Ball Mark Video Link

It appears as though the video does work on the blog website itself but is not viewable from your email. This link should work if you have not been able to access from the previous email. https://youtu.be/Isla_Ball_Mark

Stewards of the Course: Part 2 - Ball Marks

Recently, we discussed the impacts cool and cloudy weather have on growing conditions and the role this plays on turfgrass wear. When grass experiences foot and cart traffic the death of old leaf blades is accelerated. This isn't an issue when the weather is conducive to turfgrass growth. However, when it's cool and cloudy the grass can't grow fast enough to produce enough new leaves to replace the old. For this reason, we must make an effort to disperse our traffic, both on foot and by cart.

Many of you have commented on the excessive number of ball marks on the greens this winter. While it's possible that fewer people are fixing ball marks this winter compared to years past, it is more likely that golfers have always done a poor job repairing ball marks but the weather was favorable for the turf to recover on its own. This winter has brought us many cold fronts resulting in numerous cool, cloudy days. While we have also had some warm periods, they have not sustained long enough to kick the grass into full-growth mode. The fact that the grass is growing slower this winter compared to others results in natural recovery not covering up our golfers' lack of ball mark repairs.

The following video is my first attempt to use video in my blog as a way to better communicate or demonstrate a topic. The video will discuss in much greater detail the severity of the ball mark problem but also show the proper method of repairing a ball mark. Keeping my fingers crossed that this video works!

The following link is to a USGA article discussing 5 things every golfer should know about ball marks. http://www.usga.org/repairing-ball-marks

Un-repaired Ball Mark on #7

Same Ball Mark After Repair Using a "Pulling" Motion

Stewards of the Course: Part 1

Yesterday I made a post about the cooler weather and its effects on golf course conditions. While our average temperatures haven't strayed from the norm much this winter, we have repeatedly experienced cold fronts that bring weather that is not conducive to growing grass. Cool, wet, cloudy weather causes grass to stop growing at a pace fast enough to recover from the abuses placed on it by golfers. We can see evidence of this by the increasing wear areas caused by cart and foot traffic as well as by the excessive number of ballmarks visible on greens.

When we drive or walk on grass we cause wear to the leaf blades, accelerating death to those leaves. Most of the time this is not noticeable since the plant grows fast enough to put out new leaves before the old ones die. However, during periods of low-growth the grass plants do not generate new leaves fast enough to recover. This can be troublesome in many areas but is most noticeable in areas with heavy foot or cart traffic. Issues caused by cart traffic are most obvious where carts leave the cart path from the tee to the fairway as well as when carts return to the cart path by the green. This is due to the heavy concentration of carts that all take a similar path. The best way to combat this is to be aware of wear patterns and avoid them. Also, listed in the Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club Rules and Regulations are the following helpful rules:

Unless other restrictions are specified by the pro shop, the 90 degree rule will be in affect at all times. The proper procedure is to stay on the cart path until the players reach the ball closest to the tee. At that point, the cart may leave the cart path and proceed to the ball. Thereafter, all carts in the group may proceed on the fairway for remaining shots until reaching the “No Carts” boundary. 

In essence what this says is that a cart should stay on the path until even with the first ball in the fairway where it will enter at 90-degrees. The cart should travel up the fairway until the last shot is hit within a close proximity of the green and then return at 90-degrees to the cart path. This is intended to spread traffic. In the past, we used to lay a yellow rope across the fairway to serve as a signal to return to the path. In good faith, these ropes were removed in attempt to facilitate faster play and make things a little easier for our members. The blue lines around the greens were not intended to become the "New Yellow Rope." The blue lines are intended to indicate a restricted area for all carts, including those with handicap flags. Non-handicap flag players should be returning to the path before this. When all carts travel to the blue line they concentrate traffic in an area relatively close to the green. Please be mindful of your traffic patterns and return to the cart paths at an appropriate location.

Carts should not be driven within twenty-five (25) yards of greens or beyond markers and ropes. Carts with authorized Handicap/Blue Flags will not be driven inside the blue outlines around any green. In the absence of a blue line, a cart will not be driven closer than fifteen feet (15’) of a green, and will never be driven between a greenside bunker and a green. 

