Nike Pro-Am 2011

2011 Calabash

Course Update

Effective July 1st I have resigned as Golf Superintendent at Calabasas Country Club, and I wanted to take a moment to say goodbye, and recap some of the projects that the Maintenance Department recently completed in preparation for summer.

First I would highlight the efforts of the Maintenance Department so far this year. Most recently we completed the reconstruction of the 18^th green, which included the construction of a new retaining wall, bridge, and contortion of the right side of the green. A few less noticeable, yet equally important projects recently completed include:

·         Edging and removal of rock from bunkers

·         Edging of cart paths

·         Removal of leaf and grass clippings

·         Repair of the fountain and aerator on #9

·         Removal, splitting, and chipping of four dead/ fallen trees

·         Aeration, fertilization, top dressing, and seeding of the driving range

·         Needle tine aeration of all greens twice, and deep tine aeration once

·         Drainage repair on #’s 1, 4, 8, 11, and 18

·         Raising and adjustments to hundreds of sprinkler heads

·         Removal a damaged power transformer on #18

Additionally, we were able to leach a significant amount of sodium from the greens, and lowered the pH from 8 to 6.2. I’m also happy to report that the putting bent grass roots are currently at a depth of 7”. For reference, roots depth was less than 1/2” in October 2010 when I assumed the role of Superintendent.

A lot of the work of the Maintenance Department, as noted above, is very technical and in general goes unnoticed. The work is difficult and can become monotonous, but is essential to the health and playability of the course. I would like to thank my crew for all they’ve done; without their hard work and tireless efforts, none of the success I’ve achieved during my eight-year tenure here would have been possible. I will miss the crew, and will look back fondly on the memories of all the progress we made together over the years.

Additionally, I’ve enjoyed the relationships I’ve built with members, both personally and professionally. My tenure here has been a lot about community and solving problems as a team, and I’ve appreciated the open dialogue I’ve shared with many members. I’ll miss seeing you all on daily drives around the course.

Finally, I want to thank the owner, Gene Axelrod, for giving me so many opportunities to develop my career over the last eight years. The projects I worked on were all unique, each with their own set of challenges, and I know I am a better person now for having met all those challenges head on. Gene, I wish you and Calabasas Country Club the very best, and thank you again for all your support.

Kindest Regards,

Eric Wenzinger

Gary Williams

Mr. Gary Williams of the Maintenance Department is retiring after forty-four years of service. Gary was born in San Fernando, CA in 1945. He was in charge of the Calabasas Park Company grounds before the golf course construction began. For the last 35 years he has been our Chemical Technician, spraying the greens weeds and searching for gophers. If you see Gary around the golf course, please take a moment to thank him for his hard work and dedication. 

Regards,

Eric Wenzinger

A few projects completed during our Monday closure

The greens were first aerated with our new deep tine aerator 1/2'' 12'' long.

They were also needle tine aerated & top-dressed


The driving range tee was aerated, seeded, top-dressed and fertilized.

Slide Show of the 18th Hole Project

Before & After Pictures of the 18th Hole Project

Course Update

Calabasas Country Club

Course Update

Most members who read my blog or have asked me questions about the greens know that a big issue at CCC is the fact that the non-potable water in Southern California is reclaimed, and as such has extremely high sodium content. Many issues we have with greens health could be resolved if sodium chloride water softeners were banned and replaced with potassium chloride water softeners. Many states across the US have already adopted the use of potassium-based water softeners. Unfortunately potassium-based water softeners are a relatively new product, and the households and businesses within the Southern California water districts are not yet equipped with the infrastructure needed to support its use. In the meantime, sodium management at Calabasas Country Club is a big concern that is constantly monitored and addressed with the following techniques.

1.       Gypsum “Calcium”

·         Bimonthly applications of soluble calcium are put down to replace the absorbed sodium.

