in the ground and a fresh coat of pinestraw is being applied around the golf course.  Our wall to wall fertilizer with pre-emergent herbicide hit the ground on Tuesday.  This application will provide nutrients for the turf and aid in weed control throughout the winter months.  We are making progress with our stressed areas on the course and will continue to supplement these micro-environments until they are completely recovered.

A couple of projects that were delayed by the summer rains include; course wide Root Pruning and the new bulkhead on #15 White Tee.  The Root Pruning is done to sever the over-extended feeder roots that are competing with the turf for nutrients and water.  Root Pruning is acclomplished with a tractor mounted attachment that has two rotating blades that penetrate the soil to a depth of 10 inches.  This process does not harm the host plant, as it is only cutting the secondary root system.   The other major project that we squeezed into October is the construction of a bulkhead around the White Tee on #15.  This tee was moved to the right side of the cart path during the concrete improvement project.  The size and stability of the new tee led us to the decision to install a bulkhead with the goal of matching the rest of the tees on this hole.  The bulkhead is complete and the remainder of the fill dirt and sod will be installed early next week. 

Last minute projects, last minute fertilizing, last minute weed control and last minute detail work, that is what I love about this profession.  The chance to go "toe to toe" with Mother Nature and not back down.  The real challenge comes in having the patience to respect the process of recovery.  I look forward to an eventful season with an ever-improving golf course.






Root Pruner Attachment

Lines from Root Pruning





#15 New Bulkhead

#15 White Tee

#9 Approach

#9 Repaired

 New Beginnings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 October is typically the month we are putting the final touches on the golf course in anticipation of "Opening Day" the first week of November.  This year is a different story.  We will be focusing on repairing damage to the course due to the abnormal weather pattern that persisted through the summer.  Our task at hand is to refurbish the bunkers that were contaminated by the heavy rains, repair and replace the turf around the drains that were under water for much of the summer and re-establish a quality root system that will support the playing surface throughout the golf season.

We are looking forward to more predictable weather for the next few weeks, this will afford us the opportunity to enhance our agronomic plan in an effort to accelerate the recovery process. We have already seen improvement in turf conditions as the course continues to dry out.  The goal going forward is to acclimate the turf to receiving less water, this will improve the root system and turf vigor.  A supplemental program is being employed on a few of our weaker areas(i.e. #15,#17 greens) this includes spot treatments of fertility, pinpoint moisture control and a specialized program to improve soil conditions.  This will all be accomplished with the mindset of maintaining optimum playability.

The pictures included in this post reflect a portion of the work being done including the repair on #9, the installation of "ground level" 150 yard markers and the new potting soil for our "winter annuals".  The new annuals will be planted this week, this will allow them sufficient time to mature before the "unofficial" official start of Season.  I am looking forward to a productive month, with the goal of presenting a golf course that our members can be proud of. 

New "150" Yard Markers

New Soil for Annuals

Greens Aerification

Standing Water #9



When life gives you Lemons, you make Lemonade!

 

 

 

 

 

Mother Nature provided the ingredients for a sour, yet sweet, weekend.  Lemonade consist of: a lot of water, a few lemons and a hint of sugar.  The water is easy to explain, more than 6 inches of rain fell on Stonebridge during the evening hours of Friday the 6th.  The result of this weather event caused significant standing water throughout the golf course.  This leads us to the Lemons in this recipe, the course closures.  We had to close the course on Saturday and after another downpour in the evening, we remained closed on Sunday.  The "sugar" in this recipe is the fact that we had the opportunity to get a "head-start" on the greens aerification.  Sunday afternoon provided clear weather and an empty golf course, that is when we went to work.  Although the course remained closed because of the standing water, we took the opportunity to aerify 9 greens this afternoon.  The weaker greens were pinpointed to give them an extra day of breathing.  Aerification provides compaction relief, organic removal and thatch control, but most importantly, it releases built up gases in the soil and provides oxygen to the root system.  We have a full slate of projects schedule for this final week of maintenance.  I am confident we will complete the tasks at hand, regardless of the ingredients presented.

 

A quick point of reference, the photos for this blog were taken on Sunday at 2 pm.  The standing water in front of #9 green actually covered the entire front half of the green Saturday morning.  

 

 

 



#1 Tee

#18 Tee



A Big Sigh of Relief

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am happy to report that the Concrete Cart Path Project is complete.  The spine jarring rides over unpaved limestone have come to an end. I want to thank all of our members and guests for their patience and understanding throughout this journey.   Jayme and our staff are the unsung heroes of this project.  The amount of soil and sod required to present a finished product is astounding.  They have worked "sun up to sun down" to maintain the integrity of the golf course.  This project was a joint effort of the Golf and Greens Committees, with added insight from Gordy Lewis, our Golf Course Architect.  Playability, accessibility, maintainability and aesthetics were all considered before the final routing was approved.  For example, the paths on #4, #7 and #14 were removed for playability.  The cart path on #5 was moved closer to the green for accessibility and the path on #12 fairway provides a conduit for shotguns, maintenance and liquid fertility deliveries.  Finally, the concrete paths provide a surface that will be maintainable and aesthetically pleasing for years to come.  We still have a few remaining asphalt paths, the worst of these areas received an "overlay", as seen in the picture below.  Two of the major improvements, centered around raising the catch basin at #14 tee and softening the walk-up to the restroom at #15 tee.  Pictures do not do them justice,  the difference is dramatic. 

