The Voodoo We Do

It's a passion. Yes, it's a job but it's a passion for most of us tending golf courses for a living. It creeps into your bloodstream and becomes part of your DNA. There are a multitude of factors that create this passion; going to work long before the rest of the world wakes up, seeing the sunrise everyday, orchestrating the daily production of course preparations, seeing the results of your plan play out in real time, the knowledge that your hard work will be enjoyed by many people, being tuned into the natural world, feeling the harshness and beauty of Mother Nature, growing high performance turfgrass, preparing a venue for sport competition, being part of an industry that fosters a special camaraderie, and the list goes on.

It doesn't matter that we are often the underdogs who never get the credit. It really doesn't matter because we revel in the grit. It's who we are. Often times golf course superintendents and their teams are asked to do more with less. It is to our downfall and the golfers benefit that we will never let the conditions slip in this scenario. It is in our make up that we will always go above and beyond to create incredible playing conditions and experiences no matter what obstacles are placed in our way.

Team  members working hard repairing winter-kill spots

The men and women that make up our teams are often subject to this passion. It rubs off on them and they are bitten by the "turf bug". Once bitten, the common goal of creating a great golfing experience becomes their passion as well. Some often go off to get an education in turfgrass science to further their career. We thank all of the hard working individuals that often times work on the course as a seasonal job trying to make ends meet. With a solid grounds crew team that shares the same goal and believes in the mission, the work becomes enjoyable. 

The spring of 2019 was a definite test of our fortitude. Coming off of an epic snowfall winter (with an undercoating of ice) and then into a very wet and cold extended spring made for some rough days. Both courses did suffer some turf injury. Stowe Country Club had various spots on multiple greens with winter-kill. The Mountain Course suffered three acres of fairway damage. The damage at The Mountain Course was the most I have seen in my fifteen years there. The attempts to grow these areas back with seed was difficult due to the cold and wet conditions. The Mountain Course sodded half of the area damaged on the fairways. This was made more difficult by the fact that all of the sod farms in New England and Quebec either ran out of creeping bentgrass sod or had low quality sod due to this same bad weather. Nonetheless, by the Kirkwood Invitational in late June at SCC and July 4th on the Mountain Course we were back to normal. 

Stowe Country Club
Changing cups during Stowe Balloon Fest

Last year brought some exciting news. Stowe Country Club has moved up the ranks in the rotation of Vermont tournaments. After two successful years (2017 and 2018) of  VTPGA stroke play championships and this year being the host of the VGA Senior Amateur, we were chosen to host the 2020 Vermont Amateur tournament. The grounds crew team and I are very proud to host this event and look forward to putting our passion to the test. Preparations to the course began this past fall and continue through the winter for this event that will be played in early July. We are dedicated to producing a championship venue that will make our members and ownership proud.

Cheers to a successful 2020 golf season and to the pledge that our passion will always run deep...

Ice Ice Baby

Laying down special covers before winter.

"Ice, Ice Baby" and I'm not referring to Vanilla Ice. The term "winter kill" usually refers to turf damage caused by ice formation on the playing surfaces. While there are other forms of winter kill (mainly snow mold fungus, crown hydration, and wind damage) the main cause of serious winter damage is ice. In previous posts I have discussed how ice damages turf. In short, the ice forms an impermeable layer that eventually suffocates the turf. Snow on the other hand allows the dormant turf to breath. Simply put, snow is good and ice is bad... Just like the current skiing conditions.



The black cover has melted the ice and is showing through

The agronomy team at Stowe Mountain Club and Stowe Country Club walk the courses multiple times in the winter to assess the snowpack and ice levels. We use this information to predict the spring conditions and properly prepare.  Due to the extreme weather fluctuations at Stowe Mountain Club we have instituted certain practices that mitigate the potential for ice injury. Specialized turf covers are placed on the greens in the fall that help prevent winter kill and then removed in the spring. These covers are used in areas that have historically received a significant amount of damage.  A common example of an unwanted ice formation on greens is caused by collar dams. A collar dam is created due to the turf height of the collar being higher than the height of the putting green. When snow melts, the change in height allows water to pool creating a natural dam blocking water from draining. When the temperatures fall below freezing the pooling water forms  unwanted ice along the perimeter of the green. To assist with the melting process, a section of the sod from the collar around greens is temporarily removed for the winter months and then repaired in the spring.   

