Golf Course Report

March 2017

The biggest drawback to producing a written report is the impossibility of conveying the proper amount of effort and passion that is involved in the tasks chronicled.  This is particularly true during this time of year.  We have just concluded the three MAJOR Member/Guest events held annually at Stonebridge.  Our goal is to provide property-wide conditions that our Members are proud to present to their guests.  There is no satisfaction better than hearing the Members brag about their guest being jealous of our conditions.  The beauty of having all three guest events occur in a two week period means they all get to benefit from each other’s focus.  The Ladies Member/Guest started us off with a focus on details and presentation, the 9’ers Invitational put an emphasis on playability and enjoy ability and the Men’s Invitational tends to center around firm and fast tournament conditions.  The preparation for all these events begins weeks in advance.  The resulting effect is that, both Ladies tournaments benefit from the preparation for the Men’s tournament and the Men benefit from the extra attention to detail we employ to enhance the Ladies tournament.  It’s a “Win/Win” for the entire club.  From all accounts, this year’s events were a huge success and we are determined to make next year’s even better.

Last year at this time, I was pleading for the rain to stop.  This year we are coping with very dry conditions.  We are attempting to maintain proper moisture without disturbing play.  Occasionally, we will need to hand water certain areas as we progress through the next few months.  Our staff is trained to limit the inconvenience as much as possible and I appreciate your understanding and patience.   

We have great plans for the future of Stonebridge, at some point my goal is to be recognized as the best in all of SW Florida.  As our maintenance techniques advance and evolve with the new products and technology, the resulting enhancements will be appreciated by our Members.  Perfection is only EFFORT away!

                

A Tale of Two Years!

       As I was riding the course this afternoon and crunching the numbers on our irrigation totals, I stopped to reflect on last year's El Nino fiasco.  Looking at rainfall totals from last season, we endured 17.5 inches of rain from 10/15/2015 through 2/15/2016.  During the same time frame to start this season we have a total of 1.25 inches of rainfall.  Last year we were diligently trying to dry out the golf course, this year we are working hard to conserve water and limit hot spots.  Going from one extreme to another is precisely why I love my chosen profession.  The opportunity to be challenged by Mother Nature and still produce acceptable playing conditions is exhilarating to me.  Every year, every month, every day and quite possibly every hour the conditions can change and require a different approach to solving a given issue.  Our "wheels" are turning each and every minute of the day to improve your experience here at Stonebridge.  Adaptability is a key characteristic that my entire team possesses.  As conditions change and schedules change, we alter our plan to maximize our productivity.  I am extremely thankful to have a staff that takes pride in their work and trusts me in this ever changing environment.   

      We have survived a very busy January and as we move through February we are looking to present a product our Members can be proud of.  Our goal is to produce quality playing conditions throughout the year, but our focus will always be on our "Guest" events.  Nothing brings more satisfaction than hearing the stories  of jealous guests that revel in Stonebridge's quality conditions, superior customer service, utmost professionalism and overall enjoy-ability.  To this end , we will focus our attention on the details that usually go unnoticed.  Sight lines, edging, definition, mowing patterns and strategic fertility all lend themselves to proper golf course presentation.   Please feel free to stop me on the course with any questions, concerns or suggestions that will help make "The Stonebridge Experience" better.

     A few quick notes and updates from the golf course.  We have replaced the soft path material on #2 and #14 to dry out the quagmires that take place after irrigation.  This new material will be used throughout the course following our soft path removal project this summer.  The measures we have embarked on this year to improve our most troubled areas on the greens have produced good results.  The addition of Worm Power to our fertility program has had a synergistic effect with our existing organic products.  Worm Power is a compost tea made from worm castings.  The beneficial microbial activity has improved fertilizer efficacy, moisture retention, thatch control and soil porosity.  We are always looking for ways to improve our property and be environmentally conscious, this product delivers on both points.  

   Staying current on the latest and greatest can be a tough task in our industry, I am blessed that Stonebridge supports my goal of continuing education.  I spent the better part of last week in Orlando attending the Golf Industry Show(GIS).  This educational conference and trade show brings together Superintendents, Architects, owners, club managers and vendors from all reaches of the industry for more than 450 hours of educational seminars, a trade show that features the latest technology and an opportunity to network with peers from all over the world.  The GIS is held annually and it is a privilege and honor to attend.

    Unfortunately, I have some sad news to report.  The following explanation came directly from the Conservancy regarding the Osprey that was injured at Stonebridge on Saturday.  We have always worked hard to provide a safe haven for wildlife on our property sometimes accidents do happen.  To quell a rumor, this ill fated Osprey was not one that is nesting on #16.  We are actively pursuing a solution for the budding nest on #7 that remains in harms way.  A new platform and a transfer of nesting material will be planned for the summer:   

    From the wildlife clinic at the Conservancy....

The osprey was a female.

Unfortunately the osprey had a severe fracture. The right wrist had a compound, comminuted fracture at the minor and major metacarpal which means the fracture was open and bone was exposed as well as being shattered in multiple pieces. It was a recent injury but the condition of the bones was irreparable and we had to euthanize the osprey.

    Thank you for all your support and encouragement as we make Stonebridge the place that you deserve.  

Golf Course Report

January 2017

Details, Details, Details.  This is our mantra as we prepare for a record breaking golfing season.  Our major cultural practices have been completed and our small projects are out of the way.  It is time to focus on the finer points of golf course maintenance that tend to lead to proper presentation.  The little things go a long way in defining the golfing experience. 

Playability and presentation have always resided at the top of the list when it comes to preparing a golf course.  Healthy turf and proper growing conditions allow us the flexibility to alter these factors.  A minor shift from plant health to soil health has paid dividends.  Two major products were added to our regime this year after careful consideration and multiple turf industry lead education seminars.  Worm Power and Holganix are both products that focus on enhancing microbial activity in the soil.  Proper soil health results in lower Organic Matter, increased nutrient uptake, firmer greens due to less thatch, improved moisture retention, healthier roots, a decrease in fungal activity, and a consistent more predictable growth pattern for our greens.  These products will be added to the Tees and Fairways in the coming season.  The new products are a contributing factor in the success of the new sod on some of our historically weak areas of the greens.   With the right soil biology the turf has a better chance to thrive.

As we move forward our focus will be on tournament preparations and DETAILS; fresh pine straw, freshly painted yardage markers and hazard stakes, properly placed flowers, proper edging of hard surfaces and everything in between.  We continue to look for ways to make the course more playable and research every possibility to open up the surrounding areas. 

We are positioned to have our best Season ever and I want to remind everyone that is the responsibility of all of us to make Stonebridge the best it can be.  Fixing ball marks, repairing divots, avoiding wear areas and practicing proper golf etiquette can make the round a lot more enjoyable for those that follow.  

Some Old Friends and Some New Friends

With every New Year we welcome back our friends from the North.  We are looking forward to a very successful and enjoyable 2017.  It is always a great pleasure to see our Seasonal residents return to "Paradise".  As we prepare the golf course for the busy golfing season, we also take immense pride in providing a thriving habitat for local and migratory wildlife.  Below are a few photos of some new and old species taken in the last month.  Please make your reservations for the Audubon tours, you will be glad you participated.  Happy New Year!

Belted Kingfish

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Snipe

Osprey

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.