Golf Course Report

November 2016

Due to the buzz of activity during the month of October, this is my first report since the torrential rains of September.  How ironic, as I write this update it has been close to 4 weeks since our last rain event.  While preparing to write this report, I took the time to review the November Report from 2015.  At this time last year we were experiencing 90 degree temperatures with high humidity.  That weather was a prelude to a strong El Nino weather pattern that produced record amounts of rain throughout the winter months.  This year is a little closer to “Normal”.  As with any weather pattern, we will adjust and protect as dictated. 

The “buzz” I referred to in the previous paragraph represents the arrival of a whole new fleet of equipment, installation of our new recycled-water wash area, a fresh coat of pine straw, planting of our winter Annuals, Palm tree trimming, pressure washing all sidewalks and all the other little things that may go unnoticed. 

The new technology represented in our equipment has already paid dividends.  The setup of the mowers are more consistent, providing less stress to our turf and producing a healthier more vigorous growing medium.  We are very optimistic for this Season, our sod project on #17 green has taken well and we continue to enhance our other weak areas.  As we work toward “Tournament Season” we will pay special attention to the details and other factors effecting playability. 

We evolve every year; our goal is to present an enhanced and different experience each and every Season.  The improved landscaping, the new mowing patterns, the state of the art fairway program and the multitude of little things will provide an enjoyable experience for all of our members and guests.

Healthy turf and proper growing conditions give us the flexibility to adapt to the wants and needs of our clientele; the ability to make the greens firm and fast, the ability to make them fair and receptive and everything in between.  We are looking forward to a “Banner Year” at Stonebridge. 

It is my goal to be perfect.  We are better this year than last year.  We will be better next year, and we will continue to improve until perfection is achived.

The Final Push towards Season

 Our final greens aerification was a success and we typically use this time to push the root growth to enhance the turf health as we head into season.  I must sound like a "broken record" as I point out the horrendous weather we have endured during the entirety of 2016.  I have to thank my team for keeping my spirits up, even in my most frustrated moments they remind me of all the good things we can do in a short period of time.  With that being said we have decided to re-sod the perimeter of #17 green.  With the improvements in the drainage and the active progression of drying the soil profile, we are more confident than ever that this new sod will establish and provide proper play-ability throughout the season.  

Below are a few photos that show the extensive work being done to the effected areas.  Close to 6 inches of soil was removed and replaced with new greens mix.  This will help with drainage and promote a healthier root system. Through October we will consistently topdress this area and gradually reduce the height of cut to match the rest of the course.  Although this project may seem"a little late in the game" we had to ensure that we were past the worst of the weather to increase our probability of success.  

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Golf Course Report

September 2016

A September Report is quite the rarity.  Due to committee meeting schedules and the chaos of final preparations for season, I usually use the October report as a recap of the summer.  Our struggles through this last closure have prompted me to be a little more proactive in communicating the course conditions.  The weather affects every aspect of our operation.  This closure had its fair share of rain.  Each and every day consisted of a stoppage of work due to precipitation.  All of the scheduled cultural practices were completed within the allotted time; the issues arise from the lack of recovery period due to the inclement weather. 

The key elements in recovery are sunlight and fertilization. The lack of sunlight is documented by the daily rains and shorter days.  The inability to fertilize due to saturated conditions will prolong a proper recovery.  The three ways to fertilize are: conventional Granular (needs to be watered), foliar (course is too soft for sprayer) and fertigation (fertilizer injected through the irrigation system).  The solution was to apply a coated slow release fertilizer through a light weight spreader to minimize damage and reduce the need for irrigation.  This was our most challenging closure in my tenure.  We are equipped to push recovery as soon as the conditions improve. 

Our historical averages for the months of July, August and September are anywhere from 8”- 9” per month.  This July and August were each close to 15” and September is closing in on that number.  I have heard the question “Why are we so much wetter than previous years?”  The answer to that question stems from our wet winter.  The torrential amount of rain that we received from late December through mid-February caused our water table to remain at a much higher level.  Typically we can handle 40 inches of rain in the summer; this year is different due to the saturated soils leading into the rainy season.   With a forecasted “Dry Winter” on the horizon, we should have ample time to produce quality conditions throughout the property. 

