Back To School

Second Assistant Superintendent, Tony Giroux, is heading back to school to further his turfgrass career. He has left the Vail Valley for Amherst, MA. While at the University of Massachusetts, Tony will be enrolled into an intense eight week program that will teach him the basics and beyond of golf and turfgrass management.

After spending four years here at Vail Golf Club he felt it was time to expand on that B.S. degree from Colby-Sawyer, NH. We could not be happier for his commitment and decision. Originally from Maine, he'll be able to take a break from studying and visit some family and friends. I am hoping a time or two, Tony will briefly let us know what he has been up to while in western Massachusetts.

Good Luck and hopefully we won't be seeing you in a hole like this for quite sometime!

Attack of the elk

With little snow fall so far this winter the elk will travel. During the early evening a herd of elk return to the valley floor for water and nest for the night. Fencing and light reflectors attempt at keeping them away from greens.
Elk urine and hoof prints can damage turf underfoot and we have seen this in the past. The only way to prevent the elk from roaming through the golf course and nordic trails are heavy snowfalls. Once we begin measuring snow in feet, we hope the elk will find "greener pastures".
We have not had too much trouble with them nesting come spring time. At this point they are doing more damage to the ski trails.

Helping Out

Today the VRD spent the day helping out the Salvation Army collecting funds outside Safeway in Vail. Two of our "bell ringers" pictured here (above) Jerrica Miller from Youth Services and (below) Heather Gilger, Gymnastics Director. You can drop by Safeway until 8pm tonight to make donations and meet your favorite VRD staff members.

Indefinite?

So I'm sure you have all been waiting for this post. What does indefinite mean with Tiger? Head to the blog to cast your vote on when you think Tiger will return to golf.
My vote? I think he'll be back for the Masters if not sooner.

Live from Copenhagen...

This just in from an undisclosed source. Have a great weekend.

The solution to pollution...

... is dilution. This phrase was first said when some Californians in the 60's found that the solution to ridding pollution was in the Pacific because it was so big! Recently this phase was used by Dr. Roch Gaussoin from the University of Nebraska, at the Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Conference in Denver. In this case, He was referring to reducing organic matter build up in the root zone for putting greens. If you have been paying attention to this blog you know my passion for managing thatch and organic matter in putting surfaces.

Dr. Gaussoin's latest research is not earth-shattering but it is a simple reminder that sand topdressing greens consistently is the single most important practice that can be done to keep the best greens possible.

From May to October we apply light applications of sand to the putting greens every two weeks. We also core aerifiy at least twice a year to remove build up of organic matter and continue to dilute by filling the holes with sand.

Welcome Kora!

Kora is our newest edition to the golf course maintenance staff. Assistant Superintendent Justin Gompf recently became the proud owner of the newest "goose chaser" at Vail Golf Club. She is an Australian Shepherd and so far is excited about the snow. We look forward to her growing and learning about golf and nordic maintenance.
Over the last few seasons we have noticed a slight increase in the amount of Canada Geese that make Vail Golf Club a summer home. I don't need to explain what a nuisance these creatures cause through the summer months.
Our main goal with the geese is to deter them from playable areas on the golf course. We embrace all kinds of wildlife on the golf course that enhance its environment. The most proven way to maintain geese on golf courses are with trained herding dogs. Kora will be a welcomed addition to the golf course.

Needing snow

This seems to be the trend over the last 3 years, where the snow slowly comes to Vail. This year has been no different. More snow fell in Edwards last night than Vail, which makes us scratch our heads. As for recreation, 4 or less inches of snow on the ground, won't slow down anyone. There is still plenty to do other than golf. The other day I noticed a large football game going on at the athletic field along the 6th hole.
There is limited Nordic available on the golf course and most of the bike path to the East Vail. The trails have been marked and it helps when people follow directions and stay on the designated trails. There are many Nordic athletes preparing for the up-coming season and others who are looking to shake the cob-webs like those getting up on the hill for an hour or so these days.

USGA: Rules and Decisions

USGA: Rules and Decisions: "Consideration for Other Players


No Disturbance or Distraction
Players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making unnecessary noise.
Players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.
On the teeing ground, a player should not tee his ball until it is his turn to play.
Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.

On the Putting Green
On the putting green, players should not stand on another player's line of putt or, when he is making a stroke, cast a shadow over his line of putt.
Players should remain on or close to the putting green until all other players in the group have holed out.

Scoring
In stroke play, a player who is acting as a marker should, if necessary, on the way to the next tee, check the score with the player concerned and record it."

Tomorrow's topic is Pace of Play!

Safety

Safety is a form of golf etiquette and should not be taken lightly. With most golf courses; homes, vehicles and pedestrians or bikers should always be cared for properly. Remember the golfer is responsible for their shots and damage that may incur.

USGA: Rules and Decisions: "Safety

Players should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs or the like when they make a stroke or practice swing.
Players should not play until the players in front are out of range.
Players should always alert green staff nearby or ahead when they are about to make a stroke that might endanger them.
If a player plays a ball in a direction where there is a danger of hitting someone, he should immediately shout a warning. The traditional word of warning in such situations is 'fore.'"

Fins Up!

So Vail Mountain is now open, there is just enough snow on the ground to get some Nordic skiing done on the golf course. I guess space is limited on the hill as well. The extended forecast is saying no snowfall of importance until December 1st.

Makes me wish the golf course was melted off enough to open again!

Oh well, our head pro Jeanne has the right idea as she heads to Mohegan Sun tomorrow in CT to watch the real "greatest experience on earth" Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band. As a Parrothead myself, of course I am jealous, but I'll be listening to the show. Enjoy it Jeanne and watch out for those land sharks! I want evidence for the blog!