Example of  a collar dam creating ice on a green

Proper spring thawing is a very critical step to the survival of turf that has been under ice.  A consistent thaw above freezing can aid in the turf's survival. Unlike the local maple industry, the extreme swings in temperature with severe freeze-thaw cycles are detrimental to the turf. During these cycles, the ice will begin to melt and create puddles on the turf. Then a drastic drop in night time temperatures to below freezing will flash freeze the water and kill the turf.

Notice the water that froze in the collar channel during melt

From mid December on, this winter has been all about the ice and these extreme weather conditions have captured our attention. Multiple icing events have occurred this winter. Some areas of Stowe Mountain Club have been under ice since December. Stowe Country Club has also seen it's share of ice. Rain and thaw events in January and February have only added to ice levels. Are we concerned? Yes. Have we done everything available to us to prevent ice? Yes. Have we seen ice damage before? Yes. Do we know how to recover from ice damage? Yes. Are we certain there will be damage in the spring? No. One never really knows what the outcome will be when the turf finally begins to wake up in the spring. We can only explain the current conditions, compare it to our historical knowledge, and prepare for what may happen. "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best" is a very appropriate saying for this winter's potential impact on our golf courses.

Winter Update

Turf Health

As winter fades away and spring arrives the agronomic team is always focused on how well the golf course turf has survived the harsh winter weather. You may be surprised to learn that this winter was one of the warmest on record. It is hard to believe because December was exceptionally snowy, and showed signs of a long winter ahead, but January ended up having little snowfall and warmer temperatures. February had some snowy weather but was also fairly mild. Now March has been frigid and snowy.

The early snow was good for the turf. Snow provides a layer of protection that allows the turf to breathe. The biggest obstacle to winter turf survival is ice formation. While snow allows for air exchange, the ice layer seals off any ability for the turf to breathe which smothers and kills the turf. There are many variables when it comes to winterkill but the biggest variable is  length of ice cover. The January weather did bring some rain and thaw creating ice. Stowe Country Club (SCC), being at a lower elevation, experienced greater thaws than Stowe Mountain Club (SMC). The eventual total loss of ice and snow due to these thaws has us believing winter damage at SCC will be minimal. SMC has had snow cover on most of the course since late November. The winter thaws produced some melt which created ice under the snow. This scenario provides a higher chance of damage. It is still too early to know with any certainty what we will look like in the spring. The creeping bentgrass varieties at SMC are tolerant of some ice cover. We will have a clearer picture at SMC as April arrives. To assist with survival the team will begin to remove snow from greens in the upcoming weeks. 

SMC Work

Hole 14 rock feature being exposed

Hole 14 brush pile ready to burn

This winter the team focused on two projects that will improve the playing experience. On the fourteenth hole underbrush to the left of the fairway landing area was cleared. There is a large outcropping of rock that was not exposed when the trees leafed out. Opening this area up will give the golfer a feel of width and provide a stunning visual of the beautiful rock formation. One of the goals is to expose and accentuate the natural features and great vistas that SMC golf course property provides. 

On the third hole, focus was placed on pushing back the tree line to the right of the teeing area. These trees and brush were growing in on the golf hole pushing the payers to the left and blocking sight lines to the right side of the fairway. With this area now clear, the player can see the whole fairway and have a visual on balls that land just of the fairway. The overall feeling on the third tee will be much less restrictive and provide a better experience. 

This hard work was conducted by assistant superintendents Zach Fleeger and Jerry Elliot. Winter brush and tree clearing is essential to the long term sustainability of the golfing experience at SMC. The golf course was built throughout a young forest and the perimeter continues to aggressively grow in on the course. Without this work our unique and breathtaking vistas will begin to disappear and the turf quality will suffer from shading and restricted air flow. Winter is the best time to conduct this work, but access is a real challenge. Zach and Jerry spent much of the winter hiking out to these areas pulling a sled full of logging gear. With a thermos full of coffee they would spend the day working hard cutting brush and felling trees, then burning what they cut. This is not easy work in the deep snow on a windy mountain golf course. The motivation for us to initiate this difficult work is knowing we are preserving the beauty of  Stowe Mountain Club golf course for our members and guests to enjoy.  