2.       Leaching/flushing

·         Leaching/flushing the process of putting 6” of water down on the greens in a single night; this is the most important tool in aiding greens health. It moves the sodium down the soil profile and into the drainage. This is also why the drill and fill in March of this year was so crucial to open up channels that reach to the drainage. In some cases our 42 year old drainage system was not working properly which rendered this leaching process ineffective, and the drill and fill has been a good step in the right direction to restoring healthy drainage.   

3.       Humic acid

·         Humic acid restores missing or used up nutrients back to the soil which feed the naturally occurring processes that maintain a healthy environment for plant life.

A few projects planned for June include:

·         June 4^th edging cart-paths

·         June 25^th Deep tine aeration

·         Hydrojecting the greens; this aerates with water jets breaking through organic matter in the process.

·         Flushing the greens to move sodium down the soil profile

·         Wetting agent/surfactant application on greens

A few advantages of these wetting agents are:

1.        Increases moisture retention; allows soil to absorb and hold water

2.        Reduces frequency of watering

3.        Reduced use of fertilizers

4.        Optimizes maturation

5.        Promotes deeper roots and increases the number of fine root hairs

6.        Reduces labor costs associated with intensive turf management

7.        Reduces compaction

Raising Sprinklers

Over time the sprinklers settle into the soil this process is expedited machinery and cart traffic.

Leveling the sprinklers is a huge undertaking that never ends. Once the 3,300 sprinklers are raised the process will start again. It is a full time job in itself, it takes 40 minuets to level one sprinkler head. So 2,200 hours to complete; Their are three crew members working every day to complete the process when their is not more pressing tasks.

Some problems low sprinkler heads create:

• Effects the sprinklers diameter (Causing dead or dry grass)
• Localized wet areas (Water is obstructed by grass causing wet areas around sprinkler)

Gypsum Application on Putting Greens

One of the biggest issues we face with the putting greens is high sodium (salt) content; this is a byproduct of reclaimed water, which is the golf course's primary water supply. High levels of sodium prohibit the roots from properly up taking nutrients, and the grass displays characteristics of drought and nutrient deficiencies.

One thing we do to combat the high sodium is by applying gypsum CaSO₄·2H₂O; gypsum contains a good amount of calcium; the simplest explanation is that the calcium binds itself to the sodium as not to interfere with plant's uptake of nutrients. When the calcium is attached it also is easier to leach out the sodium and move it down the soil profile and into the drainage system.

Leaching: Why is it Necessary?

I have been asked on occasion why we put down so much water on the greens and why they seems soft or slow.

Here is a article form Pace Turf that explains the reasons why we perform this procedure.

Leaching: Why is it Necessary?

Bottom line:

Greens leaching programs are designed to keep turf healthy by re­ducing soil salts. Un­fortunately, there are some tempo­rary side effects — wet greens and sur­rounds, softer turf, and slower greens. Are the benefits of leaching worth the inconvenient side ef­fects? The answer is definitely “yes”, and we will explain why here.

Salts, deadly poison for turf: What do you think is the most serious problem affecting the health and quality of putting greens? Most people believe that diseases, insects or weeds are the biggest threats, and indeed these pests can cause significant turf damage. But an even more serious threat is the build-up of soil salts.

The importance of rain: When there is enough rain, salts are rarely a problem. This is be­cause rain helps to leach, or wash away, the salts that ac­cumulate near the soil sur­face. Rain pushes salts down into the soil, beneath the area where plant roots grow.

But during periods of low rain­fall, this natural leaching does not occur, and salts build up.

Salts hurt turf in three dif­ferent ways: The most im­portant of these is known as physiological drought. When this occurs, the plant can’t get water from the soil, even when the soil is moist; this is­because salts in the soil liter­ally suck water away from the plant roots. The effect can be devastating, particularly to salt-sensitive turf such as an­nual bluegrass and bentgrass.

Secondly, accumulation of so­dium salts in the soil damages the structure of the soil itself. This can result in poor drain­age, low soil oxygen and poor water infiltration – all of which result in even more stress to the turf.

