Thursday, June 5, 2014

North Carolina Amateur Week - Day 4

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Thursday, June 5th and Day 4 of North Carolina Amateur Week.  Although we are into our fourth day of event week, today was day one of tournament competition.  Mother Nature greeted me and my staff this morning with temperatures in the mid 70's F and with a little breeze (not exactly what we were looking for but nothing we can't handle).

 Jobs from the morning before were on the board (that's why you have dress rehearsals), and the crew was ready to go when I gathered them to share something.  I knew our club president was going to be stopping by yesterday morning, but I did not plan for a guest pep talk today...but we had one anyway.  At 5:07 am my good friend Tim Carpenter, Golf Course Superintendent of Gaston Country Club sent me the following text message, "To you and your staff good luck this morning and the rest of the week - I know you will make our area shine - Light'em up it's showtime!"  I read Tim's text aloud to the crew, and then we embarked onto the course.  Tim and his staff are hosting their annual Member-Guest this weekend, and for him to take a moment to recognize what we are doing is special and speaks volumes about the brotherhood that exists between golf course superintendents!  I wish Tim and his staff much success with their event!

 Once the team was out the door greens were mowed and rolled (we also collected soil moisture readings and hand watered where appropriate), dew removed from fairways, teeing grounds walk mowed, bunkers smoothed and hand raked, etc.  Breakfast this morning was courtesy of David Wrenn with Southern Agriculture!  The crew was dismissed until 4:00 pm.

 As I was looking for a good photo to tweet this morning, I found this message from golf course architect Kris Spence.

Kris led our four phase Ross Restoration that began in 2005 and wrapped up in 2008!  It was nice to see he was thinking of us on this momentous occasion for Carolina!

 Today we managed to dodge the threat of severe weather as thunderstorms stayed well to our north.  As a result an already firm and fast golf course firmed up even more.  Despite the firmness, the course managed to yield a handful of low scores including a nine under par 62 to tournament leader, and Charlotte native Bailey Patrick, Jr.  The young Mr. Patrick leads by three shots over John Eades (also of Charlotte) who shot a six under par 65, and by four shots over Scott Harvey of Greensboro (66).  Defending champion Steven Brame of Henderson is currently T8 after a three under par 68.  Carolina Golf Club's own Brett Boner fired an even par 71 and currently is T36.  You can find out more and see a video with Head Golf Professional, Jeffrey Peck at the official web page for this year's championship linked below.

 Official 2014 North Carolina Amateur Championship Web Page

 We treated the staff to pizza this evening before our late mowing session.  Evening course prep consisted of the following: tees walk mowed at 0.325" (9-3 direction).  Approaches, surrounds, and par 3 fairways triplexed at 0.375" (8-2 direction).  Fairways were mowed at 0.475" in a counterclockwise "shadow" cut.  The driving range tee had divots removed and filled, filled divots on all tees, smoothed and raked bunkers, collected soil moisture readings on all greens, hand watered where necessary, and collected firmness readings.

 Earlier I mentioned receiving words of encouragement from a fellow superintendent, and how this profession truly is a brotherhood.  Just before 5:00 pm I received the following text message from Tim Davis, Golf Course Superintendent of Cabarrus Country Club, "Hello buddy.  Just a note to say GOOD LUCK this weekend and I got you in my prayers with your tournament.  If you need anything let me know."  As I said before, we all pull for one another every week of the year, and it is nice to know my friends are pulling for us!

 As for the low round today and competitive course record, hats off to Bailey Patrick, Jr.  I do believe Mr. Ross himself would be proud, because there is nothing to be ashamed of for someone playing quality golf and getting the ball in the hole.  Good luck to everyone the rest of the way... me and the boys are off to get some rest!

 See you on the course,


 Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent  
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014

North Carolina Amateur Week - Day 3

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Wednesday, June 4th and Day 3 of North Carolina Amateur Week.  Today the course was closed to practice rounds only, and unlike yesterday the course was bustling with activity.  There were numerous practice rounds played today and Andy Priest, Director of Tournament and Internet Operations of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) was on site with his team to setup the competition course.  The CGA marked hole locations and tee placements for Rounds 1 and 2 today, along with conducting several other tournament administrative duties.  Today's weather was warmer than our previous two days as this morning's low was around 62 F and our high today reached 90 F (felt like summer).

