3rd Bermuda Spray and a "Thank You"

 This past week we completed our 3rd application of herbicides to the common Bermuda within our fairways, tees and intermediates. As of this post, our project is on time and going well. 

I did want to share the following photo which captures a newly emerging Bermuda plant within the 13th fairway. I took this photo last week and I think it is noteworthy because it highlights why this weed is so difficult to eradicate and why the lengthy intervals between multiple herbicide applications is so vital to the success of this project. 

(Newly Emerging Bermuda Plant - 13th Fairway) 

This Bermuda is not "regenerating" from a previously injured plant, but is a brand new tiller from stolons and rhizomes that are still active below the soil. The good news is that after 2 herbicide applications and over 35 days from the 1st spray, this is a tiny amount of remerging Bermuda. However, this emerging plant underscores the need for multiple applications over an extended period of the summer. By waiting several weeks between applications before the next spray, we are able to "catch" these new plants while they can ingest the herbicide. This little guy will not survive the 3rd application that was applied this week and he definitely will not slip past the 4th application, 2 weeks from now. 😉

Thank You to Adam Sauls and Duggan Cannon!

Considering the complexity of this project and the day-to-day turf care responsibilities, I want to take a few seconds and offer the sincerest Thank You to our two, senior assistants, Adam Sauls and Duggan Cannon. I often say that these two gentleman are second to none in their leadership, work ethic and passion. Once again, with their performance this summer, I stand by that belief and Kinloch Golf Club is very fortunate to have these two working on the golf course day in and day out. So again, Thank You to Adam and Duggan... I look forward to finishing a great season with both of you!!  

Summer Heat and Cart Path Only...

 Every summer, when the heat and humidity intensify, we begin fielding requests to use a golf cart on the fairways. Before we discuss the dynamics of that conversation, let's revisit the current KGC policy regarding cart usage: 

In the fall of 2019, the decision was made, at the board level, to restrict all golf cart usage to the cart paths, unless the member registered for a medical exemption and was approved by the club. And even with a medical exemption, the club always reserves the right to declare cart path only with no exceptions. Periods of no exceptions will normally involve saturated turf, excessive heat or special projects. 

Going back to the opening paragraph and fielding requests for cart access on the turf... we never want to disappoint a member or a guest and we fully understand the annoyance  that CPO can bring to the player. I am an avid player in the fall and spring and would rather walk and carry than go back and forth to a cart that is restricted to the paths. However, our policy and/or decision to declare no exceptions is never arbitrary or capricious. Those decisions are always made with the utmost respect and empathy for our members and guests, but will always yield to the condition of the turf. 

This photo captures cart tracks across the 10th fairway. These tracks were made in the early afternoon of a warm day. Although faint in this photo, these tracks digressed and turned orange as the grass thinned down. I will not bore you with all of the details, but the fact is this... if you drive a cart over bent grass that is over-heated and stressed, the grass will collapse, plant cells will rupture and discolored, thin turf will be the result. 

So back to our original thoughts... 

1. We never want to disappoint our members or their guests. 

2. We empathize with the annoyance of CPO. 

3. Kinloch is a CPO facility and that is a board level policy. 

4. Driving across stressed turf in the summer will result in damage to the turf. 

We hope that you can understand and support our position on cart access at KGC. As I stated earlier, these policies are not arbitrary or excessive but thoughtful and deliberate. Providing the Kinloch Experience is something we take very seriously, but protecting the quality of our turf must take precedent over certain conveniences. 

If anyone would appreciate more detail on how and why this policy is so important to the health of our turf, feel free to reach out via email, text or phone. 

Thanks and enjoy the last few weeks of August - we are very excited to finish our herbicide applications and install the new sod so that you can enjoy a spectacular, fall, golf season. 

Bermuda Eradication Progress Report - July 19th, 2023

 On July 10th, we completed the 1st application of non-selective herbicide to all of the identified common Bermuda grass that is growing within our fairways, 1st cuts and tee tops. The application went well as it took 8 of us 13 hours to complete. We sent two of our interns ahead to re-paint all of the identified areas. One of our assistants operated our 300 gallon sprayer while the rest of us walked the golf course with battery-operated, backpack, sprayers. The rig operator kept the machine idling and parked in wood lines adjacent to the golf hole. When the applicators emptied their tanks, they walked to the spray rig where we used the hose reel to refill the sprayers. All said, we used approximately 90, 3-gallon, backpack spray tanks to cover the golf course. 

