The 8th green has become home to a few cicada killer wasps. We make an effort to control them as we see them. These wasps become a nuisance because to the burrowing they do into the green.
Early in the morning we have been noticing piles of sand like this one. The wasp is burrowing a tunnel into the green to lay eggs. The wasp chooses the green to burrow because the light sandy soil is easy to burrow through. You can see a wasp burrowing in [.....]
The fountain is operational again. Due to its history this year, I will make no speculations regarding how long it will be operational. [.....]
The tree work that has been underway this week is about to be finished. 7 trees have been removed, and their stumps ground out, as well as several other stumps were ground.
This picture shows a silver maple that was removed between 6 and 7.
After the stumps are ground, the hole is filled with soil. These spot will be sodded, but not until later into the year. If these spots are repaired now the likelihood of sod surviving this time of year is low. Until [.....]
Part 2 of the tree work started today and will continue. The Maple tree at the entrance was removed today, as well as the lightning damaged tree on the left side of two. There will be other trees on the course removed as well. We will keep you up to date with pictures here.
[.....]
As we began preparing the course for the final day of the Invitational on Saturday, the rain could not be ignored. Rain on Friday night forced us to cancel our exhibition for the evening. Rain on Friday night total 1.5 inches. This rain in the picture from Saturday morning dropped another 1.25 inches. The course was flooded most of the morning on Saturday. [.....]
The recent weather patterns which have brought along high temperatures and at times high humidity, deteriorated turf health, especially amongst the annual bluegrass populations in the fairway. The greens and tees remain unharmed. This decline in turf health left in vulnerable to a pathogen that thrives in temperatures of high heat and humidity. That pathogen is pythium. Late last week we began to see symptoms of the pathogen on our fairways. Pythium is a very destructive disease due to its ability to spread very quickly. Not only does [.....]
July 23, 2010 Scouting Report
A Brief Break: What me worry? The Kitchen Sink, Pythium blight, Fairy Ring, Summer patch, Brown patch, Dollar spot, Localized Dry Spot, Poa trivialis looks dead, Poa annua is dead, Tim's Biorational study and Nick says Mini-Rhizotron.
Sometimes we just ask for a break - a break in the weather that is. This week it came. On Monday highs were about 5 degrees lower - we reached 86.5 degrees on Sunshine Course near the practice putting green in Lemont. We were thankful for cloud-cover and [.....]
The fountain in the pond on 13 was not left out of the storm damage from June 18th. Multiple electrical problems have delayed its return to the pond. It has been operational outside the pond, but not when returned to the pond. After the most recent step in the repairs, the fountain is ready to return to the pond, an have arranged for the electrician to be present when we do. Our next try at checking the fountains operation will be soon. [.....]
Some mid-season tree work has been underway. This post addresses some pruning work that was done a couple of weeks ago. The catalyst of this tree work was the storm that passed through on Friday, June 18th. The storm left several branches hanging in the upper portions of the trees requiring a tree climbing crew to remove them.
Once the decision was made to bring a crew in, other trees that did not leaf out in the spring were included in the work (check Tree Work Part [.....]
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle -We have just weathered two storms. Well, counting two long holiday weekends with difficult weather. A superintendent with good insight reminded me of this week. And what will the third long holiday weekend bring – Labor Day? This humid Midwestweek, we continue to monitor unusual disease pressure caused by an especially warm summer. Scouting of our big three (dollar spot, brown patch, and Pythium blight) went too well in a week. However, in most cases, we handle diseases quite well given correctly-timed fungicides. It is physiological [.....]
'Extreme weather conditions are threatening courses across the country. Also, saving water, energy, and money! Find out more in this week's USGA Green Section Record' [.....]
July 9, 2010 Scouting Report
A Difficult Week: Letter of support, Lots of disease pressure, Poa annua greens decline, Wet fairways cook, Wilt and traffic injures roughs, Tim's fairy ring research, and Nick talks industry news
Chicago/Northern Illinois Update:
The occasion was the 4th of July weekend. All were smiles, especially golfers. We all were finally experiencing an extended dry period since early May and turfgrass growth had finally slowed. Golf balls would move fast and true, without jump or wiggle. Meanwhile superintendents were bracing themselves - likely to be [.....]
'Do You Like Your Greens? - The USGA Green Section Record' [.....]
A quick update on a previous post in early June: The days for the tree on the left side of 2 fairway are numbered. The picture taken a little over a month ago shows many green leaves, this picture at the left was taken on Wednesday. The condition of the tree wasn't great, but the lightning strike from early June has put it out of its misery. Only a months time separates the two pictures, but now many of the leaves are down and those that are not [.....]
'Where Would You Cut First? - The USGA Green Section Record' [.....]
This weeks Turf Scouting Report discusses some of the much needed dry weather we have received, however some superintendents are beginning to see the implications of a month of very wet weather. Here is the July 2nd Turf Scouting Report. [.....]
The club continues to take advantage of a service offered by the USGA called the Turf Advisory Service. The Turf Advisory Service or TAS visit was conducted on Tuesday this week. Ty McClellan, USGA agronomist for our region visited, and followed up on details from the previous visit and make recommendations for the coming year.
Mr. McClellan was very positive regarding conditions of the course, and recommended to continue much of what has been put in place since the renovation project.
Some of the topics discussed included rough mowing patterns, creating more fescue areas like we have near 10 tee, fairway topdressing and possible tree removal due to health problems.
Mr. McClellan will create a [.....]
This week we tried to take advantage of the cooler temperatures to do some verticutting. We preferred to accomplish this during the cooler temperatures because to the level of aggressiveness we wanted to take with the practice. We used a new piece of equipment that will remove more material from the turf surface. Our goals for the approaches was to stand up some of the grass that has been laid over from mowing the same stripe continuously in an effort to achieve the look we want. This [.....]