Monday, February 8, 2016

Civic Pride, the USGA, and GIS!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Monday, February 8th and a lot of folks in the Queen City right now are feeling blue!  Our hometown Carolina Panthers may not have been victorious in Super Bowl 50, due in large part to the impressive defensive performance by the Denver Broncos, but the Carolina Panthers did give the city of Charlotte and all the Carolinas much to be proud of this season.  The magnitude of civic pride on display the past few months has been awe inspiring and I'm truly thankful for the opportunity to live here and witness it.  And although our team lost, the sun did rise over the Queen City this morning thus signifying life goes on... so we Keep Pounding!

 Last week Assistant Superintendent Ben Albrecht and I traveled to Pinehurst for a workshop sponsored by the USGA Green Section.  The topic was fairway colorants and the program brought together several superintendents that have been painting fairways for a number of years.  It was a great opportunity for us to see first hand and learn tips and techniques from guys that have been doing it better for longer (this is year two of coloring fairways at Carolina).  Anyway, I found the workshop to be very informative and hopefully you will notice improved results in future applications as we continue to strive for high standards.

For golf course superintendents managing cool-season putting greens in the humid southeast (a.k.a. transition zone) the start of football season usually signifies cooler nighttime temperatures and an end to summer wilt watch.  Weekend afternoons begin to revolve around cheering for your favorite team rather than chasing the end of a hose and stress levels switch from worrying about turf survival to worrying about stopping your opponent's blitzing linebackers.  With the conclusion of yesterday's big game comes the realization winter is slowly coming to a close and the busy growing season is just around the corner.  And just like the onset of football season means something to professional turfgrass managers, the end of football season also signifies something of great importance too, the Golf Industry Show (GIS).    

 The GIS is the single, largest assimilation of education and turfgrass management product showcasing in the world.  Presented in partnership by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the National Golf Course Owners Association the GIS brings together folks from all over the professional turfgrass industry for lectures, seminars, presentations, and a one-of-a-kind trade show.  This year's GIS is taking place in San Diego, California where I will be joining my fellow superintendents later this evening.  Over the next several days I will be attending seminars, meeting with industry representatives, and networking with fellow superintendents from all over the country.  I even managed to schedule a couple of up close turfgrass inspections before I return.  Who would have guessed when John Morley helped found the National Association of Greenkeepers of America in 1926 for the purpose of establishing a brotherhood of camaraderie and information sharing it would eventually become our present day GCSAA and we would gather together annually at the GIS.

Tomorrow morning I will attend two seminars, Preparing for and Managing Turf through Water Shortages and Drought and Optimize Soil Health to Enhance Turf Growth and Quality.  I know, riveting and exciting but think about how appropriate that first seminar is considering last summer's severe drought and our irrigation water supply.  Tomorrow evening is the Opening Session where many superintendents will be recognized for their leadership, stewardship and advocacy and Herb V. Kohler, Jr. will receive the Old Tom Morris Award for his contributions to the game.  Wednesday is a full day of the trade show but I carved out time to attend this year's #GCITweetup16 to show my support for this year's winners of the Super Social Media Awards.  As a recipient last year it's important to continue to engage and help grow the community.  Besides, I think I nominated half of them. CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF 2016 WINNERS! 

Before I go I would be remiss if I didn't share this tweet below.  It has been an absolute privilege working with Steve Stahl at Carolina Golf Club.  His passion for instruction and the youth of the game comes as no surprise and I know everyone here is proud of him for this achievement!  Steve was recognized by US Kids Golf as one of the top 50 instructors at the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida just less than two weeks ago.  Way to go Steve!



That's all for now, time to set the obligatory Out-Of-Office reply on my email, grab my bags and head to the airport.  Here's hoping for a smooth flight and a productive week with all the best in the business at #GIS16.  Feel free to follow along as I post updates from the Golf Industry Show.  I'll be back next week so until then stay warm and Keep Pounding.

