One more update before we "Grip it and Rip it"

 As we continue to heal up from a very aggressive closure, I just wanted to give those that want to be in the know, a heads up on what to expect as we release the golfers back onto the course.  

The right side of #2 continues to be "under construction", most of the material was removed over the last 2 weeks but we have a long way to go to shape and grade the new area for cart path and sod.  Our goal is to reduce the amount of traffic that effects the front half of the Fairway, widen the playable surface and provide a bit of color to the process.  

As for the turf conditions.  The greens have healed up nicely and we will continue to roll and tweak the height of cut to provide optimum playing conditions.  The fairways are still holding a lot of sand at the top of the canopy.  This is a good thing, agronomically speaking.  The more sand we have in this region, the more thatch we can breakdown.  We have a few areas that are showing signs of heat stress.  The addition of our all black compost material on some of the Tees and Fairways and the lack of irrigation and rain due to Mother Nature and a power surge from FPL, has led to some scorching of turf.  Rest assured that these areas will recover quickly and with the addition of our new programs they will be able to handle added stress in the future.  

Stay tune, in the next few days, for pictures of the multiple projects that are happening here at Stonebridge.  

I am a firm believer in the statement that "If you are not moving forward, you are moving backyards"  

A Flury of Activity

 Below you we find pictures of a few of the cultural practices that were performed during the first week of our closure.  All of these processes play a specific roll in improving the overall health and vigor of the golf course.  Vigor is a key word in our industry, with proper turgidity and plant vigor we will have a better chance of withstanding the abusive amount of traffic that our undersized course endures each season.  We have spent the better part of my tenure here focusing on reversing poor fertility and irrigation practices by altering the soil structure and introducing products that will reduce Sulfides and promote healthy turf.  Our greens profile looks to be on the mend and we are employing some new strategies on our Tees and Fairways that should enhance our year round receptiveness to our new nutrient program.  

Core aerification allows us to remove compacted Organic Matter that constricts the roots available Oxygen.  These open holes provide a adequate channel for fresh clean sand.  This Topdressing process has multiple benefits.  First and foremost, water infiltration through proper porosity and thatch reduction.  DryJect is another form of aerification that allows us to immediately inject the greens with a portal of Kiln dried sand.  Over the course of the summer, we will effectively remove and replace close to 30% of the putting surfaces.  This process in also being employed to the Tees and Fairways.  As the demand and expectations grow, so does the intensity of our cultural practices.  

Our goal is to improve the entire property each and every year.  This year we have added a "Soil Conditioner" to our arsenal of products.  This product is pack with beneficial microorganism that will help provide soil stability where we need it most.  As you can see from the photo included, we have applied this product to our most troublesome Fairways and Tees.  With this being a composted, all natural organic product, it surely came with a bit of odor.  Once this is incorporated into the canopy, I am assured that the aroma will subside.  This coarser material has also proven to help with compaction relief and water holding capacity.  I am intrigued to see the results of this first application.  

I have challenged myself to be more diligent on keeping everyone informed on our activities during the summer.  We have a lot of projects planned that will change the way you look at the golf course.  These two week closures are essential to our success and our Tuesdays play a very important role.  I know words, pictures and promises only go so far.  We will be better, we will gain your trust and we will turn your frown upside down.   

Core aerification

Tee and Fairway aerification

DryJect

Application of Command Soil Conditioner

Fairway Topdressing

Golf Course Report

April 2019

                This is my third re-write of this report.  I did not know what direction to take this “End of the Season Re-Cap”.  I am typically more of an optimist but I have received a few body blows over the last few weeks.  Either way, I have chosen to ignore the noise and proceed with our plan to continue to move this course forward to bigger and better places.  The best thing about being doubted is the opportunity to prove them wrong.  The worst thing is explaining to your staff that we must do more.  We are up for the challenge and I believe that our summer projects will have a lasting impact on a few of our most troublesome areas.

                The three most glaring weak areas were the cart path exits on #2, #3 and #4 which I explained in an earlier report, were in part my fault due to a fertilizer/irrigation malfunction.  We will be working with a Golf Course Construction contractor to do some minor re-shaping on the mounds at the exits of #3 and #4.  This will allow for the traffic to be dispersed in a wider area in the future.  As for #2, we will be removing the vegetation along the right side of the hole and relocating the cart path from its current position to the right side of the forward tee.  This will allow us to manage the entry point to the fairway to varying levels throughout the season.  The resulting clearing and sodded right side will also provide a bit more playable surface.  The fence line will be planted with a rapidly growing hedge and a few flowering trees.  It is quite evident that we have had great success with the remainder of our exit points, our goal is to have these 3 react in the same way. 

                Our team will also be embarking on a couple of tee leveling and expansion projects.  A couple of our teeing surfaces are crowned and can be much more versatile if the proper slope was restored.  We also have the opportunity to expand a couple of teeing areas to provide options for our members. 

                This is just the tip of the iceberg.  The usual aerification, topdressing, verti cutting and all the other cultural practices are going to be readjusted to reflect your dissatisfaction.  The kitchen sink is coming also.  I love a challenge; bring on that first Tuesday in May!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.......

