'Leaf' us alone...

Leaves, leaves and more leaves... Every year about this time, the maintenance staff will spend the majority of the day cleaning the playing surfaces here at 'the Pines.'

With 80-90% of the leaves on the ground, we will be concentrating our efforts on blowing and chopping leaves this week.

With the the gusty winds, it will be hard to keep up but by the end of the week we should be able to get through the course thoroughly.

This will make for slower rounds while searching for errant shots but should be much better by week's end.

Evaluations...

The maintenance staff is constantly evaluating the conditions of the playing surfaces to enhance the golfing experience here at Ocean Pines.

One way we do this is by monitoring the shade patterns along each hole.

Turfgrass can handle traffic stress if the growing environment is in good order. Things like mucky soils, low sunlight penetration through the tree canopies and lack of airflow through the forest undergrowth can be a detriment to the health of the plant.

An extra tool used here at the Pines is the Sunseeker app. Using this tool helps determine sun angles at different times of the year and allows us to evaluate and determine our tree canopy management program.

Other times, you need only look at the turf to see what is happening. Notice the drip line of the tree to the right of the cart path. This is an example of the large oak tree starving out the turf of nutrients and water. This added to cart stress coming on and off the path equals weak turf that is unable to handle the traffic.

We are quickly approaching the cold days of winter when we can address some of these stressed areas with a more long range outlook by thinning the tree canopies.

Everything in moderation...

If only the weather would heed those words from long ago... My mom used to say, 'everything in moderation, son!'; usually at the cookie jar or in the candy aisle.

It seems to be feast or famine lately in the rainfall category. Currently, we are sitting on the north side of a low pressure. This translates to waves of rain showers blowing off the Atlantic.

Along with astronomical high tides and the substantial winds from the ENE, the canals and ditches are at capacity, running over in some areas... But thankfully, hurricane Joaquin seems to be turning out to sea.

Stay dry over the next few days, we will playing golf again before you know it.

Fox hole...

When you see this on the golf course, most superintendent's immediately ask themselves, 'What is this critter looking to eat?' Usually, it is damage from an animal looking to eat some grubs. Grubs have been extremely prevalent on Delmarva late this summer and early fall.

This is more than likely damage from a fox looking to burrow a new place of residence or a new entrance/exit to an existing one. This is the first time he/she has chosen to dig on the green.

Fortunately, this occurred out of play on the 19th hole. We consistently repair damage to the surrounding bunkers on this hole but for some reason or another, the fox decided to move up to the putting surface last night.

Turf growth regulator...

Turf growth regulators are used in the industry to help lower labor costs and fuel consumption. Some say they may even push lateral growth, making divot recovery a more speedy process. Here at Ocean Pines, the turf seems to be extremely sensitive to the use of these products.

Notice the greener streaks in this fairway? That is a clogged nozzle located directly behind the tank, which is nearly impossible to notice while operating the machine. No turf discoloration occurred where the product was not applied.

The damage is only superficial tip burn to the older leaves and the new leaves are coming in just fine. We will have to live with the unsightliness for another week or so... Which brings into question whether the labor and fuel savings are really worth it or not? 

Battling kyllinga...

Kyllinga is a grassy weed from the sedge family. It thrives in warm, moist climates and poorly drained soils. It has a rhizomatous and stoloniferous growth habit. These stolons and rhizomes will intertwine and create thick mats that will choke out the competing and more desirable turf.

The maintenance staff will apply multiple applications of a selective herbicide at a low rate throughout the growing season to keep this invasive weed from gaining a stronghold in our fairways, approaches and tees.

You may notice some discolored spots around the golf course over the next few weeks as we are making these applications to keep this pesky weed out of our playing surfaces.

Welcome Back!

It has been a while since my last post! A lot has happened since then... If you haven't been out to the course lately, you are missing a treat. 

This week, your maintenance staff has begun to recapture some fairway space that has disappeared over that past decade.

Various areas were cut out to the irrigation line where it was originally installed along the edge of the fairway. These areas were then seeded with rye grass. The turf density will continue to thicken this fall and by next spring, the playing surface should be pretty good.