Ten days into the project, the herbicide mixture has taken effect and a lot of grass is dead or dying. 

(Approach #10) 

(Upper Fairway #6) 

(Right Fairway #9) 

(Fairway #13) 

(#11 Approach) 

The herbicide mixture burnt the cool season grass within 72 hours of the application. However, the Bermuda has been much slower to die-back. Although, as of today, the Bermuda is finally succumbing to the herbicide, there were a few days last week where it looked like the Bermuda was unscathed relative to the surrounding Bent grass or Bluegrass. But not to worry, we fully anticipated this reaction. One of the ingredients in our mix is an adjuvant which is designed to destroy the outer cuticle of the grass blades. By removing some of the waxy, protective, cuticle, more herbicide is absorbed by the plant. However, this adjuvant is very "hot" to cool season grass. So, much of the quick burn on the Bent grass was more a product of the adjuvant and hot temperatures than the actual glyphosate and fusillade. Since the picture below was taken, much of that green tissue within the Bermuda patches has started to die back. 

(Persistent Bermuda - #8 Approach) 

This past Monday, July 17th, we took our 4th walk throughout all of the fairway, tee and 1st cut surfaces. This scouting walk was done to identify Bermuda that we may have missed on the previous scouting walks. As it turns out, this Bermuda is very sneaky and hides well in the turf canopies. Again, there were 8 of us who walked, marked and sprayed any Bermuda that slipped past the previous application. We will continue this scouting technique every Monday through the middle of August. We are determined to locate and spray as much of this grassy weed as is humanly possible. 

(Newly Identified Bermuda - #10 1st Cut) 

This coming Monday, July 24th, we will likely make our 2nd, full-scale application. As long as the Bermuda shows any green tissue, there will be translocation of the herbicide. We knew this project would take 4-5 applications and this is why this "reset" must be done while: (1) the Bermuda is actively growing and (2) early enough in the summer to provide ample time for multiple applications. We do know that we will cover as much ground as possible and by the end of August, there will be a lot of dead common Bermuda grass at Kinloch Golf Club! 

A few other questions that I would like to address: 

Q: What will you do once you have achieved kill on the Bermuda? 

A: In early September, with the help of our contractor, Landscapes Unlimited, we will sod cut and remove all of the dead turf. Those areas will be sodded with new creeping Bent grass and thermal Kentucky bluegrass. By the middle of September, all of the sod will be installed. From our September reopening until October 5th, we will RESTRICT ALL CART USAGE to CART PATH ONLY. During this 3 week period, there will be NO EXCEPTIONS. 

Q: Will this be an Annual event? 

NO!!! The strategy is to "RESET" the fairways, tees and 1st cuts. In subsequent years, we will keep the herbicide applications confined to our scheduled closures. You should not expect to see a project of this size and scope during normal operating hours. The efficacy of a tighter window will be less effective, but by resetting the golf course now, the spot spraying in the future will be on a much smaller scale and much less visible to our membership and their guests. But, we will be spot spraying common Bermuda grass from now until beyond yours or my time at KGC:) 

Finally - a Thank You!! Our assistants: Adam Sauls, Duggan Cannon, Ian Stusak, Jake Morgan and Peyton Fristoe have been absolutely phenomenal. And not just applying the herbicides and painting squares, but in their overall approach to this summer on top of this project. The pm mowing's, early morning fungicide applications and 7-day/week schedule have been a grind and they have not flinched. We are so fortunate to have this team. 

We will update you again in 2 weeks! 

Bermuda Eradication Set to Start Monday, July 10th

 As we enter the (early) teeth of summer, the golf course is in excellent condition. We are noticing some light stress in isolated areas, but on the whole, the golf course is strong. 

However, on July 10th, weather permitting (the forecast is looking a touch risky), we will apply our first round of non-selective herbicide to any common Bermuda grass that is growing within our fairways and 1st cuts. Once these herbicides kill the grass, there will be patchy areas of burnt turf throughout certain tees, most fairways and certain 1st cuts. 