 Today was "dress rehearsal" for morning course prep.  Before the staff got started we had a special guest deliver an enthusiastic pep talk, Club President Will Barr!  I want to thank Mr. Barr for taking the time to stop by and show his and the club's appreciation to my staff for the work they perform.  It was a great start to a special day.
Club President Will Barr
Once the team was out the door greens were mowed and rolled (we also collected soil moisture readings and hand watered where appropriate), dew removed from tees and fairways, bunkers smoothed and hand raked, along with the usual changing holes, refreshing drinking water, and emptying trash.  When the staff reconvened at our turf care facility they were met by Chris Simon of Harrell's with breakfast!  
Chris Simon of Harrell's
I want to thank Chris for helping make today, and this week a special week for my staff!  The crew was dismissed until 4:00 pm (with the exception of key personnel to watch greens in the early afternoon).  I met with the Greens Committee at noon before returning to the facility to prepare for the evening mowing.

 When the staff returned they were treated to a cookout before hitting the course.  I need to give several big shout outs!  My wife, Darless (a.k.a. Mrs. Greenkeeper); JR Bailey, Equipment Manager; and Vinnie Balducci, Executive Chef for their various roles in making today's cookout happen!
This afternoon we were visited by special guests Steve Smith and Brent Miller of Smith Turf and Irrigation.  They were joined by Dale Getz and Jeff Clarke of Toro.  These gentlemen stopped by to show their appreciation and support, and see their equipment in action.  Their presence on the course this afternoon really helped cap off a special day!  Thank you again for being here!

 The evening course prep consisted of the following: tees walk mowed at 0.325" (6-12 direction).  Approaches, surrounds, and par 3 fairways triplexed at 0.375" (9-3 direction).  Fairways were mowed at 0.475" in a clockwise "shadow" cut.  We also mowed the driving range tee and target greens, filled divots on all tees, smoothed and raked bunkers, sprayed greens and collected firmness readings.

Straight Lines!
Tight Formation!


















In The Action!

 Right now the crew is excited and I sincerely hope the adrenaline lasts the remainder of the week!  Today was fun but tomorrow the curtain is lifted, the lights go on, and the show starts for real.  Rehearsals are over and tomorrow play begins for the Billy Joe Patton Trophy!

 Good luck everyone!

 See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

North Carolina Amateur Week - Day 2

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Tuesday, June 3rd and Day 2 of North Carolina Amateur Week.  Today the course was closed to practice rounds only.  The temperature this morning was 58 F and today was a "normal" day for my staff as we kept to our usual summer start time of 6:00 am.  Today we mowed the entire course before play and tomorrow we will begin our split shifts for the remainder of the week with a start time of 5:30 am.  Today was about mowing all short-cut turf again, touching and tidying up the place, tying up loose ends, and laying the foundation for the rest of the week.

 Today greens were mowed (single cut only), we collected moisture readings, and hand watered only where necessary.  We also collected firmness readings to determine our starting point and establish rolling requirements beginning tomorrow (greens were rolled this past Saturday, Sunday, and yesterday).
Fairways were mowed again today at 0.475" utilizing a "traditional" or "shadow" cut in a clockwise direction.  Tees were walk mowed in the 6-12 direction at 0.325" (0.025" lower than yesterday).  Approaches, surrounds, and par 3 fairways were triplexed right-to-left at 0.375".  Also, we completed the mowing of all roughs.

 We touched up the bunkers, freshly painted all hazard lines, and did the usual tidying up of things (string trimming, pulled weeds from native areas, trimmed irrigation heads, and etc.).  Today it was also necessary to mow the clubhouse entrance, front lawn, and event lawn.