Snowcover 2009

Well winter is here. As of Friday afternoon the golf course was completely covered in snow. About 5 inches fell by Saturday morning. We began with a little grooming with our snowmobile as we transition into our Nordic track. More snow is predicted by Sunday.

The snowcat does not come out until 2 feet are on the ground. That is enough of a cushion between the track and the turf with the tiller and grousers of the snowcat.

CLOSED for the 2009 season

The Golf Course is closed for the 2009 season. Faced with the very dry conditions, the turfgrass plants will weaken as the dryness continues. Heading into the winter with stress can damage the plant for the spring and start of the 2010 season. Thanks for a great year, see you in May.

And the winner is...

This year's edition of the Coal Bucket was a big success! The weather was great and twenty players turned out for the 41-year old tournament on Saturday.

Glenn Samuelson, fellow Golf Course Superintendent, is the latest name on the coal bucket. Glenn is the gross winner firing a 33 on the 8 hole course. Bob Essin was the net winner with a 34-27.
Pictured below (left to right) is the 2008 Champion Todd Hatami, Glenn Samuelson and Bob Essin.

Thanks to everyone for a memorable 2009 golf season.

Another Beautiful Day

A great day for being outside and playing in the Coal Bucket. Get to the golf course by noon to enter into the tournament. It's that easy. Enjoy the last few days of warmth in the valley. What else are you going to do today? Tivo or DVR the Breeders Cup or your college football game and watch them later.
Plus there are beverages and appetizers in the clubhouse following the tournament. Have a great end of the season.

Snowmold Trials

Dr. Ned Tisserat and Tamla Blunt from the Plant Diagnostic Clinic at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins continue their research with snowmold on golf courses. Vail Golf Club is one of the courses used for their research due to our high disease pressure. This widespread wintertime disease due to the duration of snow cover in the north can severely damage turfgrass if not treated correctly.

Vail Golf Club has a long standing relationship with the University and for numerous years has committed turfgrass plots on the 14th fairway for research. This year, for the first time, Dr. Tisserat and Ms. Blunt are using the 3 year old nursery green located on the 14 th hole. They will continue to use fairway turf on the 14th hole to continue with their years of research.

There are many different formulas and treatments applied within the given areas. Various chemical companies donate their products to be used for these trials. Vail Golf Club benefits from the information gathered each year to determine the best approach to combat snowmold.

Putting Your Mind To It

I knew I would figure it out sooner or later. I guess shorter days, frost and laying off the seasonal staff gives me the time to really expand on the blog. As you may have noticed I posted the irrigation as-builts of the first hole for you to view.
This is the new system on paper. You can click on it for a closer look.
Let me explain what you are viewing in a nutshell.
The "red line" signifies the mainline and the red symbols mark each lateral valve. The black lines identify the 2" lateral lines from the mainline. The full or part circles mark each sprinkler head. The part circles are adjustable heads located on the perimeter of the property or around the putting surfaces.
Each station or sprinkler head has two sets of numbers associated with them. The first set of numbers represents the decoder "address" (ex. 38522) for that station. For example, a 6 station decoder can operate up to 6 different irrigation heads. There is a five digit address for each station and that is how the central computer communicates with the sprinkler head.
The second set of numbers at each head represents that sprinkler head's "name". For example 1F-20 (1st hole fairway, station #20) which represents that valve-in head in the Rainbird computer programing. This is Rainbird's way of simplifying the process for irrigation managers to locate and name each station, instead of remembering a 5 digit number. There are 7 categories for naming irrigation heads. The seven categories for our system are greens, tees, fairways, approaches, greens surrounds, rough and miscellaneous.
By this time next year, Justin, Tony and I will have memorized about 80% of the "names" for all of the irrigation heads on the property. It just comes with the job.

A jump on things

I could not help but stop and take a photo of Golden Peak ski area on Vail Mountain this morning. This was taken approximately 500 yards west of the 5th and 6th holes on the golf course. A beautiful sight to see this time of year as Vail Resorts begins to open a portion of the mountain early for training.

A good portion of the snow has melted from the golf course. Shady areas are hanging on longer, but more sun is needed for playing the course.

Making the Turn

The weather has turned again and Saturday has given us plenty of sunshine. On Sunday, November 1st, the Nordic Season officially begins. The golf course is currently closed but will re-open for the Coal Bucket as long as the snow recedes. If or when the golf course opens at the most holes 1,2,8-12, 16-18. The driving range is closed for the season.

We'll let you know when the coal bucket will be as soon as a date is announced.

Coal Bucket?

So with the threat of a large snowfall on the horizon the only ones excited about activity at Vail Golf Club are the Nordic skiers. So far as of days end on Wednesday, about 2 inches fell followed by high winds and a little bit of sunshine but very cold. Not very good conditions for golf or skiing.

Fall Practices

On Monday I was asked through a comment on this site about the cultural practices that we can do on the golf course to provide quicker spring green up. Though there are many ways to prepare the golf course for the winter and spring, this climate mostly depends on Mother Nature. After four winters on this course, it is rare to find an area that comes through consistently year after year. Spring green up mostly relates to soil temperatures and how quickly they can rise, however there are a number of ways we can promote healthier turf when those temperatures do rise.

Much like our own bodies, stress relief is one of the best ways to prepare a golf course for the winter. In other words, we want to pump up each plant and make it as healthy as possible to survive the stresses of winter. The plant has slowed down in growth significantly and is beginning to go into dormancy. This is the period where plants do not respond to much, mainly because soil temperatures are too low and there is not as much sunlight for photosynthesis.

