Wednesday, October 16, 2019

A Clearer Picture!

Hello and welcome to The Greenkeeper!  Today is Wednesday, October 16th and looks like Summer finally packed her bags and left town.  The month since my last post was quite eventful with record breaking temperatures and a dry stretch that endured longer than any other in my tenure.  I'm certain it's only coincidental, but it does appear I had to leave the country in order to get cooler temperatures and rainfall back in the Queen City.  So let's take a closer look at the statistics and their impact on course conditions, and if there's time remaining I'll share a glimpse of my trip.
The chart above paints a very clear picture, where September was warmer than August.  Not to mention September 2019 was also the driest month in my tenure with only 0.05" inch of rainfall for the entire month on the 13th.  That's the day thunderstorms flooded parts of east Charlotte with over three inches.  The radar showed Carolina Golf Club was completely surrounded but the storms fizzled out before dropping any liquid gold on our fairways that day.

 You have to go back to August 24th to find the last measurable rainfall prior to September 13th, a stretch of twenty days.  It would be another THIRTY days before we would see rainfall again this past Sunday, October 13th.  And the heat continued into October with the mercury rising to 99 degrees on October 2nd.  An all-time record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in October in Charlotte.
Brad Panovich, WCNC
When it was all said and done, 2019 stacked up as a year tied with 1925 with the 3rd most number of days where the temperature reached at least 90 degrees.  Only the years 1954 (88) and 2010 (87) had more days than 2019 as we topped out at 90 degrees or above on 85 occasions.  
Brad Panovich, WCNC

I receive a lot of questions about why I post and share so much weather related information.  I'm certain there may even be a few of you that believe golf course superintendents use the weather as an excuse.  But the truth is the game of golf is played outdoors, and the elements beyond my control play a role in the course conditions you experience.  By helping you be aware of what the weather is doing, you already have some insight as to what you might expect prior to arriving at the course.  

 If it is hot and dry you can expect the course to play firm and fast with lots of roll in the fairways.  You may also expect the greens to be a little softer and/or slower due to the irrigation requirements for our grass type.  If it's rained several consecutive days you can expect softer conditions in the fairways and possibly even cart restrictions.  So, in many ways the weather helps paint the picture.  And if by chance you're pleasantly surprised to find conditions better than you anticipate, well that makes for a great day for me and my team.

 Back to the chart above, I've witnessed five of those top ten years during my tenure at CGC.  One thing that jumps out to me is how far we've come from the 2010 season where we really struggled with our new greens (they were seeded in 2008) to today.  We lost a considerable amount of turf during one of the ugliest Junes on record in 2010.  Since then we've invested in fans for those holes located on the property perimeter and we have continued to improve and refine our agronomic programs.  To endure a season like 2019 and produce conditions that far exceeded those from nine years ago makes me extremely proud of my team.

 Other News
Fall Member-Guest is this week.  In fact festivities start tomorrow with practice rounds and the like.  My team is especially excited to showcase your golf course to your guests this year because they are proud of what they've accomplished in the face of extreme weather adversity.  Everyone should expect smooth, fast greens, and a few challenging hole locations, but more importantly a fun setup to compliment the atmosphere of camaraderie.

 Also, we recently renovated a portion of our putting turf nursery.  After several years of harvest it was time to rejuvenate the area.  When you realize some greens are nearly 15 years old (holes 1 and 2 were built in 2005) we thought it would be a good idea to use this opportunity to examine some advances in bentgrass breeding.  Our greens are a 50/50 blend of A1 and A4 creeping bentgrass.  In the past decade there are several newer varieties bred for even greater heat tolerance and/or disease resistance.

 I used industry contacts to obtain seed for three of these newer varieties and included them in our nursery reestablishment.  They are AU Victory out of Auburn University, Pure Distinction and 007.  Pure Distinction's lineage is linked to the Penn A's and G's while 007 was developed at Rutgers University.  It will be interesting to watch these grasses develop next to one another and compare their colors, textures and performance with our mature stand of A1/A4.  















The team did a fabulous job irrigating and promoting germination during my trip abroad and we are now mowing and fertilizing to grow-in the green.

