Justin Ruiz, CGCS, MG
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Showing posts with label Indian Summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Summer. Show all posts
Justin Ruiz, CGCS, MG
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Posted with Blogsy
The divot repair party was a huge success. The members had a great time on the golf course and helped our staff by filling in all the divots on the fairways and tees.
I have had quite a few members ask me if I prefer that divots are filled with sand or to replace the pelt. It is a great question and I always answer it the same.a I feel that repairing the divot is best done with sand and seed.
A divot that has the pelt replaced is prone to failing unless it is a large enough piece of sod to stay in the hole. The fairway mowers will most likely pull the replaced turf out of its hole. The blower will also blow replaced divots out of their hole as well. Sand and seed performs best in both situations.
I would also like to address the driving range divots. I have sen a few blog posts from other superintendents showing divot patterns that they have requested at their golf courses for quicker healing. Taking divots in rows or strips will help the grass fill in quicker. Below are a couple of pictures to show you the difference.
The top picture show a strip of divots. Then the next strip was started yet leaving some grass between the two strips. This has a much quicker healing time. The bottom picture shows a more traditional pattern. It makes for a long recover time when a large area like this is removed. The grass has a long way to go to get to the middle of that area and seed has less protection from the elements and mowers.
If you can please try to take divots in strips this would help with the recovery time and help us utilize our range more efficiently.
If you have any questions about the divot party or the range divot patterns please contact me.
Justinr@indiansummergolf.com
We finished the front nine today. The greens became a little soft from the amount of material we were removing and being a little soft from the recent rain.
Overall the process went well with one minor set back. The aerifier blew the clutch causing a two hour delay while we got the aerifier from Hawk's Prairie. Rick was nice enough to let us borrow his machine to finish today and complete the back nine tomorrow.
The greens will be a little bumpy over the next few weeks. Please bear with us while we are building the foundation for the future health of our playing surfaces.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
Justinr@indiansummergolf.com
This week is aerification week. Yes, it is that time of year again. The course will have the nine holes that we are not punching open for play. On Tuesday the 20th, we will aerify the front nine. On Wednesday the 21st the back nine will be our focus. Weather depending we should have all the greens aerified and sanded.The spring aerification consisted of a slightly different process then what was completed in the past. We used seven inch long tines, three inches longer than the standard aerification tines. We were able to get below the thatch layer and increase the ability for deeper roots and healthier turf. This also resulted in softer conditions during aerification.
The USGA recommends a 20% removal of organic matter each year. This is a good number for maintenance purposes. This does not take in account if you already have a little extra thatch. It is important for us to reduce thatch to increase drainage and avoid turf problems in the future. If you would like to read in more detail about aerification, click here.
This fall we will be using another process that is unique to this property. We will use ½” quad tines to remove a little extra organic matter. These tines will be the usual four inch depth. The change in depth is to also avoid any plow pan that may occur from continuous aerification at the same depth. Plow pan is when the roots reach the depth of the aerification tines, but cannot penetrate any deeper. If we can keep changing it up hopefully we will eventually get roots down deeper.
If there are any questions about aerification or the science behind the process feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Last week we had a unique break in an irrigation line. Above the tunnel to the first hole we had a leak in our landscaped area. When we turned on the pop up heads with the control valve water came gushing out from under the concrete path.
Christian dug down around the path to hopefully find the break near the path, but had no luck. The break was obviously underneath the concrete path. After some words of frustration, we had no choice but to break up the concrete to access the broken line. In the process we broke an abandon sewer line that was not located on the city maps. The fix became much more difficult than what was expected.
Once Christian exposed the irrigation line he turned the valve back on to check the location of the crack. He was suprised to find that the break was not in the pipe that he exposed, but a pipe buried even deeper into the ground. The pipe was broken from the roots of the surrounding vegetation.
Christian was able to find the pipe and fix the leak. Shortly, the concrete company that repaired our cartpaths will be out to repair the panel that we had removed to make the repair. If you have any questions about the irrigation break or the irrigation system in general please contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Christian dug down around the path to hopefully find the break near the path, but had no luck. The break was obviously underneath the concrete path. After some words of frustration, we had no choice but to break up the concrete to access the broken line. In the process we broke an abandon sewer line that was not located on the city maps. The fix became much more difficult than what was expected.