The intent of these rules is to effectively disperse cart traffic and reduce the amount of carts all traveling in the same spot, protect/improve course conditions and provide for a safe environment. You can find all of the club rules on the Bulletin Board of the Member Central section of the Isla webpage here: http://isladelsolycc.com/Member-Central/Bulletin_Board

This photo shows wear on #18 where carts no longer travel to the path where guided by the yellow rope but rather all exit the fairway in between the mounds.

This photo shows wear by a tee where carts are pulling two wheels off the side of the path to park.
Please keep all 4 wheels on the path. If another vehicle needs to pass (not very common) they can go around.

This is a great illustration of the need to be mindful of where you drive. The ropes are intended to protect the rough area between the fairway and pond on 16. (Trying to keep those balls from rolling into the water!) Carts make it a habit to drive  right against the restriction instead of dispersing. It's obvious by the picture the damage traffic can do. 

Cart traffic is not the only challenge when it comes to wear damage. We also experience wear from foot traffic. This is most noticeable on tees and the areas where golfers walk from their carts to the tees and greens. To help with this, many times we will use ropes to encourage golfers to walk using a different path. Please do not step over these ropes. Doing so can be dangerous and defeats the purpose of the rope in the first place. Over the past several years we have seen a significant increase in the number of rounds played from our forward tees (Red, Gold, Green). We also know that the size of these tees is not sufficient to facilitate the high number of rounds. (We can't wait to build many new tees in 2019 to help with this!) Therefore, we see excessive wear on many of these forward tees. We will continue to rotate tee markers, but at times it may become necessary to move some of these tee markers to alternate locations, either other tee boxes or in the fairway.

The wear experienced to date is fairly limited and the overall experience is still enjoyable. However, this email is intended to be a proactive message to encourage all of you to be stewards of your golf course. We will continue to place ropes and stakes in appropriate locations and ask that you are mindful of where you walk and drive. We will also continue to make timely fertilizer and cultural applications to encourage protection and recovery of the turf.

For additional information about cart traffic as provided by the USGA you can click on the following links:

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/forethegolfer/2018/taming-runaway-golf-carts.html

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/forethegolfer/2018/promoting-positive-parking-procedures.html

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Brrr!!! It’s been a little chilly by Florida standards. Aside from the need to bundle up, what does this mean for our golfers? It means we need to be extra mindful when caring for our golf course. 

Winter started early this year with several cold fronts pushing through in November and December. While they might not have seemed cold compared to northern winters, they definitely have been noticed by our turfgrass and landscaping. Many cloudy days with temperatures in the 60's means that the plants are not photosynthesizing or able to make food for themselves to grow. In fact, when we think the weather is perfect for golf in the low to mid-70's the plants are just able to wake up a little. In reality, it's those high-70's - low 80's days with bright sun that the plants need to truly wake up and start growing again. 

While we had a few spurts of unseasonably warm weather in December, we have had many waves of cooler, cloudy days that are unfavorable to our turf's growth. This detrimental effect on growth is becoming noticeable in areas of high cart traffic as well as some minor thinning and significantly slower ballmark recovery on greens. 

Over the next few days, I will be writing blog posts that focus on how we can best care for our golf course as we progress through the winter months. In the meantime, think warm thoughts full of bright sunshine.

This photo goes back to one of the many "gray days" in December.

Golf Course Master Plan and 2019 Project Presentation

On Wednesday, January 9th, there will be a presentation in the main dining room at 10:00am. As your golf course superintendent, I will be giving a general overview of the Golf Course Master Plan, it's purpose and overall implementation.

In addition to the Master Plan overview, I will be highlighting the upcoming project plans for 2019. To continue momentum from projects in 2018, we will be working on additional bunkers, green surrounds and tee complexes. During the presentation, you will learn what features will be improved as well as timing and coordination of the project.

I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. If for some reason, you unable to attend in person, we will also be broadcasting live on the Isla Del Sol Facebook page.

New Cart Staging Area

Happy New Year! Well, it only took the Grounds Department 3 days to pick up our project momentum where we left off in 2018. You will notice a lot of activity around the practice putting green and first tee over the next week. Preparation is underway for the addition of asphalt to the south and west of the green. This area will become the new staging area for golf carts. This will free up approximately 16 much needed parking spaces in the parking lot! 

Please be patient and attentive next week as there will be a need at times to reroute cart traffic heading to the first tee. 

Once the paving is complete, the wall will be painted, the fence pressure washed and stained and new landscaping installed.