There is no denying that there will be some pain in executing this project, but the common Bermuda grass will only continue to intensify in size and density. By resetting the golf course this summer, we will be able to employ a long range plan where we hope you never have to see or notice common Bermuda again😊.

On June 26th, our consultant, Steve Mcdonald, visited Kinloch and this project was one of the main topics of our conversation. Steve was able to reinforce that we have the RIGHT strategy in place and that, once executed well, we will be able to mitigate any resurgence with little disruption in future seasons. So, we appreciate your patience as we begin this project. 

In preparation for this coming Monday, myself and our two senior assistants, Adam Sauls and Duggan Cannon, walked every fairway, tee and first cut... mower stripe by mower stripe! We were able to closely examine the turf and mark the areas of infestation. 

Even though we have the Bermuda mapped through our drone footage, we thought it best to fully confirm exactly where we will need to spray. Although time consuming, this methodology will allow us to surgically apply the herbicides so that all of the Bermuda is sprayed while sparing as much "clean" turf as possible. 

In addition to the emails, blog posts, slide shows and other forms of communication, we have also purchased aluminum signs that will be posted throughout the property. 

For any Members or guests who may have missed our past communications, these signs will help alleviate any surprises. In my next post, I will have updated photos of the sprayed turf and as mentioned previously, the Bermuda will need 4 applications of these herbicides. These applications will be spaced out over 2-3, week, intervals and those intervals will allow the Bermuda time to resurge and translocate each application. All of the science suggests that after 4 applications, the Bermuda will be killed. 

Although there will be some unsightly pain with this project, we are beyond excited to reset our turf for years to come. And to bring a little levity to the situation, please enjoy the photo of one of our members using our paint work as a crime scene photo 😅

Herbicide Application Evaluation

 We are now 3 weeks from our first application of non-selective, herbicide to be applied on the mapped areas of Bermuda grass infestation. As I have shared in previous posts, we identified the Bermuda within our fairways by using aerial, drone photography. We conducted the drone flights this past winter when the Bermuda was fully dormant. The color differential between the Bermuda and the Bent was extremely evident which allowed us to draw GPS boundaries around the Bermuda. 

Last week, we loaded the sprayer with water and turf paint. We then printed off our maps and watched as the sprayer crossed over the boundaries within the fairway. We were very pleased with the accuracy of the maps and the mechanical functionality of the sprayer. 

This coming week, we will ratchet up the "stakes" by applying Pylex to the Bermuda areas. The Pylex, applied at .1 oz/acre will not kill the Bermuda (or we would just use that:), but it will bleach it white. By using the herbicide and the subsequent color reaction, we will then be able to visually inspect the accuracy of the drone maps and the accuracy of the sprayer itself. Should we notice overspray or misses, we will note those areas and supplement the applications with hand work. 

Once the Pylex is sprayed next week, it will take a week or so to notice the discoloration. In our next post, we will report back on the success of this second test. 

*As a continued reminder, the first herbicide application is scheduled for July 10th, 2023. From July 15th through our August closure, please expect randomized areas of dead/burnt turf scattered throughout the fairways.* 

Bermuda Grass Eradication Set to Begin in 30 Days

 Now that we are 30 days from our first herbicide application, I will send weekly reminders about our Bermuda Grass Eradication Project. 

Weather permitting, we will apply our first round of herbicides on Monday, July 10th. 

I. What to Expect: 

On or around July 15th, you will begin to notice scattered, irregular areas of burnt turf throughout the fairways and 1st cuts. The amount of affected turf will vary amongst the golf holes. For example, there will be little disruption on golf holes 1-5. Conversely, there will be noticeable, impacted areas throughout golf holes: 8,9,10,11,12 and 13. On July 10th, when we make our first herbicide application, there will be posted signs explaining the project and instructing the player to consider any "burnt area" as Optional Ground Under Repair. These areas will be sprayed again on July 31st, August 21st and September 1st. So, from about July 15th through our scheduled summer closure, beginning on August 22nd, these areas will be dead. On Labor Day, we will begin stripping and replacing all of the dead turf. 

