2011 US Women's Open Preview

Guest Blogger: Zach Bauer, Broadmoor West Golf Course Superintendent.
Zach was an intern of mine on the East Course at the Broadmoor a number of years ago. He was one of my best interns and has certainly deserved the position he now holds. I asked him to tell us a little about what is about to happen in the golf world in Colorado Springs next week:

Greetings fellow golf enthusiasts of Vail Golf Club. Steve has asked me to write a guest blog for Vail Golf Club and what better topic could I write about but our own US Women’s Open that’s coming up in 6 days, yes 6 days! The preparation for this year’s US Women’s Open has been a three year process that started the day after the US Senior Open we held at The Broadmoor in 2008, literally! The Monday following the final round of the US Senior Open the USGA’s US Women’s Open Committee was present to make sure it was the type of facility they wanted hosting the US Women’s Open Championship. Fortunately the East Course had finished major renovation work before the Senior Open and the amount of work required was minimal. One of the projects the East Course has worked on in the last few years was selective tree removal around greens to reduce shade stress during the winter months. Both East and West courses have begun allowing access for sunlight to putting surfaces during the winter to reduce ice damage.

Since 2008 it has pretty much been a waiting game up until the last few months when we started to really get things looking good for this year’s championship. There has been a lot of seeding, sodding and fertilizing going on to help fill in the our roughest areas on the golf course for the championship, but everything has come together nicely and the course is looking great. The final setup for a major championship takes more time than most people realize. Our grandstands starting going up around May 31st and with only a few days left until the Open we are still putting up scoreboards and the finishing touches on our tents. One of the key components to the grandstands, tents and T.V. towers construction is managing the irrigation around all these. For one thing the stakes used during this process are about three feet long and our irrigation manager has to ensure that our irrigation lines are not hit with one of these. Another is managing the irrigation heads around all the tents and grandstands. A lot of fully rotational irrigation heads need to be adjusted to part circle heads and this is utilized by removing parts from the West or Mountain courses and replace these with the ones on the East course throughout the championship. With all this preparation that goes into making a championship, there is always an end to it all. After the championship is over all three courses at The Broadmoor are fully open the very next day for guest and member play, no days off! The tear down of all the grandstands takes about another 4 weeks to complete while the entire time we are dealing with daily play and tournaments, such as our club championship.

With all this work associated with hosting a major championship I must not forget the help of volunteers. During championship week we will have another 60-80 volunteers helping out our Broadmoor staff of 55 each work shift. Yes that’s over 100 golf maintenance workers on 18 holes at one time. It always humors me when I hear the golfers say they want their respective courses to play like a US Open course every day. Now you know how many people it would take to provide those conditions. For example, we will have 12 greens mowers, 6 tee mowers, 15-20 crew handwatering and 8 fairway mowers just to give everyone a glimpse of our crew numbers on one shift. Here at The Broadmoor we are definitely looking forward to hosting another USGA Championship and also returning a great golf event back to the state of Colorado. Come on down and check out the tournament!

The Beginning of the End

 After almost 4 years of research, various plans, one engineer firm, one golf architect firm, hundreds of survey stakes, numerous compaction tests, soil testing, board meetings and town council meetings we are now days away from a finished product at the 7th tee.
The greatest safety issue on the golf course has been solved and we are almost ready to show it off to golfers. Yesterday sod was installed on the tee surface. Large sod rolls were used to reduce the amount of seams on the tee. The tee should be ready for play in the next ten days.

Surrounding the tee, there still is some work to complete. Justin has been working extremely hard getting the irrigation completed in the area. It hasn't been easy working around Landscapes Unlimited while they finish the tee. He has designed and installed irrigation for the tee surface as well as the native areas that will include new pine and fir trees as well as rose and serviceberry bushes.
Around the woody material, native seed will be used and a straw seed mat will prevent erosion and enhance seed growth.
There are a few more trees that need to be removed in front of the tee boxes from the site. A plan is in action to remove them as soon as possible according to town specifications.

Sod Day

A crew from Emerald Sod Farm near Denver was here early on Saturday morning to get sod down in various places of the course. Finally we can begin putting these projects behind us and get on with the golf season.
Pictured here are large rolls of sod being rolled out along 11 cart path. Areas that were sodded were around 11 bridge, 17 bridge, the lightning shelter near 11 green and the 7th tee surface.
Prior to sod, all areas received an application of starter fertilizer which supplies nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium to the root zone for adequate uptake and quick recovery. Also, we apply a granular wetting agent (Reservoir) which keeps moisture in the root zone longer than normal.We used this formula during the irrigation install after the mainline was re-sodded and had huge success.

USGS Real-Time GORE CREEK at RED SANDSTONE CREEK AT VAIL, CO

Here we go again. Last night the Gore Creek reached as high as it has all season. The wet weather followed by higher temps has filled the banks of the creek. Click the following link for the graph that details how the creek has reacted to the weather over the last week.

