City Work

The city is currently working on a potable waterline connection. This required them to excavate where our cartpath runs between the tunnel and The Oasis. Please be careful when traveling in this area. I assure you that once complete, everything will be restored to a satisfactory level.

Irrigation Leak #11

Yesterday there was an irrigation leak on hole number 11. This leak came from a pipe supplying irrigation water to the condos adjacent to the golf course. Condo landscapers previously made a repair in this area weeks back but evidently need to revisit their work. I assure you that once the repairs are complete, the hole will be returned to its normal condition.

Lake Bank Project Explained

In early July the Grounds Department began working on a lake bank stabilization project. It's no secret that our 40-year-old lakes have eroded severely in many locations. One of the most significant areas of erosion was along the lake shared by numbers 12 and 16. This also happens to be our largest lake. I took a great deal of time over the past year to investigate the options for stabilization as well as reclamation of what has eroded. While we've built some nice walls in the past, it was unfeasible and cost prohibitive to build walls around each lake. We could have simply hauled fill to the lakes and dumped it in to reclaim the shoreline, but this process would be extremely time consuming, hazardous to the golf course due to repetitive equipment traffic and disruptive to golfers. Simply backfilling would also tend to be a short-term fix as that soil would still be susceptible to erosion. We also looked at using rip-rap or rocks to line each lake which would help with future erosion but still had the issues of damaging the golf course through hauling and being disruptive to golfers. The most cost effective, time efficient, environmentally friendly, least disruptive to golfers and long lasting solution was the use of geotubes. 

A geotube is a large bag made from a high-strength, permeable, synthetic textile. The geotubes we are using are 300 feet long with a circumference of 14 feet. The geotubes are postitioned inside the lake at the location where the new water's edge is to be. In some instances the geotubes are right along the shoreline. In other instances they are several feet out allowing us to move the shoreline 15-20 feet. This makes the lake smaller and the fairways wider! 

Once the geotube is positioned our workers pump sediment off the bottom of the lake and into the geotube. Seems logical to use this sediment since it used to be the old lake bank until it eroded. As the geotube fills with a sediment solution, the water pushes through the permeable textile leaving only sediment inside the tube. The tube rests on the bottom of the lake and will serve as a barrier to keep loose soil from being washed away into the lake. The geotube is filled with sediment until it is slightly above the water's normal elevation. 

   Chris stands on a dredge barge selectively pumping

   sediment into the geotube while Pedro and Jack assist

   

We currently are down to the last 150 feet of Geotube needing to be filled to serve as a protective barrier along number 12. At that point, additional sediment will be pumped between the old shoreline and the geotube. 

   Jack is pumping sediment between a geotube and old shoreline

Once the void is filled between the bottom geotube and the old shoreline a second bag of cheaper material is placed on top of the first bag. Once full, this bag will be cut open and the sediment inside will be used as grading material to create a nice, smooth slope from the existing grade down to the water's edge covering the bottom geotube. At this point the slope will be sodded and project complete. The series of illustrations below help describe the remaining steps.

   

It's difficult to predict a time of completion for this project as we are experiencing a learning curve. I am happy to say that we accomplished the same amount in the last three weeks as what took us the first two months. This is due to us making adjustments as the process rolls out in order to increase efficiency. Once the bottom geotube is complete all the way to the wall on number 12 we will begin working backwards from that point towards 16. Instead of completing all of the fill and 2nd geotube prior to grading and sodding, we will systematically work in stages to complete 12 fairway and 16 fairway in order to have those areas ready for play ASAP. Until then, these areas are marked as Ground Under Repair to the water's edge. (Sorry, if your ball goes in the middle of the lake you do not get a free drop) This is for your safety. There are numerous stakes and ropes that can be tripping hazards. 

I hope this sheds some light as to what we are up to. Once complete, we should have a very nice finished product in terms of both appearance and stability. I will continue to provide updates in the coming weeks including the plans for re-grading and widening16 fairway. Stay tuned!