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton, CGCS
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Friday, January 15, 2016

Extreme WX, Catching Up, and Technicolor!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Friday, January 15th and much has changed since my last update.  First let me start by wishing each of you a Happy New Year!  I assume if you're reading this you are not one of the three Powerball lottery winners, so let's cut straight to the chase.  If you thought December was one of the most extreme weather months ever experienced in this region with above average temperatures (hooray) and above average rainfall (boo), you are not imagining things.  This weather graphic from December 30th clearly depicts the bizarre nature of things.
Courtesy of Brad Panovich, WCNC

 In fact, December 2015 will go on record as the largest departure from average for any month in Charlotte history (weather records for the Queen City go back consecutively 137 years). 
Courtesy of Brad Panovich, WCNC

 What a cruel twist of fate it was to have temperatures in the 70's F for nearly a week around the Christmas holiday and yet it rained so much the golf course was unplayable the majority of the time. In fact all the rain from November (10.43") and December (8.84") combined at Carolina Golf Club totaled 19.27 inches!  Think about that for a second, over 19 inches rain fell on the golf course in the final two months of 2015.

 One impact that much rain had on course conditions (other than the obvious restricting golf cars to the paths) was to our sand bunkers.  Heavy rain after heavy rain would wash out the edges and compact the sand to near concrete firmness.  Attempts to maintain playable conditions quickly fell behind schedule as the unseasonable rains coincided with the departure of seasonal staff and full-time members taking holiday leave.  Things were definitely tricky to say the least.  I am happy to report we recently spent several days doing our best to check all bunkers for proper sand depth, redistributed sand when possible, and added new sand where necessary.  
I believe we may still add more sand to a handful of bunkers, but hopefully you will find the overall playing condition much improved than recently experienced.

 Earlier I mentioned the above average temperatures last month.  Did you notice how the golf course greened up during the last week of December?  The warm conditions caused previously dormant bermudagrass (dormant from early season frost in late October) to begin the process of breaking dormancy and greening up.  Granted this was predominantly in the rough as our closely mowed areas had managed to avoid dormancy for the most part during the late fall.  But with the changing of the calendar a north wind began to blow across Carolina Golf Club on January 4th bringing cold, Canadian air to the region and freezing temperatures.  The natural green color our closely mowed areas had maintained slowly succumbed to winter last week.  
The photo in the tweet above from January 5th, as well as the photo below depicts just how green (natural color) the closely mowed turf remained deep into the off-season.  That natural color would slowly fade away last week after several mornings with temperatures in the low 20's F!
Bermudagrass Color Fading Away

 In fact by this past Sunday we were once again "biscuit brown" as my good friend Tony Nysse (Golf Course Superintendent, Old Marsh Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) would say!  Look closely at the upper left photo captioned Jan 11.  Since last year's experiment with coloring fairways was well received (seems most of you prefer some color contrast in order to provide definition of the golf hole), we initiated applications Monday of a turf paint from Geoponics (Endurant TC) to green things back up quickly.
In fact, when you compare the last tweet above to the one posted in the beginning of the last Greenkeeper update CLICK HERE you get an even better sense of the impact color and definition have on the perception of the golf hole.  I am hopeful this year's treatments will persist longer than last year, and our color will be even more enhanced once we make a follow-up treatment late next month.  The goal being to absorb some UV radiation and hopefully enhance the survival of the turf and natural green-up come spring!

 That's all for now.  Here's hoping for a Panthers victory Sunday and a history lesson for those of you geeky like me wondering why WX is a common abbreviation for weather.  Seems it goes all the way back to the early 1800's and Samuel Morse.  CLICK HERE FOR HISTORY LESSON courtesy of Brad Panovich, WCNC.

 See you on the course and Keep Pounding!