Mid February is usually the point in the Season where we have acclimated to whatever the weather phenomenon is in place for the given year, we have also had the chance to witness the effectiveness of the programs put in place to enhance your experience on the golf course this year.  We have had a few bumps along the way and we are hard at work trying to correct those issues.  As always, high traffic and minimal space can be attributed to a lot of our eye sores.  We will continue explore options on compaction relief and traffic dispersion to aid in reducing this issue in the future.  Member awareness and education of the effects of cart traffic will be a key factor in reducing this impact.

Our "Guest" events are right around the corner.  We will be putting in that little extra effort to make you proud.  As always, our goal is to produce conditions that are worthy of company.  To that end, you will see me and some of my staff on the course at some odd hours over the week to ten days.  We have two products that cannot have traffic on following application.  We will accomplish this by spreading the product after the last tee time and before the night time watering.  One of of these products was said to handle foot traffic on dry turf so we tried to apply it around a few greens last week.  The picture below will show that we do have some people that do not keep their carts on the path on #5 and we also had some tracking from foot printing with this product. This tip burn will mow off in a couple of days.   

On a positive note, the putting surfaces are reacting well to the changing weather.  From hot and humid, to cold and dry, to cold and wet, to wet and seasonal and finally to seasonal.  The root structure and the soil profile is as good as it has ever been in my tenure.  We still have a couple of our shaded, low air-movement areas that will always give us issues.  I feel confident that we can provide optimum conditions throughout our guest events.  

We certainly look forward to helping you present your club for your guest but we also take a lot of pride in making you happy to be a member at Stonebridge.  If you haven't had the chance, come join us for a tour of the course to witness the abundant wildlife that calls Stonebridge home.  You have a very unique piece of property that offers a very diverse ecosystem.  Brian Beckner does a wonderful and entertaining job of explaining all the different creatures that live in your backyard.  I have included a few photos of our latest tour. 

I am always available for your questions or concerns.   Feel free to call or drop by at any time.  

Tip Burn from Cart and Foot Printing on #5

Tour 2/7/2019

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Great Blue Heron

Wood Ducks

Blue Winged Teals

Ospreys

#8 in the morning

Squirrel  

Bald Eagle

Golf Course Report

December 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, I want to make sure we end on a good note.  December is always a busy month for our team on the golf course, it is our last real opportunity to get some projects done on the golf course before the onslaught of golf and “official” events begin in January.   We certainly have the team in place to handle the job. 

It all started with the Irrigation project, we had close to 20 contractors on site to perform the needed repairs and Bob, our Irrigation Manager, did an excellent job of directing traffic and cross-checking their work.  We are quite happy with the end product and should be well on our way to a more sustainable system.  As this was happening, our team was working hard on replenishing the sand in our bunkers.  This task is well overdue.  Thanks to Irma last year we had quite a few sand traps that were contaminated with native soil.  Timing, weather and Season pushed this work right into December.  This new sand has already provided a stark contrast aesthetically and will also provide consistency throughout the course. 

A couple of other projects that took place just off the beaten path were the removal of close to 16 dead pine trees and an extensive dredging of the waterway that feeds the Cocohatchee River.  I prefer to leave dead pines erect if I can for their natural resource, however most of the ones that we removed were either adjacent to in-play areas or structures.  We will continue to identify any potential risks and have them removed as they present themselves.  The dredging work will be an on-going project to ensure proper flow throughout the entire property.  I have been working with a site engineer to review past plans to determine the intended function of each area. 

A brief note about the health of the turf; we have had our fair share of good weather and for the most part the golf course is in good shape.  We do have a couple of unusually ugly areas for this time of year and they are completely my fault.  They are the result of a fertility application that was coated with a pre-emergent herbicide.  It is the same product I have applied for 25 years, 8 times here at Stonebridge.  It is the only product that I apply that needs to be watered in.  The application went well, the watering did not.  This resulted in fertilizer burn, which would recover nicely if it did not happen in the worst possible area, cart path exits.  The two most noticeable spots are Hole #2 and Hole #3 just as you exit the cart path from the tee.  We will continue to push these areas with supplemental fertility and some added cultural practices.  The remainder of the course is responding well to our new programs and we are looking forward to presenting a great playing surface for the entire 2019 season.

We do have a few other minor changes out there that are worth mentioning.  This first change is the removal of the green and white exit posts.  These were originally installed to remind our members and guests when/where to return to the cart path around the green.  Being that we eliminated most of our continuous paths over the last couple of years, it leaves only one option, return to the path as soon as it starts.  The second minor change goes hand in hand with the first.  Not being a big fan of traffic control measures and definitely not in favor of artificial signs, we have hand crafted some stained curbing material to help preserve the turf where we once used the small green and white plastic stakes.  This gives it more of a natural look and does not divert your eyes from the course.  Finally, the last upgrade we installed this month was a little more high tech.  It is a computerized pin placement program.  Our greens were measured via GPS and downloaded into this program.  The computer randomly generates pin placements on a daily basis.  This provides variety, accountability, a tracking ability and most importantly a program for planning for future events.  We have the ability to disable certain areas, such as slopes and/or wet/dry areas or for any other reason.  The program will not place a pin with 6-8 feet of a spot used within the last 7 days.  It keeps a record of every pin ever used on each green.  We are 3 weeks into working with this program and we are still finding more tools to use.  It does come with an App for the phone that our members/guests can download.  I look forward to hearing your feedback.