You will notice many areas of the course where the turf is longer than normally maintained. This practice allows as much plant tissue intact to store carbohydrates through the winter. A fall fertilizer such as Ammonium Sulfate is a cheap an easy way to accumulate carbohydrates to ease the stress of winter. Due to this fertilizer's high salt index and burn potential it is critical to apply when soil temperatures are below 40 degrees and the plant has slowed in growth.

Aerification and topdressing also help with winter preparation. Open aerification holes help with drainage and help reduce ice damage. The melting snow helps sand topdressing get into the soil profile and protect the crown of the plant. Leaf clean up is important to prevent molds from forming through the wintertime.

One of the most critical areas we pay attention to and spend significant dollars with are fungicide applications. With prolonged snow cover, snowmold can be a severe disease to golf courses in the north and can do a lot of damage. Snow mold is a soil borne pathogen that can attack the leaf blades of turfgrass plants and many times can be fatal. The control for this disease can significantly make or break a golf season in the mountains.

The proper application can leave the plant "untouched" through the winter and allow us to pick up where we left off. If chemical applications are not done correctly, we are then forced to play "catch-up" with seeding, sodding, applying more fertilizer, using more water and even using more herbicides as weeds begin to creep into areas that turfgrass once was.

Other practices we do prior to winter is keep carts on paths by the middle of October, use "winter cups" (having multiple cups set on a green to vary pin locations to relieve stress), rope off greens to prevent skiers and use reflectors to scare away elk which has been an increasing problem in the winter here in Vail.

Topdressing Fairways

Thursday, we began topdressing fairways. This is a once a year program that we do to incorporate sand into the soil profile. The benefits include smoothing out any small depressions, filling in divots, dissolving the thatch layer, reducing compaction and improving root health.
Fairways 9,10 and 18 were done yesterday.

Planting Trees

Last week we had over 20, 4th and 5th graders from Red Sandstone Elementary School come to the golf course to plant trees. Thanks to Bill Carlson with the Town of Vail for partnering with the golf course to plant 36 new trees around the golf course.

Each student was able to plant their very own 12 inch Blue Spruce tree at various locations around the golf course. They learned how to prep the soil and plant the tree correctly for optimum growth and survival. There was a lot of teamwork going on and they all left the course with dirty hands.

Vail GCM staff members Stephanie Bibbens, Justin Miller, Dustin Wester and Chris Devine were on hand to help the students with the planting process.

In the spring we will install a drip line irrigation line to each tree so that they can continue to thrive on the property.

Vail Golf Club has planted 78 new trees in 2009 including Aspen, White Fir and Colorado Blue Spruce.

Other Changes

Does anyone want to guess where this picture was taken at Vail Golf Club?

Just a few more minor changes going on out here.

Building new tees

We are underway to construct a few new tees on the golf course and make some revisions to another. Pictured here is the beginning of a new "yellow" and a new "green" tee box on the 4th hole.

The first step is removing the old sod and putting it aside to re-use in the future. The second picture shows the location and the view from the green tee.

The second step is to lightly till the area to break up any other turf and root structure to provide a better profile for the new tee box. We are currently bringing in new soil to build up the level of the two tee boxes.

While the soil is brought to the location we will begin doing a rough shape to the tee box.

Once the rough build is done, sand is brought in and tilled into the profile for a better medium for turf health, much like what was done on #3 tees this spring. We will have Landscapes Unlimited come in and level out the areas and prep for sod. The edges of the tee box will be sodded with the previously cut sod. In the spring, short cut bluegrass sod will be planted for the tee surface.

The tee surfaces will end up being approximately 25 feet by 25 feet, plenty of room for teeing grounds. In a nutshell, they will be a tad smaller than the new forward tee on #3. The distance for the green tee will be 285 yards and the yellow will be 310 yards.

We also plan to re-build and widen the green tee on #8 and widen and level the blue tee on #9.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate with us to get these done.

In the spring, the Colorado Golf Association will re-rate the golf course with the recent changes.

Postponed for a day

With about 2 inches of snow that covered the golf course, we were forced to push aerification off for one more day. By day's end most of the snow melted off, however it began to snow again once I left the course. 

Weather Permitting

Monday Vail Golf Club is scheduled to close for greens aerification. However, the weather is threatening that schedule right now. Stay tuned to this site to find out the progress of aerification. We are also scheduled to have nine holes open for play Tuesday and Wednesday. Any type of moisture will delay this schedule. It is critical that we accomplish aerification properly as soon as possible to get the turf plants as healthy as possible going into the wintertime.

Dubsdread

On Monday, my wife and I were fortunate to play one of this country's nicest courses.

While in Chicago for the weekend, we were guests of Joe Jemsek, owner, and played Cog Hill #4 Dubsdread, home of the BMW Championship. About 3 weeks ago, Tiger Woods won on these very grounds on his way to the Fed Ex Cup.

What a treat it was to play this golf course. We certainly struggled a bit. However, Superintendent Ken Lapp and his staff do a phenomenal job maintaining the course.

The course opened in 1964 and nicknamed Dubsdread, from the idea "dub" or poor golfer should beware and it serves as a warning to the challenges ahead. They weren't kidding. It was very difficult. Tiger Woods shot a low round of 62, I shot a 98.

In 2007, Cog Hill finished a renovation with Rees Jones to reposition bunkers and hazards, modify tees and re-build all 18 greens including the installation of the Sub-Air drainage system. The Jemsek family has something to be proud of with this golf course.

The weather was not too particularly favorable, but we played nonetheless. Tight fairways and dense rough demand precise shot-making. The greens are heavily guarded with bunkers and does not provide much room for rolling the ball onto the green. Large deciduous trees surround many of the holes, which made for interesting shots if you were to miss the fairway.

