Course Update 3.7.14

Christmas in March!

A key part of our equipment includes five state of the art walking mowers for use on greens

We will be taking care of the course this year with a much improved and updated equipment fleet. The new equipment received this past week will allow us to perform our maintenance practices in a safer, more efficient, and more effective manner. This will ultimately resulting in improved playing conditions throughout the course. We are currently working to schedule a "field day" so that we can showcase the new equipment. Our entire crew is excited, and we thank you for making this much needed improvement a reality. Check back for more pictures.

A look at our maintenance facility showing some of the new equipment

Course Happenings

Spring is coming fast and we are working hard on several areas of the course. Check out the list below for a few updates.

• Green divot mix is here! We will now be using green divot mix on the the driving range tee, par threes, and fairways
• We will be applying our first fertilizer application of the year combined with our Spring preventative weed application on Monday, March 17.
• Due to the cold weather we were not able to complete our first "planet air" aeration of the year on March 3. We are currently rescheduling for March 17. 
• We are continuing to work with Colligan Golf Design to develop a master plan for the course that includes not only aesthetic improvements but also focuses on water conservation and native plantings. We received preliminary drawings earlier this week
• Mike Brasheers is finishing completion of the new water cooler stands.
• Eagle Design Build has started work on a master plan for major maintenance facility improvements.
• Nursery green construction is complete - See info below.

Nursery Green Construction

We have completed construction on our new bentgrass nursery green, located to the right of 18 tee box. This green will provide us with clean bentgrass sod to use for repairs, controlling bermudagrass encroachment, and for testing efficacy of various turf products. The green will be maintained at the same level as the regulation greens in order to ensure that it always ready for use on the course (it may also double as a short game facility for the golf course superintendent.....). We are planning on seeding the green on March 17. Check out the pictures below to see a quick overview of the construction process. 

Step 1: Sod stripped, drainage installed

Step 2: Add liner (to prevent contamination) and fill material

Step 3: Create "cavity" from fill material

Step 4: Add greens mix

Step 5: Add irrigation and final float greens mix

Course Update 2.8.14

Thank you for visiting the blog. I will use today's update to provide some information on "Frost Delays" and give an overview of course happenings.

So far we have had an exceptionally cold winter. According to article by Stephanie Butts published in the Waco Tribune Herald on February the 5th of this year - we are 13% colder than last year. In addition, earlier this week Waco set a new record for most days with temperatures below freezing. The previous record was 51 days and dates back to 1909! - Click here to read the article -  Waco Tribune Herald Article

One of the most noticeable impacts of the cold weather for avid golfers is the high number of "frost delays". Please take a moment to watch the above video from the USGA explaining frost delays (if the video does not load then click here - Frost Delay Video). There are two types of freezing scenarios that require us to delay golfers from playing. The first is what we call a "frost delay" which occurs when the dew freezes to the grass. The grass in turn becomes extremely brittle and is easily damaged or killed by traffic (see video above). The second type of delay occurs when both the grass and soil beneath freezes. This is most dangerous on our bentgrass greens since they are still growing during the winter months. Numerous times this year the greens have frozen to the point where it has been impossible to penetrate the surface with a pocket knife. The real danger of damage to the turf occurs not when soil is frozen, but as it begins to thaw. As the ice begins to melt, the surface of the plant appears to be fine. However, traffic will cause severe damage to the lower parts of the plant and root zone that have not completely melted.

We use a digital thermometer to check the temperature below the leaf surface to ensure that the grass is ready for traffic.

In addition to delaying play, these cold mornings also delay our maintenance practices such as mowing greens and changing holes. Often times we are forced to reduce our maintenance during frost delays so that we can get golfers on the course as soon as possible. I would like to thank all of our morning golfers and our golf shop staff for the patience and care that they have shown our golf course throughout this cold winter. I can promise you that it does make a difference.

Other Course News

• Nursery Green Construction - We have working hard on completing our nursery green located to the right of 18 green. We will be seeding this green in early March. More information coming in my next post.

  

  Initial site prep and drainage installation



Liner installation and base layer material in process

• Winter weed control - We have been busy controlling winter weeds in a few areas in the rough that were not treated with pre-emergent herbicide last October. 