Finally, salt stress on turf makes it more susceptible to diseases, weeds and insects.

The key is to keep turf healthy by avoiding the build-up of soil salts BEFORE damage to turf occurs. And the best way to avoid salt build-up is to imple­ment a leaching program.

It’s all about balance: Main­taining a balance between soil salts and turf quality is a sig­nificant challenge.

To keep salt levels low, it is necessary to conduct leaching programs during periods of low rainfall. High leaching vol­umes (a few inches of water in an 8-hour period) of irrigation water are required to drive salts below the root zone.

This is why greens and sur­rounds can be soggy and soft following leaching. But the benefits are enormous. When done on a preventive basis– before turf damage due to salts is serious – turf and soil will become healthier, pest damage will decrease, and greens will remain green. It’s just that simple.

©2010 PACE Turf, 1267 Diamond Street, San Diego CA 92109 www.paceturf.org

Respecting the wet spots

Below is a article written by Pace Turf explaining some reasons for wet spots.

Regards,

Eric Wenzinger

Golf Course Superintendent

Respecting the wet spots

Rain is prefect, irrigation systems are not: Get­ting the right amount of wa­ter to turf, exactly where and when it needs it, is difficult, particularly for courses that rely on irrigation. This is due to the unfortunate fact that irrigation systems — even the best ones available — deliver water unevenly. As a result, while most areas get the right amount of water, others may get too much or too little.

Adding insult to injury: This problem is compounded by the fact soil types and drainage systems vary around the golf course, and also from course to course. For example, san­dy soils absorb water rapidly, which permits them to stay dry even when overwatered. In other soils, puddles can easily form, even when little water is applied. Variation in soil type explains why some courses have very few problems with wet spots, while others suffer from them all the time.

Which do you prefer? All of this variation causes a dilem­ma for superintendents and an annoyance for golfers. In order to keep the course free of wet spots, dry areas will oc­cur some locations. The turf here will decline due to lack of water, as in the photo below. Eventually, club-eating, wrist-cracking, unsightly bare areas of soil will form.

The alternative is to adjust the irrigation system so that the dry areas receive enough water, even though this means that more than enough wa­ter will be delivered to other areas of the course, and wet spots will develop. Yet this is the only way to ensure that turf will be alive, and turf qual­ity can be more consistently maintained through the year. Given this choice, while you may never love the wet spots, you will hopefully understand that their presence means that turf health and quality are being taken care of as well as possible. !

Bottom line:

Golf courses can be wetter in some areas than golfers like. This is often due to un­even irrigation cover­age — a problem that irrigation designers have not yet been able to solve. As a result, some areas of turf receive just the right amount of wa­ter, but other areas receive too much.

Although wet patch­es are not desirable, the alternative -- of allowing dry areas to become even dri­er and to eventually die -- is even less ac­ceptable.

In the end, suffering with occasional wet spots is a small price to pay for obtaining turf that is as consis­tent and high quality as possible.

©2010 PACE Turf, 1267 Diamond Street, San Diego CA 92109 www.paceturf.org

Greens Speed

I'd like to share some important facts, and myths, about greens speed… which is an issue that many have expressed concerns about around the golf course.

There is an important trade-off to understand when talking about greens: speed versus health. Fast greens are often obtained to the detriment of grass and soil health, and the health of the greens is my primary concern regarding my long term plans for the golf course.

Only under tournament conditions should the greens be mowed below optimum growth levels. For example, creeping bentgrass putting greens mowed at 1/8 inch show a 40% reduction in photosynthates compared to greens mowed at 5/32 inch. Thus, grass mowed lower is significantly less vigorous and not as healthy. Poor turf density is many times the result of excessively low mowing height.

Although mowing below optimum growth levels is a quick way to speed up greens, there are  various methods of cultivation for speeding greens that aren't so detrimental to course health.