The greens are new bentgrass turf with a real true putting surface. The Sub-Air Drainage system was installed in all 18 greens, which a great tool for the right price. In a nutshell, Sub-Air removes excess moisture in the putting surface to provide a firmer and faster green. It is especially helpful when hosting tournaments through a rainy stretch when greens normally can get soggy and slow.

Wet Conditions

Since there are no golfers on the course because of the weather, why wouldn't you take advantage of the situation and aerify?
I would love to take advantage of the limited golf to do this, however the moisture will only set us back and it makes our goal that much more difficult to achieve when everything is wet.
First off, when soils are saturated, most times cores will not come out of the ground, or at the very least we acheive about half of the desired depth. Then, if they do come out of the ground and the cores are wet, it becomes very difficult to separate the soils from the thatch and plant matter. One of the goals during fairway aerification is to return as much soil back into the root zone and only remove the plant materials.
So we wait for another day. In the meantime, the GCM staff will continue with other projects on the course.

September in the Rockies

This picture was taken today, do I need say more? Reports say the weather is supposed to get better as the week progresses. There were a few brave golfers out today.

Tree Trimming

Due to the inclement weather today, we are postponing fairway aerification. To accomplish aerifcation correctly on fairways, conditions must be dry. Proper cleanup is a must in these areas and the moisture will disturb any goal we have to accomplish this correctly.

Instead of fairways we moved to roughs. These areas need very little clean up due to the wider spacing. This way we can remain productive and prepare for fairways and greens when the weather is right.

We are also able to accomplish a lot of tree trimming throughout the course. We have a team of 8 staff members, cutting, cleaning and hauling away tree debris. We are clearing low limbs to make golf shots under trees possible. We are also removing a lot of dead material within the trees as well. Clearing this material not only provides a better golf shot, it also allows for more air movement, and sun and water exposure to improve growth for turfgrass around and underneath trees.

The weather outside is...

... cold. Pay attention to the weather if you are planning to play this week. Not a great week to aerify fairways and we are postponing today's plan to punch 10 and 18 fairway. With the wet conditions we will be unable to achieve the goal of aerification. We will monitor the weather on a day-to-day basis and make decisions accordingly on aerification.
Instead, today we'll focus on tree trimming and native grass mowing. Mowing the natives is the second step to a better maintained native stand of plantings. In time, with the reduction of over-spray from irrigation, these areas will begin to thin out and actually be left to their natural environment. In the spring these cut plants will grow back stronger and be more competitive against weeds. Pesticide applications will be made to rid any unwanted or noxious weeds surrounding the golf course.
Not only will these areas look more aesthetically pleasing, they will become player friendly. Thinner grassy areas will make it easier to find golf balls, and you may even get a bit of roll out of them.

New System: Dry Course Part 1

(This is a multiple part blog about the future effects of the new irrigation system here in Vail.)

I guess when some people hear about a new irrigation system they expect green and lush fairways. Those people must not golf. The entire purpose of this project was to use water efficiently. So I made sure that the important aspects of an irrigation system were in place. Flow and pressure were a major upgrade, pipe size has doubled and flow has tripled. Spacing of sprinkler heads has been corrected and is consistent throughout the entire golf course. With these factors addressed now I can appropriately irrigate to what the turf actually needs.

Over the years of a weaker system, it is easy to over compensate many areas of the course to achieve that"Augusta Effect" so many golfers wish to have. Superintendents have spoiled golfers over the years giving them an illusion that some areas are greener than what actually may appear! By over compensating with water you can begin a cycle that can become hard to stray from. Water-hungry plants like poa annua can be very intrusive throughout the property and take away from other beneficial plants on the golf course. Over the next few seasons I will be learning how to accurately use the system to provide the right color green on the golf course. Over the next week, I will continue to blog about the differences of the old vs. new system and how the learning process has begun.

Fairway Aerification

Monday we begin aerification on the fairways. Weather permitting of course, which means if it rains or snows (I guess) we will not aerify that day and push it to the next dry day.
Aerification is a very important practice to maintain optimum conditions for a golf course. Some of the benefits of aerification are oxygen exchange and water penetration into the root zone to promote photosynthesis and plant health. It also allows us to relieve compaction and rid thatch that can build up at the surface. Excessive thatch creates a too-soft of a playing surface and it prevents nutrients and water getting to the root systems. Aerification also allows us to topdress with sand to dilute thatch, fill in divots and other imperfections in the fairway for a smoother roll.
The following is the schedule for fairways :
Monday, Sept. 21st: 10 & 18
Tuesday, Sept. 22nd: 11 & 16
Wednesday, Sept. 23rd: 12 & 17
Thursday, Sept. 24th: 13 & 14
Monday, Sept. 28th: 1 & 9
Tuesday, Sept 29th: 2, 7 & 8
Wednesday, Sept 30th: 6
Thursday, Oct 1st: 4 & 5
(#10 will play as the first hole during front nine aerification)

The process of aerification consists of hollow tine cores with a diameter of 5/8ths of an inch at about a 2" x 4" spacing throughout the entire fairway and intermediate cut. The cores are left to dry and then are broken up with pull-behind mats to separate the soil from thatch and plant tissue. The soil can return to the open holes while the plant material remains on the surface. Finally a blower is used to scatter debris into the rough areas. Some of that material is collected and removed off-site. It can take up to 5-6 hours to finish two fairways in one day.

A week of Shotguns

It has been a long week of shotgun tournaments. This picture was taken when everyone was heading back to the shop while golfers took to the course on Thursday morning. Kudos to the entire staff getting through all 18 in time to prep the course. It was a great week to showcase the golf course to those who do not normally play here much.

Commonground

This golf course is exactly what the game of golf needs right now. Formerly known as Mira Vista, Commonground should easily be at the top of many lists of places to play.

