Lake Wisconsin Country Club 2005 Golf Course Maintenance Specifications
Written by Kendall Marquardt, CGCS
Philosophy of Management
There are many aspects to consider when developing management systems for each facet of the course operation such as fiscal resources, topography, soil conditions, shade, player skills, expectations and challenges, aesthetics, employee skill levels and turf species. In today’s golf market competition for players is getting more intense and so course conditions and resources must be maximized within budgetary constraints to allow players more reasons to either play here or join as a member. In a 2003 study of avid golfers by the National Golf Foundation, golf course conditioning was listed as the single most important reason avid players select a course – more than price, speed of play, name designers and proximity to home. The management practices employed here involve four basic categories:
• Cultural, which includes mowing, topdressing, aerification and other physical operations done to the turf.
• Chemical, which involves fertility, pesticide and bio product treatments.
• Irrigation, which involves soil water management.
• Labor, to most efficiently and accurately execute the tasks of required maintenance activities with the least amount of interference or distraction to players.
Following is a detailed explanation of our management practices
I. PUTTING GREENS CULTURE AND MAINTENANCE
Greens are the heart of any golf course. Each green on a course is unto itself, and must be treated as such. Therefore very specific and detailed management practices are employed in their conditioning. In the last 15 years our greens culture program has developed into a very focused set of steps to deliver the highest possible quality putting surfaces that funding will allow.
Cultural Management Practices
Mowing
Cutting of greens is done with three Jacobsen 22" walking greensmowers equipped with 11 blade reels. The units are transported on trailers to prevent damage to units and improve operator efficiency. These mowers are employed because many of our greens have very steep banks and are small in area which is not conducive to triplex operation without negative consequences to the green shape and area, and to the adjoining collar and surrounds. They also provide a superior quality of cut compared to triplex mowers as triplex units have three cutting units which are impossible to exactly match in height of cut settings. Hand mowers do not have the danger of devastating hydraulic leaks. Hand mowers do not have the weight, wheel track, and compaction wear area problems as triplex ride on units do. Hand mowers are in general less expensive to maintain and require less skill and training to operate than a triplex. If one of the walking mowers breaks down, it is easier to have a backup unit ready or adjust another mower temporarily if needed. Heights of cut play a paramount role in turf health as well as ball roll. They are subject to change according to agronomic and play considerations. Following is our general program:
Mowing Heights : Opening to May 8 .150 inch
May 8 to May 26 .145 inch
May 27 to September 10 .135 inch
September 11 to October 8 .145 inch
October 9 to close .150 inch
Mowing Frequency: Opening to May 8 As dictated by growth.
May 8 to May 26 Tue., Thurs., Sat. or by growth.
May 27 to Sept 10 Daily, except Monday (tournaments excepted).
Sept 11 to Oct 8 Tue., Thurs., Sat. or by growth
October 9 to close as dictated by growth.
Other mowing specifications:
• Special events may have greens cut the night before and morning of the event (double cut), depending on conditions.
• Greens will be poled with poles to remove clipping clumps, debris and earthworm casts prior to and after mowing as needed.
• Ball marks are repaired by mowing personnel before mowing.
• Eliminate outside (cleanup) pass every other mowing except when there is a special event.
• Mowing directions are alternated between straight, across, right to left and left to right diagonals in a specified order that is assigned with each mowing along with a cleanup or no cleanup designation.
• Speed should average 8 to 9 feet on the stimpmeter from May 27 to September 10.
• Reset outside contours in April and September.
• Vertical mowing once per month or as needed to control thatch and grain.
Hole Locations
Change hole locations and tee block positions, generally on daily basis, May 27 to September 10. Before May 27 and after September 10 locations will be changed Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or more/less often as play/wear dictates. Ball marks and scalped/sunk plugs are repaired during the hole changing routine or a green inspection tour. Practice greens holes are generally changed two times per week or as needed, which is dictated by wear patterns.
Hole locations are placed in a random pattern, with generally a range of difficulty with respect to front/middle/back and left/right/middle configurations which is dictated by the majority of the anticipated level of skill of players for the day and weather/turf conditions. Certain outings have the majority of placements to the front of greens in order to protect the greens from high volumes of traffic or ballmark damage in the case of very wet conditions.
Aerification
Until recently, this practice has taken taken one form: core aeration. As stated in a separate report, technological developments and ongoing research point to other practices that may serve the needs of the greens here. However it must be emphasized that under no circumstances is soil cultivation to be ignored. Immediately below are the successful processes that have been used in the past:
• Deep drill aerify with Floyd-McKay deep drill equipment to a 10 inch depth and 3/4 inch holes at the end of April. Backfill holes with a topdressing mix of 80 percent sand and 20 percent peat moss.
• Core aerify in the fall the Monday following Labor Day using Toro greens aerator equipped with 1/2 inch hollow tines penetrating 3 1/2 inches deep. Backfill holes with a topdressing mix of 80 percent sand and 20 percent peat moss.
• High pressure water injection three times per season using a Toro Hydroject unit. No cleanup is needed.
For the 2005 season, a walk behind spiking unit will be used several times during the season in conjunction with the Toro Hydroject. No core aeration will be done on greens. As a follow up, annual soil testing with organic matter monitoring will be done to determine the success of the program. If organic matter level begins to rise, core aeration must then be added back in to the program. Details on this program are contained in a separate report.