 

Our focus now is the presentation of the course for the Labor Day Shotgun.  We have a full field of Stonebridge and Visari members/guests.  We like to shine when we entertain guests!









#12 Fairway Crossing

#14 Tee

Asphalt overlay #8

#15 Restroom



#17 Green

Fungicide application w/UV protection





 

 



 

 

 

Course News

 

The golf course has seen its ups and downs this summer.  A record amount of rain in June and July followed by a couple of weeks of hot and humid conditions in August have led to prime conditions for stress on owr closely mowed areas.  Most notably #15 and #17 greens.  These weaker areas will receive special attention throughout the growing season to bring them up to par with the rest of the greens.  The goal is to have consistency in our soil structure within the entire green complex.  These pictures represent sections that require additional organic matter to improve water holding capacity.  This is accomplished with additional fertilizer, soil amendments and wetting agents.  We also have specific areas that retain too much moisture.  We will combat this with enhanced aerification to increase oxygen levels and penatrents to move water through the soil. 

As the Cart Path Project comes to a close(I Hope), we will focus on returning the golf course to expected conditions.  Our team has spent countless hours moving dirt and laying sod, they will be happy to start mowing grass and trimming bushes.  I want to thank Erik and his staff for all his help in re-routing traffic during this project.  Our members and guests have been understanding and gracious while out on the course.  Thank you for your patience, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

#15 green

New Concrete Path

#3 Greenside

 Slowly but Surely

 

 

 



Asphalt removal by Bobcat

 

 



Unfortunately, we have encountered numerous delays in the Cart Path Project.  From concrete scheduling to inclement weather, we are well behind my expected progress.  My staff has worked hard to maintain access for our members and guests.  It will be a "bumpy" ride as we continue to form and pour concrete with the golf course open for play.  The golf course itself is responding nicely to the aggressive cultural practices implemented during our closure.  A few low lying areas remain wet due to the heavy rains we received over the last two months.  The rain totals for the months of June and July are just shy of 40 inches with 4 inches of that coming in a two hour span during the early morning hours of July 27th.  This rain event caused our lakes to crest and the golf course to flood.  We had standing water for a week following this downpour.  These abnormal rains allowed us to identify previously unnoticed drainage issues.  Rectifying these drainage problems will be an ongoing initiative.  Our recent aerification and topdressing allowed us to dry out the course sufficiently for our Saturday opening.  I am proud of the effort put forth by our staff, the course is quite playable, but far from perfect.  The totality of the presentation weighs heavily on me, I will be persistent in pushing our contractor to finish this project in a timely manner.  Enjoy the rest of your Summer, come Season, Augusta will try to measure up to Stonebridge.

#16 Fairway

#12 Fairway Verti-cutting

 

#12 Fairway Clean up

 Wednesday was a full day of Fairway Verti-cutting and aerification of Tees, Collars and Approaches.  The weather cooperated and all scheduled tasks were completed.  The amount of thatch and grain removed from the fairways will provide a perfect surface for topdressing. 

Thursday began our fairway topdressing application.  As you can see in the picture below, the day started off successfully with #1, #10 and #2 fairways receiving the prescribed amount of sand.  Unfortunately the skies opened up as we attempted to topdress #3 fairway.  Heavy equipment on saturated turf is not a good combination.  We postponed the operation in the hopes of a drier Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday. 

Despite the fact that we have received rain everyday during our closing, our team has kept their heads high and worked hard to maximize each day.  Their optimism and dedication is remarkable.

Pictures and updates of the cart path project will be included in my blog early next week.  Good progress is being made in less than ideal conditions.  Stay Tuned!

#1 Fairway Topdressed



Verti-cutting Tees

Verti-cutting Greens

Aerifying Greens

Topdressing Greens

Clean up of Thatch

Circle Cutting Fairways

#8 Tee Topdressed

Topdressing Tees

 This is just a small sampling of the activities for the first week.  The rains on Monday made the greens aerification a two day project.  The height of cut was lowered on the tees and fairways in preparation for verti-cutting and topdressing.  Tuesday brought a great day of weather, finally.  This allowed us to complete the greens and verti-cut all tees, collars and approaches.  This day also included topdressing and aerifying the front nine tees.  We have had a very productive two days and we look forward to the next 17 days of course renovations. 

The cart path project is well underway.  The contractor is busy removing asphalt and installing form boards.  The first concrete should be poured in the next couple days. 

With great weather comes great progress!