Thank you for your patience during the next couple of weeks as we push to provide a healthier turf for the season to come.  We will re-open tomorrow and the course is nowhere close to where I would like to see it, but a solid agronomic plan is in place to take advantage of the favorable weather that is just around the corner.

Golf Course Report

August 2016

The “Dogs Days of Summer” are upon us.  A cooler than normal May was followed by a hot and dry June.  The skies opened up in July to the tune of 16 inches of rain.  August has followed suit with another 5 inches of rain through the first 15 days.  All this activity is on the heels of a record breaking wet winter.  Mother Nature tends to write her own schedule and we are left to adapt.  The results of this can be seen in our saturation index.  This is measured by Volumetric Water Content.  This year’s weather pattern has kept our lakes full and our soil moist.  Typically, a dry winter and spring will lead to lower lake levels and dryer soil.  This allows us to soak up the summer rains.  In an effort to “play the hand dealt” we have continued to enhance our drainage system, incorporated organic soil conditioners and increased aerification.  All of these practices help move excess moisture away from the surface where it does the most damage. 

A few highlights since the last time we met include the landscape project on #11, Fraze mowing of the DR Tee and the Drill and Fill on #17 green.  The overall theme of the plantings on #11 has followed my original vision however a few changes still need to be made before season.  The Fraze mowing is a new cultural practice which involves removing the top ¾ inch of material.  This removes the built up thatch and provides a level, more aggressively growing teeing surface.  The drainage issue remains and we will attempt to minimize the effects as we look forward to a complete renovation of the Practice Tee next summer.  The Drill and Fill was an aggressive approach to solving the drainage issues with #17 green.  We are looking forward to a few sunny dry days to help speed the recovery.   Having a green situated within a preserve that receives little to no morning sun and even less air movement we have to rely on excellent subsurface drainage to move the moisture through the profile.  We are aiding this process by cleaning out the previously clogged lines and creating channels that will carry water through the soil profile.  Those members that have played this week will have noticed that we aerified the perimeter and filled the holes by hand with kiln dried sand.  Another tool we are using is an industrial blower to force air through the green via the subsurface drain lines.  We will leave no stone unturned in our quest for perfection. 

Our quagmire of a summer is neither normal nor abnormal.  SW Florida weather is unpredictable; the law of averages does not apply.  We accept what we are given and we adapt our programs to produce the desired results, no excuses.  We have a lot of work to complete before the end of summer.  There is magic involved in providing short term results on our way to long term goals.

 News and Notes from the Summer

View along #11 Tee

Backdrop behind #11 Green

#11 new Plantings

Newly installed aerators

As you can see, this summer was full of projects.  The eagerly anticipated landscape project on #11 has drawn rave reviews to this point.  We will continue to monitor and improve this area as the plants mature.

We have been busy adding to our collection of aerators in our lakes.  This helps reduce algae blooms and increases the health and viability of the lakes.  The new aerators are marked with a red "bobber" that aids in location an preventative maintenance.  Over time these markers will blend into the environment and will be less noticeable.

The turf quality of the golf course continues to improve.  We continue to work hard on our our most troublesome areas(#17 green).  The challenges presented with the adverse growing conditions have slowed the recovery after the Drill-n -Fill application.  Lack of sunlight, low air movement and minimal drainage have proved to be a challenge.  Over the next six weeks we will continue to aggressively treat these areas to provide the best possible playing conditions for the season to come.  Additional aerifications and topdressings will be in order to speed the recovery of the most effected areas.  As always, I want to thank you in advance for your patience as we work towards a better Stonebridge.  

A Long Hard Wet Closure!

 The July closure is usually our most disruptive.  This year is no different.  The multitude of projects scheduled during this closure added to the chaos that comes with cultural practices.

  The bulkhead repair on #5 is complete and new sod was installed today.  I am happy to report that the effective playing area will remain the same during establishment.  

    The Fraze mowing on the DR Tee has produced the desired results.  We will remain on the mats until further notice as the grass portion of the tee recovers.  Next summer we have budgeted a complete renovation of the practice tee.  This will include proper drainage and expansion of the hitting surface. 

   The landscape project on #11 should be near completion at the time of opening on Saturday morning.  As with any major change, this will be a work in progress.  As the plant material matures we will re-evaluate placement, spacing and maintenance practices.  Additional sod was added to the hole to improve play-ability.   With any major change to the buffer and/or landscape of your property, patience becomes an overwhelming attribute.  It is our goal to accomplish all the necessary requirements to satisfy all members effected by each project.  My hope is that we all have the fortitude to follow the process and embrace the improvements.