Once Christian exposed the irrigation line he turned the valve back on to check the location of the crack. He was suprised to find that the break was not in the pipe that he exposed, but a pipe buried even deeper into the ground. The pipe was broken from the roots of the surrounding vegetation.
Christian was able to find the pipe and fix the leak. Shortly, the concrete company that repaired our cartpaths will be out to repair the panel that we had removed to make the repair. If you have any questions about the irrigation break or the irrigation system in general please contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Did you know that the mowing equipment we use to cut greens is adjusted to thousandths of an inch?
Yes, the mowing equipment used on the greens is adjusted with a tool called an accugauge. This tool measures the distance from the bedknife to the bottom of the rollers in thousandths of an inch. For example the greens are currently cut at 115/1000". In the past, to get the greens speeds fast for tournament play, the greens have been cut as low as 90/1000".
Now, with the importance of proper adjustments made daily to the mowing equipment also affects the turf as well. Turf when mowed with a sharp mower is much more healthy. The plant has a better opportunity to heal and a better ability to sustain the damage caused by mowing. As for a dull mower, it will leave the leaf blade shreaded. The plant uses energy made from essential nutrients to repair the damage. All grasses prefers the production of leaves over roots. So in the case of dull mower damage the plant will expend it's energy trying to produce more top growth to ensure the efficient production of energy made from photosynthesis. "Shoots before Roots"
What does that mean?
The plant will then use more resources to make this process happen. The plant will require more water, more fertilizer and more plant protectants to outgrow any stress that the plant is under.
So, back to the important role of our equipment manager. The equipment manager is critical in the overall health of the golf course. In turn the health of the golf course will dictate nutrient and water needs. We rely on their precise and persistent adjustments made everyday to the mowing equipment.
Probably a little more than you needed to know about mowing equipment, but none the less, it is an integral part of our golf course maintenance.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Justin C. Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Yes, the mowing equipment used on the greens is adjusted with a tool called an accugauge. This tool measures the distance from the bedknife to the bottom of the rollers in thousandths of an inch. For example the greens are currently cut at 115/1000". In the past, to get the greens speeds fast for tournament play, the greens have been cut as low as 90/1000".
When the mechanics set the greens mowers up, they have many variables that apply to their adjustments. They must maintain a 5 degree angle on the face of the bed knife for the mower to properly stand the leaf blade upright for cutting. The must obtain the proper clearance between bedknife and reel at .002" to allow for heat expansion under operation. And finally they must maintain a parallel relationship between the reel and the rollers to ensure an even cut across the width of the mower and to avoid uneven wear of the reel causing a cone shape.
With that being said it is imparitive that the mowers are checked daily for adjustment. Quality of cut and proper height of cut can be compromised by loading and unloading the mower or even a small particle of sand can cause havoc on the cutting integrity.Now, with the importance of proper adjustments made daily to the mowing equipment also affects the turf as well. Turf when mowed with a sharp mower is much more healthy. The plant has a better opportunity to heal and a better ability to sustain the damage caused by mowing. As for a dull mower, it will leave the leaf blade shreaded. The plant uses energy made from essential nutrients to repair the damage. All grasses prefers the production of leaves over roots. So in the case of dull mower damage the plant will expend it's energy trying to produce more top growth to ensure the efficient production of energy made from photosynthesis. "Shoots before Roots"
What does that mean?
The plant will then use more resources to make this process happen. The plant will require more water, more fertilizer and more plant protectants to outgrow any stress that the plant is under.
So, back to the important role of our equipment manager. The equipment manager is critical in the overall health of the golf course. In turn the health of the golf course will dictate nutrient and water needs. We rely on their precise and persistent adjustments made everyday to the mowing equipment.
Probably a little more than you needed to know about mowing equipment, but none the less, it is an integral part of our golf course maintenance.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Justin C. Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
In preparation for the warmer weather of the summer... do we have summer here? We have re-written the hydraulic tree on our central control computer. This computer operates the irrigation system in the most efficient way possible, as long as it is programmed properly.