Tonight there was a function at the clubhouse featuring Bradley Klein from Golfweek.  Mr. Klein was briefly involved with the golf course restoration/renovation in 2008 by Kris Spence.  Bradley arrived around lunch time today and had an opportunity to tour the course before tonight's presentation.  The audience featured many Carolina members and distinguished guests.  Bradley's talk focused on our favorite architect, Donald Ross and he tied most of his presentation back to Carolina and the wonderful restoration work by Kris Spence and his team!  

It was an honor to be able to attend tonight's event as it was a celebration of Carolina Golf Club.  Tomorrow morning is "dress rehearsal" for the staff as it applies to morning setup for the remainder of the championship, so that's all for now as I am off to get a few minutes rest.

 See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent
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Monday, June 2, 2014

North Carolina Amateur Week - Day 1

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Monday, June 2nd and Day 1 of North Carolina Amateur Week.  Just this past Thursday, I touched on the magnitude of this event as it relates to the club historically, and my staff and I have been counting down the days on the job board for one year.  You plan for the worst and simultaneously hope for the best!  Over the past year we have endured one of the more challenging winters this region has experienced, and the golf course still has a few scars.  Winter injury and spring dead spot are still evident in places as a cool spring as yet to really kickstart bermudagrass growth in this region.  As a result, the rough is not as robust (my word for this season) in high traffic areas as I would like (hence the late decision to implement a new golf car operation policy banning cart traffic in the rough permanently).  Despite these challenges and setbacks, we press on mowing, grooming, and preparing the golf course to the best of our ability so Carolina Golf Club is the best it can possibly be at this moment in time for the 54th North Carolina Amateur Championship!

 Saying it was an exciting morning would be an understatement.  It was 55 F this morning, a lightweight pullover was an excellent compliment with the morning coffee, and the course was closed today for maintenance.  We did receive 1.78 inches rain last week (Tuesday and Thursday) and that definitely helped green things up.  This was our first maintenance day in a month with two corporate outings and a holiday tournament the past three weeks, so the staff was excited to jump right on the golf course.

 I greeted the crew today with a "To Do List" so long it seemed I needed the back of the dry erase board.  Tasks this morning were broken down to greens, practice areas, short-cut turf, and other.  The putting greens were rolled to remove morning dew followed by a light topdressing.  The topdressing sand was immediately brushed in and the greens irrigated for 3 minutes.
Topdressing the 6th green
Brushing the 18th green

 The putting greens also received a dry mowing in the early afternoon following the lunch break to smooth the surface from the morning brushing.

 On the practice areas we mowed the driving range tee, short game fairway, target greens, and driving range floor (main landing area).  We also mowed all rough height turf in and around the practice areas.  All divots on both the main range tee and short game fairway were filled and smoothed.
It was a busy weekend!

 With the practice areas complete we started on the golf course.  We mowed rough (we are only lightly "topping" the rough today and tomorrow for the entire week).  All fairways were cross-cut (9-3) at 0.475" and tees walk mowed at 0.350" in the same direction.
9 - 3 Mowing Direction

 Approaches, surrounds, and par 3 fairways were triplexed left-to-right at 0.375".  Bunker faces were mowed with hover mowers.  Clippings were blown from the bunker floors, the floors probed for proper depth, smoothed and hand raked.  
One of Seventy-Seven Ross Style Bunkers!

 Some other housekeeping duties including removing tee markers from the course, spraying tees, trimming around irrigation heads, removing stakes and ropes from certain areas, and completing the hole sign installation we began on Saturday morning.  

Feels Like a Major!

 The hole signs from the Carolinas Golf Association really give the golf course a unique look and feel.  They stand out like beacons in the night, and you can tell gazing across the golf course this week is something special, this week we identify the 2014 Champion Amateur of North Carolina!

 See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Just 7 More Days, A New Cart Rule, and What Comes Next!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Thursday, May 29th and I would like to take a moment and bring everyone up to speed with current golf course conditions, as well as what to expect as we enter into summer.  2014 has been a very busy spring golf season.  We hosted two qualifying tournaments for the PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship.  Just three weeks ago we had a very successful Member-Guest, and this past weekend we conducted our annual Member-Member Championship.  The Member-Member is one of only two member tournaments annually contested over 54 holes (Men's Club Championship).  With an even bigger event next week, my staff and I used the Member-Member to fine tune what we want to accomplish with regards to golf course conditioning.