 Matthew Wharton, CGCS

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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Where's Winter, Decemblur, New Assistant, and Merry Christmas!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Tuesday, December 22nd and last month I posted CLICK HERE about how the continuing education season gets busy when the growing season is behind us.  Guess someone should have told Mother Nature because I'm pretty sure the golf course shouldn't look this green this time of year, at least not naturally.
Last year's painting of the dormant turf canopy (AKA #LiquidOverseed) was a huge hit, and we made arrangements to do the same this season using an even better product.  Now if winter would just arrive we could proceed according to plan.

Just last week Mrs. Greenkeeper wondered when I was planning on assisting her with some necessary Christmas shopping.  It seems half the month was already gone and I hadn't realized it. You see, the first two weeks of December were a blur as I was afforded not one, but two amazing opportunities to represent Carolina Golf Club.  First I attended an event called the Golfdom Summit sponsored by Golfdom Magazine.  This event brought together 50 superintendents from all across the country along with 15 industry sponsors for some meetings, discussions, candid conversations and amazing networking opportunities.  It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience and it was an honor to be invited and included with so many great superintendents.  I even managed to meet a true legend and arguably the single greatest female golfer of all time, Annika Sorenstam.
Following the summit I made a brief stop in Pinehurst for the final two days of the annual Carolina Golf Club Ross Retreat.  Then I was off again, this time to Wake Forest University and the phenomenal Graylyn International Conference Center to attend the 2015 Syngenta Business Institute. The SBI is an intense professional business curriculum tailored for golf course superintendents.  The class was limited to 26 attendees and we were selected based on our applications and written essay. I applied last year and was not selected but fortunate enough to make this year's roster.  The experience was truly one-of-a-kind (I know, I said that earlier).  These two events could not be any more dissimilar, but both were extremely rewarding and worthwhile.  Over the first 10 days of December I met some truly fabulous superintendents and we shared loads of information with each other.  It's an interesting bond we have, a brotherhood if you will.  For those interested here's a brief SBI Recap by another one of our industry publications, Superintendent Magazine.

 In other news, please welcome David Sherwood to the Carolina Golf Club family.  David joins my team as 2nd Assistant Superintendent.  David is originally from Breckenridge, Michigan (about 30 miles west of Saginaw).  Although a Michigan man at heart (Go Blue), David is a graduate of the renowned turfgrass program at Michigan State University.  
David Sherwood
Prior to relocating to Charlotte in 2014 with his wife Rebecca and daughter Arianna, David worked at The Ridge Golf Course in Breckenridge, Twin Bridges Golf Course in Merrill, and was Assistant Superintendent at The Sawmill Golf Club in Saginaw.  For the past year David has been on staff at Quail Hollow Club as Assistant-In-Training.  I am excited to have David on my team and look forward to him boosting our operations at Carolina Golf Club! 

 Well, that's all for now.  It's time to head home and pack as Mrs. Greenkeeper and I hit the road tomorrow for Virginia to spend Christmas with family.  For those of you looking to sneak in a round of golf either Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day the weather looks warm, but rainy.  Make sure you don't wear your new golf shoes because conditions are already saturated (over 3 inches rain this month) and tomorrow is supposed to bring even more heavy rain to our area (2015 will go down as one of the weirdest weather years in memory).  I will return Monday, December 28th and until then my family and I would like to wish everyone at Carolina Golf Club a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton, CGCS
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Geico, Eddie and the Cruisers, and Gratitude!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Wednesday, November 25th, the day before Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday of the year).  In a moment I will share with you a small list of things I'm thankful for this year.  I guess you could say it has become an annual tradition, but before I do I want to review the policies regarding Thanksgiving Day golf and then share some perspective why there is more to be thankful for this year than in the past.

 Tomorrow Carolina Golf Club is closed.  The gate at the street will not be open and the clubhouse will be locked (we will at least make sure the restrooms adjacent to the snack bar are open).  All club employees are off in order to spend time enjoying Thanksgiving with their families.  I do not know if you fully understand the significance of this gesture, but let me assure you my staff truly appreciates the opportunity to catch up on a little sleep and spend quality time with their loved ones.  When you work in the golf industry you spend your holidays at the golf course [it's what you do ;) ] because that is when the folks we work so hard to please all year are off work and desire to play this game we all love and enjoy.  But on this day folks wishing to get in a quick round before the turkey, or maybe a quick nine afterwards are welcome to do so, but it is golf in its purest form, people walking and enjoying the grandest of games simply for the love of it, and maybe to get out of the way in the kitchen at home.  