   The golf course will be a bit different upon re-opening.  The height of cut on the Roughs was lowered to enhance density.  This will result in some off color sections due to scalping.  This is normal and healthy, we will lower the height one more time before we prepare for season.  The greens received the most aggressive aerification of the summer.  The machines were equipped with   5/8" tine and the process was done in two directions.  As a result they may not heal as quick as the first closure, but we had the opportunity to effect a greater surface area and this should provide superior conditions in the Fall.  Speaking of greens, #17 will be lagging behind in this recovery period.  The Drill -n-Fill has improved the drainage and will undoubtedly help as we prepare for the coming golf demand.  Until then, we will treat #17 as a separate entity.  More sand will be used, a different mower will be used and an enhanced fertility program will be employed.  This may lead to a different playable surface of the next few weeks.  Thank you for your support and patience, we are on the right track to provide 18 healthy and consistent greens throughout the year.

  On a closing note, a few alterations have been made to the golf course.  After discussions with Gordon Lewis, some mowing patterns have changed.  A few Fairways have decreased in size, a few have increased and a few have shifted.  In addition, the approaches have changed on a selection of holes.  As these areas adjust to their new height of cut, some off colored turf may be present.  Presenting different options around the green and improving play-ability was the main focus.

   The month of July is our "get down and dirty" month.  We effect the most change during this closure.  I absolutely LOVE my team and their dedication to provide the best possible experience for all of our Members and Guests.  They have endured more than 15" of rain that has halted every operation.  They have eased my my anxiety by going above and beyond their duties.  Each and everyone of them have adopted my vision for a property that exceeds expectations.  When you have a group of individuals working towards a common goal, the journey is almost more enjoyable than the accomplishment. 

A Busy Day had by All!

 Progress continues to be the main theme for the first week of this closure.  Below you we find a few pictures that will show you a glimpse of the work being done on the golf course.  The Fraze Mowing done on the Driving Range Tee removes the top 3/4" to provide a level playing surface and a healthier turf.  This is followed by aerification and a heavy topdressing.  The grass tee will be closed for close to three weeks following this treatment.  The Bulkhead repair on #5 tee went off without a hitch today.  The failing segment was removed and replaced.  Future plans include replacing the entire bulkhead to provide long-term usefulness.  Water depths and wall height, prevented us from a full scale replacement.  The last of the photos show the process of Drill-N-Fill on #17 green.  The 5/8" bits penetrate 8" into the soil profile, as they retract sand is deposited into the holes.  This is a great practice to improve drainage on the putting surface.  This company was in town treating the North course at Mediterra and they agreed to provide a Demo on one of our greens.  I am excited to see the effects of this operation.  If the reaction is as anticipated, I will contract this company to provide this service on our 4 remaining poorly draining greens. This closure is always our most Harsh.  I appreciate your patience as we provide a better playing surface for the years to come.

Fraze Mowing of the DR Tee

#5 Bulkhead Repair

Adding new Verticals

Finished Product

Loading Sand into the Drill-N-Fill

Drill bits exiting and sand filling

A great Cultural practice to aid in Drainage

It is a JUNGLE out there!

Progress is being made at a slow but sure pace. The contractors started around the tees on the first day and shifted their efforts behind the green on the second day.  Our goal is to be ready for plant material early next week.  I am excited about putting the puzzle pieces back together to create a whole new picture. 

Before the chaos

Out with the old

Day 1

A clean canvas

Progress

Day 2 - Attacking the Jungle behind the Green

Golf Course Report

July 2016

I apologize for being away for so long.  The maintenance team has continued to work hard to improve the golf course for the coming season.  I tend to get “tunnel vision” during the summer and focus on the job at hand.  This seems to result in infrequent Blog postings and less timely reports.   I promise to document the next few weeks with fervor never before seen on my Blog.  They may not be eloquent or “Hallmark” ready but I will include progression photos to update you on the chaos that is to ensue shortly.

All the normal cultural practices will be taking place during this closure; aerification, verti-cutting, and topdressing of all playable areas. To add to the FUN, we have the Landscape Project on #11, the bulkhead repair on #5, Fraze mowing of the Driving Range Tee and I just scheduled the “Kitchen Sink” for #17 green. 

