2024 Fairway Aeration & Topdressing Process

After being closed for a week, we are putting the finishing touches on our 2024 fairway aeration & sand topdressing.  We decided  to close for the traditionally slow week following the 4th of July rather then stretching out the necessary process for 3 to 4 weeks with alternating F9 & B9 closures. This will make the process more productive and produce consistent playing surface's with recovery being more or less equal.

Not only will the fairways recover at the same time, GCM  can get back to our normal irrigation regimen after they recover as open aeration holes will cause the fairways  to dry out hindering recovery.  Additionally we can get back to using sharp mowers as the  topdressing sand disperses  and the surfaces recover, and we can logically re-sharpen reels. 

What To Expect Saturday 7/13/24

You should expect a very playable, freshly aerified fairway surfaces with open holes and the remnants of topdressing sand. As mentioned above, open holes can dry the surface out rapidly so the fairways could be wetter initially then what you might expect, which will effect ball roll temporarily. If you dont want to scratch your clubs you might want to consider using a older set until sand disperses. 

A picture is worth a thousand words. For those who are interested enjoy the pic's chronicling the steps of aeration week at GBGC.

First step is to mow the fairways. We set the fairway mowers to as low as we can currently go    (about .400") to "scalp"  them down as low as we can get them. Even though we are in the middle of a heatwave in July, these hybrid bermuda fairways can take it as they are actively growing and will recover quickly.

Next step is to flag all of the irrigation heads, valve boxes, yardage markers so we do not hit them with the aerator's.

Next we start to aerify across the fairway in short patterns on both sides of the flagged irrigation heads, valve boxes & yardage markers.

These patterns on both sides of the irrigation head allows for the next aerifyer to move up and down the fairway at ease and safety from hitting the head. Even though the heads, valve boxes and markers are flagged , there is allot going on with a heavy piece of equipment and easy to make a raising or lowering mistake and take out a sprinkler head, valve box or bronze marker.

Granite Bay is blessed with 2 large fairway aerators. This one is aerating up the fairway after the above depicted work around the heads, boxes and markers. 

The third aeration process is the short grass around the greens utilizing a smaller walk behind aerator. This aerator is equipped with smaller coring tines then we used on the fairways but he hole pattern is tighter. Cleanup of these cores is being done by GCM staff with backpack blowers and rakes and shovels as we cant navigate the large aerators and sweepers in these tighter areas adjacent to the putting surfaces.

After the actual aeration process we remove the flags from irrigation heads, valve boxes and yardage markers and drag using a keystone metal drag mat. This process preserves previously applied  topdressing sand and substantially lessons the burden of the following step, sweeping.

Next we start sweeping the core debris with the large sweepers. When we are done with sweeping it is time to start the most time consuming part of the process, sand topdressing.

Prior to aeration week we take delivery of topdressing sand in three locations around the course. Above depicts the pile on the Barton Road lot which we use for #1, #2, #4 and any leftovers #9. We also stock pile sand in the corner of the parking lot which we use for #5 - #9 & #17 - #18. The third location on the small out of play lot pin high to the left of #12 green. This pile services #10 - 13 & #15 & #16.

We use a 4 yard topdressor to topdress 30 acres of fairway and short mowed hybrid bermuda turf. The above rate represents  approximately 31 tons per acre which amounts just over 900 tons. Above Enrique is painting #4 with fairway topdressing sand. 

Here Enrique is spreading that 30 tons per acre on #5. Again the spreader holds 4 yards so he makes about 170 trips to a sand pile and back during aeration week. That is an average of 34 trips per day and just about 4 trips per hour. Sometimes more trips per hour, many times less obviously depending on the distance needed to travel.

This picture depicts #15 recently topdressed on the left, In the middle #16 in process of being topdressed, the green circled section representing one trip to the #12 topdressing pile. On the right is #10 which was topdressed, brushed and irrigated the previous day. 

Its takes our whole staff to pull off aeration and topdressing of the fairways in a week and I appreciate all of them, but none are more important  then the
GBGC GCM legend Enrique Reyes Huerta, sand topdressor extraordinaire. 