#3 Waste Bunker

You will notice big changes on #3 along the cartpath. We have removed the path along the right side where the tree roots have heaved the asphalt. We have also sprayed the grass under the trees with Round Up. This area will become a waste bunker capable of also handling cart traffic. It should be aesthetically pleasing and a much smoother ride! The sand mix for the bunker should arrive next week for installation. Until the work is complete, please play this area as Ground Under Repair. 

Hurricane Hermine Update

The total rainfall from Hurricane Hermine as of Friday afternoon was 14.25 inches. While there are a number of tree limbs and palm fronds lying about, no sizable trees were lost. As expected, there is standing water in many areas. Heavy rainfall washed the sand off of every bunker face which will require many man hours to repair. For the most part, the course weathered the storm pretty well and will now begin putting it back together.

The Storm Isn't Even Here Yet!

Isla has experienced a tremendous amount of rainfall since early this morning. As of 1:00 Wednesday afternoon, 7.6 inches of rain has fallen. With Tropical Storm Hermine headed this way we are forecast to receive much more rain over the next few days. Below are some early morning photos of the flood waters.

   The water on 7 is over the wall

   You might need a kayak if you want the morning paper

   This photo gives some insight into the difficulty of maintaining #8 Fairway.

   The lake on #18 almost over the wall and onto the green

   Looks like #3 can't be cart path only today (unless your cart has pontoons) 

   Heavy rains wreak havoc on bunkers

The Aftermath

While I had plans to finish verticutting fairways this week, Mother Nature had other ideas. Tropical Storm Colin brought us two days of wet, windy weather. At the end of it we had accumulated 8.75 inches of rain and 2 downed trees. There is still a fair amount of standing water but the guys worked hard to clean up most of the debris today. On the bright side, the greens loved all the rain and the holes from last week's aerification are starting to close. Delayed by the weather, we were finally able to get out and perform a verticut and mow on the greens this afternoon. They look really healthy and should be back to normal soon.

The crew continues to clean up piles of thatch left behind from the fairway verticutting. We hope to get out and complete the process as the golf course dries out. The summer annuals have also arrived this week so we can look forward to seeing new flowers over the next few days.

   Fallen palm on #16

   #10 Green after mowing

Aerification Complete... Almost

The golf course was closed four days last week so the Grounds Department could perfom the first of two core aerifications this summer. The crew put in long days working sun up to sun down in many cases. The greens were aerified in the same aggressive manner that we have successfully used the past four years, pulling A LOT of large cores. Tees, collars, approaches and walk-up areas were also aerified. The benefits of aerification are a reduction in thatch, relief from soil compaction and an increase in water/air movement in the soil profile. All of these things translate into healthier turf and ultimately better playing conditions.

The fairways underwent an aggressive vertical mowing last week. This process removes thatch while also encouraging an upright growth of the turf and reduction of grain. This is a time consuming process due to our expanded fairway acreage with approximately 15 acres still left to complete. The holes that have been completed still have a lot of the grass clippings still needing to be cleaned from the fairways. Everything has been put on hold due to the inclement weather but should resume in the next day or two. 

On the bright side, the rain should aid the recovery of the greens and fairways that have been completed! 

   Jackie pulling the first row of plugs on the Practice Green

   Large roller smoothing #12 Green

   Brand new healthy white roots are a direct result of the aerification

   1 of 2 piles of thatch removed from #9 Fairway

   Plugs spread on thin spots on #8 Fairway

National Golf Day 2016

Last week I had the opportunity as part of the GCSAA Government Affairs Committee to attend National Golf Day. This annual event included participants from the We Are Golf coalition comprised of members of golf's leading organizations including the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association of America, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, LPGA, USGA and several other engaged golf entities. While the term National Golf Day sounds like a great day to get out and play golf, we were actually hard at work taking to Capitol Hill to educate our lawmakers on the importance of the game and expelling the notion that golf is just beneficial to the priveledged few. Conversations also included asking for help with legislation affecting environmental and labor regulations that have a direct relationship to how we run our business.

Some notable benefits of golf:

Economic - Golf contributes $68.8 billion to the American economy and impacts 2 million jobs. One in 75 jobs in the United States is impacted by the golf industry. Golf is a bigger job creator than spectator sports, performing arts, and the amusement and recreation industries.