The Landscape project has received quite a bit of advertising in the past few weeks.  We are looking forward to a fresh look on #11 and quite possibly, more playability for our members and guests.  This is a huge undertaking and will most likely extend past our closure.  This will be an ever-progressing project and we will add/delete where necessary.

The original plan for the bulkhead on #5 was to replace the entire wall along the back tees.  Due to the size of the wall and the depth of the water, it is advisable by our experts, to repair the damaged section and replace the entire wall at a later time.  There are options moving forward that will lessen the impact on the golf course.  We will consult with our Golf Course Architect before any final decision that is made.

We have a master plan for the Driving Range tee that is scheduled to be implemented next year.  This includes expansion and drainage.  In the meantime, I have contracted with a service that will Fraze mow our DR Tee.  This process will strip the upper 1 inch of the entire tee.  The turf will subsequently grow back through stolon and rhizome activity.  The grass portion off the tee will be closed for close to 3 weeks after the project.  Step by Step, we will improve every inch of Stonebridge.

The subsurface drainage is being cleaned and flushed on all of our greens.   #17 continues to have a slow percolation rate.  We will be sampling the “Gravel Layer” to determine if it is contributing the lack of drainage.  A USGA green that has a history of mismanagement, poor environmental conditions and/or construction related issues tends to react like a “Push up Green”.  A common practice on Push up Greens is a Drill and Fill, a form of aerification using a 1 inch drill bit to a depth of 10 inches on 5 inch centers that is subsequently filled with dry sand.  Lucky for us the contractor will be at Mediterra next week and has agreed to apply his trade to #17 during our closure.  I used the term “Kitchen Sink” earlier to express innovation, not desperation.  We are determined to solve this issue and produce a consistently quality golf course for everyone to enjoy.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.  We have the Membership, the Golf Course and the Management to be the BEST in all of SW Florida.  I will not stop fighting to provide those conditions.  Stonebridge can be: Relaxed, Elegant and THE BEST!

Golf Course Report

May 2016

Before the Month of May gets away from us, I would like to give a brief update on the progress that we have made and the plans for the remainder of the summer.  As you know, the golf course is closed every Tuesday from May through October.  This allows our team to accomplish our weekly cultural practices without disrupting member/guest play during the week.  In addition to these weekly practices the course is closed 3 times throughout the summer for our more aggressive programs.  Our first closure is schedule for May 31^st through June 10^th.  Our goal is to be sufficiently healed to provide excellent playing conditions once we open the course for play on June 11^th.

Last month we had the opportunity to have two of our greens (15, 17) probed with a camera.  This process allowed us to see what was happening beneath the surface as the camera is run through the sub-surface drain lines.   The results for #17 were eye opening.  The drain line was intact however, it was filled with dirt.  This clogged line was preventing proper drainage and increasing the gas build up beneath the green leading to wet conditions and poor turf quality.  During our first Tuesday in May we tackled this project by unearthing the clogged drain line, cleaning the pipe and reattaching it to the outfall.  Without proper drainage and venting, the greens complex can become saturated and gases can accumulate to the point where the gravel layer can get sealed from the bottom up.  With this in mind, all of the greens on property are equipped with vents (small green grates at the top and bottom end of the drainage system).  These vents allow the gases to be released on a regular basis and provide air movement below the green surface.  This leads us to the issue found on #15.  The drain lines were clear on the camera but the vent on the top end of the system was capped and buried.  Once aware of this we immediately uncovered and replaced the cap with a vent.  We then proceeded to locate and vent all the remaining greens.  Close to 75% of our vents were either capped and/or buried.  We are looking forward to have the remaining greens scoped in the next few weeks.

The following Tuesday, the drainage on the right of #13 was cleared of built up sediment.  Over the summer we will aerify and topdress this area to improve playing conditions.  Our project this week involved removing a saturated area near the cart path end near #3 green and improving the drainage.

We will continue to target areas of concern throughout the summer.  This approached, coupled with our aggressive cultural practices will lead to enhanced growing conditions that will give us the flexibility to provide the desired conditions.

Caught on Camera!

After many days of monitoring the nest, I finally captured a photo of the the two Osprey chicks as they are being fed by their Mother, Daddy seems to keeping an eye on me and my camera.