Commonground is owned and managed by the CGA and the CWGA. The Tom Doak design opened earlier this year in Aurora. Par 71 with wide open fairways, rolling hills and big greens. This walker-friendly course will make you enjoy playing the game each day.
There is also a 9 hole par 3 course that is similar to the main course. It is great for beginners and high handicappers or for anyone who wants to improve their short game.
Director of Maintenance Tracy Richard and Superintendent Bobby Martin have done a marvelous job turning this property into one of the most talked about golf courses in Colorado. One of my favorite aspects of the course is the amount of roll that a player can get on many shots. I was getting 200 yards from my 170 yard club. I also shot my low round of the year so far, 89.

Landscaping

Grand Traverse Landscaping LLC has been hired to overhaul many of our landscape areas around the course. They will be doing a lot of fall cleaning this year and begin to implement some new plantings for next season. I gave them run of the entrance bed at the clubhouse parking lot and they did a fantastic job. It has never looked better with over 100 different perennial plants to dress up the entrance.

Leaves Are Changing

It's getting to be that time of year. Golden hillsides are upon us with the aspen leaves changing over the next couple of weeks. Don't forget to have your camera with you while playing the course.

Etiquette; Behavior On The Course

In the spirit of the Championship this week, I figured this was appropriate... "The Spirit of the Game. Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

As winter nears...

I can't believe how many people have said to me recently how they are excited for the winter. Well living in a ski town I guess I can't complain, part of me agrees with them, but the weather is real good right now and I don't need a heavy coat just yet.
So I have been thinking of what I could possibly blog about over the winter time. Obviously we are not as busy, but if you would like I can discuss what it is like to drive a snow cat and groom Nordic trails, or maybe have our equipment manager, Kirk, break down a set of cutting units and describe in detail how to maintain them.
Well the two main areas that I will focus on over the winter with the blog are upcoming projects for 2010 and The Rules of Golf. So if you have any questions on either topic, please let me have them. The rules are coming from the latest 2008-09 USGA book. I am sure we will hear about some changes over the winter for the 2010 book and we can discuss them at that time.

Mini Golf

I stumbled upon this picture this morning as I went through some recent pictures. This is the Vail Miniature Golf Club located at the chipping green. Set up was done by assistant Professional Chris Johnson. Very well done and quite the challenge, not to mention a lot of fun! This was set up for the men's club last week following their shotgun tournament.

Aerway

This is one of my favorite pieces of equipment. It is an aerway, which puts slits in the ground and opens up pore space in the soil. It allows water and oxygen to enter the soil profile and access to the root zone to promote healthy turf. It causes very little impact to playability, especially when a mower follows it's path. You will notice the bricks on top of the spikes, which weighs down the machine for optimal depth.

September is a busy month for maintenance. It is critical that the course is healthy prior to the stress of the long winter.

Setting the Pace

Back to the pace of play issue, here is a clock that has been placed on the first tee box. This is the "pace setter". Sending golfers exactly at their allotted tee times has proven that a near 4 hour round is achievable.

The best example of this I can give to you is driving your car onto a highway. Now when you learn to drive in the city of Boston, it's pretty much every vehicle for themselves. Some people even call it a game, but it is a cluster trying to get onto the highway during peak traffic hours. There is a lot of congestion and frankly you really don't get anywhere quickly.

Then we go to the Mile High City where there are traffic lights at the on-ramp prior to entering the high way. To make this possible you need a longer on-ramp to put the traffic somewhere and that is why it would never work in Boston. Anyway, every 20 seconds or so another car or two is allowed to merge into the steady stream of traffic, thus preventing a large pile up at each entrance to the high way.

In our case at the golf course the snack bar and driving range is our "on-ramp", the clock is the "stop light" and the first tee is the "beginning of the road".

According to Bill Yates (see post on August 22nd), if the golfers are spaced out appropriately, then you can begin to research other areas of the course that slow down play.

Since instituting this new process, for the most part play has been flowing smooth through the course. There remain a few holes out there that need attention with design and maintenance, but we are evaluating that at this point and will address them appropriately.

Tee Aerification

This week we are aerifying tee boxes around the golf course. Pictured here is Justin operating the new John Deere tractor with the new Toro, 3 point hitch aerifier. The large floating tires on the tractor prevent rutting and this method has been proven to be much more productive, compared to walk-behind units. Most of all we are getting the best results. 

The versatility of the tractor allows us to achieve accurate spacing. Following Justin, one of our crew members will drag the cores to break up the soil from the thatch and turf plants. Most of the soil will fall back into the holes. 

Following the dragging, a blower cleans the remaining debris. Over the next few days we will be over seeding with Kentucky Bluegrass seed and lightly topdressing with sand.

The latest on #7

What you are looking at here is a view from the newly proposed tee box on #7. This will help with our safety issues regarding the failing retaining walls currently near this location. This tee box will quickly become a favorite for golfers.
Obviously this is not an areas where we can just sod and let you play, there is much to do. For the past year, I have been working with architect Kevin Atkinson to develop this concept. We have been in very close contact with the TOV and AMEC environmental engineers of Boulder to develop this teeing ground. Don't expect to be playing from this location until 2011. Mostly black and blue tees will be in this location. What if you don't play those tees? No worries, the tee box on the hill as well as the front tee box will be renovated. Much like the third hole, there is a strong need to increase the size of the teeing grounds. The variety of tee boxes will continue to provide the golfer with a new experience.