I hope everyone had a Happy and Safe Christmas Season.  I am really looking forward to 2019, I have a hunch there are some big changes coming right around the corner.  Happy New Year! 

Golf Course Report

November 2018

November’s Report tends to be one of my favorites to write.  We have finally made it through the summer and all the major projects.  The heat and humidity have or will be replaced by cooler drier air (we hope).  Our seasonal residents are filtering in for their first look at the course and grounds.  Most of our preparations were completed in the days leading up to Men’s Opening Day and Ladies Opening Day.  I would like to recognize the support of all our members, especially the year rounders, for their patience and understanding as we looked to make adjustments and improvements to the course during the summer months. 

Some final touches were completed in the last couple of weeks.  Our new winter annuals were installed just prior to opening day and a fresh coat of Pine Straw was applied.  Each year we monitor the success rate of each type of annual, this year we added a few new varieties in areas that are typically hard to maintain.  We work with the growers throughout the year to find site specific issues and plants that fit our needs.  The newly applied Pine Straw will help provide definition and contrast to the golf course and surrounding grounds.  This product also provides the proper acidity levels, moisture retention and weed barrier that will allow our bedding plants to thrive.  The last bit of pruning and trimming around the course will have the property in prim and proper shape as we head into season. 

I did state earlier that “we were through all the major projects” however we have one more to complete.  The irrigation system that was installed during our last renovation has some “kinks” that need to be ironed out.  Some of you may recall that 2 years after installation our fused fittings began to fail.  Our Irrigation Contractor returned to Stonebridge to replace these joints with a mechanical coupler, the manufacturer supplied the parts and our contractor covered the cost.  These first generation couplers have not performed well, leading to 2 to 4 leaks per week.  The good news is, the manufacturer has developed an upgraded coupler that has proven to hold up in the field.  We actually have quite a few of them throughout the course and have yet to have one fail.  The plan is to replace all of the effected connections with these 2^nd generation couplers.  To accomplish this, our contractor will be supplying the labor to dig up each joint and repair it correctly, again, at no cost to Stonebridge.  Here is the catch; to be the most efficient we need to tackle this project in December.  This allows the contractor to pull all of his available teams to our property in an effort to not prolong our agony.  Their staff is adept at working around golfers and we are in agreement that they will vacate the property before January.  We are not alone; at least 4 other clubs have recently gone through this conversion.  This necessary evil will be a short inconvenience for our club but a welcome sight to our Irrigation Team.  Bob and Lorgio have done a wonderful job of maintaining our system and they are looking forward to giving their shovels a bit of rest.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. 

Golf Course Report

October 2018

Well that was a busy summer!  A stark contrast to what we endured last year, but an eerie reminder of how fickle Mother Nature can be.  Our goal this summer was to enhance the golf course and restore the carnage left behind by Irma.  We still have a long journey to complete restoration but the amount of work and significance of its impact was impressive.

Let’s tackle the re-planting that affects the golf course.  #3 was clearly the hardest hit perimeter buffer.  In the planning process, it was determined that the best course of action would be to remove all non-native plant material and start over with a landscape plan that would be functional, presentable and maintainable.  We accomplished this by densely populating the apex of the berm with a plethora of native plants.  This also allowed us to recapture about a half an acre of playable surface along the right side of #3.  Our second major area of planting occurred along the fence line on #15.  A great deal of damage had opened up sight lines to our neighboring property.  After researching site plans and determining that this area is not a protected preserve, I devised a plan to plant a buffer on the fence line to create a more affective buffer.  This left us with close to ¾ acre of usable turf.  My goal during this restoration project, both accomplished and ongoing, is to enhance, simplify and protect the property’s integrity.  We still have plenty of re-planting to do but we are well on our way to complete recovery. 

We did get to work on the golf course this off season.  A few projects that may or may not be noticed include; new concrete paths on #11, the transition from #13 to #14 and the crossover from #15 to #16.  Our contractor did a wonderful job of coordinating and communicating every detail during the project.  We also incorporated a couple of new agronomic practices that will ensure a better playing surface throughout the season.  We topdressed the fairways 3 times this summer.  The goal is to minimize the effect of heavy traffic during the slow growing months that occur during Season. Our Tee, Fairway and Greens fertility program also experienced a significant change.  Without getting into scientific details, we have morphed into a more Organic product application.  These micro-organisms have a huge effect on the microbial activity in the soil.  This produces a heathier rooting medium and a more sustainable playing surface.  

We have a few environmental challenges with our property.  The goal is to eliminate all undesirable areas.  The trick is to make a grass species grow on a green that receives 4 hours of sunlight when the standard calls for 8 hours of sunlight.  We are slowly eliminating the worst of the worst, I am sure everyone remembers what #17 looked like a few years ago.  We will apply this determination to every issue presented.  My goal is and always has been: Perfection.  You deserve that effort.