2nd Asst. Randy Stewart spraying the rough between Holes 1 and 2

Areas next to greens are treated with a spot sprayer to reduce the risk of injury to the putting surface

• Course Accessories - One of winter task is to touch up course accessories, such as tee markers and yardage plates.



Pepe, Joe, Sergio, Mauro, and Kenneth stay warm while re-painting all of the year markers

• Water Cooler stands - Mike Brasheer's crew is making progress on the completion of the new stands. The crew will be working through the weekend.

Course Update 1.12.14

I decided to begin the first post of the year with a YouTube video put together by my Dad. He has been using a drone like helicopter to take aerial photos of Ridgewood and other courses. Just click play above to see some really cool footage of our course and a few others. You can also click here: YouTube Video. Click the link below to view more photos of RCC from the air. RCC Aerial Photos

Foggy morning at RCC, photo by Jim Moore

In other news, we have been busy working on several areas of the course. Check out the list and pictures below for more information.

• Water Cooler Stands - Slabs have been poured and Mike Brasheers is hoping to complete construction by the end of the week. 

  

  Water cooler stand on #9/Practice Tee

• Maintenance Facility Clean Up - We are a long ways from finished but we have definitely made some progress in the last month 

  

  Before

  

  After

• Seed and Sod - Last month I mentioned that we had re-grassed the large area between 15 and 17. The sod is doing well and the tall fescue seed in coming in great. In addition, we used a combination of annual rye grass seed and erosion control mat to complete the marina project. 

  

  Tall Fescue on 15

  
  

  

  Marina grassing

  We have also been very busy working on our capital plans for improving the maintenance facility, finalizing our 5 year equipment package, and initiating our Master Plan in conjunction with Colligan Design. This week we will begin trimming trees, continue irrigation work, begin our nursery construction, and grind several stumps. 

Course Update 12.7.13

I hope that all of you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday and are staying warm during this exceptionally cold weather. We had a very busy November, and I will use today's post to give an update on course conditions and on a few of the areas that we have been working on.

Maintenance Facility Work

Our Mechanic, Tom Reisinger (center) and Asst. Supt. Duane Kemp (right) pose for picture on our newly installed Golf Lift. This lift provides a safer and more efficient way to complete equipment repairs. Thank you for providing the funds for this much needed improvement. 

The cold weather definitely limits out ability to work on the course, however there is still plenty to be done, especially around our maintenance facility. Currently we are in the process of cleaning up the accumulation of years of old equipment, flood debris, construction materials, old parts, and more. We have been slowly working on this task throughout the summer, but look forward to accomplishing a great deal more over the winter months. In addition to cleaning up the outside, we have been busy working inside the shop to make it cleaner and more organized.

Pepe, Jaime, and Sean paint lines on the shop floor. The lines will help keep our equipment organized.

Ranulfo and Jacob work on cleaning up our shop yard.

Crewmembers Jacob and Sean, work with 2nd Asst. Randy Stewart to give the pump station a thorough cleaning

Mechanic, Tom Reisinger has been busy organizing his work area. Tom has years of old parts that must be identified, labeled, and placed into new container bins. 

Finally, we have been busy planning for potential major renovations to our maintenance facility. Currently the club is working with Eagle Design Build to develop a Master Plan for our facility. This company has built or renovated over seventy maintenance facilities, and we look forward to working with them to accomplish our goal of creating a safer, cleaner, and more efficient work place. Please check back for more information. 

Course Update

Greens:

• Overall the greens are doing very well. We are striving to keep green speeds as consistent as possible. The extreme fluctuations in weather make this challenge difficult at times. For example, this past week we reached temperatures above 80 degrees on Wednesday afternoon - resulting in a flush of growth on the greens, and ultimately slower putting speeds. However over the next 48 hours temperatures dropped more than 50 degrees resulting in little to no growth. We use several practices to help compensate for the changes in putting speed due to weather including: adjusting mowing height, mowing frequency, rolling, irrigation, fertility, and more. Our ultimate goal is to provide smooth, consistent putting surfaces, without jeopardizing plant health. 
• The sod installed on the putting green has rooted nicely, and we will soon be lowering the height to match that of the rest of the green. 