Vertical Mowing is done every three weeks or as needed using a Jacobsen Greensking equipped with vertical mowing units set to penetrate 1/16 inch. Treatment patterns are alternating directions between straight, across, right to left and left to right diagonals. Mowing is necessary following this treatment to restore an acceptable putting surface.
Topdressing Greens is done lightly every two weeks from about May 15 to September 28 using about 1/4 cubic yard per green of 80/20 sand/peat topdressing mix. Greens are then watered lightly to knock the sand down into the turf canopy. Topdressing is also done after the final disease treatment in November with 2/3 to 1 cubic yard 80/20 sand/peat topdressing per green. The greens are closed following this application.
Irrigation is regulated to maintain firm, yet resilient putting surfaces. Greens are checked several times daily, and historically problem greens are checked more frequently. Greens will be hand watered as needed to avoid wilt. Technology is employed in the form of wetting agents to aid in water movement into the soil to help with LDS (localized dry spots).
Chemical Management Practices
Fertility and Nutrition Management
Fertilizer is applied every two weeks at a very light rate during the growing season via a sprayer which is termed “spoon feeding”. This is done in conjunction with the application of a growth regulation product and at times a disease control product. The goal of this program with these specific products is to control growth (effects on green speed and ball roll consistency) while maintaining turf health. There are three types of products applied during a nutritional treatment. Following is a listing of them and their function in the management plan.
• Fertilizer The fertilizers used are very efficient and provide specific ranges of nutrients as indicated by soil and tissue test results. Nutri Rational products are true foliar absorbed fertilizers which do not require the roots to get the nutrients to the leaf blades for utilization in the photosynthesis (energy producing) process. This saves the plant energy which can be stored for later use in stress situations. These specialty products are formulated to specifically support putting green grass species under intense culture and stress.
• Growth Regulator This product is applied to control the production of leaf tissue producing a better quality of cut and more consistent growth patterns throughout the day. Since the leaf growth is limited, the next mowing will be of much better quality further enhancing ball roll and consistency. Other benefits include poa Annua seed head reduction and rooting enhancement. When used regularly at very low rates (0.17 ounces of product applied for every 1000 square feet of green area) it enables the plant to be more stress tolerant by diverting the energy that was used for leaf production to the root system thereby saving the plant energy and allowing it to store it in the form of carbohydrates to use during stress periods.
• Supplemental and Biological Nutrient Products There are two products used in this category. One is a package product that contains micronutrients, that is those nutrients that are necessary for proper plant metabolism, but in small amounts, and sea kelp extract which contains naturally occurring plant hormones and nutrients. The benefit of this product is that the plant does not have to manufacture as much of these hormones as would be required for healthy growth, thus saving the plant energy. In some stressful situations the plant may shut down manufacturing them altogether. The other product is a liquid iron source that is readily available to the plants. This helps the plant to make chlorophyll which in the end helps it to produce energy. Besides the health effect, iron makes the turf greener and improves the aesthetic appeal to the player.
All of these products are research proven and play an important roll in the greens management plan.
Fungicide, Herbicide and Insecticide
Diseases of turf can happen at any time during the year. The basis of our control strategies lies in an Integrated Pest Management approach that takes in to account all of the factors that affect turf health. This includes scouting for disease, fertility, irrigation, cultural practices and weather conditions. Recent EPA actions have removed some useful tools from the market, limiting the choices of products. Industry has responded to this by bringing new products to market. However they are usually very expensive. The approach used here is to review all available research on product performance evaluations that are applicable for our situation and disease spectrum, and second to evaluate pricing based upon E.D.P (effective days of protection) estimations and sales promotions. Further information that has to be taken in to account is that more than one product must be used in combination with other products in the same tank and on a rotational basis between applications. This is done to avoid selecting resistant strains of fungi or other pests and thus rendering future treatments less effective. Close monitoring of the turf and associated weather conditions indicate when an application is necessary, and usually the schedule for applications is set for the season as treatments are, at best, effective for 21-28 days, and some for 14 days. The season generally runs May through November and so applications are made to prevent/treat the following turfgrass diseases:
Disease Causal Agent - Fungus
Anthracnose Colletotrichum graminicola
Brown Patch Rhizoctonia solani
Dollar Spot Moellerodiscus spp. or Lanzia spp.
Gray Snow Mold Typhula incarnata
Leaf Spot Drechslera Species
Pink Snow Mold Micrododhium nivalis
Pythium Pythium Species
Summer Patch Magnaporthe poae
Take-All-Patch Gaeumannomyces graminis
Yellow Tuft Sclerophthora macrospora
Technology and changing regulations affect the product pricing and market, requiring constant evaluation of university data and test plots to plan for the most disease effective and cost effective program for the upcoming season. Applications of these products are done with the highest precision for both the safety of staff and patrons and for economy and efficacy of application. Many times applications are done overnight when possible to ensure the best possible safety and results.
Herbicide applications on greens are rarely needed and bentgrass turf is very sensitive to most chemicals used to control weeds. When an application is needed it is usually done as a spot treatment to only the places it is needed.
Insecticides are likewise applied on an as needed basis. The only exception to this is an early season application used to inhibit certain insect early growth. Generally our insecticide use is low, but again this can vary with pest damage levels.
COLLARS
The collars are maintained to putting green specifications with the exception of the following mowing practices:
Collars around greens 2,3,8,9 are mowed with a Jacobsen Greens King IV unit equipped with 9 bladed reels and grooved front rollers.