If you would like to read more about the irrigation system you can visit www.turfhugger.com for a four part series called system check. I wrote this series a while back to help explain the importance of the irrigation system and the procedures that can be taken in the spring to ensure there will be no suprises come summer.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
This last weekend we had some heavy rain. The spring has stayed cool which has given us some disease pressure.
This is a picture of Snow Mold, a disease that is common on Poa in cooler wet weather.
If you have any questions or comments about turf disease or the course in general please contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Over the last week we have been working on getting the heads edged in preparation of the Member/Member event this weekend.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me,
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Topdressing the greens is an important and necessary practice on a golf course. The frequent incorporation of sand ensures that the putting surface remains true and healthy. Sand continually applied to the green also keeps thatch manageable.
If you have any questions about topdressing or any other questions regarding maintenance feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
Mowing the greens is an important practice that takes place on a daily basis. We mow greens regularly to ensure consistent ball roll and to improve density of the turf stand. We combine this practice with rolling to increase ball roll and in most cases protect plant health. Rolling and mowing at a higher height can make our jobs easier without compromising plant health.
The irrigation system on the golf course is a little different than the irrigation in a homeowners lawn. We have pressurized lines to each individual head. So when a head breaks, it shoots water out like a fountain. At your house you have a valve manifold that holds the water back until it is opened. Then once opened it runs multiple heads. Unfortunately you may not catch a break until it washes something out or create standing water over night.
A prudent practice would be to head out in your yard over the next month and turn on you irrigation system. It has been quite a while since we have needed to water and as the weather improves and watering becomes necessary, you might catch something before the turf struggles and your flower bed washes into your lawn.
If you have any questions please contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
360.459.3772
E: justinr@indiansummergolf.com
We have been working on the bunkers over the past couple weeks. Removing weeds and cleaning the edges of the bunkers has been are most recent project. The guys went from bunker to bunker digging out the rhizomes and stolons that creep into the sand.
This project is preparing the bunkers for more sand to top off any bunkers that may be thin. This will probably be the last year we add sand to most of the bunkers. We have enough sand in the bunkers now, but if they start to run low then we will add more sand as needed. We will not add sand on all the bunkers.
If you have any questions or comments about the course or the bunkers feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
I wanted to give everyone a quick explanation of the paint markings on some of the tees out on the course. Dan has been marking out tees to be either mowed out or left to grow in. Over time we start to lose the integrity of the tee design only because it is pretty difficult to mow exactly the same each time the tee is mowed. The tees can shrink in some cases or expand in other. This exercise is just to bring the tees back to the original design and in most cases give us a little more teeing area to help spread the wear during heavy traffic months.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
justinr@indiansummergolf.com
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| Photo courtesy of http://www.turfhugger.com/ |
There is nothing like having kids. It is by far the most rewarding thing that you could possibly do in life. As they get older and start to become more aware of their surroundings, they can think of some pretty unique things. My wife was driving in the car and my daughter asked her why Washington was named Washington. You know kids, always question everything. Before my wife could explain to her a reason for the name, my daughter had already came up with her reasoning. She said, "is it because everything is always getting washed by the rain?"
I am enamored at the fact that even though Olympia may get quite a bit of rain, irrigation is still an important task for us as turf managers. Spending the last ten years in Arizona water was a fighting word. Conservation was required, not just an option. The experience that I have gained from this style of water management has played well into my forte of asking why things are setup in a certain fashion.
Computer controlled irrigation is an important tool for us. When the computer is programmed properly is takes, pipe size, equipment specs, pump station flow, weather calculations, etc. and uses all this information to manage the irrigation system to operate over 1000 sprinkler heads on the course efficiently. Without programmed computer management you run the risk of too many heads running at the same time resulting in less than desirable distribution. Without good distribution, playability suffers and water is wasted.
With that being said, our central control computer did not have a hydraulic tree programmed into the computer. The absence of a hydraulic tree removes the computer’s ability to properly manage nightly watering. The computer is only as good as the information that we give it.
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| Photo courtesy of http://www.toro.com/ |
To make a long story short Christian, our irrigation technician, is starting the tedious task of creating a hydraulic tree that will give the computer the correct information to manage all the sprinklers properly. If you would like to read a little more in depth article on the central control computer, click here. If you have any question about the irrigation system or would like to see what we are working with please feel free to contact me.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
360.878.0479
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