II. When to Expect: 

1. July 15th through the Summer Closure - Scattered, dead areas of turf throughout fairways and 1st cuts 

2. September 1st through September 15th - All impacted turf will be stripped and replaced with new bent grass 

3. September 16th through September 30th - The new sod will root in. 

4. October 1st through October 31st - The golf course will look and play at nearly 100% of expectation. The only noticeable remnant of the project will be slower healing sod seams. We expect the fall golf season to be spectacular!! 

III. Why: 

This project is a tremendous investment in the betterment of Kinloch Golf Club. The Common Bermudagrass will continue to spread over time. Now is the time to reset our fairways for many years to come. 

We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we continue to make Kinloch better and better and better...  

Feel free to call or email should you have more specific questions! 

Course Care - Divots and Ball Marks

With Memorial Day approaching, the weather is warming up as well as the activity on the golf course. Each season, we look forward to this stretch as tournament preparations are in full swing, the weather is perfect and the members are excited to play the golf course! 

Expectedly, with more activity, comes more wear and tear on our turf. Specifically, the accumulation of divots and ball marks becomes more apparent. And while we embrace the idea that our turf is prepared for usage and enjoyment, there are things that we can do to protect the presentation and sustainability of the golf course. 

1. Divot Care 

From the inception of Kinloch Golf Club, divot care has been a collaborative effort between the turf department, the professional staff, the caddie and finally, the member. Throughout the golf course, the turf team maintains divot stations which are stocked with freshly-filled, divot bottles. While playing a round of golf, following a stroke from the teeing ground or closely mown turf, the caddie should immediately fill the divot with mix from the divot bottles they are carrying. If the turf pelt remains in tact, the player and/or caddie should place the pelt in an unfilled divot near where the pelt landed. Using this protocol, the fresh divot is filled with mix and an unfilled divot is covered with the turf pelt. Under no circumstance, should a divot be left unfilled... especially on the teeing grounds. The maintenance team will ensure that the divot stations are fully stocked throughout the week. Additionally, for any events or tournaments, the maintenance team will fill all divots throughout the course in concert with Prep Week. When starting a game of golf, the professional staff will kindly remind the player and the caddie about divot and ball mark care. 

In an effort to enhance divot care, Eric Rule commissioned our facilities manager, David Garner, to construct new divot stations that will be presented at the standards of The Kinloch Experience. Please see the photos below of the unfinished stations. Once David has added the top and stained the wood, these divot containers will blend in seamlessly with the other accessories around the property. 

As you can see in the photos, these new divot containers will have separate compartments for the stocked divot bottles, bulk divot mix and an area for garbage. Please remember that while these stations will be a nice upgrade, there are and have been stocked divot stations throughout the golf course. Please help us work collaboratively to keep our divots filled and replaced. 

2. Ball Marks 

Green Speeds are an important piece of the Kinloch Experience. To achieve the green speeds that you expect, we mow our turf very low. When a golf ball impacts the turf and a ball mark is created, it is very important that we locate and repair these marks. Unrepaired ball marks: (1) affect the players behind you; (2) become an eyesore when mowed the next morning and (3) contribute to the general decline of the putting surface. Please take the necessary time to locate your pitch mark, repair it and if possible, locate and repair an additional pitch mark. 

Kinloch Golf Club is a special place and we are excited to prepare the course during the most active stretch of the season. We are passionate about your enjoyment and look forward to a collaboration in divot and ball mark care. Thank you in advance for your support of these practices and enjoy the remainder of what has been a great spring season! 

Bermuda Grass Eradication Project

 As the golf course rounds into form and our members enjoy the firm, spring conditions, we continue to plan for our biggest project of the season... the eradication of common Bermudagrass within our fairways. Aside from our planning, we want to increase our communication so that our members understand: (1) expectations; (2) methodology; (3) timing and (4) final outcome. So, as we approach 9 weeks from the first herbicide application, please visit this blog for regular updates. 

1. What to expect: On or around July 10th, we will surgically apply herbicide to all of the common bermudagrass within our fairways. Within 7 days of this application, you will notice sporadic areas of "burnt" turf. The herbicides that we will apply are non-selective, so any turf within the spray boundaries will perish. In total, we have mapped 2.3 acres of infestation throughout our 32 acres of fairways. Throughout July and August, areas affected by the herbicides will be treated as optional, ground-under-repair. And while this is a very exciting improvement project, several of our fairways will be significantly impacted. However, most of this impact will involve aesthetics and not the playability of the fairway. 