All other collars are mowed with Jacobsen 22 inch walking greensmowers equipped with 9 bladed reels and grooved front rollers.
Mowing height is .44 inch
Collars are mowed at the same frequency as tees.
II. TEEING SURFACES
Cultural Management Practices
Mowing
Many of our tees share similar area and topographical issues as greens. Where tees are large with gentle slopes and mature, healthy stands of turf they are mowed with a Jacobsen Greens King IV triplex equipped with 9 bladed reels and grooved front rollers. Tees that are large enough yet have turning or cleanup pass areas that would be damaged by the triplex have the body of the tee mowed with the triplex and the cleanup pass is then done with a handmower. Certain collars and all approaches are mowed in conjunction with the tee route. All other tees require the use of hand mowers due to agronomic conditions or area restrictions. Turf on tees is difficult to maintain as it is constantly being removed or significantly damaged by the play of the game. Light weight walking mowers are the best way to mow and encourage healthy turf. Tees that are not mowed with the triples are mowed using three Jacobsen 22 inch walking greensmowers equipped with nine bladed reels and grooved front rollers. Similarly, collars that are not mowed with the triplex are done with handmowers on their respective routes. Approaches on holes 6, 16 and 17 are cut with handmowers.
Mowing height is .44 inch
• Mowing frequency is 1-3 times per week, depending on the rate of growth. Mowing directions are alternated between straight, across, left to right and right to left diagonals in a random rotation.
• Reset outside contours in April and September.
• Change tee block locations at the same time the cups on the greens are changed.
• Divots are repaired 1-2 times weekly (depending on play) on par 4 and 5 holes and daily on par 3 holes. Additionally, operators fill divots on tees equipped with divot repair material containers at each mowing. Containers are refilled with a mixture of topdressing material and Penncross bentgrass seed.
Vertical Mowing and Aerification
Vertical mow once a month with a Jacobsen Greens King IV equipped with verticutting heads.
Aerify in late September or early October using a combination of a Toro Greens Aerator and Cushman GA 60, both equipped with 3/4 inch hollow tines set to penetrate 3 1/2-4 inches. Cores are chopped with a Jacobsen Greens King IV equipped with verticut heads set to penetrate 1/4 inch and then dragged back into the aerifyer holes. The remaining thatch/plant material is blown off and collected.
Irrigation is regulated to maintain strong growth of both existing turf and surfaces new seedlings growing in repaired divots. Tees are checked several times daily, and historically problem tees are checked more frequently. Tees will receive supplemental irrigation as needed to avoid wilt. Technology is employed in the form of wetting agents to aid in water movement into the soil to help with LDS (localized dry spots) that exist on certain tees.
Chemical Management Practices
Fertility and Nutrition Management
Fertility is regulated by soil tests and turf growth patterns. The nutrition is supplied by an organic granular nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer every 30 days May through September. Tees are managed to promote strong turf growth to facilitate rapid fill in of repaired divots and to maintain, as best as possible, a uniform and pleasing turf surface.
Fungicide, Herbicide and Insecticide
Application of herbicides and insecticides as needed to control present problems. Preventative applications of these materials are not done. Tees do require more weed control than greens and although the same types of turf are on tees as greens, tees have much more leaf surface and are better able to tolerate the stresses imposed by chemical applications.
• Disease management is handled in a similar fashion as greens, however a higher level of disease infestation is tolerated before control measures are undertaken. When action must be taken, tees are sprayed with fungicides every 21-28 days, May through November to treat and further prevent the fungal diseases. The diseases of turfgrass that are listed under putting green specifications are the same pathogens which afflict teeing surfaces. Applications of these products are done with the highest precision for both the safety of staff and patrons and for economy and efficacy of application. Many times applications are done overnight when possible to ensure the best possible safety and results. With each spray application, a liquid iron product is added to the mix. This helps the plant to make chlorophyll which in the end helps it to produce energy. Besides the health effect, iron makes the turf greener and improves the aesthetic appeal to the player.
III. APPROACH AND FAIRWAY CULTURE
Cultural Management Practices
Mowing
Approaches are mowed with Jacobsen Greens King IV equipped with 9 bladed reels and grooved front rollers. Approaches 6, 16 and 17 are done with Jacobsen 22 inch walking greensmowers equipped with 9 bladed reels and grooved front rollers.
Mowing of approaches is done in conjunction with tees and collars. Mowing height is .44 inch.
Fairways are mowed with a Toro 5200D unit equipped with 5 bladed reels, grooved front and rear rollers and down pressure attachments, and a Ransome 250 Fairway unit equipped with 7 bladed reels and grooved front rollers. Mowing height is .75 inch. Mowing frequency is 1-3 times per week depending on the rate of growth. Mowing directions are alternated between left to right and right to left diagonals.
Outside contours are reset in April and September.
Vertical Mowing and Aerification
Verticutting is done 2 times per year on approach areas only, with a Jacobsen Greens King IV equipped with verticutting heads set to penetrate 1/16 inch.
Aerification is done in the fall using a Cushman GA 60 set to penetrate 4 inches in depth using ¾ inch hollow tines. Approaches are cored as close to the green as practicable. The remaining approach area is cultivated with the Toro Greens Aerator using ¾ inch hollow tines, usually at the same time that collars are cored. Approaches on holes 6,10,11,13 generally receive two corings due to extreme soil conditions in terms of compaction. Cores are chopped using two Jacobsen Greens King equipped with verticutting heads set at soil level and a Toro Groundsmaster equipped with a core pulverizer unit. The soil is incorporated back into the turf canopy using a Gandy Sweepmaster drag brush pulled by a Cushman Truckster. The remaining thatch is blown off the fairways into the rough and collected for disposal. Each fairway gets at least one treatment per season, with two being preferred. Overseeding of thin areas can be done in conjunction with aerification using a blend of improved varieties of Kentucky Bluegrass.