My Thanksgiving day starts with a cup of coffee (okay, two) and a drive through the clubhouse gate. I patrol the entire course making sure everything is in order and nothing is out of place.  If there is no concern for frost I will exit through the back gate by the Turf Care Center and return home to my family.  After all, grass doesn't know what day it is.  If there is a likelihood for frost I will hang around behind the clubhouse and converse with whoever arrives to ensure no one inadvertently damages the turf before the frost lifts.  The forecast for tomorrow morning calls for a temperature in the lower 40's meaning no frost expected tomorrow, so come early if you wish and if I don't see you, Happy Thanksgiving!

When I was in high school there was a popular movie on HBO called Eddie and the Cruisers.  The 1983 cult film was centered around a popular 60's rock band and the mysterious "death" of its leader, Eddie Wilson.  The band was trying to create a follow up album to their smash debut, but it seems problems swirled around the band and the studio sessions for the never released Season In Hell.

 As I reflect on the events that will forever mark 2015, there have been times when I thought this was a "Season in Hell".  My team and I managed the golf course through multiple weather extremes such as winter kill, heat and drought, and flooding rains.  We've dealt with internal personnel issues and said goodbye to former coworkers.  And my family and I have endured the death of my grandfather, my mother-in-law fell and broke her hip, and recently my aunt underwent surgery to remove kidney cancer.  I do not share these things with you to invoke pity or sympathy, but merely to say this year was definitely more difficult than others.  You see, it's easy to be thankful in a year of prosperity like last year (CLICK HERE), but it's the truly difficult and challenging years that strengthen you and make everything more worthwhile.  Despite the challenges and setbacks of 2015 the golf course has come shining through, and my team's hard work continues to produce the best product in the city for your enjoyment!  

 This year I am thankful for:

 10. The Carolina Panthers!  Hey, the Panthers are 10-0 and on the cover of Sports Illustrated.  Having grown up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, I never had a hometown team before.  When my wife and I moved to Charlotte ten years ago I was not a Panthers fan, but over the years my love for my "hometown" team has grown and evolved.  Besides, everyone in the Queen City is so much friendlier when the Panthers win. #KeepPounding

 9.  Frank Beamer!  In February of 1997 I walked into Frank Beamer's office to introduce myself.  I was the new graduate assistant sports turf manager and I noticed his door was open.  Coach Beamer had just won the Sugar Bowl over Texas in '95 and was a few weeks removed from going toe-to-toe with Tom Osborne's Nebraska Cornhuskers in the '96 Orange Bowl.  Coach Beamer took the time to make me feel welcome and explain my role would be important in our program's future success.  I have never forgotten that moment and I am thankful for everything he did the past 29 years for our beloved alma mater, Virginia Tech! Ut Prosim! #ThanksFrank
Virginia Tech Fighting Gobblers!

 8.  The USGA!  A few weeks ago the USGA announced the 2018 Mid-Amateur Championship is coming to Charlotte Country Club, but we will play a significant role as we serve as the companion course during the stroke play portion of the tournament.  After successfully hosting the 2014 NC Amateur I didn't think it possible for Carolina Golf Club to be part of something on a larger scale, but a USGA national championship is about as big as it gets!  Let the countdown to the 2018 #USMidAm begin!

 7.  Recognition!  Earlier this year I mentioned how Carolina Golf Club received some recognition in Tom Doak's new book, The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Volume 2.  What we have at 2415 Old Steele Creek Road is special, and now folks outside are starting to take notice.  Kind of gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling folks sometime mention. 

