Let the good times Roll!

The Deep tining has begun!

Our last and final piece of new equipment arrived yesterday-a Redexim Vertidrain. The Redexim Company has been around for 30 years and is the leader in deep tine aerification. The piece of machinery will be become the foundation to our fairway aerification program.
This specific aerifier is much different than the typical aerifier that you usually see on putting green. This aerifier has the ability to reach depths of 12” deep, where are most aerifiers go 3-4” into the soil. When the aerifing tine is inserted into the ground, the machine is design to allow the tines to create a “kicking” motion, therefore affecting more area and increasing how alluvial the soil is, thus allowing for a better root structure.

Why is this important, you ask? During the renovation in 2005, the fairways were stripped of the old 419 bermudagrass, rototilled to a depth of 4” and regrassed. Though this created a wonderful soil profile for the juvenile grass, traditional core aerification that followed never allowed for the roots to get to a depth where they could withstand the stress of traffic, mowing and insects. Over the years, the soil has become “locked up” and severe compaction has settled in, along with the soil’s inability to flush salts and releases beneficial nutrients. After viewing all our fairways with our turfgrass consultant, we found that many Pine Tree’s fairways have a layer nearly 3” deep. The top 3” provides and fairly good growing medium for the plant, but that is where is stops…literally. In many cases, the layer that consists 3” below the surface is so compacted, that a hammer was needed to insert the soil probe past a 3” depth.
We tried out the new machine on #15 fairway and was shocked as to just how soft the soil is after the machine had done its work. There was smile on all our faces because we know that this is the beginning to return the fairways to the healthy, dense, aggressive turf that we all expect and can be proud of.

Our intensions are to deep tine the fairways 3-4 times this summer, along with traditional core aerification. Compile this with the LIME to adjust of ph levels and proper fertilizers and we will have a hard time slowing down the growth-believe us, our feelings will not be hurt when this is the case!

From the blog of Tony Nysse, Superintendent of Pine Tree Golf Club

Trades Review

STEC adds another leading name to its specialized line of turf equipment.
New Products distributed by STEC Specialized Turf Equipment Company.

STEC Specialized Turf Equipment Company will now be distributing multi functional vacuums, sweepers and blowers from the well known market leader Trilo, manufactured in the Netherlands. Trilo vacuums provide turf professionals and managers, time saving solutions that can be used for a wide variety of tasks. This includes clearing grass, hedge trimmings, autumn leaves, recreational waste and litter. Also bringing the ability to verticut, while vacuuming turf in one operation.

STEC Inc
(888)325-2532
www.stecequipment.com

Just crusin the Blogs spring is in the air!

Lots of aerifying going on the guys at Lake Valley are busy bees www.lakevalleygolf.blogspot.com

Some are still getting snow YIKES! Sorry Sean www.cccpgcm.blogspot.com

The crew at Corral De Tierra Country Club are almost done with their giant pond project www.corralmaintenance.blogspot.com

Chris Tritabaugh is changing his blog look over at Northland Country Club give it a look www.northlandgrounds.blogspot.com

Things are getting hot for David Soltvedt and his crew as they get ready for the start of the season www.cpnagronomy.blogspot.com

Mike Vogt gives some tips on hiring good people on his blog www.mcmahongroup.blogspot.com

Carbon Foot print, Why is it Important to Me?

From the blog of Micheal Vogt, CGCS

This is the best definition I can come-up with:

“The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly and indirectly to support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of either carbon or carbon dioxide.

Direct greenhouse gas emissions can include tailpipe emissions of CO2 from motor vehicles, methane from landfills, and hydro fluorocarbons from leaking refrigeration or air conditioning equipment. Indirect greenhouse gas emissions arise from coal and other fossil fuel-based energy generated to power residential, commercial, and industrial activities. Indirect emissions also arise from fossil fuel combustion used in the manufacture, transport, storage, disposal, and recycling of commodities and manufactured products.”

How about the golf course, what’s involved in calculating carbon foot prints for a golf course maintenance operation?

• Gasoline and diesel fuel for machinery and delivery trucks
• Heating and cooling the Turf Care Center
• Plastic packaging
• Electricity for irrigation pumps

Virtually everything, (products and services) used at the golf course has an associated carbon foot print. As soon as we use these products and services the green house gases (GHG) that help manufacture and delivered these products and services are assigned to the end user.