Irrigation is regulated to supplement natural rainfall and to maintain strong growth of turf surfaces. Fairways are checked several times daily, and historically problem areas are checked more frequently. Certain fairways will receive supplemental irrigation as needed to avoid wilt.
Chemical Management Practices
Fertility and Nutrition Management
Fairway nutrition is supplied by a controlled release granular nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. This product provides long term feeding which, depending on weather conditions, may last through the entire season. In the late fall after growth has ceased an application is made of a fertilizer which has a herbicide impregnated on the particles which aids in the prevention of weed seed germination. Approaches occasionally need supplemental applications as they tend to be an overlap area between the fairways and greens, with some approach areas receiving both types of applications and some areas none at all. This supplemental application is done based upon turf color and growth indicators.
Fungicide, Herbicide and Insecticide
Approaches and fairways are sprayed with fungicides every 21-28 days, May through September to prevent or control the fungal diseases of turfgrass that are listed under putting green specifications. In addition these areas are treated with a growth regulator which reduces the amount of clippings generated by mowing and to a certain extent poa Annua seedheads thus presenting a much more pleasing product. An additional benefit of the growth regulator, when properly applied is that it helps the plants develop more hardiness to stress conditions and consequently the result is a better stand of turf. With each spray application, a liquid iron product is added to the mix. This helps the plant to make chlorophyll which in the end helps it to produce energy. Besides the health effect, iron makes the turf greener and improves the aesthetic appeal to the player. Application of herbicides is done as needed and insecticides have to date never been applied.
IV. ROUGHS
General Rough Culture and Maintenance
Large areas of rough are mowed with a Jacobsen HR-5111 set to cut at 2 1/2 inches. The frequency of mowing is 1 to 3 times per week depending on the rate of growth. Weeds in the rough are controlled with herbicides as needed with regard to environmental concerns and budgetary limits. Occasionally a crabgrass preemergent product will be used where areas have shown to be heavily infested, as budget permits. A Toro Groundsmaster 345 is used for trimming in tight areas when needed. In the fall, both of these units are equipped with mulching screens to grind up leaves and return them to the ecosystem, helping the environment and reducing labor that would otherwise be needed for leaf collection and disposal.
Selected natural areas will be replanted to a mixture of prairie flowers and grasses. The woods area between 2 tee, 4 green, 5 tee, 6 tee/fairway has been seeded with a shade tolerant mixture of Shadow Chewing, Shademaster Creeping Red and Spartan Hard Fescue grasses. This area is trimmed as needed. Due to the rocks and other debris present string trimmers are used.
Rough areas are generally not fertilized as overall there is sufficient growth to keep up with. However, certain areas where the turf is weak (corner of #8, between #13 & #14, reclaimed hauling areas) and mounds are fertilized to encourage growth.
GREEN AND TEE BANKS Culture and Maintenance
Band and surround areas are mowed using two triplex type mowers. One is a John Deere 2653A and the other is a Jacobsen Tri King 1800G. Mowing height is 1.5 inches all season. Mowing frequency is 1-3 times per week depending on the rate of growth. Banks behind greens 1,4,5,14 and tees 2,4,8,practice are done with hand trimming units due to machine rutting.
Banks receive irrigation from green and tee sprinklers.
Application of fertilizer is generally not done. There is some spillover from the tee or green applications that helps these areas. If there is leftover product from the dormant fairway application, it is used on these areas and also on fairway bunker banks. Herbicides are applied as needed and insecticides are not needed.
SAND BUNKER Maintenance
Bunkers are machine raked with a Toro Sand Pro unit. The machine will not get closer than 2 feet from the edge of the trap nor ride up on steep slopes. The 2 foot edge and steep slopes are finished using a steel tine leaf rake to maintain the continuity of the edge. Bunker rakes are placed outside of the bunkers, spaced equidistantly around the perimeter. Bunkers are raked two to 6 times per week, depending on play and course conditions.
Major edging is done in June and August with a mechanical edger and sod knife, with the cuttings removed by hand. Maintenance edging is done biweekly with sting trimmers and weeds are pulled as needed.
Sand is pushed/shoveled as needed June through August to compensate for gravity/settling of sand.
Washouts from rainstorms will be repaired as soon as possible following a storm.
At the beginning of and several times during every golf season, bunkers are assessed to determine sand needs and are reconditioned with pushing and shoveling. Sand is removed, replaced or added as needed.
PRACTICE TEE Culture and Maintenance
The practice tee is mowed with a Jacobsen 22 inch walking greensmower equipped with a 9 bladed reel and grooved front roller at .7 inch.
Mowing frequency is one to three times per week, depending on growing conditions. At the completion of mowing, the bag stands and rope line are replaced at a fresh location. Operators are trained to angle the setup slightly and not to set up the equipment straight on.
The nutrition is supplied by an organic granular nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer every 30 days from resumption of growth in the spring through cessation of growth in the fall. The tee is managed to promote strong turf growth to facilitate rapid fill in of repaired divots.