Putting greens produce the highest quality putting surface when cultivated frequently. The best quality putting surfaces develop on greens where you core aerify or deeply vertical mow at least 20 percent of the putting surface area each year. Vertical mowing and sand topdressing in conjunction with core aeration produce the best quality putting surfaces, resulting in firm, smooth, well-drained and fast putting surfaces. Putting greens with adequate routine cultivation maintenance have an unlimited life expectancy, and ensure consistent putting surfaces at every point on the course.

Cultivation is a very technical and hands-on process. Knowing when and which method to use requires a keen understanding of agronomy, and I am confident that I can achieve greens speed and consistency that all members will be satisfied with while at the same time preserving the health of the course. As said before, cultivative practices are fairly more time consuming than mowing, but far more effective in the long run. I thank for your patience throughout this process.

Below is an excerpt from an article written by the USGA (United States Golf Association) on the history and use of the Stimpmeter, which is the standard tool used to measure greens consistency.

Making A Lasting Impression
January 18, 2006
By, USGA

What exactly what is a Stimpmeter? To the competitors, golf course superintendent or officials in charge of the setup, the figure is extremely vital. Uniform green speeds are important in keeping the competition fair and equitable.

The measuring device that provides the necessary data is called the Stimpmeter. The name is derived from the man who invented it more than 70 years ago. He was a highly skilled amateur from who was good enough to captain the Harvard men's golf team in the 1920s and win his state amateur championship in 1935. A year earlier, he advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur at The Country Club.

While watching the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, Stimpson noticed how excessively quick greens prevented many of the game's best players from breaking 75. A native won the championship that year, mainly from his local knowledge of the putting surfaces.

Stimpson's concern at the time was not necessarily the speed of the greens, but consistency. So he devised a way of measuring the green's quickness.

One thing Stimpson never wanted to happen with his device was to have clubs use it as a speedometer. He didn't want Club A bragging to Club B that its greens ran 10 feet on the Stimpmeter compared to 8.5. Green speeds often become a hot topic of conversation around the grill room because of what people see on television during major championships. Some see green speeds as a way of measuring a course's championship worth, and Stimpson never envisioned his tool to be used in that manner.

He wanted the Stimpmeter used so that players would find the speed of the first green the same as the 18th. That's exactly what USGA officials do.

This debate over speed has been an ongoing challenge for superintendents and agronomists. Some question whether faster greens are good for the game. Certainly at the U.S. Open, green speeds are important, but that is a competition for the world's best players, not recreational golfers who carry double-digit USGA Handicap Indexes. Creating faster putting surfaces places increased pressure on those who maintain golf courses. But club members and greens committee chairman often want faster greens because televised golf showcases them during tournament play.

Staff writer for the USGA. E-mail him with questions or comments atdshefter@usga.org.

Course Update

Calabasas Country Club Maintenance Department Memorial Day is just around the corner and with it brings the beautiful weather that most Southern Californians are acclimated to. The grounds crew will be switching gears as temperatures climb: There will be an increase in hand watering, hydrojecting, fungicide & wetting agent applications. The frequency of mowing will also increase as we approach these warmer months. There are a few projects to button-up this week and several planned for the upcoming months. The maintenance department’s primary objective is staying on target with maintenance standards and the long range health of the course. Second, is to reveal and polish some the grounds natural beauty. Here are a few activities planed for the remainder of April & May:

Greens

• Needle tine aeration
• Verticutting
• Light Top-dressing
• Hydrojecting
• Fertilizer 
• Fungicide
• Insecticide
• Growth regulator
• Poa Annua seed head suppression 

Tees

• Spiking
• Fertilizing
• Soil Surfactant
• Reshaping tees
• Resurfacing #10 Blue Tee

Fairways

• Solid tine in traffic areas
• Soil Surfactant/Wetting Agent
• Sodding thin areas

Collars/Approaches

• Verticutting
• Top-dressing
• Fertilizing

Roughs

• Spiking traffic areas 
• Fertilizing
• Herbicide

Regards,

Eric Wenzinger

Golf Course Superintendent