USGS Real-Time Water Data for USGS 09066325 GORE CREEK ABV RED SANDSTONE CREEK AT VAIL, CO: "Discharge, cubic feet per second
Most recent instantaneous value: 1,350 06-25-2011 04:45 MDT"

The biggest reason why there is much less water on the course especially around the 1st and 10th tee, is due to the fact that a lot of Vail Mountain has melted off. Most of the water on the course is related to the Gore Creek and run off from the Gore Range.

Assistant's View: Fusion

The electro-fusion machine is our newest irrigation tool.  This machine will allow us to repair our HDPE pipe.  The way this machine works is there are two electrodes that stick out of the repair coupling that are connected to wires that run around the inside of the coupling.  This machine heats the electrodes and wires to a temperature that will melt the HDPE and weld the coupler and pipe together.  Each coupler has a bar code that the machine reads to determine how hot and how long it needs to heat  the coupler to get a perfect weld.   It’s very important that the pipe and couple are clean and free of debris to get a good weld.  The first step in fusion is to scrape the HDPE pipe to get a fresh layer of material visible.  Then I clean it with isopropyl alcohol to remove any oil that may have been left behind from handling it.   Once the pipe is clean I can then slide the couple on and make sure everything is lined up properly.  I then use the optical pen to read the bar code that tells the machine what size and density the pipe is. The last step is to hook up the electrodes and hit the start button.  For two inch pipe it takes about 45 seconds and it’s done.  The first project that I have used this machine on is repairing irrigation lines around the new bridge construction on 11 and 17.  We will be using it next on 7 tee to install irrigation on the newly built tee.  With all the construction going on here this will be a very useful tool to be able to repair pipe or add new irrigation when needed.  

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One Down

 One of the first projects of the season is complete. The 5th tee has a new net and it looks great. The contractors finished up on Friday and now we can pay attention to turfgrass details in the area.

Often people ask me why we use some much plywood during our projects. The picture below is proof of why plywood is so important. Without it, these irrigation heads would have been destroyed. Now that the area is getting more sunlight and water, they will bounce back quickly.

US Open Week

I found the information below in my inbox this morning as all golf eyes begin to focus on Maryland this week. After reading this information it still "wows me" to think how many people don't understand the amount of work that goes into a major golf championship.

In a few weeks, I will be taking part in similar activities to prepare for the US Women's Open at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. When I think of Congressional however, I will never forget how they walk mowed all of the fairways for the Open in 1997! I heard it took up to 27 people to mow one fairway. It could have have been the pinnacle of how ridiculous maintenance can be for a major golf tournament.

Click here for the USGA Course Fact Sheet at Congressional Country Club by the USGA Green Section staff

Assistant's View: It Must Be The Start Of Summer In Vail

Well the water table is rising and we have high water on various areas of the course, it must be the start of summer in Vail.  Now that we’ve had about 10 days of good weather we are trying to get in to a rhythm of course maintenance.    

Due to the weather we are about two weeks behind schedule on fertilizing.  I began this week with a liquid application on greens.  I will continue the rest of the summer every two weeks with this application.  We do this “spoon feed” of liquid fertilizer to help keep the greens consistent.  Each application has small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium key nutrients for healthy turf.  The tank mix also includes micronutrients and biostimulants which is also highly important in finely groomed turf.   We add about five different products to each tank to help create the healthiest greens we can.  The combination of these products help increase stress tolerance, build stronger deeper roots, aid in cell division, and aid with plant recovery from stress. 

Justin Gompf

Assistant Superintendent 

Rolling Greens

If you were paying attention to the blog this spring, you know how soft the greens were while clearing them of snow. For those of you who are new or can't remember last week, such as myself, here is the story.
Due to the early snow fall, the greens did not harden off and turn completely dormant for the winter. While the snow continued to pile up, temperatures stayed warm enough in the root zone for disease activity and even shoot growth!
Once we began clearing, we immediately notice how soft the soils were and the snowblower would occasionally cause depressions into the surface and create ruts. We clear the greens to prevent or lessen snow mold and ice damage (winter damage).
So now we are left dealing with the lesser of two evils; smoothing out the surface.
The 13th and 1st greens were the worst overall. This week we rented a 3,000 lbs. vibrating roller and it seems to be working great. This could be an annual tradition, in fact. I won't tell you the ruts are gone, but they are much better. Spiking and aerification over time will completely heal them. Next week we will be doing just that.
We liked this roller so much, it ended up on all of the greens. Yesterday, our intern Mike (Rutgers) stimped the 2nd green before, during and after the rolling. Before the rolling, they read 7.2. After the first roll the green measured at 8.5. After the second and final roll we measured it at 9.
Also, the greens heights were lowered for the final time in preparation for the season today.

Waking Up The Sleeping Giant

 Well the Boston Bruins have woken up to make it a series in the Stanley Cup. But in relation to the golf course, groundwater has also woken up and is saturating some areas of the course. The main difference between this season and last, was the amount of snow along Vail Mountain. There is a significant amount of snow up top and it is going to take some time to run off.
We are managing areas with sandbags, pumps, digging ditches, and providing temporary bridges for access.
Currently we have the front nine closed but will have 18 open shortly. Cooler weather has moved into the valley and the river has dropped a bit from the other night. The temperatures have dropped recently and it will help with high water.

