Waterfall Update

The waterfall pump was pulled yesterday for repairs.  After removal it was hauled to a machine shop where the repairs will be made.  The motor will be rewound and the seals and bearings will be replaced.  Also, the impeller will be checked for damage.  If all goes as planned, it should be back up and running in a couple of weeks.   

Bunker Sand Selection

Since we are in the middle of bunker maintenance, I thought that I would take a moment to talk about bunker sand.  Several factors go into selecting bunker sand.  The USGA offers guidelines for determining the suitability of bunker sand for golf courses.  We have always followed those guidelines when choosing our sand.  According to those guidelines, seven factors should be considered when making the decision.  They are particle size, particle shape and penetrometer value, crusting potential, chemical reaction (pH) and hardiness, infiltration rate, color, and overall playing quality.  I have attached a link to the USGA website below that goes into much greater detail about each factor.  I would like to encourage you to take a look at it so that you can fully understand the detail that is involved.

http://www.usga.org/Content.aspx?id=25876

Below is a copy of the physical properties testing on the bunker sand that we used in 2010.  We have utilized the same supplier for the past 8 years.  They have their sand tested every year by an accredited laboratory.

Bunker Maintenance

What exactly is bunker maintenance and why do we do it?  For us, bunker maintenance is a simple 2 step process that involves evaluating the depth of sand in each bunker and adding or removing sand accordingly.  We do this at the first of each year to help maintain consistency in regards to playability as well as to help minimize washouts during heavy rain events.  How do we lose consistency?  We lose consistency throughout the year primarily due to washouts caused by heavy rains.  During these events, the bunkers can wash out and become heavily contaminated with silt in the low lying areas of the bunkers.  If not removed, the silt will change the characteristics of the sand and greatly reduce the percolation of water through the bunkers.  In the process of removing the silt, the top half inch or so of the sand is usually removed as well in order to ensure total silt removal. I have outlined the bunker maintenance process below.



First of all, we start by checking the depth of the sand throughout each bunker.  We do this with a standard soil probe which we add a  6" depth marking to.  We have found that our bunkers perform best at a 6" minimum depth and that is the depth that we try to maintain.  As you can see in the video below, Esteban is checking the bunker very thoroughly.  After he checks an area, he will mark areas that need adjusted.

 

After the bunker is thoroughly checked, the next step is to move sand around or add new sand as needed.

We will then spread the sand out with either the Sand Pro machine or manually with rakes as seen here.

After that we will re-check our depths and then detail the bunker before moving on to the next one.

This process usually takes about 4-5 weeks to complete, based on average weather and labor inputs. Over the past 5 years, we have added an average of 200 tons (7-8 tandem loads) of new bunker sand per year. 

Snow Day!

Here are a couple of pics from around the course this morning.  We received approximately 2 inches of snow last night.

Soil Testing

We collected soil samples last week on greens, tees, and fairways.  Every year we take samples the first week of February on the same 6 holes.  This consistency with timing and location helps us to minimize fluctuations in sampling.  We pull the cores and send the samples to A & L Analytical Laboratories in Memphis, Tennessee.  We have utilized this lab for the past 9 years, which also aids in consistency.  They test our samples for major nutrients, secondary nutrients, minor nutrients, soil pH, organic matter percentages, and cation exchange capacities.  From this test we can see the status of our nutrient levels and easily identify deficiencies and possible toxicities.  We use these results from the soil testing to help plan our fertility applications for the year.  Soil testing is a very important tool for achieving and maintaining optimum fertility conditions.