 And lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't share at least a few photos from a trip I'll never forget.  This was the first time I ever set foot in Ireland, but I can tell you I definitely look forward to returning.  What a beautiful country for as far as the eye can see.  And if I need to return to end another hot spell or drought, sign me up. ;)
 
Cliffs of Moher

Lahinch No. 6

Enniscrone No. 15
Sunrise at Rosapenna



























































See you on the course, 

 Matthew Wharton, CGCS, MG
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Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Ranking Summer, Turf Conditions and Bob Ross!

Hello and welcome to The Greenkeeper!  Today is Tuesday, September 17th and hopefully today will be the last time we see the temperature reach 90 degrees for a while.  Shortly after last month's post (Aug 15) talked about being on the back side of Summer, seems no one told Summer and it just kept rolling along.  But before I jump straight into the weather recap, today's post will also touch on current course conditions, upcoming inputs, and I'll share with you a story I recently wrote for an industry publication.  So let's get going.

Weather: Meteorological Summer (June through August) ended back on August 31st and 2019 ranked as the 20th hottest on record overall.  Through the first three weeks of August we were on pace with last summer, which ranks 11th warmest overall.  The cooler temperatures we all enjoyed the final week of August impacted the final average as much as nine positions.
August was also a wet month with the golf course receiving 8.64 inches rainfall, including 5.05 inches between the 19th and 24th.  Prior to receiving a miniscule 0.05 inches rainfall this past Friday afternoon (September 13th), the 0.15 inches of light rain and drizzle back on August 24th was our last measurable rainfall.  Making those twenty days our second longest dry stretch this year.  The longest was twenty-six days from May 13th through June 7th.  

 So the first half of September has been dry and it's been hot, with the temperature reaching at least 90 degrees on thirteen of the first sixteen days this month, and we're forecasted to reach 93 degrees again today.  We even set a record high of 98 degrees last Thursday (September 12th)!  

As of this past Sunday we were right on the heels of last year for the number of days the temperature has reached 90 degrees or above, and thanks to yesterdays warm temperatures and today's forecast we will be tied with last year at 74.  The immediate forecast looks welcoming with some cooler, seasonable temperatures the next couple days, but the long range outlook does show several more days forecasted to reach 90 degrees or above early next week. Stay tuned.

 I don't know about you but I'm beginning to think the four seasons we all enjoyed as children no longer exist and have been replaced with two seasons: Summer and Not Summer.  I'm ready for Not Summer. ;)

 Greens: Despite the prolonged summer-like conditions the putting greens have mostly performed above expectations this summer based on the feedback I've received.  This is due in large part to the increased rolling frequency in lieu of mowing during periods of extreme heat.  We did perform a needle tine venting on September third to promote gas exchange and a light topdressing on September ninth to aid smoothness and ball mark recovery.
This summer really highlighted the importance of aeration, airflow and surface drainage based on my overall observations and general assessment (eye test).  Perhaps you didn't notice, but the turfgrass canopy becomes thin when the soil becomes too hot and/or wet for bentgrass growth.  This thinning is especially evident in lower lying areas, usually exposing the spaces between the most recent aerification holes.  

 We manage just a little under 124,600 square feet of creeping bentgrass.  That's just shy of three acres spread over twenty-two surfaces when you count the practice greens and nursery.  With fans only present on half the greens, I'd say we fared better than expected this season considering the total rainfall during June-August was 18.65 inches.  Yes, that is too wet for the needs of our putting green turf.  Also, despite the over abundance of moisture, you find much less evidence of thinning on greens that are more convex in shape (surface drainage) or where fans are present (airflow).  

 Each green is unique with its own character and personality, requiring subtle differences in management from day to day.  Perhaps you don't see the same blemishes and scars from ball marks and summer heat that I do when the most important thing is how they putt, and they putt smooth and true.     

Fairways: The caveat to a wet summer is the bermudagrass fairways are in excellent condition.  Although bermudagrass is known for it's drought tolerance, it really thrives when soil moisture is readily available.  And if there is one nice thing about hot and dry conditions, it doesn't take too long after an extremely wet week like experienced in late August to quickly return to the preferred fairway conditions of firm and fast.  
No. 8
But despite the warmer than average temperatures of late, the turf is beginning to prepare for winter as growth has slowed.  As a result we are now able to back off our plant growth regulator applications and mowing frequency.  The next big item on our agenda is fall preemergent herbicide applicatons.  We started these yesterday and will continue throughout this week and next as we are treating wall-to-wall all bermudagrass playing surfaces (tees, fairways, and rough).  This application is made each year to prevent annual bluegrass and other unwanted winter annual weeds from invading our dormant playing surfaces.