The 5th tee is nearing completion with the new netting. All of the posts are in the ground and the cables are in place. Thursday we will be removing the rest of the dirt from the posts and place mulch under the netting. The net is en route to Vail and will be installed ASAP. A little more clean up is needed in the area, but we are targeting to have the tee box open Friday.

Casual Water

 Here we go again. Nothing unusual actually, another typical spring. With over 500 inches of snow this year, the water will probaly stick around just a little longer this year. A few early morning golfers were amazed to see the amount of water near the first tee. We are managing golf just fine and there are no alterations to the course due to high water so far. Carts can slowly creep through the paths with water on them safely. Small access bridges have been provided to access dry land for walkers.

 Have you noticed all that water coming through the parking lot? More run off above the 18th hole is getting onto the utility path and running into the parking lot. No this is not a water break from the homes nearby.

 The 10th Annual Teva Mountain Games began this week. Each year on Saturday, kayakers and paddle boarders take to the Gore for time trials. This is a sport I need to try, paddle boarding. It looks like a lot of fun, but I probably won't make my first run on the Gore, I would need calmer waters.

Here is a competitor kneeling down on his paddle board to clear the new bridge on 17. The new bridge has slightly more clearance for recreation on the creek. There are a number of bridges these paddlers need to maneuver through during the race.

7 tee update

 Things are really beginning to move along on the 7th tee. The spectacular weather has been welcomed for construction. If you have walked or driven by the tee, you will notice that walls 3 & 4 are complete. The 1st wall is close to 50% complete. The concrete cart path and the new fence are also complete. Due to the lack of space at the bottom, only cart traffic is allowed through the area. No mowers or large equipment are allowed, however it does not hinder our operation. A few years ago, I almost had a mower in the creek. It lost control coming down the steep incline and broke through the fence.
I am sure the new fence will see many replacements in the future from golf carts running into it. The fence is very stable and a cart will not be able to break through. It is also easy to replace if needed in the future.

Today we caught a snag in the plan by revealing this boulder. Pictured here is Chris Martin, the superintendent on the project from Landscapes Unlimited. He has been a great addition to the project. The boulder is estimated to be more than 10 tons! It is in the way of wall construction and must be moved. We have a plan to move it on Monday, wish us luck!

In Bloom

 Usually by this time of year, most plants are in bloom. This is a good shot of some lilacs, turf and aspen trees in the background near the pumphouse.

May was difficult, with the average high temperature at 53 with an average low at 28 degrees.

We received just over 2.5 inches of moisture with only 6 inches of snow, but the moisture was spread out over many days.

Tuesday we recorded soil temperatures and greens averaged out to 49 degrees. Rooting depth was 4-6 inches which isn't all that bad for poa coming out of dormancy. All disease activity from the winter is now inactive and plants are beginning to bloom. You can see the hillsides filling in with aspen buds. The willows around the course are showing signs of life, as well as the lilacs and dogwoods.

Even at 5 tee things are starting to pop. Today Judge Netting installed two of the seven posts to go into the ground for a new net. These are 12 inch diameter steel poles. This will be a polished enhancement to the old net that was installed in the past. The posts are buried 10 feet deep and will max out at 40 feet in the air. The first two holes we an easy dig, now they are getting into rock, which of course is no surprise. The project should be completed by the end of next week.

Stumbling Into Spring

Thank God May is over. We have done more today than most of May. Lots going on now that decent weather has arrived, call it crazy, but we are making improvements to the course everyday.
Areas are drying out, soil temperatures are increasing and most areas of turf have broken dormancy.
We are just getting around to mowing everything on the course and most areas are recovering well. The irrigation system has been fully pressurized and will certainly be a boost for turf conditions.
Plenty of projects going on outside of the basic day to day maintenance: re-surfacing of 3 cart path, new net installation at 5 tee, 7 tee re-build, Vail Valley Drive water mainline (water district), new bridges on 11 & 17. The only project completed is the lightning shelter near 11 green. There is some landscaping to complete in that area, which we plan to get to once the bridges are complete.

Today through Friday, we will be preparing the cart path tie-ins on 17. We are taking the opportunity to correct a few issues. By replacing all of the path from the bridge back to the tee we will be able to lower the path slightly, improve drainage aesthetics and turf conditions. Our asphalt contractor began this afternoon removing the old path. I found 6 plus inches of asphalt with some road base underneath. The old path was overlaid once and created some drainage issues on the sides of the paths. You can see how the path has failed over time with the large crack through the middle of the path.
Finally we had overnight temperatures in the low 40's last night which is rare for these parts in early June. Cloud cover tonight will lead to another warm night in the valley which will certainly help with turf conditions, yet speed up melting up in the hills. Only in Vail can you say 40 degree overnight temps are warm!