Basic Carbon Dioxide Chemistry:

• Chemical Formula: CO2
• Molecular Weight: 44.01
• Temperature of Solid CO2 ("dry ice"): -78.2° C or 108.4 below 0 F
• Common Uses of CO2:
Refrigeration (dry ice)
Fire fighting, fire extinguishers
Carbonated beverages
• CO2 in the Atmosphere: The Earth's atmosphere is about 360 ppm (parts per million) carbon dioxide gas. This concentration is an increase from 315 ppm in 1960.
• CO2 Production: You produce 1/2 lb (pound) of carbon dioxide when you watch television for an hour.
• Geometry: The CO2 molecule has a linear shape. This means that the atoms in carbon dioxide are arranged like the picture below. The Black circle represents one atom of carbon and the two Red circles represent oxygen atoms.
• One Pound: One pound of carbon dioxide gas has the volume of 8.2 cubic feet. You could store two pounds of carbon dioxide in the average kitchen refrigerator.

read the rest here

April Issue of The Golf Course Trades

The April Issue of The Golf Course Trades is up for viewing. Company Spotlights focus on Irrometer Company Inc writing about the "The efficient and beneficial use of water for golf course irrigation" and by Markers Inc where quality products at reasonable prices continues to be their hallmark.

The article for April was written by Ed Underhill from Underhill International the subject of the article is "Seven Steps for Saving Water" very interesting article hope you enjoy.

In our new feature section called Blogroll Michael Vogt, CGCS from the McMahon Group writes about Private Club Vitality and what you can do to help save your club.

Local golf: Grey Oaks on forefront of figuring out when to feed hungry fairways

NAPLES — The room could double as a lunch area, complete with the paper plates.

But what’s on them isn’t to be consumed, at least not by people. Dr. John S. Shenk and his son John hand off about a dozen paper plates — each covered with a square of grass — to one another and move what would look like an old-time corded electric razor over the top of it.

What in the heck are they doing? The end result will be helping golf courses go green — and save some greenbacks while they’re at it.

Rest of the article

Grass Is Greener at Southern Hills for New Superintendent

New Superintendent named to replace Russ Meyers At Southern Hills.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — At most golf courses, the superintendent might be instructed to “keep it nice.”

At Southern Hills Country Club, the mission statement might be to “keep it perfect.”

Last week, Kris Davis began work as the new superintendent at Southern Hills. He is a 34-year-old graduate of Ohio State, the alma mater of Jack Nicklaus.

Before arriving in Tulsa, Davis was a caretaker of Nicklaus-designed courses in New Albany, Ohio; Georgetown, Tex.; and San Antonio (the Clubs of Cordillera Ranch, where he served as head superintendent from 2005 until last month).

Southern Hills has hosted seven professional major championships and could be in line for another United States Open, perhaps in 2021. Russ Myers, the Southern Hills superintendent for the 2007 P.G.A. Championship and last year’s United States Amateur, recently accepted the position as superintendent at Los Angeles Country Club.

Read the rest here

March is here!

March is here spring is right around the corner. We have just finished our April issue and are ready to take on May which is our Structures issue.

A new feature in the April issue we will be running from time to time is the BlogRoll. A section dedicated to what Superintendents, or industry experts write in your blogs. If you would like something featured send me an email and we will put it in out next available issue.

The only requirements for the BlogRoll is it has to be relevant and fairly current. You don't have to write anything new we just use what is in your blog. Our first candidate for our new section is Mike Vogt from the McMahon Group he writes about "Private Club Vitality" and how to keep your club afloat during these trying times.

Visit Mikes blog here lots of good information.

The article this month is by Ed Underhill president of Underhill International titled
"From Sensors to Solid Metal Nozzles: Seven Steps to Saving Water on Golf Courses" very informative article about saving water on your golf course.

All this and more will be mailed out to you on or about the 12th of March. I will put our digital version up right after it prints and will have a link to it here also when it is ready.

Gagnon awarded for keeping safety the top priority at Segregansett

Taunton —

Striving to keep teens safe is the goal for Rich Gagnon, head golf course superintendent of grounds at Segregansett Country Club. As the recent recipient of the 2010 Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSAA) of America’s Excellence in Government Relations Award in the compliance category, his plan is to keep teens who work at golf courses everywhere out of harm’s way.

“The award was a huge surprise,” Gagnon said. “I’m passionate about what I do, but it’s a lot for one person to keep up with. I have to be diligent because I’m the one the responsibility falls to.”

As a way to save some money in a questionable economy, Gagnon decided that one way to save money was to hire some high school students because the hourly wage would be less. However, he did have questions regarding what types of child labor laws would come into effect, given the amount and types of gas-powered equipment being used and whether or not these kids needed a driver’s license to operate this equipment.

A front-end loader, a tractor, riding reel mower, riding rotary mower, utility carts and a chain saw are just some of the heavy equipment Gagnon was questioning.

Read more here

Our Congratulations to go out to Rich Gagdon for all his hard work. Rich wrote an article for us back in August of 2008.

Busy Days at Corral de Tierra Country Club

The maintenance department at Corral de Tierra Country Club is keeping busy with a new pond installation...

1000 gallons per minute of water was put in the pond Friday to start stretching the liner so that the installation of the liner into the anchor trench will go smoothly. A 2 foot by 2 foot trench is being dug around the pond edge that the liner will be placed in and held down with soil.

Keep up with their progress here