 Other: In other news I recently had the good fortune to write a story for Golf Course Industry magazine about caring for a Donald Ross designed golf course.  The story begins with an innocent comment made to me by a parent of a participant in the 2005 North Carolina Junior Boys Championship.  Hope you enjoy Curating a classic.

 A big time shout out and hearty congratulations to Dr. Evan Long on winning the North Carolina Super Senior Amateur at Croasdaile Country Club in Durham last week.  
Winner Winner!
Evan fired rounds of 67, 68 for a 9 under par total of 135 to claim the title, well played! He becomes the second CGA Champion from Carolina Golf Club joining Stephen Woodard who claimed the Carolinas Mid Amateur back in April.  CLICK HERE for a full tourney recap of Evan's victory!  Players Club :)

And if you haven't been outside lately in the predawn hours or even twilight you've been missing out.  The sky above Carolina Golf Club has literally been alive with colors both in the early morning and late evening, as if the spirit of Bob Ross was painting happy accidents.  Here's a few of my favorite recent office views I think you'll enjoy.
Panthers Blue Uptown

Late Evening on the Banks
Early Morning Prep
Portrait of Perfection
And finally, it's hard to believe it's been nearly one year since we co-hosted the United States MidAm with Charlotte Country Club.  Brett Boner competed in this year's U.S. MidAm at, ironically another CGC, Colorado Golf Club in Parker, CO.  Commonground Golf Course in Aurora is the stroke play co-host.  Brett fired rounds of -1 at Commonground and +2 at Colorado GC in the stroke play portions and landed the No. 29 seed.  
Brett jumped out to an early 2 Up lead but his match went all 18 holes with his opponent from Pennfield, NY winning 1 Up.  I want to congratulate Brett on another outstanding performance in a USGA Championship and representing Carolina Golf Club every step of the way.  
See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton, CGCS, MG
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Thursday, August 15, 2019

Back Side of Summer!

Hello and welcome to The Greenkeeper!  Today is Thursday, August 15th and summer is almost over.  Now I know what you're thinking, the first day of autumn isn't until September 23rd and the Panthers don't open the season at home against the Rams until September 8th.  Yes, but the days are now noticeably shorter and warm-season grasses have begun their preparations for the upcoming winter.  At the very least we can agree we are on the back side of summer as the first day of school is less than two weeks away (August 26th).

 Weather:  The weather this summer continues to be very warm, muggy and wet.  As of yesterday we've had 50 days where the temperature has reached 90 degrees or above and 18 days where the temperature has equalled or exceed 95 degrees.  Important to note, the temperature only reached 95 plus nine times all last year, so we've doubled that in 2019!  As for rainfall, when the irrigation lake is full this time of year you know it hasn't been too dry around town.  YTD we have received 36.74 inches rainfall and our summer total (since June 1st) is 13.21 inches.
One other interesting tidbit about this summer I recently learned from Brad Panovich.  This summer is almost as warm as last, but the overall warmth this year has been driven by the daytime highs where as last summer's average daily temperatures were more driven by the elevated overnight lows.  I explained to Brad how elevated overnight lows are more problematic and stressful to cool-season grasses like our bentgrass than extreme daytime highs.  Weather geeks :)  

 Greens:  We vented greens back on August 5th in response to the abundant rainfall.  Bentgrass and too much water are not a good mix during periods of elevated soil temperatures, and this process helped alleviate some of the stresses associated with soils too wet from excessive rain events.  
Before Cleanup
After a Blow and Roll
I can add water when needed much easier than I can take it away.  Despite the challenges faced this summer, overall our greens have managed to meet or exceed expectations based on the feedback I've received and I've been quite pleased with their performance as I watch balls react when striking the surface and putts roll out.  With fall around the corner firmer and faster than currently are not too far off.