6.  Jordan Spieth!  The 2015 PGA Tour Season was one for the ages with Jordan winning 5 times including the Masters and U.S. Open, then falling one stroke shy of a playoff for the Open Championship at St. Andrews.  With the likes of Mr. Spieth, Rory McIllroy, Jason Day, and a host of others I think the future of the game of golf is in good hands.  You can catch Jordan in prime time and late night this week as he defends his Australian Open Championship down under!

 5.  My Staff!  I alluded earlier not everything was a bed of roses this year in golf course maintenance land, but through it all there still exists a dedicated and loyal staff working their tails off making me look good!  We endured a lot this year and I genuinely appreciate each and every one of them.  When you see them on the course please let them know you appreciate their efforts too!
  
Golf Maintenance 2015
4.  Support!  I can't thank the Board of Governors, the Greens Committee, and Roger Wolfe, CCM enough for their support this year!  As I stated above this was one for the ages as we endured multiple weather related hardships all in one calendar year.  I know I am very fortunate to work for a group of people that love golf like I do, and put the golf course first and foremost in their hearts. Thank you all for your support this year!

3.  Golf!  I list it every year because quite simply without this grand game invented centuries ago none of this is even possible.  I thank God every day for the game of golf, it is not just a game you and I play, but it is the life I live!  

 2.   Faith!  I mentioned the Man upstairs just moments ago and I am not worthy of the blessings He's bestowed upon me since I arrived on this piece of property over ten years ago.  A young Natalie Wood once told Maureen O'Hara, "Faith is believing in something even when common sense tells us not to."  Years like this one can test a man's faith... and I'm thankful mine is stronger than ever!

1.  Family!  This is the part when my vision gets blurry because I can't express eloquently enough the true love and appreciation I have for Mrs. Greenkeeper!  She has been a rock this year supporting me through a challenging year fighting the elements, supporting me in the loss of my hero, and supporting her mother in a difficult time of need.  I am so thankful for her and everything she does for our family! Later tonight our children and grandchildren will arrive to celebrate Thanksgiving with us.  I can't wait to join hands around the table tomorrow and tell each of them how much I love them, how thankful I am for them, and tell them how much I love their mother!


    Happy Thanksgiving,

     Matthew Wharton, CGCS
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    Friday, November 13, 2015

    Big News, Saying Goodbye, and No Time To Rest!

    Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Friday, November 13th and earlier this week some exciting news I vaguely hinted about in January (CLICK HERE) was finally announced.  That's right, I'm talking about the United States Golf Association bringing the 2018 Mid-Amateur Championship to Charlotte Country Club in late September of that year.  Carolina Golf Club will serve as the companion course for the 36-hole stroke play portion of championship qualifying before the field is cut to 64 players advancing to match play at Charlotte Country Club.  Here is the LINK to the official press release courtesy of the USGA and here is the LINK to the story as it appeared in the Charlotte Observer earlier this week.  Granted Charlotte Country Club is hosting the championship, but believe me any level of involvement with a USGA national championship is major league.  The tournament countdown has already started at Golf Course Maintenance!

     In other news, today I said goodbye to four young lads that have been just an absolute joy to mentor. Sky, Sing, Pong, and Aek (pronounced Ache) are heading home to Thailand.  This marked the sixth consecutive year we used international interns through the World International Student Exchange to serve as seasonal staff.  Over the past six years we have hosted young men from Ukraine, Moldova, Ireland, England, Thailand, and Philippines.  This year's class was our best ever with these four young men from Thailand joining two others (Joe and Gift) from the Philippines.  Joe and Gift will be with us a few more weeks.
    From L-R: Sky, Aek, Pong, Sing
    Group Selfie!
    The photos above were taken back on April 11th.  That's Joe in the red cap turned backwards and Gift sporting the throwback Montreal Expos cap.  Notice how much dormant turf was still evident in the rough, what a strange weather year 2015 has been!  