(An example of Herbicide kill from 2019) 

2. Methodology: This past winter, while the Bermuda was dormant and very visible, we used a drone to photograph the fairways. Those photos were then uploaded into specific software that allowed us to draw boundaries around the Bermuda. That software then integrates with our sprayer software and we are able to tell our sprayers where to spray. 

After 4 applications (mid-July, August 1, mid-August, September 1) the Bermuda will be killed past the point of return. On Monday, September 4th, in concert with our contractor, Landscapes Unlimited, we will strip all of the dead turf and replace with new, bent grass sod. By the time the golf course reopens in mid-September, all of the affected areas will be sodded and establishing. Aside from lingering sod seams, the golf course will look very nice when the membership returns in September. 

3. Timing: From mid-July through our closure in late August, members will see the sprayed areas as they play the golf course. From mid-September through October 1, the sodded areas will be beautiful, but apparent. As the sod matures through October, the golf course will be aesthetically pleasing and playing very well. 

4. Final Outcome: Once we execute this project, Kinloch will have uniform, pristine fairways. Although the current infestation only accounts for 7% of our fairway surfaces, the Bermuda must be eradicated. Using non-selective herbicides and sod is the very best strategy to achieve this objective. We are sensitive to the aesthetic issues that we will face in July and August, but the final outcome will be well worth the discomfort. 

As always, if you would like further explanation or more specific details, feel free to email or call with your questions and/or concerns. 

Chopping Rough, Pushing Bent

 As we approach the 1st of May, the golf course is rounding into beautiful shape. The putting surfaces are firm, quick and true while the fairways are rolling out. The azaleas are in full bloom and gorgeous spring weather has become the norm. 

As for our primary rough... although beautiful, it had become a bit too challenging... both challenging to the golf shot and challenging to finding the golf ball:) So, this past Monday, we began bringing the rough down in height from 3" to 2.5". This height will be more playable and make locating golf balls much more enjoyable. We will also increase our mowing frequency from 1x per week to 2x per week. This mowing schedule will remain in place through June. Make no mistake, the bluegrass/fescue blend will still provide a penalty to errant tee shots, but our overall golf experience will benefit. 

While the rough is "blowing out of the ground", our L-93, creeping bent grass is a little slower. While it is tight, very healthy and extremely playable, our fairway turf lacks the "fullness" of our rough. This growth cycle is perfectly natural for this cultivar and the time of year. Our bent grass tolerates heat very well. Conversely, if a plant tolerates heat, it will be less active in cooler weather. As soil temperatures reach the mid-60's on a regular basis, the bent grass will take off. In no time, we will be applying plant growth regulators to settle it down. 

All in all, Kinloch is in wonderful condition and poised for a memorable spring season. We hope you enjoy the shorter rough and be patient with our L-93 - it's in great condition and will be in full growth mode soon enough! 

Enjoy the golf course and feel free to email or call should you have any questions. 

Trevor Hedgepeth, CGCS 

Wrapping up the 2023 Offseason - Projects, Aeration and More

 

March 22nd, 2023 

Over the past 3 months, our grounds team, supported by our contractor, Landscapes Unlimited, has completed: (1) several capital improvement projects; (2) late winter aeration; (3) machinery repairs/replacement and (4) all of our seasonal planning. While it has been a busy offseason, indeed, the golf course remained playable and is foundationally positioned for one of our strongest spring seasons on record. 

I. Capital Improvement Projects 

Fairway Drainage - The most difficult challenge for our bent grass, fairways will always be the combination of soil saturation and sustained summer heat. 3 years ago, we contracted with Turf Drain of America to design a fairway drainage system that would reduce saturation cycles while improving firmness. In our 3rd year of drainage installation, we completed over 7,000 linear feet across fairways 3,8,10,11 and 12. (our aggregate total is now 20,000 linear feet) The installation was performed by our contractor, Landscapes Unlimited, and they did an outstanding job with speed, precision and cleanliness. We look forward to stage 4 during our next offseason. The photos below will walk you through the design to the completion of the system. 