An Open Mind

This week we welcomed Bill Yates of Grey Town Golf, LLC to the golf course. He studies pace management on golf courses and has worked with over 100 golf courses around the country. I had the opportunity to spend most of Friday afternoon with him and we discussed many topics under the wide world of golf. My favorite discussion was the "lost game" of match play. Of course the game of golf was intended to be played against one another, not the golf course.
Pace of play is a wide spread problem in golf and the staff here is keeping an open mind on how to improve the experience for the golfer.
Initially I thought I would be given a long list of areas to cut, mow and trim. Making the course easier, it should play faster, right? Not so much, the goal is not to dummy down the course, there still needs to be some skill to play the game. I really had to open my mind in speaking with him about various management techniques, but it was worth it. He talked about not tricking the golfer, but creating challenges. There have been many ideas that were expressed for Alice and I to better manage the golf course. A few have them are being implemented now and we have already seen some positive results.
Sure there is work to be done, but that is always the case. Vail Golf Club is in a great spot right now. In the coming seasons working with a master plan, we can address many design and playability issues to make this golf course a fun challenge for guests to return to year after year.

It's Just Grass

You may have noticed some different mow lines around the course. Many of the lines on the course were determined by the irrigation system. Some areas due to lack of coverage would suffer at fairway height so they were turned into rough areas to have a better chance of surviving. Now that our coverage is at its best and stress periods are starting to subside, we are exploring different mow patterns around the course. Some may stay, some may go.

Kevin Atkinson will visit next week and we will go through many of these areas. There are many factors that need to be looked at when changing mow patterns throughout the course. Plant health and playability are the most important, followed by labor and equipment needs.

Final Walkthrough

I know this picture is not the clearest, but here is Larry's iphone with an application to ensure this irrigation head is level. The red dot indicates that digging this head up again is unnecessary. Larry and I will finish the day checking the system and making sure everything is working properly for the substantial completion tomorrow.
We will be meeting with Gregg and members of Grand Junction pipe to go over all warranty items.

Pace of Play

This issue might be bigger than you think. Two of the driving forces in the game of golf today are price and pace of play. Price is a good indication on why Vail Golf Club has been busy with golfers this year, we have the best price around. Pace of play, in my mind, we are still one of the quicker golf courses to play in the valley, due to the flat terrain, open tee shots and shorter distance. When you consider the amount of play and the caliber of players that visit the course, anything is possible. Vail Golf Club is a public facility and we are open to all golfers of any skill level.
With that said, there are still areas for improvement. It certainly does not help when Tiger Woods complains to PGA officials about how is rushed around the course. Examples such as this does not help the average golfer when they venture out to their public golf course. Also, the golf course struggles when compared to newer public facilities such as an Eagle Ranch or the new Commonground in Denver. Design features in Vail, such as small greens, tight fairways, many water hazards and poor cart path layout all relate to slow play for the new guest or high handicapper. As teachers of the game, we look to continually educate not only ourselves, but our guests as well for a more enjoyable experience.
This week the staff at Vail Golf Club is taking another look at how to make this golf course player-friendly, by focusing on pace of play.
There have been many suggestions and ideas in the past, some great and some not. Many of them have been implemented already, such as rope and signage steering golfers around the course, alternative mowing heights in areas and having a well-rounded staff that educates each golfer prior and during their round.
Can these ways be improved? Of course they can, we continue to look for ways to improve all areas of this golf course, some take a little more research than others.

Frost

It is that time of year again. Days are getting shorter and nights are getting colder. Once those afternoon clouds move out for the night, temperatures in the valley dip down. For almost two weeks now we have seen temperatures in the mid-30's can equates to a nice frost delay.

It is not guaranteed that everyday brings frost. Some mornings with cloud cover will keep the atmosphere warmer and prevent the plant from freezing.

The coldest part of the day is when the sun rises. The sun pushes the cold air down to the earth and that is when we see the most amount of frost on the golf course. In time, the temperature soon rises and the frost melts off the plant.

Some golf courses can run irrigation to "wash-off" the frost, but our water source is so cold, it only makes matters worse and sometimes creates more ice.

Frost damage can be very harmful especially this time of year. Damage occurs when the crown and leaf blades of the plant are frozen and exposed to stress by foot or cart traffic. The water inside the plant freezes and the plant becomes very delicate and shatter upon impact. Damaged areas will turn to purple or even black and then turn brown and die off. As I mentioned, the fall is the worst time of year to experience frost damage because there is little to no growing time left in the year to rebound from this damage.

Moving Out

Landscapes Unlimited has loaded up their equipment and have for the most part left the golf course. Over the next two weeks a small crew of employees will be putting finishing touches on the system. Each sprinkler head and valve has been re-visited to ensure they are working properly and each head is level.

1 Year Later

So I played Pole Creek Golf Club in Fraser on Tuesday and had a great time. Former VGC Superintendent, Ben Krueger and I took to the course with 90 other RMGCSA members. The weather was great and the course was better. I even beat Ben!
Craig Cahalane is the Superintendent and he and his staff do a wonderful job with the course. Last year, Landscapes Unlimited installed a new irrigation system on 18 of the 27 holes. The course is playing great and the greens were in fantastic shape. Every area of the course was consistent from greens to roughs. Now that Craig has better control and can really focus on growing grass instead of fixing pipe, he has been able to provide a better golf course for the guests of Winter Park.
Sure there are a few wet spots here and there, but that is only because he is just learning to use the system. Landscapes finished in September last year and by the time they were complete it was time to shut down the system for the winter. Well they too had a wet spring and early summer, which means Craig has been using his system almost as long as I have in Vail.
So Craig and his staff are beginning to work out the details by changing nozzles, adjusting heads and run times. When soils are not used to absorbing moisture and providing a medium for growth they tend to bind up and become hard. Over time, through adjustments to the land, proper drainage or just providing enough moisture these areas will develop into better growing environments.
After one year at Pole Creek, most golfers would never have known such an extensive project occurred on the property last year. Here in Vail I believe we are headed down that same path.