Next step is to drag the sand topdressing into the aeration holes and turf canopy. I have personally done most of this process myself since our 2021 conversion and can say every time we do this you can feel these fairways getting better. It wasn't hard to get the sand dry this week as we were in the midst of a July heat wave and our new large fairway brush with stiff bristles worked the sand in nicely.

A few days after some deep watering we mow them for the first time and follow them with a blower to clean them up. Doug on the fairway blower has been pretty actively blowing during the core clean-up process as well as the fairway topdressing process moving sand accumulations around with the turbine blower. 

Irrigation during the week was  tricky as we needed to keep the surfaces on the dry side prior to aeration and  topdressing but couldn't completely neglect irrigation after they were aerified because of open holes that were exposed to hot drying weather. Good news that any discoloration from dry down will soon recover after we start irrigating and the deep watering they receive  after brushing in sand topdressing 

This represents the product 3 days out of topdressing. Holes on the B9 will be a few days out from the F9 but all should be recovered by next weeks end. We are planning cart path on hole #'s 15 & 16 as they were just topdressed the morning of Friday 7/12/24 and will receive a deep watering when we are done brushing and could be wet when we re-open the course Saturday 7/14/24

#5 Green Damage

 During the evening hours of Tuesday 12/5/23 we unfortunately experienced vehicle damage on our #5 green. Tire tracks leading onto and off of the green were leading in the direction of our front gate so we suspect the damage must have occurred sometime before we closed and locked the gates. By examining the "drifting" pattern of the damage, we suspect the vandalism was made by a electric Drift Trike, which is three wheel tricycle, often battery powered and commonly outfitted  with wide rear tires. We are fairly certain the damage was not made with a golf cart or a motor vehicle. Below are some images of the damage and ongoing repairs. 

Damage was located mostly on the left side of the green.

We are fortunate that a turf nursery was installed during our 2021 renovation in the out of play area to the right of #1, between #10 & #11. We have a large nursery green over there that is maintained identically to the regulation greens that we can use sod from for repairing damaged areas. Above depicts repair of some of the erratic damage from Tuesday evening.

Damage was sand topdressed while we are tediously repairing the worst areas to help with putting across the damage. The greens are not actively growing at this time of the year which makes recovery challenging.

As the damage was located on the left-hand side of the green, we will be utilizing the right-hand side for pin placement until the damage is recovered. 

Tree Pruning #10

On Monday 12/4/23 we had some crown thinning tree work done on the large blue oak on #10. The purpose of the thinning was twofold, to lighten the load this very important tree was carrying and to allow for more sunlight to reach the golf playing surface below it. The sod on the left-hand side of this tree has never filled in from the 2021 sprigging. Root competition from the tree itself is surely playing a part in the poor turf conditions, but the main culprit is the trees associated shade to the area. Soon we will be stripping out the Santa Anna Hybrid Bermuda there and replacing it with another variety called Tahoma 31 Hybrid Bermuda. Tahoma 31 is ranked among the best bermuda grasses for shade tolerance in all of the hybrid bermuda's. It is locally available and will blend in well with our Santa Anna fairways. We are looking forward to seeing how it performs under this tree.

Selective pruning in process on Monday 12/5/23 to  this all-important tree that splits the fairway on #10

And here is the area below and to the left of the same tree. The split landing area is narrow on both side of the tree so surrounding it with a more shade tolerant cool season rough is not an option. Hopefully the more shade tolerant Tahoma 31 along with some soil conditioning will be a suitable solution.

Winters Coming

We are two weeks away from the Winter Solstice on Friday December 22, 2023. This is the shortest day of the year and every subsequent day will get longer, not necessarily warmer right away as it takes time for the earth to warm up. As of this course update we still haven't seen the rain frequently associated with a El Nino year however some of our rainiest months still lie ahead of us.