Tees and Fairways:

• We have been spraying the the tees and fairways with ferrous sulfate (iron) and green dye. This combination of iron and dye helps maintain color and definition over the winter months. We will continue this process throughout December, and are considering trying turf paints in the future. 
• The damage to fairways from skunks has decreased substantially with the cold weather. We will continue to monitor this problem, and have plans to better control this problem in the spring. For more information please send me an email - tmoore@ridgewoodwaco.com

Other Areas:

• Sod and Seed - The zozysia sod and tall fescue seed planted on holes 15, 16, and 17 is doing very well. Please remember to keep carts out of these areas when possible
• Bunkers - we have spent the last two weeks checking all of the greenside bunker sand depths. We moved sand around and added sand to several bunkers. If you ever notice an area in any of the bunkers that needs attention please let me know asap. 
• Water Cooler Stands - Construction will be begin next week on the new water cooler stands. The stands will be built using the same rock used on the clubhouse, and will be a nice improvement to the course.
• Irrigation- We have experienced a number of irrigation leaks over the last few weeks. The changes in temperature and soil moisture cause our clay soils to swell and contract significantly, resulting in pipe breaks.
• Marina- We recently re-routed the water supply line and moved a large live oak tree located at the south end of the marina in conjunction with the parking lot improvements. Currently, we are working on a plan to grass the large slope created as part of this project. 

Course Update 11.4.13

Good Afternoon, and thank you for visiting the blog. I will use today's post to give you an update on the rain, course conditions, and a few small projects that we have been working on. Before we get started, I would like to take a moment to congratulate John Derrick for winning the championship flight of the Odis Beck Memorial Club Championship this past Sunday. This Mr. Derrick's 6th victory!

Rainfall
According to weather.com, Waco received 7.3" of total rainfall for October - over 3" above normal totals. The rain has been extremely beneficial and the lake has risen over three feet since my last post. See pictures below. However, even with all the recent rain the lake is still just over four feet low. We desperately need more rain in order to fill the lake up before spring.

Intake on 8.26.13

Intake on 11.1.13

Course Conditions
The recent rains have helped many drought stressed areas recover from the summer, and we look to be in good shape heading into the winter months. The wet weather has definitely brought an influx of fire ant mounds to the fairways and roughs. Fire ants are expensive and difficult to control over large areas, but we are working to treat as many places as possible. Fall is prime time for bentgrass greens, and as the temperatures drop we have gradually been able to increase putting speed and firmness. We have delayed our last major planet air procedure due to weather and multiple course events. We have tentatively re-scheduled this important practice for Monday, November 11th.

Hole 13 on 11.2.13

Other Course Happenings
We have been busy working on several areas of the course. All of the driving range tees have been over-seeded and are now open for play.

The lower driving range tee on 11.1.13

On the 21st of October we re-sodded the damaged areas around the putting green. The new sod is doing well and we will gradually lower the mowing height to match that of the putting green.

Joe Nava and Sergio Zapata installing the new sod

Sod installed on the putting green

We have also been working to re-establish tall fescue in many shaded areas on the course. Tall fescue does best when seed is planted in the fall, and can survive all year if given enough water and traffic is limited. Most of the seeded areas are roped off - please avoid driving in these areas.

Tall fescue planted behind 8 green

Tomorrow we will planting several shaded areas on holes 16 and 17 to zoysia grass. The grass has been generously given to the club by Jeff Mathis of C&M Golf and Grounds. We will use combination of zoysia sod and tall fescue seed in order get better turf coverage in these areas.

Area prepped for sod in front of 16 green

Area between 15 and 17 ready for sod (Ruby and Roxy in the background)

Finally, we are working to change out all of the annual flowers around the club. Assistant Superintendent Duane Kemp has been busy selecting flowers, picking locations, and making sure all the flowers are planted correctly.

David Nava, Patrick Evans, and Montana Chick plant winter annuals in front of the club. 

Course Update 10.11.13

New golf course maintenance equipment for 2013 is here!