Wood Duck sitting on eggs

Screech owls (Momma and chicks)

Wood Pecker egg

Mottled Duck and her Gang

Protective Mother

Feeding time

Kildear

Wood Duck

Otter

Great Blue Heron

Momma Osprey on her eggs

Purple Martins

Wood Ducks on the move

Blue Winged Teals

Golf Course Report

March 2016

                This is my first Golf Course Report since early January.  I apologize for the infrequency.  We have weathered the storm of a record rainfall in January and a cold and damp February.  The sun has begun to shine and the winds of Spring are starting to dry out our property.  The warmer temperatures have kick started the growth of all of our playing surfaces.

                Over the last few weeks we hosted three of our Major tournaments, the Ladies Member/Guest, the Ladies 9 Hole Invitational and the Mens Invitational.  From all reports each tournament was a huge success.  The seamless cooperation between all of our departments helped produce an excellent experience for all involved.  We take great pride in giving you a product that will impress your guests.  The Club Championships are underway and we will focus on providing tournament conditions throughout the month. 

                On the agronomic side, the dryer weather will begin to show its ugly side in the form of wilting plants.  Supplemental hand watering will occur periodically to ensure the health of the entire property.  I am constantly searching to improve the golf course, with this in mind; I have consulted our golf course builder about the possibility of rebuilding the Driving Range tee.  Our current situation has a tee that does not drain properly and is elevated in relation to the artificial hitting area.  The idea is to lower and extend the tee, add drainage, “sand cap” the tee and re-grass.  This will provide a better suited practice area to withstand the heavy usage during Season.  Another innovation that I am excited to be involved with is the use of a digital camera to scope the drainage in the subsurface of our greens.  A Demo was performed on #15 and #17 greens recently and has pinpointed issues that can be rectified during summer maintenance.  All of our greens will be shot with this camera on a Tuesday in May.  Repairing these clogged drains will release built up gases and improve percolation.  Although a number of our greens are situated in hard to grow areas, this project will allow us to improve the viability of our putting surfaces.  We are looking forward to a transcendent Summer of maintenance and an eye-opening 2016-2017 golf season.

                Typically, a strong El Nino is followed by a La Nina.  This would call for a drier Spring and Summer with an above average chance of Tropical development.  Our plan for the turf is to increase our cultural practices and our plan for the community is to protect your assets.  Thank you for supporting our TEAM through this unpredictable season it has been a challenge but we will persevere. 

                 

I receive Regional updates from the USGA Green Section periodically throughout the year.  This one seems apt to share with our membership during this uncommon weather pattern.  

 COURSE CARE

Strong El Niño Impacting Southern Golf Courses January 19, 2016 By Todd Lowe, agronomist, Southeast Region and Steve Kammerer, regional director, Southeast Region

Increased rainfall, reduced sunlight and cooler temperatures are creating the “perfect storm” for poor playability and turf decline.

El Niño
For months, weather forecasters have predicted a strong El Niño (see October Regional Update). While many of us in the Southeast Region had hoped that the predictions were wrong, El Niño is here and causing some concerns.

What is El Niño?
The term El Niño refers to the ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific. Typically, the El Niño effect causes increased rainfall in the southern United States during the winter months. In fact, it has rained 32 of the past 45 days in the West Palm Beach area. For comparison, the 30-year average for this same timeframe in West Palm Beach is 12 days.

How does El Niño affect golf courses in southern regions?
El Niño affects golf courses in several ways. For one, increased rainfall creates wet environments and softer playing conditions. Observations on recent Course Consulting Service visits include:

• Increased stress on greens and collars
• Frequent plugged lies
• Short roots and larger ball marks on greens
• More “mud balls” in fairways
• Less ball roll in fairways
• Tire rutting from mowers and golf carts
• Higher-than-normal water levels in lakes and ponds

The combination of wet, cool and cloudy conditions can cause considerable turf stress. Turfgrasses need sunlight for growth. Prolonged cloudy weather causes turf to deplete carbohydrate reserves that are stored in roots, weakening the root system. Roots take up oxygen from soil and saturated soils make it nearly impossible for weakened roots to survive.