 Fairways:  We just completed our second topdressing this growing season.  Once again 300 tons of sand was applied to the 30 acres of tees, fairways and approaches.  Since 2015 we've applied nearly 4000 tons of sand and as a result the overall smoothness of the playing surfaces and our ability to obtain a tighter cut is much improved.  
Also, the fairways handle excessive rainfall events much better and we're not subject to lengthy periods of cart restrictions which leads to unhappy golfers.  Side Note: Considering the thickness of the rough I suggest placing the tee shot in the fairway as much as possible going forward.

 Other:  Last time (click here) I referenced some new turf would be installed to improve overall course aesthetics.  The team made quick work of the 8,000 square feet of sod eliminating several unsightly areas damaged by high traffic.  I also referenced the oak tree between the 5th and 15th holes suffering from leaf scorch and as predicted, the tree has pushed out new leaves.  
New Leaves
During a recent site visit with architect Kris Spence we decided to expand the closely mowed surround left of No. 6 green and connect it to the Ross/Blue tee of No. 7.  We have started this process by scalping down the bermudagrass and topdressing heavily.  As the area begins to regrow we will mow it with our current approach/surround mowers at the same height of cut.  The process should take two to three weeks which means we should be good to go by Club Championship.  
One of our recent overnight thunderstorms damaged the pedestrian bridge spanning the creek on hole 11.  We removed the bridge, shored up the support and reinstalled.  The bridge now sits at a different angle than before but rests on solid rock and shouldn't pose anymore potential issues.
And for you nature lovers, I've spotted a fawn and its mother on several occasions for several weeks, but they're always difficult to photograph.  Yesterday morning while patrolling and checking the rain gauges I happened upon them in the middle of hole 8.  A little blurry but best I've managed so far.
Also, seems our resident herons (there are usually two) have given birth to a little one.  The images aren't the greatest as I wasn't able to get too close but I think it's the cutest thing.  Definitely have to keep our eyes out for more sightings.
Anyway, that's all for now.  Despite the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel we still have work to do, plus the extended weather outlook is calling for the entire second half of August to remain very warm and very humid.  But, our goal each day is to present the course to you in the best condition possible.  A tall order, but one this new team is getting better at each day.
See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton, CGCS, MG
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Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Mid-Summer Report and The Open!

Hello and welcome to The Greenkeeper!  Today is Tuesday, July 16th and it's Open Championship week!  Since 1860 there has been a tournament to determine the "Champion Golfer of the Year"!  So much history carried out over some of the grandest links in the U.K.  And this year a return to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, which last hosted the Open Championship in 1951, won by Max Faulkner.  But more on the Open later.

 What I really want to talk about is the golf course at Carolina Golf Club and her condition as we reach the mid-point of summer.  Recall meteorological summer is defined by the months of June, July and August, thus we've reached the mid-point and I thought this would be a good time to summarize where things stand.

 Weather: The weather in our region has been very summer-like of late, with daytime temperatures in the 90's and dew point temperatures in the upper 60's and low 70's (meaning very humid conditions).  Recently I learned the state of North Carolina has just experienced the all-time wettest 12 months on record and that same time period was the fifth warmest all-time.
For us locally it has been a wet start to 2019 with just over 30 inches rainfall (30.54) since January 1.  Charlotte averages about 40 inches each calendar year so with over 5 months to go we are ahead of pace.  Early June was unseasonably cool for a brief period which was a big help to assisting the putting greens and their recovery from our aeration back on June 3.  

 Greens: Speaking of the putting greens, I'm happy to report we are currently in good plant health despite the oppressive heat and humidity of the dog days.  The greens continue to perform well even though elevated dew points (70 degrees and above) really place a lot of stress on the plant.  The current conditions are conducive for fungal disease development, and we've been very proactive during this period with plant protectant applications.

 We continue to substitute rolling for mowing two or three times weekly.  This gives the plant a rest from the daily mechanical stress of being cut, but simultaneously helps us maintain a smooth and true putting surface with acceptable speeds.  The new light weight rollers we acquired last year have been a tremendous difference maker.  