SCC Work

Olsen House locker room finished product

There was a big effort put forth this winter inside the Olsen house. The Olsen house is the single family house set within the maintenance facility compound. It was purchased fifteen years ago when it went up for sale for the purpose of protecting the future integrity of the golf maintenance compound. Without this property the maintenance operation is severely restricted. With the purchase of the house came the ability for the grounds crew to have running water, a bathroom, and a clean place for lunch. Prior to the house the crew ate lunch in the equipment repair shop that is attached to the red barn. While the addition of the house was a step forward, it is still an old house meant to be lived in. It was not set up to be a space for thirteen grown men to work out of. Our work is dirty. We spend long hours with machinery, maintaining turf, moving soil, cutting brush, etc. The set up of the house is far from ideal for these duties. To add to this, no major renovation has ever been done. To cover up the years of grime every square inch of wall space was painted, areas of floor that get heavy use were painted with grey industrial floor paint, and the upstairs carpet was removed and a laminate floor was installed. The work was done on a small budget and meant to be a quick, inexpensive way to make the space more efficient and demonstrate a professional work space. All of this work was done by our team and while it helped create a sense of pride, it is by no means a permanent solution.

Hole 1 Spruce tree removed (Notice die-back on top)

Hole 16 trees removed (Notice top die-back and thinning)

Great on-course work was also conducted this winter. When there was good snow cover, we ventured out on the course with our tractor that is outfitted with tire chains to continue the important tree removal program. The goal is to remove trees that are diseased or damaged, block vistas, create excessive man hours to clean up debris, negatively impact turf quality, or negatively impact shot quality and choice. This year we removed diseased trees on the first tee and sixteenth rough. Additionally, three large white pines were removed next to the 8th tee. On top of the issues described above, these trees were over gown and impeding any future renovation of the tee. Furthermore, they blocked a great vista of the Worcester Range ridge line from the third tee. 

Two significant projects are currently under way and are scheduled to be substantially complete by opening day. The irrigation pond was dredged to increase storage capacity. The pond had a significant amount of silt accumulation due to the feeder stream dumping sediments into it. The warm winter weather forced our initial plan to be amended. Initially, the sediment was to be hauled off the golf course via an ice road across the first fairway. The ice road is created by packing the snow then plowing it for a few weeks. With the mild winter there was no snow to create the road. When we did get snow, by the time the road was ready it melted due to a thaw. The amended plan was to remove the sediment and stockpile it in between the first and ninth hole. This area of un-mown turf had little aesthetic quality. The sediment will be allowed to dry, shaped out with a bulldozer, and seeded to a good quality seed mix.

The second project is focused on the fourteenth green and fifteenth tee area. This area has been struggling for years because of the row of white pine trees growing close to the green and tee. These trees were planted to provide a border to the Village Green condominiums. At this point in time the pines have grown to a size that they negatively impact the golf course. The only option was their removal. With the pine trees gone, the fifteenth tee can be renovated. The turf on the tee has always struggled due to the close proximity of the trees. In addition, the tee suffers from mounding. This mounding is common in old par three tees because of years of divot mix building up in the middle of the tee. The new tee will have a sand based rootzone and be professionally leveled to provide an exceptional playing experience. The area behind the fourteenth green that was populated by the trees will be filled with dirt and a rolling mound will be installed. Fescue grass will be seeded on the mounds providing a great visual from the approach shot. While the new open look will be different it is the best decision for the long term enjoyment of these two golf holes.

With snow still on the ground, we are preparing for the first window of opportunity to complete these projects at both SMC and SCC. The entire agronomic team looks forward to presenting the final products to the players when the golf season arrives.

Stowe Country Club Update

General
The weather was once again the biggest challenge over the past month. The month of June brought over ten inches of rain to Stowe Country Club. In May, we battled the extreme lack of rain and now June was the complete opposite with record setting rain totals. This "new normal" of extreme weather patterns is reality and how we prepare to overcome these challenges is the difference between success and failure. The heavy rains were a good test for the new fairway and bunker drainage. These new drainage projects performed very good and we will continue to address other wet areas by installing more drainage.

Squeegeeing greens before Kirkwood Tournament

Kirkwood week was a challenge due to the rain. The days leading up to the event brought significant rainfall. The crew spent all day Wednesday before the tournament squeegeeing water off greens. Our sixth and final round of pushing water came as the sun went down. These efforts allowed for firmer greens for the first three days of the event. While Sunday ended in a rain-out, I am very proud of our crew's effort in preparing for the tournament.

Greens
The winterkill spots have grown in very well. The repair would have been much quicker if it was not for the excessive rain in June. These areas were damaged in the winter due to the fact that they puddle with water and then freeze. The nature of these areas to puddle made it difficult for the seed to establish because of being submerged under water and being constantly washed away. As the Kirkwood tournament approached the excessive squeegeeing damaged some of the seedlings setting the recovery back even farther. Mark Finch, golf course superintendent, did a superb job with the re-establishment of these areas. Mark worked diligently on a day to day and hour by hour basis for two months to get these damaged areas back to full turf coverage. Growing in turf on established golf greens is very difficult due to the ongoing maintenance of the surrounding turf and golfer traffic.