I'm still here

Don't worry all you blog fans, even though the irrigation project is mostly complete I'm still blogging. I have been out of the office for the past few days.
We've got a lot to look forward to such as the use of the new system, prepping for tournament month(September) and fall/winter preparation. Plus there is lots more maintenance for the season.
I am off to Pole Creek near Winter Park for a Superintendents meeting on Tuesday. I can't wait to play that course again. Landscapes Unlimited installed a new irrigation system there last season.

Finishing Details

18 holes are complete with the irrigation renovation. All that remains are punch list items that will be addressed over the next two weeks. Closures for golf are over and 18 will be available for play as of today. You will notice irrigation being installed at the island area behind the 17th green. This area has a greater potential for more outings and events. Irrigation will provide us to maintain the plants to their fullest and incorporate a better stand of grass.

During the next two weeks, Landscapes Unlimited will be checking all of the heads and valves throughout the course to make sure everything is working properly. They will finish removing old heads and satellite boxes. Once the remaining distance markers for the new heads arrive, they will be placed as well.

The Range

The driving range has been neglected over the years due to the lack of irrigation control. The biggest difference that you will notice with the range and the other areas of the course are the dry soil conditions. It's amazing that anything could grow at all out there. It is so clear in this picture how dry it really is.

I welcome the challenge to increase the aesthetic and agronomic value of the driving range.

Re-Visit the Bubble

For those of you new to the Vail Golf Club you may know nothing about the "bubble". This former winter landmark on the driving range was erected each year to house another sheet of ice during the winter months. The remains of the "bubble" exist underground in the middle of the driving range floor. Pictured here is the concrete foundation and an asphalt apron. Most of these areas are covered with a few inches of soil and very weak turf. In order for Landscapes to properly install the piping to the range floor they must hammer through the concrete to the appropriate depth.

To remove these permanent features will be extremely expensive. So as we move forward, we battle with a "feast or famine scenario". Poor drainage in the spring which results in stagnant, anaerobic conditions, followed by dry conditions in the summer due to the previous lack of irrigation and shallow root systems. With the lack of soil we will continue to fight this battle. In the years ahead we look to incorporate some sort of topdressing to alleviate these stresses.

Let's try that again...

After a few bouts of electrical storms and almost another half inch of rain that fell this morning, it was a short day for the staff and even Dustin, our "Supe of the day". The conditions were really poor and unsafe, so both the GCM Staff and Landscapes staff called it early today and got some rest and we'll be back at it again tomorrow. Even Dustin, will get another crack at managing the crew.

Superintendent for the Day

Each season I give the opportunity to the turf interns on my staff to be "Superintendent for the Day". Over the years, the interns have really embraced this day, which gives them a little taste of what to expect if they wish to continue down this path.

Throughout the season, each intern is involved with all day-to-day maintenance responsibilities. Everything from mowing greens, fairways, setting the course, bunker raking and edging, to trimming, clean up detail and hand watering. Interns will also learn to calibrate fertilizers and pesticides for various applications. We also incorporate them into other jobs around the course such as drainage projects, tree trimming, pond maintenance and good old shop clean up.

After a couple of months learning the ropes around the course, we give them a week to schedule the staff for daily maintenance. The Thursday of that week, they are solely responsible for the day. Of course if there is something over their head, myself, Justin or Tony will step in to assist.

So this week, Dustin Wester of Hawkeye Community College will take a crack at running the staff today. He has been doing a great job all summer and we feel he is up for the challenge. So if you have any complaints, don't come to me!

Grounding

Wednesday, Tanya Myers of Grand Junction Pipe and Supply, visited the course to test the grounding that has been installed at each valve throughout the course. The testing process is to ensure we are getting the best protection possible for lightning strikes to the golf course. Ground plates are located at each valve and decoder to deter electricity to run down the communication wires. Also pictured here is the OHMS meter connected to the ground wire to determine its resistance.

Final Staking

Thursday, bright and early, Larry Rodgers will be on-site for the final time staking heads for the course. The 10th hole and the driving range are the final areas that remain to be renovated. The project is going smooth right now and we are on schedule. Once all of the holes are complete there remains work to be completed around the course. First we will be testing pipe and heads throughout to ensure everything is working properly. Removal of old heads and satellite boxes. The rest of the holes need to have distance markers installed onto heads. Finally any other items that need to be repaired before they leave the site.

Monday and Tuesday next week, plan on the driving range to be closed. Installation of new heads will be completed on the entire range those days. If you have a tee time, a net will be provided for players to warm up, free of charge.

Swing Joints

In response to the GolfGenie comment made yesterday, I will explain the purpose of the swing joint and provide some answers to the question.

It regarded sunken sprinkler heads on golf courses and how can that be prevented.

Well first let me explain how heads become lower than the original plane. One reason is that they were not installed correctly. As you will notice, when Landscapes installs each irrigation head, they spend a significant amount of time packing the soil to prevent any future settling. They use hand held packers or "jumping-jacks" (pictured here on a mainline install) to provide the most stable soil to house the sprinkler. Over time heads can settle if the soil cannot adequately keep the sprinkler in place.

The other reason, which you may find on courses with older irrigation systems, is due to the chronic sand topdressing applications made to the turf. Little by little each topdressing application raises the level of the playing surface, however the heads stays put. This certainly was common with many of our old heads, especially around the greens. The GolfGenie, probably noticed her sunken heads mostly around the greens since the putting surfaces receive the most amount of topdressing.