 Although some effects of the cold winter and cool spring still linger in a few places, overall the golf course has been in remarkable condition for the events previously mentioned.  Firm and fast fairways make for a fun test of golf, and one area that has not shown any ill effects the past month is the putting surfaces.  I do believe right now the greens are the best they have ever been with regards to the combination of surface firmness, smoothness and speed, and that is what we have been striving for as we head into our final event this spring... the 54th North Carolina Amateur Championship conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association!

Hopefully by now you have seen the letter from Will Barr, Club President mentioning the historical significance of Carolina Golf Club hosting the CGA's North Carolina Amateur Championship.  I can assure you, we here in golf course maintenance are very excited for the club and the challenge before us.  In a memo I recently presented to my staff outlining our work schedule next week I wrote, "Carolina Golf Club is honored to have been selected as the host club for the 2014 North Carolina Amateur Championship.  This year's tournament will mark the 54th playing of this competition.  The tournament will consist of two days of practice rounds (June 3-4) and 72 holes of stroke play (June 5-8).  This is the single biggest event ever contested in the history of Carolina Golf Club.  Our job is to prepare and present the golf course to the competitors each day in peak condition.  Our members are very eager to showcase their golf course to the best amateur players in the state, and it is our mission to ensure our members are not disappointed.  I have absolutely no doubt we will be successful in our mission!"  

 Next week I will be blogging about our experience as we prepare the golf course for this prestigious championship.  I will not be emailing daily updates (Twitter followers will receive notification), but feel free to check out the website each day for a behind the scenes look at what goes into preparing a course for true championship golf.

 In other news, from this moment forward I respectfully request all cart traffic on the golf course be limited to the fairways.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  When weather conditions permit golf car traffic on the course (which is most of the time), please access the fairway quickly and then REMAIN ONLY in the fairway until you exit back to the path prior to reaching the green.  I am making this recommendation in an effort to grow consistent turf in the roughs.  Carolina is a popular place to play, and we do a fair number of cart rounds.  High traffic volume increases compaction leading to thin, low growing areas with poor performance and this is detrimental to overall golf course definition.  I know this will take some getting used to, and yes you may need to walk a few extra steps to reach your ball in the rough, but over time you will see a dramatic improvement in turf color and density in these areas.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

 As we close this year's spring golf season and transition into summer here are a few key notes on what to expect on the golf course before fall.  We will be aerating the putting greens June 9th and 10th.  This is a small core aeration (0.25" diameter tine size) we perform annually at this time of year.  This aeration targets the compaction from the extensive mowing and rolling associated with our busy spring season, and helps promote gas exchange in the root zone as we enter the critical hot and humid months.  We will also be installing the fans on those greens equipped with them for the remainder of the summer season.  Friendly reminder these fans are critical tools for our bentgrass greens, as they assist with air circulation in those portions of the property with compromised micro-environments and I ask you refrain from turning them off.

 June 16th and 17th marks our annual fairway aeration.  I already know what you're thinking, but this year you will be pleasantly surprised as we will be performing a solid tine aeration (no cores) and topdressing with sand (remember the old bunker sand we replaced this past winter).  Over the next two months (mid-June through mid-August) we will be making every effort to cultivate healthy bermudagrass turf on the golf course.  We will be aerating, topdressing, fertilizing, verticutting, etc. on tees, collars, approaches, fairways and roughs in order to assist the turf in fully recovering from the ill effects of last winter and ready itself for another busy fall tournament season.

 Finally, I know several of you are wondering when we will open the newly constructed range tee located at the far end of the range.  That tee will open for use on Wednesday, June 11th.  Until then...