I don't know about you, but it seems like we move from one season to the next fairly rapidly nowadays. And this game that we play and work on is a living, breathing evolving playing surface, that flourishes and is challenged by the contrast in seasons and associated weather.  But it's really much more. Granite Bay is a magical place. An Oak Woodland, a habitat for numerous animal and bird species, a business that employees hundreds of people and of course a sanctuary & home away from home for hundreds more. And the approaching Winter Solstice will lead to warmer times, then hotter times then temperate times in what seems to be a rapid succession. I think we are all fortunate to be a part of this place in the world which is cold and wet and hot and dry and beautiful all at the same time.

Thank You for your continued support. 

End of Summer Update

 The Fall Equinox is only two weeks away, marking the astrological end of summer and where nighttime and daytime hours are equal in length. Granite Bay Golf Course Maintenance will look at this date a little less passionately this year as our new Santa Anna Hybrid Bermuda fairways will miss the warmth of summer, but our primarily cool season blend of turf in the rough and around the bunkers will indeed welcome the change.

Currently we are in the tail end of an historic heatwave and we are not experiencing  the devastating turf losses this property has endured over past summers. It is a nice position to be in.   The rough has taken a hit and some spots in step collars will need some re-sodding when things cool off, but all in all we have a  golf course that is alive and very playable. 

Rough Recovery

Fall is a great time to year to recover and grow cool season turf and to germinate seed. Therefore beginning next week on Tuesday 9/13/22, we will start to aggressively aerify the rough on the golf course in preparation for aggressive interseeding with Tall Fescue. 

Last fall we were opening the golf course after our 2021 renovation and were embroiled in a myriad of tasks left behind in the wake of the renovation and recovering the rough was just one of those tasks. This year, for maybe the first time ever, we will be able to focus much of our fall renovation efforts on the rough aeration and seeding since our cultivation on the new fairways is done until next year. We plan to get aggressive with the rough aeration to facilitate some much needed recovery.

Rough Aeration Schedule For Next Week

Tuesday 9/13/22 - Holes 1-2     Back 9 Start

Wednesday 9/14/22 - Holes 4-5     Back 9 Start

Thursday 9/15/22 - Holes 8-9     Back 9 Start

Friday 9/16/22 - Holes 6-7     Back 9 Start

During the rough aeration process we will close the holes to cart traffic we are working on. We will communicate our progress through the Golf Shop daily e-mail and post adequate signs along cart path's regarding the cart restrictions. I will post another Course Update next week with an updated rough aeration schedule for the back nine based on progress at that time, as well as our plan for seeding the newly aerated rough,  which will require some nuanced cart restrictions to keep seed in the rough and out of the new Santa Anna Fairways.

Thank you in advance for understanding the necessity of this work and co-existing  around these messy and loud non-routine maintenance practices. The only other option would be to close the golf course, and we dont want to do that. 

Aerifying rough. We are starting this process next week and plan to get aggressive. 

Wildlife

Michele McCormick is a Granite Bay Member and professional photographer who really enjoys capturing wildlife images of GBGC, particularly birds. On a recent Monday walk about, Michele had 21 bird species sightings and captured these spectacular shots, one of a White Tailed Kite and another of a Red Shouldered Hawk. Michele had never seen a White Tailed Kite here which makes that image something special.

Not to be out done, Felipe Reyes, a long time GCM staff member captured this image on his cell camera of a White Winged Dove that from I can find out,  is rare in our area. The cactus are out on the Barton Road lot, planted by GCM staff years ago and used in certain Hispanic cuisine. The cactus is used in the cuisine, not the dove.

Fall is a great time of year, and substantially less stressful this year as we have much less recovery then what we have had to endure in seasons past. It will still be busy, as cooler weather and ending vacations will bring members back to the club. We in golf course maintenance are looking forward to getting the rough back to good and starting further irrigation improvements at the end of the year to help us hold onto more of this cool season rough before next summer. Much still to do, but .........

The Best Is Yet To Come

Ball Marks

Recently we have had to put out signs to remind some of  our Members about their responsibility of repairing ball marks on greens. I know the very active segment of our golf membership are passionate about repairing ball marks and educating those who are not as passionate,  and it is time that the message comes from golf course maintenance as well.  Your golf course maintenance staff is limited in what we  can do with ball mark repair ahead of mowing greens in the morning. We start at 4:30 AM and work with vehicle lights and headlamps for the first few hours of our day as it is dark. Once a mower runs over a elevated ball mark, or even a slightly elevated pitch mark, the scalped turf will  die and will need to recover from creeping grass around the scar or be repaired with sod or sand. 