Charitable - Golf raises more money for charity than all other sports combined. Annually, the game generates $3.9 billion for philanthropic causes, almost all of which are unrelated to the golf industry. 

Environmental - Golf courses are responsible uses of green space, providing wildlife habitat, a filter for runoff, and a cooling effect on developed areas.

Health & Welness - Golf is an excellent source of exercise. Playing 18 holes of golf burns roughly 2,000 calories when walking and 1,300 calories when riding in a cart.

A Game For All - Nine out of 10 golfers play at public-access facilities, 76 percent of golf is played at public courses, and the median cost of a round is just $37.

   Meeting With Congressman David Jolly

Greetings From Isla Grounds Department

It's been business as usual with the Grounds Department. After 5" of rain on May 4th the grass has really taken off growing and mowing has become a priority. We are actively spraying summer weeds trying to stay ahead of any major infestations. This past week we also applied an insecticide aimed at preventing insect infestations, especially mole crickets. Finally, we are working towards completing a much needed drainage project for the tennis courts.

Upcoming over the next few weeks we will be receiving delivery of our summer annual flowers. As soon as they come in we will be chaning out all the annual beds with fresh flowers.

Please note that the golf course will be closed May 31st thru June 3rd for the first of two aerifications. The second and final planned aerification will be August 16th thru 19th.

 

What's Left of The Weeds on #2

Triple Crown is Fast Acting!

The Views Aren't Limited to Just The Golf Course. Isla is a Beautiful Place!

Time To Feed The Grass - Course Closed Monday Afternoon

There will be an 8:00 Shotgun on Monday, April 18th for those wanting to golf that day. The golf course will be closed in the afternoon for fertilization. Thank you for understanding.

#1 Green

Over the weekend we experienced some issues with the irrigation on #1. As a result the first green shows some signs of stress. The Grounds Department has implemented a program to remedy the situation and will continue to evaluate and adjust accordingly. 

After A Much Needed Break...

After a much needed break the main practice tee was put back into use this week. With the addition of new bag stands it was looking good just in time for the Ladies Member-Guest. I remind you again to please be aware of your divot pattern when practicing. Space is limited here on the island and that translates over to a small practice facility. If players can consolidate their divots into a smaller pattern we can get much more usable space on the tee. If you are a longer hitter, please also be aware and refrain from hitting shots over the bamboo onto the 18th hole. This causes a safety issue for both golfers and grounds maintenance staff. 

   Practice Tee Ready For Action

   New Bagstand

   I Witnessed This Divot Pattern After the First Day Of Use On the Main Tee

     Using This Method We Can Extend The Usable Space Of The Tee

Adaptability

For the second time in three days the Sunshine Skyway Bridge has been closed due to fog. What you might not realize is that half of the Grounds Department lives in Manatee County. This obviously presents challenges for getting all of the work complete on the golf course especially when there was an 8:30 shotgun on Tuesday and an 8:00 shotgun this morning. Add in the facts that we were rained out on Monday, the grass is starting to grow much faster, the golf course is very busy and we have two upcoming member-guest tournaments to prepare for we definitely have our plates full! We are planners in our department but sometimes you have to adapt your plans in order to be successful. We most likely will have some creative work schedules in order to make up some of the lost time. 

I just wanted to share some insight from behind the scenes. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

   The Skyway is Out There Somewhere

Switching Practice Tees

As discussed in earlier messages, the practice tee (driving range) has really taken a beating. It gets a lot of use over a small area. The weather has not been conducive to fast recovery and we are left with a tee in rough shape. In order to give the main tee a break we are going to move our hitting area to the back of the range by #18 green. You are asked to refrain from hitting driver from this tee due to safety concerns. While this is a slight invconvenience, we see this as necessary to allow recovery of the main tee as we head into the peak of our season. In order to minimize the wear and prolong having usable tee space you are encouraged to practice using a divot pattern in a straight line. The illustration below shows 25 divots taken in 2 different methods. One is a scattered method and the other is a single line. A single line consolidates the damage to the tee and allows us to get a lot more use out of our limited space. Give it a shot!