 See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent

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Thursday, May 15, 2014

Firm Greens and a Fungus Among Us!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Thursday, May 15th and the rain appears to have set in, so there is no better time than the present to blog about what's going on at Carolina Golf Club.  Earlier this morning there was a tornado warning issued for Mecklenburg County, but fortunately we were not affected.  Since my last post the month of May has brought some much needed warmer weather to our region.  Thirteen of the past fourteen days have seen high temperatures at or above normal, and for the past eleven consecutive days temperatures have been in the 80's F!  That is good news for our bermudagrass tees, fairways, and roughs!  The golf course is looking more and more each day like her old self rather than some semi-dormant piece of land that overslept and is trying to shake off some cobwebs.  Granted there is a cold front associated with this rain we are currently experiencing that will bring some chilly morning temperatures the next few days, but I do not expect to see any adverse effects on our bermudagrass playing surfaces.  That is good news with our Member-Member Championship and the North Carolina Amateur Championship right around the corner!

 Last week was our annual Member-Guest tournament and many of you had very positive things to say about the condition of the golf course.  I want to thank you on behalf of my staff for your kind words!  After the damaging winter and cold spring I was starting to worry about this year's event.  I mentioned to several members in conversation maybe the golf course had looked better in the past this time of year, but I really don't think it had ever played any better.  The fairways were firm and fast and I was paid the ultimate compliment by one of our members when he said, "Matthew the greens are so firm it is hard to find a ball mark!"  When you have bentgrass greens, that's the way they should be.

 I do want to share with you some information about our bermudagrass turf, and explain some things you may be noticing and possibly curious about.  The first is thin areas.  Currently on the far right side of the first fairway along with some areas on five, eight, fifteen and eighteen you will find turf that is suffering from winter injury.
First Fairway
Although all the golf course turf was affected by the harsh winter, these areas were more greatly compromised by their individual environments.  On the first hole this area stays in constant shade caused by the shadows from the line of trees on the south side of the fairway.  In 2010, this turf actually suffered winter kill and had to be replaced with new sod, but a closer inspection this year shows many surviving green plants.

It's Alive!

The other areas I mentioned were compromised by the extremely wet conditions experienced this winter.  Nearly 20 inches of rain fell on Carolina between December 2013 and March of this year.  Throw in another 8 inches last month and these areas spent more time under water, even with internal drainage.  Last week we verticut these damaged areas to break up the crusty layer that formed and was inhibiting bermudagrass regrowth.  We will pay these areas extra attention with fertilizer treatments and topdressing and everything will be good as new before you know it.

 Another bermudagrass topic I want to discuss is a fungal disease commonly called Spring Dead Spot (SDS).  SDS is noticeable after the bermudagrass breaks winter dormancy and is seen as mostly circular, depressed patches of straw-colored turf.  The patches may range anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet in diameter and are slow to completely fill in and grow over with healthy turf.
Spring Dead Spot
SDS typically occurs in mature turfs (more than 5 years old) and with our golf course renovation/restoration occurring in 2008, we now find ourselves dealing with this issue.  SDS is a confounding turf disease because it is incited by three different fungal pathogens Leptosphaeria, Ophiosphaerella, and Gaeumannomyces each with their own specific environmental triggers, thus the severity of SDS may not be consistent from one year to the next.  What we do know is although the disease symptoms appear in the spring, the fungal agents living in the soil typically infect the plants in the fall, as the plant begins to enter winter dormancy.  Last spring we noticed SDS in certain portions of the golf course and mapped those areas in order to apply fungicides last fall.  We are mapping the course again this year for the same purposes, and also to compare the severity from year-to-year.  Also, I  was recently asked by the Virginia Tech Department of Turfgrass Pathology to submit samples for some research they are conducting on the disease, so hopefully our assistance will benefit us down the road.

 Earlier I mentioned the comment about the firmness of our putting surfaces.  In order to promote good water infiltration and assist oxygen entering the root zone it's important to vent the surfaces regularly.  This past Monday we vented the putting greens with needles tines and then rolled the surfaces smooth.  The holes are so small you don't notice them but they work like magic and are critical to the long term health of our greens.
During the venting process intern James Dennett spotted this view from behind the 6th green and shared it with me.  The clouds really caught his eye, especially in black and white!