The most effective & successful repair of a ball mark or a pitch mark depression is the proper repair made immediately after the ball mark was made.

Our greens have matured substantially since October but they are still young and developing root mass and depth. And it's their first summer after their initial planting, so we are not taking any chances with them. This means at times they might be wetter and softer then they will be in the future and these conditions lend to deeper ball marks, although very evident  and should be repaired by the golfer.

We repair massive ball marks every morning that had to have been visible the day or evening before to the Member  Golfer that created it. Below are examples of what we come across on a regular basis as we prepare the greens for daily play. 

Very visible ball mark prior to GCM repair.  Monday AM ahead of brushing in topdressing sand. 

Another evident ball mark prior to GCM repair on Monday AM as well

This is not a ball mark, but a divot taken out of #2 green sometime on Sunday 8/7/22. 

None of us are fans of signs on our Private Golf Club as it is implied that with the privilege's of being a Member of Granite Bay Golf Club comes responsibility of basic golf course care. That being said, I agree with the Golf Committee that we need to do something and try to get everyone on the same page.

The USGA provides tips for ball mark repair in the linked article in which has a nice video as well. The 5 steps for properly repairing a ball mark are reprinted below.

1. The proper technique for ball mark repair is easy and fast.

Insert the ball mark repair tool behind the ball mark and gently pull the top of the tool toward the center. Continue working around the ball mark, pulling the surrounding turf in toward the center of the indentation. Avoid using a lifting or twisting motion because this can damage turf roots. Once you have finished pulling turf in toward the center, gently tamp the area down with your putter to create a smooth, firm surface

2. Unrepaired ball marks cause lasting problems

Failing to repair a ball mark may seem like a minor oversight, but there are lasting consequences. Unrepaired ball marks can take weeks to heal, during which time they can cause balls to bounce off line. The damage to the putting surface is also an entry point for weeds that can cause serious problems.

3. Certain putting greens are more vulnerable to ball marks than others.

Any putting green that typically receives high, lofted approach shots will be more susceptible to ball marks. The putting greens on par-3 holes are a perfect example. If you recognize that a putting green is prone to damage from ball marks, it is important to be mindful of repairing your own ball mark and a few unrepaired ones nearby.

4. Soft conditions mean more ball marks.

When putting greens are wet or soft, ball marks will be more of an issue. This is just one of the reasons why superintendents work hard to promote firm playing conditions with aeration, topdressing and other maintenance practices. If excessive thatch accumulates beneath the putting surface, ball marks and other turf issues will be more problematic.

5. Almost any pointed tool can be used to successfully repair a ball mark.

Many different tools have been created to repair ball marks, including single-pronged and fork-shaped tools. Almost any pointed tool, including a golf tee, can be used to effectively repair a ball mark. Using the proper technique is the key to success.

Traditional ball mark repair tool that I like using when repairing ball marks and pitch marks. The tool is beside a ball mark that is recovering as grass is moving into middle but who knows how long that repair process has taken. 

I understand that  most Members who read these Course Updates repair both their own  and other ball marks constantly and I thank you for your care as well as your continued efforts to educate fellow Members.

Progress on this front will need to be collaborative effort, so we will step up our efforts in GCM to catch the errant mark that escaped the responsible party before mowing, and of course our continued mission is to work on maturing and firming these greens. Firmer greens will not necessarily make ball marks a thing of the past, but will help, although it will take time. At the end of the day, the responsible party for the ball mark or pitch mark is the golfer who made them. The best quote from the  USGA Article is:

"Repairing ball marks is one of the easiest ways that golfers can help superintendents deliver high-quality playing conditions. After hitting a great shot onto the putting green, fixing your ball mark and a couple nearby is an excellent way to celebrate".

Thank You for your Help!