How can you protect your golf course?
Ultimately, we need drier weather and more sunlight. A few tips to consider for improving turf health and playability at your facility include:
1.   Monitor soil moisture and reduce overhead irrigation – Many facilities have not applied irrigation since before Christmas 2015, yet rootzones remain saturated because of the increased rainfall. Keep track of your soil moisture and reduce irrigation as much as possible at this time. Spend the extra money and purchase a dependable soil moisture meter that measures volumetric water content.
2.   Increase mowing heights on greens – Do not stress your greens by mowing low. Sacrifice a little bit of playability for turf health and be more tolerant of slightly slower conditions. Turfgrass leaves are like miniature solar panels. Therefore, providing greater leaf area by increasing mowing heights will allow turf to create more energy through photosynthesis, promoting turf health and deeper roots.
3.   Vent greens regularly with solid-tine aeration – Venting with small, “pencil” tines – e.g., 0.25-inch diameter solid tines – is recommended on a monthly basis during normal winter months. Some facilities are venting greens as frequently as every two weeks. Venting improves rooting by relieving soil compaction and increasing soil oxygen.
4.   Use plant protectants – Fungicides are being applied at many facilities to reduce disease and improve turf growth. Leaf spot and Pythium diseases have been among the most common pathogens on golf courses over the past few weeks.
5.   Manage golfer traffic – Ropes and stakes often are used to reduce cart traffic stress and are particularly helpful during the winter. Also, more courses than normal have adopted “cart path only” policies during the past month because of saturated soil conditions.
6.  Implement a fairway topdressing program – “Mud balls” are a common problem when fairway soils remain saturated and are caused, in part, by an undiluted surface layer of organic matter. This thick, spongy layer causes more plugged lies and increases the occurrence of mud – i.e., organic matter – on balls. While fairway topdressing is costly, it certainly improves playability – especially surface firmness – and helps reduce the occurrence of “mud balls” in fairways with excessive organic matter.
Source: Todd Lowe (tlowe@usga.org) and Steve Kammerer (skammerer@usga.org)

Southeast Region Agronomists:

Chris Hartwiger, director, USGA Course Consulting Service - chartwiger@usga.org
Steve Kammerer, regional director – skammerer@usga.org
Patrick M O’Brien, agronomist – patobrien@usga.org
Todd Lowe, agronomist – tlowe@usga.org

Golf Course Report

January 2016

The New Year always brings new resolutions and a hope for a less stressful existence.  The key to a healthy life and a healthy golf course is to reduce stress.  Over the last 6 weeks the ever-changing obstacles have provided some challenges for our team.  There are many different stresses that contribute to the aesthetics and playability of a golf course.  The trick is to manage the ones you CAN control versus the ones from a Higher Power.

Environmental stresses come from Mother Nature.  We can certainly alter some of these stresses by removing trees to improve sunlight and air movement, adding drainage to increase percolation and buying fans and grow lights to simulate proper growing conditions.   The goal is to take what SHE gives and produce proper playing conditions.  How we do this is managing the Mechanical stresses that effect the turf.  This includes; traffic (carts, divots, ball marks etc.), mowing, fertility, disease suppression and moisture management. 

The Hot and Humid weather in December prompted reduced fertility and heavy grooming to provide expected playing conditions.  The Wet and Cool weather to start the New Year led to additional fungicide applications and a raise in the height of cut (HOC) for all of our playing surfaces.  To combat natural stresses we reduce mechanical stresses.  Raising the HOC will provide more leaf blade to absorb the limited amount of sunlight that the turf is receiving during this time.  As we mow at a higher HOC and less frequently, we will roll more often to provide acceptable playability. The lower the HOC the more prevalent the effects are, the greens are our main focus but the remainder of the property has shown signs of the stresses.  The seclusion of Stonebridge, in the Heart of Naples, takes a very dense buffering plan.  The Southern buffer creates the  damp and dank area on the left side of #15 and the rear of #4 green, the Eastern border aides in the same issues with #14 tee and green, #13 green an #11 green.  History shows, that the challenging areas stem from the lack of sunlight and air-movement, as the sunrise shifts throughout the seasons we can track the deficient turf. 

In closing, I want to emphasize that these are educational points not excuses.  We have been punched in the gut by Mother Nature and we are still standing.  No matter how intense the battle with “El Nino” is, we will provide superb playing conditions.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.  We have the tools to combat these issues and our timing will soon fall into place.