The only way to fix this is where the swing joint comes into play. Pictured above is Jesus with a swing joint and you can notice its flexibility. The swing joint is a combination of pivoting elbows of pvc that allows the sprinkler to withstand pressure from above. When sub-surface irrigation was first attempted on golf courses, they began to have problems with heavy equipment and golf carts driving over a sprinkler and damaging them. The swing joint eases the impact of traffic to a pressurized pipe and head from above. So, the swing joint was invented to provide the flexibility in the soil to keep the sprinkler from failing.

So the solution is to dig around and below the irrigation head and expose the swing joint. Depending on how low the head is, you can do one of two things. First, you can adjust the pivot points on the joint to raise it to the appropriate level. The downside of this, is that you may sacrifice some of the flexibility if the joint is maxed out. The second solution, would require a slightly bigger hole and a little more room in the budget. You can purchase a second swing joint to add to the one already in the ground and you will have no problem acquiring the appropriate level of the head. Neatly back fill and pack the soil and re-install the turf so that the entire area is level.

This can be a time consuming project and sometimes will be done over the course of a few seasons.

Pulling #1

Today, half of the first hole was completed. Pictured here is the plow that pulls pipe and wire through the soil for 2 inch lateral lines. The pipe and wire are 18 inches below the surface. This is a great view looking back on the first hole towards the Gore Range. 

You will notice the planks of track mats on the collar of the green to prevent any tire marks from the machine. The pile of dirt is where the sprinkler heads will be located. Not pictured is the roll of sod that was removed before the hole was dug. Once the heads and wires are all connected and level, the hole is filled and packed, the sod is replaced and properly trimmed around the head.

Sprinkler Distance Markers

Here is what you will be seeing throughout the course for distance markers. Any head between 50 and 300 yards from the middle of the green will have the digits of the proper yardage. Some heads along the property lines may not have these yardages on them. 

The Ambassador

I can't believe that I haven't mentioned the Vail Golf Club Ambassadors much through this renovation. I have a wonderful team of volunteers helping to make the golfers experience that much better as they make their way around the renovation. 

Pictured here is Harry Jasper working his normal Friday afternoon shift. Here he is filling divots on the first fairway waiting for play to get to the renovation area. 

The ambassadors are here to educate and guide golfers around the renovation. They escort golfers to the next teeing ground and occasionally help with maintenance around the course (which of course is greatly appreciated). 

Many thanks to all twelve of you, Robert, Ron, Margaret, Gretchen, Malin, Carmen, Barbara, Ken, Harry, Ellyn, Bill and Annie.

Finished with the 18th hole

I have attached a few pictures of recent work done at the 18th hole. The first picture is of Fausto is putting together a valve box near the green. The box contains the valve from the mainline, the main communication wire, field decoder, and wires to sprinkler heads. The next picture is a great one, the fairway heads are being checked and finally getting some water down after stress from the recent work. Each head is flushed of debris and tested to make sure everything is working properly with the head. Then they are tested with field communication so that it can be used accurately from the central command computer. 

The last picture is of the installation around the clubhouse and the new handicap entrance to the building. Small spray heads have been installed here. I found it quite amazing how they could work with their large equipment in tight areas.

watering sod

Here is Alonzo from Landscapes Unlimited. He is dedicated to fine tuning new sprinkler heads once they are installed. Here he is on 18 making sure heads are working properly. Alonzo is also watering the replaced sod from the installation. He places the cone over the sprinkler head, the cone keeps the water in the general area to soak the sod. I am not so crazy about his hat, but he is a great worker and a fun guy to have around the course.

You may notice wet areas around the course, particularly with the re-sodded areas. During high stress periods to the turf, like the warm, dry weather we have had recently, it is critical to have those areas grown in properly from the renovation. Once the roots are re-established we will return the area to normal irrigation.

There are many areas around the course that are seeing consistent irrigation for the first time. It can take up to a couple of seasons to go through these areas and balance them out. Now that the groundwater has receded, many areas are beginning to dry up and now we focus on providing consistent watering. Finally with the new system we can begin to improve playability. My staff and I can now spend our time adjusting heads and run times, instead of digging holes just trying to get water.

38 degrees

This morning we headed out of the shop and the temperature was a cool 38 degrees. The frost season has not really ended. We have not had one week this season with out frost somewhere on the course, it's quite amazing. Hurry up and take advantage of the early tee times soon, because once we get to August the frost really settles in we need to back up tee times to prevent damage to the turfgrass. 

This week the town's fire prevention department, Tom Talbot and his staff will be clearing out some of the dead lodgepole pines throughout the course. They will begin on the 16th hole. In the coming weeks, we'll have to arrange for trees to come out on #2 and #5.

Also, we'll be saying goodbye to the old pump station tomorrow. Arapahoe Pump from Denver has purchased the old pumps and will be coming for them Thursday.

85%

Almost there, holes complete with new irrigation are 2-8, and 11-17. By the end of the week add #18 to that list. Next week we will focus on the practice greens and holes 1 and 9. While working on the practice greens one of them will be open for putting at all times. 

The GCM staff continues to improve the course in various areas. We have been cleaning up native areas, drainage, adjusting new irrigation heads and nozzles, hand-watering sodded areas, filling in sod lines and weak areas with sand and seed.

You will also notice new distance markers on the new irrigation heads. To date they are on holes 3-8, 13 and 14. The distances are to the middle of the green. 

In With The Old

Well the good the weather is here and it is welcomed. Approximately 2/3rds of the course has new irrigation, which leaves areas that we continue to spend additional time watering. Pictured here are a couple of ways we try get supplemental water out to cover areas that just don't get enough at night.

On a positive note, we have noticed many improvements in turf health on holes that are complete with new irrigation. Specifically holes 4,5, and 6. Many areas of the fairways and roughs have always been weak. We are seeing the beginning signs of excellent coverage. Moving forward, we now have the support to strengthen these areas and make them the best playable conditions possible.