     Speaking of weather, did you know we received just under six inches rain in the month of October (5.71") and thus far we received an additional 7.17 inches in November!  That's right, over 7 inches rain just in the first two weeks of November this year.  Seems our usual wet summer and dry fall decided to switch places on us this year.  As the growing season for bermudagrass comes to a close things have definitely been challenging with regards to making pre-emergent herbicide applications, Spring Dead Spot fungicide applications, and winter colorant applications.  Thankfully we decided to split the pre-emergent applications this year so we do have the first one under our belts.  We will get cranking again soon now that conditions permit our 300 gallon sprayer on the fairways without damage.

    With the traditional busy fall golf season now in the rear-view mirror (save for the upcoming Pig Roast Shotgun next weekend) you might think there would be time for us hard working superintendents to rest.  Quite the contrary as education season kicks off next week with the annual Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association Conference and Show.  As a member of the Carolinas GCSA Board of Directors, not only will I be attending the conference this year but I will also play a role behind the scenes.  Assistant Superintendent Ben Albrecht will be with me in attendance as we represent Carolina Golf Club and attend various seminars, lectures, and the trade show.  This year I'm also a speaker as I will be joining Tony Nysse, Golf Course Superintendent of Old Marsh Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and Pat Jones, Publisher and Editorial Director of Golf Course Industry magazine in presenting a professional development class on communications.  The three of us will attempt to help other superintendents and assistants better understand the role social media plays in today's society, and how they may be able to better use the various platforms to their advantage. Funny, it was this time two years ago (CLICK HERE) I joined Twitter and now they have me teaching a class on it, not sure what to make of that!

    Oh well, hope everyone enjoys the sunshine while it hangs around a few more days.  Brace for the cold temperatures moving in and don't be surprised if we have a frost delay either morning this weekend.  We pride ourselves at Carolina for making the effort to get you, your fellow members, and your guests on the course as quickly as possible.  We only ask you be patient and enjoy a second cup of coffee!

     See you on the course,

     Matthew Wharton, CGCS
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    Friday, October 23, 2015

    Fall Course Conditions, Overseeding, and Sergio Garcia!

    Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Friday, October 23rd and it's been nearly three weeks since my last update.  In that short span we've endured significant rainfall, hosted two major club events, initiated golf course treatments to prepare for winter, and did something for the first time in a decade.  Continue reading below to find out about these things and more in greater detail.

     When we last met here the golf course was closed as significant rain impacted the Greater Charlotte area.  That day alone (Saturday, October 3rd) saw us take on 2.65 inches rain.  Coupled with the rain received on October 1st and 4th means we received 3.53 inches during the first four days of this month!  These rain events made the first positive impact to our irrigation reservoir since April as the level rose between three and four feet.
    Since that time blue skies and mild temperatures have returned creating some fabulous golf conditions.  I mean, is there really a better time of year than now.
    Last weekend was the Senior Men's Championship and they really hit the jackpot with regards to perfect weather.  Consecutive cloudless days with low humidity meant green speeds were just where they should be this time of year, and it was a pleasure to prepare the golf course in this manner for them.  Congratulations to Paul Spadafora as he took home this year's title (his fourth overall)!  As an added bonus, members of the Donald Ross Society played that same Saturday behind the championship and other member play.  It was the first time most had seen Carolina since the restoration (and first time at all for some).  I had the good fortune to introduce myself and speak to some of the group, and each seemed genuinely impressed with the treasure we have tucked away here.  Being an honorary member of the society (so named in 2007) made this occasion even more special.
    Recently Carolina Golf Club received some other favorable press as the newest volume of Tom Doak's The Confidential Guide To Golf Courses was released.  If you are not a golf course architecture nerd like me, then perhaps you're not familiar with the book.  Anyway, Volume 2 takes a look at golf courses located in the southern U.S. as well as Central and South America.  I don't know about you but I find it very rewarding to know all the hard work we've put in to making Carolina something special is not being overlooked.  You should all be proud to know your golf course is highly regarded.
    Currently there are 60 members and 60 guests enjoying the best of conditions as they compete in our 2015 Fall Member-Guest.  Considering the perfect weather and perfect playing conditions I'm surprised we didn't think of this before.  I sincerely hope everyone has a wonderful time.  Believe it or not despite all these references to perfect weather and perfect conditions, it will not be long before winter is upon us.  Last week we made both a late season fertilizer application to all bermudagrass areas as well the first of two split pre-emergent herbicide applications for the prevention of poa annua and winter weeds.  