Application of fungicides occurs at the same time as tees are sprayed and for the same pathogens. With each spray application, a liquid iron product is added to the mix. This helps the plant to make chlorophyll which in the end helps it to produce energy. Besides the health effect, iron makes the turf greener and improves the aesthetic appeal to the player. Application of herbicides and insecticides is as needed, which is rarely the case.
Divots and worn areas are filled weekly with a mixture of 80/20 topdressing and Penncross creeping bentgrass seed. Minor repairs are done by hand, while heavier topdressings are done by machine. In this case, seed is spread with a rotary spreader prior to the topdressing application.
Aerification is done in the fall using a Toro Greens Air, equipped with 3/4 inch hollow tines. The cores are allowed to dry and are then processed with a Jacobsen Greens King using verticutting heads set at soil level. The soil will be dragged back into turf canopy using a Gandy Sweepmaster turf brush and the remaining debris blown off and disposed of.
The practice tee will be closed in early spring and late fall and any other time the Golf Course Superintendent feels it is necessary for renovation or recovery of the tee surface. In the case of a closing, an area in front of the tee will be mowed down and the equipment set up at that location.
V. Ancillary Areas
TEE EQUIPMENT (ballwashers, trash pickup, water coolers, divot boxes)
Ballwashers are generally checked daily by the trash pickup operator for operation, towels and fluid. Fluid will be replaced biweekly Memorial Day through Labor day and as needed at all other times. Two tablets of ballwasher cleaner are used per unit. During times of freezing temperature, windshield washer fluid will be used.
Water coolers are refilled as needed spring and fall. During the summer, they are refilled daily, or more often as needed. Coolers are returned to the clubhouse and kitchen staff cleans and sanitizes them.
Divot boxes will be checked daily and refilled as needed with topdressing/bentgrass seed mixture.
Trash is picked up daily during the season, and as needed in the spring and fall.
CART PATHS/CONTROL
Asphalt cart paths will be swept/blown off weekly or as needed. Cushion material at the ends is raked up/replaced as needed.
Storm washout repairs will be done as soon as possible following a storm.
Stakes, ropes, signs and arrows are used as necessary to direct traffic to avert wear as much as possible or when necessary to avoid hazards or sensitive areas.
TREE MAINTENANCE
Trees are valuable assets and affect the course playability and aesthetics in unique and dramatic fashion. Unfortunately many turf maladies are related to shade and root competition issues arising from trees that exist too close to sensitive turf. Therefore much care, planning and evaluation is required in the execution of maintenance practices for the trees. Pruning and removal is best left to professional arborists as they are trained in these practices. Errors or damage by inexperienced or amateurs cannot in most cases be repaired and the loss is permanent. Further, a properly pruned and maintained tree will better with stand the assault of storms and there will be less to clean up about the course following storms. This fact has been proven over time here. This includes planting programs as well. Plantings are all too often done to fill a hole or some other emotionally charged reason without much regard for the mature size and habit after the passage of time, or how it may affect play or the surrounding turf areas.
History of the LWCC Tree Program
In the mid 1980’s, the club initiated a planting program with the help of a landscape architect. This plan was carried to completion and since many plantings were beginning to reach mature or near-mature size, a new planting plan was not developed. In the early 1990’s it was recognized by the green committee that a similar plan of maintenance needed to be established. This was done by conducting a survey of the committee members which identified a number of “key” trees on the course. With this inventory complete, the county extension agent and two arborists were consulted with opinions solicited on the relative health and remedial action needed with respect to the listing. From this information a plan and cost was developed and subsequently implemented. The plan had two basic components, major needs and minor needs. The majors were removals and pruning to be contracted and the minors were to be handled in house. Along with the pruning work was a plan for preventative fungicide treatments for specific Elm and Oak specimens due to the threat of disease. All this data was plotted on a grid map of the course with mylar overlays showing pruning stages and removal history. Unfortunately, all of this work was lost in the shop fire of 2000. However, the program had progressed by that time to a point that virtually all of the significant trees on the course had been tended to in one fashion or another. The program today consists of an annual assessment based upon the growing season and observations by maintenance personnel. An arborist is then consulted with concerns, recommendations made and subsequently presented to the green chair for approval. Fungicidal treatments are ongoing each year.
Basic care for all trees consists of controlling grass and weeds around the base of trees with herbicide and mulch. This is done to eliminate the need to trim up to the trees and the subsequent damage that can occur to the plants from mower scuffing. Throughout the growing season, a watchful eye is kept on the overall tree canopy to detect potential problems. If there are any new plantings they are fertilized and kept watered throughout the first season. The list of "key" trees is reviewed annually for assessment of condition. Pruning of 60 to 90 trees annually. Approximately 85% will be minor pruning done in-house and the remainder is major pruning which are contracted out. A five year rotation on pruning is maintained unless disease or damage warrants pruning out of rotation. Continue preventative fungicide treatment of American Elms and selected Oak trees on a 2-3 year rotation. Stumps are ground out using a rental stump grinder.
Clubhouse Area
The clubhouse lawns are mowed about two times per week, more often if needed. They are fertilized on a monthly basis. Irrigation is accomplished by manually setting up sprinklers and hose. This presents several problems as to be effective the irrigation needs to run all night longs. Hoses are stretched across sidewalks and heads spray the walkways as well which is not a good situation with late night crowds. The ornamental beds are cleaned up, hedges trimmed and fresh mulch applied to the beds.
Marina and Cart Shed
These areas are checked daily with the trash pickup routine.