This Is Florida, Right?

This is Florida, right? That a question I've had to ask myself a lot this winter. Sunshine state? Not so much. Due to the strong El Nino weather pattern we have had many cool, wet and cloudy days this winter. Since it is not cold enough for the grass to go dormant the grass plants continue to use their stored energy. Unfortunately, the cool, rainy and especially cloudy weather inhibits the grass' ability to make more energy through photosynthesis.  I am happy to see sunshine and 70's in this week's forecast. While the next few days probably won't make the grass grow much, it will still help in building carbohydrate reserves to help the grass weather the storm. We have seen some of the weaker or more trafficked areas thin. We will be giving these areas extra attention primarily with a green sand topdressing to help protect these plants.

   Thin area on #4 green

Monday Fertilization and Other Updates

On Monday, February 1st there will be an 8:00 shotgun for all wishing to play that day. The golf course will be closed in the afternoon for fertilization and maintenance. Following the fertilization there may be a few tire tracks left by the spreader truck. The Grounds Department will work to repair any such tracks. However, if you find your ball adversely affected by such conditions you are entitled to a drop. 

The winter months are normally the dry season here in Florida. Not so this year. El Nino has brought us much rain and cloudy weather. We are at nearly 9" of rainfall already in 2016. This obviously creates a lot of issues for playability and cart use. It also presents challenges for maintaining grass. We are receiving excess moisture when the grass does not need it. There is little opportunity for drying as the temperatures are cooler and we've had many cloudy days. The saturated conditions increase the negative effects of wear from foot and cart traffic. The excessive moisture also increases disease pressure from plant pathogenic fungi. We will continue to manage traffic using signs, ropes, stakes and paint. Please adhere to any restrictions. We are on a preventitive fungicide program to reduce the chances of disease issues. Including Monday's fertilization, we are taking all the proper steps to put the pieces in place for quick recovery once the weather turns more favorable. 

   When carts fail to follow restrictions wear is increased

Yesterday the city replaced the ficus along number 3. The previous hedge was removed during the installation of the Pedestrian/Bike path.

Course Care PSA

Being on an island, space is often limited. We experience this every day with our practice facility. Not only do we have limited-flight golf balls, our tee space is relatively small for the amount of use that it gets. The recent cold snap hasn't helped with recovery either. However, we can help minimize the wear in order to get the most out of this space. The illustration below shows 25 divots taken in 2 different methods. One is a scattered method and the other is a single line. A single line consolidates the damage to the tee and allows us to get a lot more use out of our limited space. Give it a shot!

This morning the Grounds Department took advantage of a light tee sheet in order to solid-tine aerify our greens. The cool, wet and cloudy weather tends to keep the green soil profile wet. This causes poor conditions that discourage the growth of healthy turfgrass. Reduced oxygen in the soil and excess moisture promoting disease development are just a few challenges posed by the wet profiles. By punching small holes in the greens we are able to incorporate more oxygen into the soil profile as well as create channels for water to drain more efficiently. While the holes are visible, they cause no adverse effects towards playabilty. The grounds department intends to continue this practice as necessary. 

Annual Palm Tree Trimming

This week the grounds department started its annual tree trimming process. This process is very time consuming and usually takes 4 to 5 weeks to complete. Please be patient with us as we work our way around the golf course. While the rented lift has turf tires designed to minimize impact on grass there may be instances where tire tracks are left by the machine. Our department will be working to remove any such tracks on a timely basis. If your golf ball happens to be affected negatively by these tracks you are entitled to a free drop. 

You may also notice that we are leaving a few more palm fronds on the trees this year compared to years past. In order to get the biggest bang for our buck we previously used to give the trees a "hurricane cut." This left only a few palm fronds coming straight out of the top of the tree. Due to failing health of many palm trees over the past few years we have decided to be slightly more conservative this year. We are leaving more long palm fronds on the trees as those fronds provide a source of energy for the tree to use. While the aesthetic benefits may not last as long following trimming, we are hoping for healthier trees over time.