See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent
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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Let's Get Caught Up!

Hello and welcome to "The Greenkeeper"!  Today is Wednesday, April 30th and it's been way too long since my last post!  My sincerest apologies loyal readers for making you wait... now if I can just come up with something worth it.  Since our last time together I have attended The Masters, had the golf course inspected, took an exam (more on that in a future post), and hosted two qualifying tournaments for the PGA Tour... all while wondering what the heck is up with this weather!
Usually this space is reserved for the obligatory weather recap.  Some of you may wonder why I am so fixated on something I cannot control, but golf is a game played on a surface comprised of millions (perhaps billions) of living breathing grass plants, all exposed to Mother Nature's elements.  The weather helps "paint the picture" or "tell the story" as they say.  Much has already been said about the winter experienced over most of the country this year, but thus far spring hasn't been very "spring like" either.

April 2014, Charlotte Douglas International Weather Data 
The calendar depicted above comes from Weather Underground, and one of the things you should notice is the color coding for actual temperatures.  April started off quite warm but then quickly dropped below average for several days.  This pattern repeated itself all month like a roller coaster leaving turfgrass plants confused.  Also, not only did we experience large temperature swings this month, but April 2014 was the wettest month here at Carolina (with 7.97 inches rain) since August 2008 (8.59 inches, mostly courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay).  Needless to say me and my staff are ready for some good ol' Carolina blue skies and warm temperatures.  Its time for some sunscreen, a wide brimmed hat, and a green golf course!

Nice Hat!
Recently we completed hosting two qualifying tournaments for the PGA Tour's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club.  This was the 5th consecutive year Carolina Golf Club served as the qualifying site.  156 players without status on either the PGA or Web.com tours teed it up this past Thursday for the right to advance to Monday's Event Qualifying Tournament.  Only the top 50 and ties from Thursday were paired with those tour members not already exempt into the Wells Fargo Championship field.  63 players advanced from pre-qualifying and we had 101 total tee it up Monday for only 4 spots in this week's PGA Tour event... not great odds.  As has become customary, there was a dramatic playoff for the final spot with three young men playing holes 10 and 18 in sudden death for the final entry into this year's tournament.  After 8 grueling holes, and nearly running out of daylight, Fielding Brewbaker from Salem, Virginia won with a par after his opponent's tee shot found the water leading to an unfortunate bogey.  
Sidenote: Fielding had to go through pre-qualifying last Thursday to get into Monday's Event Qualifying Tournament, and made the cut Thursday on the number!

For me and my staff, these qualifying tournaments are our "little taste of the big time" as we pull out all the stops to provide true tournament quality conditions for each event.  We want to showcase Carolina Golf Club on your behalf to these individuals playing our favorite game for a living as a true classic maintained to the highest standards.  
From the feedback I received from several members who caddied Monday, I believe we were successful once again, and have one of the better reputations on tour among qualifying sites.  I would be remiss if I didn't give a huge thank you to my staff for all their efforts this past week... wait, I did!

In other news, for those of you that may have missed it earlier, the newly constructed tees this winter are now open for your enjoyment.  Although the Carolinas PGA Section did not use the new tee on 13 (they opted to play the hole as a 470 yard par 4 for pace of play purposes), they did use the new tee on 18 this past Monday. 
Although these new tees are ready for play, the newly constructed tee at the back of the driving range is still a little ways off (it has only received one mowing as of this time).  We are working diligently to complete the grow in of what we hope will be a wonderful addition to our already outstanding practice facilities.  We will inform everyone of its status just as soon as we can.

Of course preparing the golf course for tournaments is hard work but it is also a lot of fun.  I mean, who doesn't enjoy showing off every once in a while, and no tournament says "showing off" more than Member-Guest!  Next week is the annual Carolina Member-Guest and me and my staff are ready to help you show off your golf course to your esteemed guests!  Each day the course gets better and better and I expect the golf course to be in fantastic condition when your guests arrive.  Looking forward to it!

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton
Golf Course Superintendent
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