Cooling Down

 As we head into the final stretch of the summer season, the agronomy team feels a bit like Luke, (Paul Newman) in the famous Cool Hand Luke fight seen, after dealing with this year's summer weather extremes. In the movie, Luke gets into a fight with a fellow prisoner, Dragline, who is much bigger than him. After getting pounded by the bigger opponent, Luke refuses to give up and after Dragline becomes bored and uninterested, Luke still rises up and refuses to quit even though he is physically and mentally exhausted. 

This year, Mother Nature has done its fair share of beating on the cool season turf. After one of the wettest months of May on record, late June ushered in little to no moisture. This was followed up by an extremely hot July with high humidity (actually according to the national weather station in Wilmington, OH we have double the number of hours at or above 70-degree dewpoint readings this year). 

Extremely wet, followed by dry, followed by hot and humid, really rocked the bentgrass/poa annua fairways. By the last week of July, the extreme weather patterns had taken its toll and some patches of poa annua tapped out- poa annua is a winter annual grass that dies during hot temperatures. Most of the areas were on fairway perimeters that are also fighting with tree roots for nutrients and moisture. To combat this we aerated, seeded with bentgrass, and fertilized those patches. Luckily, so far August has had near to below normal temperatures and the brown areas are starting to recover; however, hotter temperatures may be returning in the next week.

It cannot be overstated that one of the main reasons we have an abundant amount of poa annua on the course is because of the numerous large and mature trees that continue to get bigger and produce more shade. Annual bluegrass (poa annua) thrives in shade and there is a direct correlation between increasing shade and more poa annua (don’t just take my word for it-here is an article by the USGA on increased poa populations due to shade) 

Many golf courses around the area have realized this, along with other negative turfgrass effects caused by mature trees and embarked on major tree removal projects (here is a case study done by the USGA on tree problems and removals). Please understand that as long as a significant amount of annual bluegrass exists on playing surfaces there will always be some dead turf during extreme summer weather stretches, with some years being worse than others. 

The agronomy team will do everything possible to keep it alive by applying adequate moisture, using wetting agents, administering aggressive fungicide spray applications, and executing sound cultural practices; however, Mother Nature has the final say on how much turf will make it through a particular Ohio Valley summer. 

Left of #9 fairway on August 1st.

Same area on August 19th. It is recovering.

Solid tine aerating practice tee and bad fairway areas.

Tree roots negatively impacting the fairway turf on #7. This is a double edge sword with trees promoting the growth of more poa annua during the cooler months and at the same time causing an increased amount of summer stress to the turf by winning the battle for moisture and nutrients.

Same area in August 2019. This is an annual occurrence.

The projects are in full swing again at WHCC. The new cart barn is finished, and the Grounds Crew installed new landscaping and built in a cart path parallel to the building. There is a white oak tree that is in declining health due to half its roots being excavated for the building installation and soil being mounded up over the critical root zone. After this is removed, we will cover up the mounds with new fescue sod. The landscaping consists of river rocks and ornamental grasses to keep maintenance at a minimum. Window boxes were added to the front to give the building some color.

Digging in the new cart path.

Positive drainage and rock added to the front of the new building.

Cart path and landscaping completed on the back side. Next up is the removal of the white oak tree, shaping, and sod.

The completed front of the new cart building.

Phase 2 of the driving range project is underway. A new 9,000 sqft driving range tee will be built above the existing north tee. A new cart path will be cut in over the old dump site and end above the new practice tee. This is a smaller project than phase 1, but it still has a decent amount of work attached. After the area is shaped, drainage will be added, irrigation moved and new pipe and heads installed, fescue seed put down on the construction site with futera matting to hold it in place, and the new tee seeded with bentgrass. Then watering, fertilizing, and waiting for the germination process begins. Hopefully we are done with the shaping and seeding by mid to late September, but this is very much weather dependent.

Tree excavation.

Extending 18" draintile to accommodate the new cart path.

Brian Huntley's phase 2 design.

The cart paths are in need of some repairs. The Green Committee highlighted areas that are in need of the most restoration. This will be accomplished the week of August 21st. #6 cart path will be repaired after the driving range project is completed.

Areas in blue will be fixed. #6 cart path, shown in yellow, will be fixed after projects are completed.

Irrigation leaks are occurring with more frequency this season. Perhaps the, now 11-year-old, system is starting to show its age. The leaks are happening in different locations. We are fixing them as time allows. 

A fixed pipe that was leaking at the 22.5-degree elbow by #13 tee

Assistant Superintendent Mike Westendorf fixing a broken case on a #1 fairway irrigation head.

Fixed broken tee joint on #17 fairway.

A couple heavy rain events during late July and early August caused washouts in the over 20-year-old bunkers. Once this occurs, topsoil from the surrounding area gets mixed in with the sand, negatively impacting the sand's consistency. Currently, we are talking with the Green Committee on possible solutions and hopefully, once the projects subside, we can work on a couple problem bunkers by excavating the sand and installing new draintile. However, this will only be a short-term fix and we need to address long term solutions.

#8 green side bunker holding water 2 hours after a heavy rainstorm.

Bunker on #9 green holding water and soil.

Soil accumulating in the bottom of #4 fairway bunker after a rain event

Soil washing out into the middle of #10 green bunker. Still holding on to a bit of water an hour after a recent rainstorm.

The pin oak tree close to #9 green finally succumbed to last year's lightning strike. This was removed on August 15th. The pin oak that split during the June thunderstorm and the white oak by the new cart building will be taken out on September 6th.

The pin oak by #9 green before removal. Over 50% of the canopy was lost.

On the horizon is the aerification season and the greens are set to be core aerated on September 6th. The tees, rough, driving range tees, and fairways will follow. I will continue to update as the projects, maintenance, and whatever else Mother Nature throws at us, progresses. As the temperatures start to cool down, the Grounds Department would like to thank the membership for their continued support through the summer season and we are looking forward to the completion of the fall agronomic and facility projects that will enhance the beautiful WHCC golf course and landscape!

Brad Piecuch

Grounds Superintendent