Daily Job Listing
The job format listed below is a general outline and is adjusted seasonally. Usually (but not always) the first and last few weeks of the season have reduce frequency of mowing, but again this varies with conditions and weather.
Philosophy of Time Management: It is our goal to have the golf course prepared in advance of the first tee off time. This means that more part time employees are used to get the most important tasks done or near completion by the time the first player arrives at the course. These part time workers are usually done after Round 1 and leave work. The benefits of this system are:
• There is little worker interference with players.
• There is a high degree of efficiency as workers do not have to stop or move their assignment to avoid play.
This plan has succeeded because:
• Overtime pay for 2004 was $97.
• We were able to utilize more part time labor almost eliminating overtime.
• Comments from players that they are pleased with fewer distractions on the course.
Hours of Operation
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Round 1
• Setup Course (change cups/tee markers, evaluate irrigation needs, evaluate course maintenance needs, diagnose and remedy acute problems, supervise staff, adjust job assignments as needed, monitor equipment performance) 1 person about 3.5 hours, 2 people about 1.75 hours each.
• Mow Greens 3 people for about 2.75 hours.
• Mow Tees 4 people for about 3-4 hours.
• Mow Fairways 2 people about 3.5 hours.
• Rake Bunkers 1 person for about 3 hours. This job can be skipped if play levels for the day are anticipated to be low or if there is a worker no-show.
• Mow Range Tee 1 person for about ½ hour – this job needs to be done before any players arrive.
• Mow Range 1 person for about ½ hour hour – this job needs to be done before any players arrive.
• When needed, leaves need to be blown off of mowing areas before mowing takes place – 1 to 3 people and time varies with leaf load.
Round 2
• Trash & Coolers 1 person about 2 ½ hours, 2 people about 1 hour each.
• Mow Rough – 1 person, time varies with conditions.
• Begin Bank Mowing – 2 people, time varies with conditions.
• Trim Around Tees – 2 people, time varies with workload and number of workers, usually around 3 to 4 hours.
• Divot Filling on Tees – 2 people, usually, time varies with workload and number of workers.
• Handwater Greens – usually 1 person, time varies with course needs, 1 to 3 hours.
Supervisor and Shop Work Following Rounds 1 and 2
• Check cut and adjust units as needed for the next mowing. Lap or sharpen as needed.
• Repair or service units in need.
• Stage units for the following day’s operation.
• Plan following day’s maintenance schedule.
• Review and adjust irrigation needs both in the field and in the office. Setup system for the night irrigation.
• Order or procure parts and supplies.
• Daily recordkeeping of jobs, weather, course items, pesticide applications, fertilizer applications, repairs, invoices, time records.
• Return to the field for employee, equipment and turf checkups.
• Late afternoon/evening: return to the course for an evaluation tour. Irrigate or handwater problem areas as needed. Readjust irrigation as needed. Double check system operation setup. Takes about 2-3 hours
Tuesday-Thursday
Round 1
• Setup Course (change cups/tee markers, evaluate irrigation needs, evaluate course maintenance needs, diagnose and remedy acute problems, supervise staff, adjust job assignments as needed, monitor equipment performance) 1 person about 3.5 hours, 2 people about 1.75 hours each.
• Mow Greens 3 people for about 2.75 hours.
• Rake Bunkers 1 person for about 3 hours.
• Change holes on practice greens 1 person for about 1 hour.
• When needed, leaves need to be blown off of mowing areas before mowing takes place – 1 to 3 people and time varies with leaf load.
Round 2
• Trash & Coolers 1 person about 2 ½ hours, 2 people about 1 hour each.
• Mow Rough – 1 person, time varies with conditions.
• Finish Bank Mowing – 2 people, time varies with conditions.
• Finish Trim Around Tees – 2 people, time varies with workload, usually around 2 to 3 hours.
• Mow and Trim the Clubhouse Lawn Area – 1 person handmowing and trimming small areas. The larger lawns are cut by the bank mower operator.
• Divot Filling on Tees – 2 people, usually, time varies with workload and number of workers.
• Handwater Greens – usually 1 person, time varies with course needs, 1 to 3 hours.
Supervisor and Shop Work Following Rounds 1 and 2
• Check cut and adjust units as needed for the next mowing. Lap or sharpen as needed.
• Repair or service units in need.
• Stage units for the following day’s operation.
• Plan following day’s maintenance schedule.
• Review and adjust irrigation needs both in the field and in the office. Setup system for the night irrigation.
• Order or procure parts and supplies.
• Daily recordkeeping of jobs, weather, course items, pesticide applications, fertilizer applications, repairs, invoices, time records.
• Return to the field for employee, equipment and turf checkups.
• Late afternoon/evening: return to the course for an evaluation tour. Irrigate or handwater problem areas as needed. Readjust irrigation as needed. Double check system operation setup. Takes about 2-3 hours
Weekends
Round 1
• Setup Course (change cups/tee markers, evaluate irrigation needs, evaluate course maintenance needs, diagnose and remedy acute problems, supervise staff, adjust job assignments as needed, monitor equipment performance) 1 person about 3.5 hours, 2 people about 1.75 hours each.
• Mow Greens 3 people for about 2.75 hours.
• Rake Bunkers 1 person for about 3 hours.
• When needed, leaves need to be blown off of mowing areas before mowing takes place – 1 to 3 people and time varies with leaf load, usually done by the a setup person.