 One negative issue is ball marks.  Unrepaired or even improperly repaired ball marks leaves a very unsightly blemish on the putting greens.  During the heat of the summer, these blemishes will take WEEKS to heal.  Please repair your fresh ball marks and pitch marks, and if you're unsure of the proper method just flag me down and I'll be happy to demonstrate.  












Fairways: I've been impressed with the overall appearance and performance of our bermudagrass fairways since recovering from a very aggressive aeration week.  The deep verticutting operation we performed has tightened the canopy more than I anticipated after just one treatment, and I look forward to seeing the results going forward as we continue to perform that operation each season.  Also, the areas slow to green up this spring have responded well to their treatments and continue to grow back in.  They were harder hit this winter due to shade, traffic, and/or other factors but I'm happy to report they are practically unnoticeable.

 The Committee and I have probably received more comments about the 14th fairway this year than most others.  I can tell you it has the highest percentage of Common Bermudagrass and it receives the least amount of morning sunlight due to its orientation along the property perimeter.  We may experiment with reducing traffic on that hole in the near future so keep your eyes out for signage indicating cart restrictions.
Nice lie
Two other fairway notes, we will topdress fairways and approaches once more this growing season the week of August 5th.  And I have a request for those of you that help us by filling divots in the fairway with the sand provided.  Please do not overfill the divot.  Mounded sand not only creates a mini bunker, penalizing your fellow players but causes damage to the cutting reels of the mowers.  We're looking for a smooth and level surface for the bermudagrass turf to regrow across from the edges.  If too full, please scrape excess away with your foot.  Thank you for your cooperation.

 Bunkers: Earlier this year bunkers were probably the single biggest area of concern.  This was primarily related to the staffing issues we were experiencing.  With less than a full staff we attempted to get creative in the way we prepared the bunkers each day which resulted in inconsistency. Once it became clear these alternatives were not desirable we reverted back to a full rake daily.  Also, we just recently completed a thorough check of all bunkers for sand depth and distribution.  Bunker sand was even added to a few bunkers in need so hopefully you are able to avoid the bunkers, but if your ball does unfortunately find its way into one you will be pleased with the condition you are now experiencing.   

 Native Areas: We just wrapped up the annual mowing of the warm-season native areas (cool-season fine fescue areas are mowed in late winter).  This was done to remove the old growth, clean up invasive weeds and make room for the new broomsedge seed stalks.  These areas are being treated with broadleaf herbicide to eradicate anything that survived the bushogging.  Wonder if the Committee will let me get some goats... just kidding.

 Other: Here are a few other things worth mentioning.  The oak tree between the tees of holes 5 and 15 is not dead, but did suffer from leaf scorch during the July 4th holiday period.  We had another oak tree experience the same condition back in July 2012.  Our consulting arborist met with me late last week to confirm the diagnosis and the tree's health.  In fact, don't be surprised if new leaves are generated before fall.

 My team is installing some new turf this week, so please drive with caution and avoid stepping and walking on the sod until it is sufficiently rooted.  All of these areas are located in high traffic zones so be on the lookout for stakes and ropes.  

 Speaking of high traffic zones, folks playing holes 4 and 6 please refrain from parking behind both greens.  When doing so you congest the traffic both for folks playing hole 14 and the Agronomy team attempting to maneuver to and from the Turf Care Center.  It is not a coincidence the majority of the new turf being installed is immediately adjacent to the cart path where folks park and others drive around.  Thank you for your cooperation.

 Staff: When discussing the bunkers above I referenced staffing issues experienced earlier this season.  The past two updates have included the faces and names of some new team members.  We hired two additional guys last week, but we also had one other hired earlier this year that unfortunately didn't work out.  At this time our numbers are one full-time equivalent shy of last year.  If I were a football coach, I would classify 2019 as a rebuilding year as only 50% of current staff were on the team this time last year.  Considering the overall condition of the golf course, I would say the team's performance far exceeds their level of experience. 

 The Open Championship: So back to the best week of the year, the 148th playing of the Open Championship starts in just two more days.  If you want to get an inside scoop on the conditions of Royal Portrush before Darren Clarke strikes the opening tee shot Thursday morning, CLICK HERE to check out a special edition of The Course Reports ON SITE.  
See you on the course,

 Matthew Wharton, CGCS, MG

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