(1) Painted Design 

(2) Sod Stripped 

(3) Trenching Lines 

(4) Basin/Pipe Installation 

(5) Sod Replacement 

Tee Renovations - Kinloch Golf Club is over 20 years old. As a golf course ages, certain aspects of the initial construction will begin to decline. The inconsistent leveling of our tee tops is an example of this decline. While the turf itself is doing fine, many of our tee surfaces have sloughed off around the perimeter. Not only an aesthetic concern, sloughed tee tops are a functional problem for tee space and player usage. This offseason, we continued our tee renovations on holes 11,12 and 13. The photos below will walk you through this process from demolition to re-grassing. 

(1) Initial Demolition of the Subgrade 

(2) Rough Shaping 

(3) Drainage Installation 

(4) Finish Grading and Profile Installation 

(5) Tee Top Fine Grading - Leveling 

(6) Re-grassing and Finished Product 

 

Hardscape Additions - Kinloch is a walking golf course and we absolutely adore the heritage and tradition of that distinction. Over the past few off-seasons, we have been installing hardscaped walking paths to improve the aesthetics of our members' walk and to keep our players on dry, firm ground as they move from hole to hole. Examples of past products include the walk-throughs to holes 2,3,7, and 13. This season, we installed a new hardscape trail on the walk through to hole 16. In addition to the path itself, we have begun to beef up the surrounding horticulture, with more material to come as the spring season draws closer. 

In addition to this walking trail, we have also constructed cooler patios for our newly built, custom, cooler boxes. The entire presentation of our water coolers will be dramatically improved in 2023. You can thank Mr. Rule for the inspiration and design of this new amenity :) 

Cart Path Repairs - Although not as glamorous as hardscaping and custom cooler boxes, cart path repairs will remain a consistent focus during our off-season, project cycles. This season was no exception as we repaired the bridge crossings on 9 and 17 while replacing panels on 8, 11 and 15. These repairs not only improve the aesthetics of our property, but enhance the safety and functionality of our cart paths. 

Late Winter Aeration - This annual aeration and topdressing is one of the most important processes in protecting the long term health and sustainability of our putting surfaces. We begin the process with a very heavy, sand topdressing. We follow the sand with our deep tine machine and a 3-direction, 5/8", solid tine hole. All of the sand is swept into the holes and then the greens are rolled with a 1-ton, asphalt roller. To put the quantity of sand into perspective, the USGA recommends that you dilute your greens' profile with 2500 pounds of sand per 1,000 square feet over a calendar year. We inject nearly 2,000 pounds of sand per 1000 square feet in this one process! Diluting the aging profile will allow us to enjoy our greens well into the foreseeable future. The photos below will walk you through the process from start to finish. 

(1) Initial Top Dressing 

(2) Deep Tine Aeration 

(3) Sweeping after 3-Direction 5/8" Punch 

(4) Finished Product 

In addition to our putting greens' program, we impacted all of the playing surfaces at Kinloch. The tees and fairways were core aerated and vertically mowed in two directions. The primary roughs were aerated in multiple directions and the fairways have been deep tined one time with a second application in progress. These processes have been very clean, efficient and will help to provide healthy, playable conditions throughout the growing season and beyond. 

Machinery Repairs and Replacement - In addition to the on-course, projects, Kinloch does a beautiful job investing in its machinery. Aside from purchasing: new electric fans (2), a Hahn Spray Bug, buffalo blowers (2), a JD tractor, e-osmac controllers (4) and lithium utility carts (4), our equipment team, led by Javier Castro, has done a marvelous job with numerous repair projects. Our equipment fleet enters 2023 in excellent condition and very versatile. 

Seasonal Planning - Our membership entrusts us with an outstanding collection of resources. As such, we try to plan with purpose and efficiency. From capital project and labor sheets to pesticide applications and operational budgets, we have spent countless hours planning for a spectacular 2023 season. 

Final Thoughts - The past 3 months have been busy, indeed. But we are ever grateful for the resources and patience that allow us to improve Kinloch each and every off-season. And while we are proud of all that has been accomplished, we are more excited about the incoming season. We are hopeful that 2023 will be one of our best, yet.