Round 2
• Trash & Coolers 1 person about 2 ½ hours, 2 people about 1 hour each.
• Handwater Greens – usually one person, time varies with course needs, 1 to 3 hours.
Supervisor and Shop Work Following Rounds 1 and 2
• Check cut and adjust units as needed for the next mowing. Lap or sharpen as needed.
• Repair or service units in need.
• Stage units for the following day’s operation.
• Review and adjust irrigation needs both in the field and in the office. Setup system for the night irrigation.
• Daily recordkeeping of jobs, weather, course items, pesticide applications, fertilizer applications, repairs, invoices, time records.
• Return to the field for employee, equipment and turf checkups.
• Late afternoon/evening: return to the course for an evaluation tour. Irrigate or handwater problem areas as needed. Readjust irrigation as needed. Double check system operation setup. Takes about 2-3 hours.
Supplemental Jobs
Supplemental tasks are ongoing maintenance and take place at regular intervals, but not daily. They include (but are not limited to):
Fertilizer applications: on greens this takes about 2 hours for 1 person. On tees it takes two people about 2 ½ hours.
Topdressing application on greens: every two weeks it takes one person about 2 hours, depending on interruptions, delays or breakdowns. This process must take place either without mowing greens or following the greensmowers. Additionally the green is irrigated immediately following the application. Spiking of greens will be added in this season, which should be done in conjunction with the topdressing process for the most effective treatment. This could well be an issue with a 7 a.m. start of play.
Pesticide applications: on greens this takes about 2 hours to do the application and about 1 hour of preparation time. Tees requires about 1 hour of application time and about 45 minutes of preparation time. Additionally, a worker goes ahead of the sprayer to remove the tee equipment. Fairway applications require about 7 hours to complete. All pesticide applications have very limited conditions that govern the application. Most often the spray needs to dry on the plant before irrigation or traffic (workers and players) is allowed on the turf. These conditions are listed on the label of each product and it is a federally regulated document. Again, the 7 a.m. start time will change the approach to pest management practices.
Vertical Mowing: on greens, tees or approach areas requires 1 or 2 people, but it must be done immediately prior to the regular mowing of that area. The 7 a.m. start time will change the approach to this vital management practice.
Other tasks that are done on a semi-regular basis such as mulching trees, clubhouse area cleanup, cartpath maintenance/cleanup, irrigation repairs, redistribute sand in bunkers, string trim bunker edges, string trimming the woods at 5 and 6, edging sprinkler heads and valves, servicing ball washers.
NOTE: All jobs are subject to prevailing conditions at the time. Playing schedule, equipment breakdown and repairs and weather conditions have an effect upon the times mentioned.
Seasonal Jobs
Tee Aerification - This process is done annually in the fall. It is usually done a few at a time so that play and other maintenance activities are not too disrupted. Coring of the tees takes an average of 2 hours per day depending upon the actual number of tees being done. It also depends upon the equipment being used whether it is just one aerator or both units. However, use of the large fairway aerator is limited to larger tees with plenty of room to maneuver in. Then the cores must dry for further processing. Once dry, they are chopped up with verticut units on triplex greensmowers. This takes about 10 minutes per tee depending on the size and soil composition. Sandy soil breaks up faster. Then the tees are dragged with a brush behind a cart until the soil is worked in, about 5 – 10 minutes, and whatever is left is blown off with a blower, another 10 minutes, to be either dispersed or collected depending upon the amount of debris and the location. Pickup takes another 10 minutes or so. All these jobs are generally handled by different employees during the course of the day depending on whom is doing what, in addition to the regular maintenance of the day.
Approach and Collar Aerification - The process here is similar to tee aerification in scope and time however working around the edges of the green requires more care and precision. Certain collars require hand brooming to work the cores in. As with tees, collars and approaches are done a few at a time.
Fairway Aerification – Coring time averages 2 to 3 hours depending on which fairways are being done. Large fairways take about a day each to process. The process is similar to tees except on a much larger scale. Chopping cores takes 2 employees about 2 hours. Brushing in takes about 1 hour and blowing the debris off takes another 1 ½ - 2 hours. All of these processes depend on the amount of play encountered and weather conditions to be optimum for the best results. Under the best of circumstances it takes about a month to six weeks to complete all the fairways.
Leaf Management – As leaves come down in the fall the challenge becomes to manage them so that there is the least amount of play interference without undue time spent and other things neglected. Daily leaves are blown off of greens, tees and fairways off of the immediate playing surfaces and into out of the way areas. Depending on the workload and leaf load, these piles may or may not be eliminated that same day. As the fall progresses, there is more leaf work and less mowing so then leaves become the priority. The piles or areas of leaf concentration are gone over with rotary mowers equipped with special blades and screens to pulverize the dry leaves into dust. This is done preferably in wide open areas to minimize the circling effect of mower wear patterns. This practice returns valuable nutrients to the soil and eliminates extra labor to haul the leaves away and try to burn them. We have also eliminated burning in the woods as that practice proved detrimental to the shade tolerant grass species we are trying to encourage there to minimize soil runoff. On a day to day basis leaf control generally follows this pattern:
• Blow off greens – 1 to 2 people for about 1 to 1 ½ hours
• Blow off tees – 1 to 2 people for about 1 to 1 ½ hours
• Blow off fairways – 1 person from 1 to 4 hours
• Mulch leaves – 1 or 2 people from 2 to 5 hours
This operation is integrated with the normal mowing and maintenance practices outlined above.
