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Mike Henderson
Course Superintendant

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BAREFOOT BAY
GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE ARCHIVES

A special thanks to all those who worked to make this project possible.

From November, 2001

 

Irrigation System Replacement Complete

Work on the Irrigation System has been completed. We are now able to water the entire course. This new system is pressurized at all times. It will make watering greens during the overseeding grow-in period a very efficient process. We will be able to water one green at a time when needed and will be able to control the sprinklers by remote control, turning the sprinkler heads off as you approach the green and back on when you leave.

Thank you all for being patient with us during the installation of the new system
 

 


From August, 2001
New Projects Completed

Three needed projects have been underway recenly. A drain has been installed behind #16 green and across #6 fairway. These have been long-time problem areas that always flooded badly during rainy periods. The bank is being restored along the side of #11 green to the front of #12 tee. The drop-off behind #2 green has been eliminated.

See Pictures Here
Thurs. & Fri.,
Sept. 7 & 8

From September 7, 2000

GREENS UPDATE, AERIFYING This week we aerified the greens. We do this to treat the problem of compaction. An ideal soil consists of 25% air, 25% water and 50% solid. Walking traffic on the greens slowly squeezes out the amount of air in the soil. The plants roots need air to survive.

When we aerify, we punch tines into the soil and pull out "cores", which leave holes in the surface of the green. The cores are removed from the green and the holes are filled with sand. This sand is called a top-dressing.

The sand is necessary to break up the density of the top soil. Recent core samplings showed that our greens are extremely dense at the top level. It will take numerous aerifications and top dressings to get the soil to the proper density required for consistently healthy putting surfaces. We currently use sand that is course, and large grained. Fine sand that was used years ago added to the compaction problem that we have now.

Another factor that creates a dense top soil is decaying organic material (dead grass and clippings). This material is called thatch. Top dressing provides an environment favorable to the micro-organisms responsible for thatch decomposition.

Once the top dressing is applied it is dragged. This operation moves the top dressing into the holes left by the aerifier. It also moves the sand from the higher areas into the lower areas, increasing the puttability of the green.

Once the greens are aerified and top dressed the air content in the soil is improved. This procedure also improves percolation so that the water and fertilizers used can penetrate the surface or the green and get to the roots of the grass. It also helps insecticides used for nematodes and mole crickets get into the soil where they can be effective.

Irrigation
System
Status

 From Sept 1, 2000

Fixing irrigation line breaks continues at an alarming rate. We can usually repair the breaks and leaks without affecting play, however, sometimes the blowout will be located in a location that is impossible to work on without affecting play on a hole.

Please understand that these breaks must be fixed as soon as possible or else we can't water at night, so waiting until later when no golfers are around is not always an option.


This entire 17 foot section in front of the tee on hole #10 was recently replaced after 2 breaks were found. There were 4 "fixes" already performed on this one section.

From Dec., 2000

THIS
WINTER'S
BIG NEWS

GCSAA
BULLETIN

Frost delays

How can a footprint be a killer?

When it's a footprint made on a putting surface that's covered with frost. It's hard to believe that simply walking across a golf green covered with frost can cause so much damage, but the proof will be there in a few days as the turfgrass dies and leaves a trail of brown footprints. That's why most courses will delay starting times until the frost has melted. And it's also why golfers who appreciate a quality putting surface will be patient during frost delays.

Why does frost cause problems?
Greens are fragile. The putting surface, or green, is an extremely fragile environment that must be managed carefully and professionally. Remember that every green is a collection of millions of individual grass plants, each of which is a delicate living thing. Obviously, Mother Nature never meant for these plants to be maintained at 3/16 or even 1/8 of an inch for prolonged periods. This stress makes greens constantly vulnerable to attacks from insects, disease, heat, drought, cold -- and frost.

Frost is essentially frozen dew. It can form when the temperature (or wind chill) is near or below the freezing point. The ice crystals that form on the outside of the plant can also harden or even freeze the cell structure of the plant. When frosted, the normally resilient plant cells become brittle and are easily crushed. When the cell membranes are damaged, the plant loses its ability to function normally. It's not much different than cracking an egg. Once the shell is broken, you can't put it back together.

The proof is in the prints
Although you won't see any immediate damage if you walk on frosted turf, the proof will emerge within 48 to 72 hours as the leaves die and turn brown. And, since just one foursome can leave several hundred footprints on each green, the damage can be very extensive.

Thanks for understanding
The damage isn't just unsightly -- putting quality will also be reduced until repairs are made. Those repairs are expensive and, in some cases, the green may have to be kept out of play for days or weeks until the new turfgrass is established. A short delay while the frost melts can preserve the quality of the greens, prevent needless repairs and may even save you a few strokes the next time you play.

From July, 2001

This is an excerpt from the current issue of the USGA Green Section Record. The complete article can be obtained in the Pro Shop. I thought you might find it interesting.

Irrigation
System
Status

 Does Your Irrigation System Make The Grade?
A guide to help evaluate factors influencing irrigation system performance.
by MIKE HUCK

MOST GOLFERS QUICKLY recognize poor irrigation coverage by the obvious - the number and size of both wet and dry areas throughout the course. However, very few understand the many factors that affect an irrigation system's ability to apply water uniformly.

First and foremost, proper design and installation are critical. Hydraulics, head spacing, nozzle selection, control capabilities, and climate all must be considered in the design process. If any one area is lacking, performance suffers. If one is fortunate enough to already have a good system in place, then routine maintenance should sustain acceptable performance. Annual adjustment of pumps, pressure regulators, leveling of low heads to avoid surrounding turf interference with spray patterns, and replacement of worn nozzles or any other damaged components must be ongoing.

Outdated systems present another set of problems with aging hardware resulting in major failures of pumps, controllers, mainlines, and fittings that can cause large areas of turf loss. To counter such problems, a daily ritual of many superintendents is to spot water, repair leaks, and continually adjust controllers - turning them up to reduce dry spots one day, and down the next to control wet spots. So much time is spent compensating for system inadequacies and inefficiencies that little time is left for other duties and the staff is constantly putting out fires. It is no wonder that irrigation systems are often nicknamed irritation systems!