     One other thing we did in preparation for winter was overseed the primary driving range tee with perennial ryegrass.  This is something new for Carolina as we have not performed this practice during my time as golf course superintendent.  Prior to this year our protocol has been to close the driving range tee for winter when Daylight Savings Time ends and relegate all practice and lessons to the artificial turf.  Many of you do not like hitting from the artificial turf and have expressed a desire to continue using the primary tee during the winter months.  The tee is in dire need of renovation after seven years of continuous use since opening in spring 2007, so I thought now was the best time to experiment with overseeding since I will be renovating the tee next spring.  

     The plan is to close the back tee for winter in order to preserve and protect it during the dormant season.  This will provide everyone with a wonderful surface to use next spring while the primary tee recovers from renovation.  In order to remove the overseeded ryegrass and simultaneously smooth and level the tee we will be utilizing a new process called Fraze mowing.  Rather than try and explain the process I've shared a brief YouTube video for you that does a wonderful job showing how one machine can remove unwanted plant material, thatch, etc. and leave behind a smooth, firm surface once the remaining plant material generates new shoots and leaves in a short time.  FRAZE MOWING 

     And speaking of winter, by now many of you have probably heard this year sees a return of the phenomenon known as El Nino.  This most likely means here in the Charlotte area we can expect cooler than average temperatures in addition to higher than average precipitation levels (cold and wet).  Here is a brief video by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explaining the relationship of El Nino to weather patterns across the U.S.  CLICK HERE  

     That's all for now.  I'm off to watch some of the Member-Guest action and start thinking about course setup for next week's Tough Day!

     See you on the course,

     Matthew Wharton, CGCS
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    Saturday, October 3, 2015

    Course Closed... Current Condition Update!

    Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Saturday, October 3rd and I want to quickly update you on current conditions as they relate to the flooding rains received early this morning.  The decision to close the golf course was made early this morning (before sunrise) as the Charlotte Metro area received heavy rainfall associated with an upper level low pressure system bringing moisture from the Atlantic Ocean onshore.  At approximately 6:30 am the radar picture looked like this:
    Shortly after 10:30 am the "firehose" of rain had shifted slightly to our southwest bringing an end to the rainfall for now, so I quickly trekked onto the course to assess the situation.  I found 2.65 inches rain in the gauges, two small trees uprooted (not in play), minor debris (sticks, leaves, and pine needles) scattered about by the cold, gusty winds, and standing water as the course slowly drains down from this event.  
    2.65 Inches Rain!

    Dead Tree Right of 11 Cart Path

    Small Willow Right of 16 Cart Path


    Scattered Sticks and Leaves
    Creek Fronting 16 Green
    Overall, I would say the golf course came through this event with flying colors.  The golf course will remain closed as conditions are currently unplayable, but at least for now we haven't sustained any significant damage.  Also, despite the rain having stopped water levels are elevated in the two upper ponds and all that water is flowing to our irrigation lake.  This first video is water flowing from the upper most pond under the cart path at number 18:  

     This next video is water flowing from the middle pond fronting number 18 through the overflow into the irrigation pond:

     As for the irrigation pond, I captured several photos on Thursday in advance of this forecasted rain event.  I will wait to post those along with new photos depicting the before and after once this rain event is over in the next day or two.  The good news is the lake has already risen approximately two to three feet and will continue to rise for quite some time.

    Looks like a good day to put your feet up and cheer for your favorite football team.  Stay tuned to Twitter, the CGC App, and The Greenkeeper for more updates as this system continues to impact our region.

     Stay safe and stay dry,

     Matthew Wharton, CGCS
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