Course Setup and Takedown – Spring course setup involves the following basic tasks:
• Removing fencing and storing it.
• Putting out the course equipment.
• Cleanup of greens, tees, fairways and rough.
• Chipping of any leftover material from winter tree pruning.
• Moving sand in and finish raking bunkers.
• Cartpath cleanup.
• Clubhouse area and marina cleanup.
• Irrigation system startup. System charging and subsequent operational checks can take up to two full days and problem resolution may take a week or so depending on the nature and number of problems.
The time it takes to clean up and work on the course depends on how the winter was, if it was possible to do any chipping during the winter (minimal snow cover) and what the spring weather brings. This operation can take around a week to complete utilizing 4 to 5 workers (if available). During this time if the weather is favorable mowing will commence and will have to be taken in to account for prep time and worker planning.
Winterization – Preparing the course for winter really begins in the fall with aerification. However the main shutdown procedures begin in the first part of November:
• Final cleanup of leaves and debris
• Remove and store benches, ballwashers, tee markers, yardage markers, flags, divot buckets, cooler houses, trash cans, bunker rakes and cart control equipment.
• Apply fungicides to green and tee areas for the prevention of winter pathogens.
• Apply topdressing to greens at the rate of about ¾ cubic yard per green to insulate and protect the turf.
• Apply topdressing to tees.
• Blow out irrigation system and winterize pumphouse.
• Put up snow fence.
• Powerwash/steamclean all equipment.
Winter Work - Even though the golf course is shut down, there is still a fair amount of tasks to be done:
• Plan winter maintenance for equipment, order anticipated supplies to take advantage of sales.
• Remove, recondition and sharpen all cutting units.
• Basic equipment service and repairs (major items are sent to McFarlanes).
• Prune trees – in house
• Survey and planning of contract tree maintenance
• Chip and clean up pruning, weather permitting
• Review and bid chemical and fertilizer needs for the upcoming season.
• Review previous season’s labor and expenses and develop a budget proposal for the upcoming season.
• Review previous season’s logistical plan for evaluation and improvements.
• Review and archive Job Tracking data base
• Transfer and organize past season’s records and invoices.
• Prepare Monthly budget estimates after operational budget is approved at the annual meeting.
• Remove snow from the parking lot and maintenance road as needed.
• Attend WTA trade show and educational sessions in Madison
• Attend Wisconsin Golf Turf Symposium in November
• Refinish golf course equipment (ball washers, benches, tee markers, bunker rakes).
• Order course supplies (cups, ballwasher supplies, bunker rakes, etc.) to take advantage of promotions.
General Job Descriptions
The following duties listings contain an overview of the general tasks required of each position, but are not limited to these tasks.
Course Superintendent
In Season Duties:
• Review course needs and work assignments
• Supervise crew while on the course
• Course setup
• Equipment repair as needed
• Scout for pests, irrigation problems, irrigation needs, maintenance needs, tree problems
• Ordering and procurement of needed parts and supplies
• Daily records log of weather conditions, pesticide and fertilizer applications
• Inspection and adjustment of cutting units as needed
• Communicate with other course managers as needed to coordinate maintenance activities and course set up needs
• Train staff as needed
• Equipment operation as needed
• Operate and maintain computer equipment
• Write newsletter article
• Keep maintenance page up to date on club website
• Aeration equipment operation, processing and cleanup
• All liquid fertilizer and pesticide applications, fairway fertilizer application
• Greens topdressing
• Handwater greens as needed
• Irrigation system programming, performance checking, troubleshooting and maintenance
• Attend committee and board meetings
• Recruit, train, monitor, discipline and discharge staff
• Coordinate marina maintenance
• Sort and code invoices
• Operate timeclock tracking system for timecards and job tracking reports
Off Season Duties:
• Expense report review and analysis
• Fertilizer and chemical inventory and cost analysis
• Operational budget preparation, presentation and follow up
• Capital equipment and project planning and budget
• Monthly line item budget estimates
• Repair parts and supplies ordering and procurement
• Minor equipment maintenance
• Review of labor records and database maintenance
• Records archiving
• Educational session attendance
• Annual meeting report preparation and attendance
• Snow removal
• Logistical review and labor planning for the upcoming season
• Course inspection as weather permits
Assistant Superintendent
In Season Duties:
• Review course operation with Superintendent
• Organize and schedule work assignments
• Supervise crew while on the course
• Course setup
• Scout for pests, irrigation problems, irrigation needs, maintenance needs, tree problems
• Test playing surfaces and recommend adjustments to programs
• Daily records log
• Inspection, adjustment and sharpening of cutting units
• Emergency light tree pruning
• Train staff
• Equipment operation as needed
• Bunker edging
• Tee, collar and approach aeration
• Tee and practice tee topdressing
• Handwater greens
• Irrigation programming as needed
• Application of granular products to greens and tees
Off Season Duties:
• Tree pruning (including climbing) 60 – 90 trees per year
• Chipping and cleanup of tree work, weather permitting
• Cutting unit maintenance which includes disassembling unit, replacing worn parts, changing bedknives, grinding bedknives, grinding reels, reassembling cutting units and setting up for use.
• Mounting cutting units on mowing tractors
• Preparing course supplies order
• Course inspection as weather permits
• Refurbishing all course equipment (benches, yardage markers, ball washers, etc.)
• Attending educational sessions by the WTA
• Planning upcoming season’s logistics with Superintendent