The crew is proud of our new tools and ready to put them to work

On behalf of the entire crew I want to thank the membership providing us with several new pieces of equipment that will definitely help us in maintaining and improving playing conditions. This year we received three new rough mowers and a secured a one year deal on a new sprayer. The rough mowers consist of two large - 5 deck, diesel mowers, and one smaller - zero turn deck mower. The sprayer was sorely needed and provides us with a much more accurate and safer method of applying a variety products on the course. In addition, we were able to trade in several pieces obsolete turf equipment - thus helping offset the cost and aiding us in our efforts to clean up our maintenance facility. Thanks again for your support and we look forward to utilizing these tools for years to come.

Course News:

What are all those white foam dots on the fairways? This past week we put our new sprayer to work applying our fall pre-emergent herbicide. Rather than using a colorant or dye to as a spray pattern indicator we decided to use the foam marker attachment for the sprayer. The foam is simply drops at the end of the spray boom providing an indicator for the operator as to which areas have already been treated. The foam is much less expensive, more effective, and cleaner than using dye. In all we treated 90 acres of turf. The product should prevent most winter weeds (such as poa annua) from germinating through at least March of 2014. See photos below.

Applying pre-emerge to 18 fairway

Notice the white dots on the fairway following the spray

Drought Update- We finally received some much needed rain in late September (almost 4.5"). The course has benefited greatly, and we are now in a much better situation approaching the winter months. However, the rain did not help raise the level of Lake Waco. Currently the lake is almost 8 feet low. It is critical that we get enough rain to return the lake to normal levels before spring. This weekend's forecast is promising - so keep your fingers crossed for rain.

Overseeding- The only area of the course that will be overseeded this year is the driving range tee. We will seed the tee with perennial rye grass on Monday, October 14th. Once the seed germinates we may need to close the tee temporarily in order to successful establish the winter grass. 

Other happenings- We have been busy this week adding sand to several bunkers. If you notice any bunkers that we may have missed please email me or let the golf shop know and we will take care of it as soon as possible. We have also been busy repairing any weak or damaged areas on the greens. The next area that will be working on is the practice putting green. We will begin re-sodding the area closest to the golf shop in the next couple of weeks. 

Course Update 9.13.13

Happy Friday the 13th!

I will begin today's post with a quick drought update: Currently the lake is just over 7.5 feet low, and it has now been almost 8 weeks since we received any measurable precipitation at the club. However, the forecast for the coming week looks promising with 30 to 40 percent chance of rain and high temperatures in the low 90s everyday. Hopefully, we will be lucky enough see some rain in the near future.

New Flagsticks
Many of you may have noticed the new flagsticks on the course. Last week we switched to a custom made flagstick from Laser Link Golf. The only difference is that now there is a prism built into the stick. The prism is designed for use with Laser Link Golf range finders (QuickShot) however any player using a laser yardage device will find it much easier and quicker to pick up the flag. For more information visit www.laserlinkgolf.com. In addition, new cups and flags will be put into play next week.

Laser Link Golf prism installed on #13 Green

New Equipment: We received delivery on two badly needed additions to our equipment fleet - two large rough mowers. These mowers were sorely needed and will definitely make a difference in how the course looks and plays. In addition to the two large units, we also purchased a small rough mower and will be demoing a new spray rig. Thank you for your support of golf course maintenance. Please check back for more photos of the equipment.

Mike Mathis of C&M Golf and Grounds, our Equipment Technician - Tom Reisinger, and Asst. Supt. Duane Kemp showing off one of the new Jacobsen AR522 rough mowers

Putting Green Traffic:
Please remember to avoid standing in one spot for extended periods of time while practicing putting. Feel free to spend all day practicing (your short game will thank you) - just make sure that you do not stand in the exact same position for more than a few putts. This is particular true during the hottest times of the day. During the summer months concentrated traffic will injure and sometimes kill bentgrass. See photos below:

This photo was taken immediately after the golfer finished practicing. Notice the dark areas showing footprints. On a hot day these footprints can ultimately result in significant damage to the putting surface. See below.

The weak area on the lower right of the photo shows damage caused by concentrated traffic on the putting green. This photo was taken two weeks after the golfer practiced.

Thank you for visiting the blog and we hope to see you on the course this weekend. As always please do not hesitate to conatact me at anytime with questions, comments, or concerns.