Calabasas Country Club
Maintenance Department
Course Update
I would like to give you a 30,000-foot view of the greens past, current and future conditions.
Over the past 16 months there has been rigorous lab work conducted along with constant monitoring to drill-down to the source and to establish a base-line for greens health. October 2010 yielded figures of sodium 6X higher than plant tolerability, compacted soil in an anaerobic state, and surprising abundances of Aluminum, Boron & Zinc. Also contributing to the problem was the high level of organic matter in the soil, so much so that the greens could barely be classified as a sand-based soil; a sand base is crucial to promote water peculation to flush out sodium and other unwanted elements.
I responded to those problems throughout fall and winter with applications of calcium and several specific acids, as well as frequent needle tine aeration and topdressing to lower the organic matter. These applications along with the heavy rains during January, February and March 2011 helped to lower the sodium and pH levels back to normal levels, and also fostering root growth of 3 ½ inches. As a reference, the roots were measured in October 2010 at just ½ inch, which is not sufficient for long-term sustainability. The transition from October 2011 to November 2011 went from hot to cold fast giving us the earliest frost delay in the last 7.5 years. While mild fall temperatures were cut short we still came out of the summer with roots down to 3.5’’ and by December 2011 bentgrass roots reached 6.5’’.
March 26th 2012 is our greens aeration date and the course will be closed. The club has taken ownership of a deep tine aerator so all work will be done in house this year while the drill and fill application is more beneficial we have opted to do this every other year;
While I understand the frustration that comes with any change to the aesthetics and playability of the greens, the aeration process was and is a crucial process to get greens as healthy as possible before summer, and the high temperatures that test the greens health every day until November. Currently I'm pleased to report that the sodium levels have been stabilized to normal levels, and root mass reached down to 6.5 inches this week.
Greens health is a slow, multi-step process which requires constant care and attention. First, I will continue to monitor sodium levels along with taking soil, water & tissue samples on a regular basis. Second, I will implement future needle and deep tine aeration throughout the spring and summer months to deliver much needed oxygen and promote gas exchanges deep down the soil profile. All of this is part of a 3-year plan to change the soil composition to a much improved state that will favor healthy plant conditions for years to come. Many thanks for your patience and continued support of my efforts.
Regards,
Eric Wenzinger
Golf Course Superintendent