Root pruning at 15 tee

Tees
There were some recent changes to the fifteenth tee. The granite tee marker and bench were moved to make room for a root pruning operation. The close proximity of this tee box to the row of white pines negatively impacts the turf quality due to shade, needle shed, and root intrusion. The shallow rooting of white pines steals water and nutrients that is needed by the turf. Root pruning cuts the tree roots before they intrude into the teeing ground. We use the drainage trencher that was purchased last year to shear the roots. This process is an annual maintenance activity that will help the fifteenth tee recover faster from divoting and wear.


Fairways
The big push on fairways has been to achieve one hundred percent full turf coverage. The crew has been diligently seeding and sodding thin areas. Most of the damage is from poor drainage. Low areas on three, five, and twelve have had chronic thin areas. This is unacceptable for myself and staff. We will continue to sod and reseed until we reach full turf coverage in fairways.

Construction of cart path on 4th hole. Notice old path routing
to the left of new mounding.

Projects
The revitalization of the fourth hole is nearly complete. Multiple issues impacting the quality of this par three have been addressed. The over planting of trees on the left and right side of the hole blocked the view of the entire green complex and limited the use of the teeing ground due to blocked shots. A dozen trees were removed over the past two winters opening up the view of the green with surrounding mountain ridge line and providing full use of the tee. The fescue grasses that existed under the trees have come back to life and now provide a stunning framework to this hole. The cart path running along the right side was damaged in multiple sections, was too narrow for maintenance vehicles, and was positioned in a way that impacted the look of the hole. The path was repositioned and is now hidden from view. Slight mounding was added to aid in blocking the view of the cart path. Fescue was then planted along the new path to add additional screening of the path. As the fescue grass matures on both sides of the hole it will provide a stunning look to this great par three. The path is scheduled to be paved this week. Finally, the bunkers have been aggressively edged to bring back the original shape and add a better visual from the tee box. New sand was then added to provide consistent shot making.

The Spring Hustle

   As May has come to a close, it is a good time to review the condition of the golf courses and discuss the projects that have occurred. The variability of the Vermont spring is always a challenge for golf course maintenance. While planning operations is essential, it is even more important to be able to react quickly to unexpected challenges.

    The biggest challenge this spring has been the dry weather. While recent rains have helped, early spring rain did not occur. The successful start up and operation of  both irrigation systems has been of extreme importance. As the turf completes its winter dormancy and begins to grow, the need for water is crucial to initiate growth. While it might be hard to believe, early irrigation in May is crucial for positive turf growth. Turf is grown in sand based systems that can lose moisture quickly. In addition, the closely mown turf is very susceptible to moisture loss. Compounding the challenge of irrigating in a dry spring, a deep frost layer caused an above average number of breaks in the irrigation system piping. The turf care teams have been hustling to repair these breaks so that irrigation can continue.

9th green at Stowe Country Club. Notice standing water in the
damaged areas.

    Stowe Mountain Club (SMC) and Stowe Country Club (SCC) courses were impacted by winterkill this spring. The two reasons for winterkill this year were crown hydration and wind desiccation.  Stowe Mountain Club received desiccation damage on the first tee and sixth green. Those two areas were impacted due to the exposure to the severe north winds in the winter. In my eleven years at Stowe Mountain Club, I have never seen these levels of wind desiccation damage. The damage occurs due to the severe winds simply drying out the above ground tissue of the turf. Most often the turf can withstand the winter winds, this year the extended cold weather coupled with high winds pushed the turf to the extreme limit.

    This spring both courses were impacted by crown hydration. Ideal turf growing conditions during spring thaw requires sufficient surface drainage preventing standing water. Crown hydration occurs when night time temperatures drop below freezing. The cells in the turf plant will explode due to the freezing standing water. The common theme with this type of damage occurs in chronic wet areas. Stowe Country Club experienced crown hydration on the greens of one, nine, thirteen, and eighteen. At Stowe Mountain Club the damage occurred in the low lying areas of the fairways. The worst of the damage at SMC was found on eight and twelve. The turf care teams have seeded the damaged areas and positive germination has occurred. Full coverage is expected by the end of June. In reviewing the best options for damage prevention in the future, the installation of sub surface drainage to these wet areas will significantly reduce the potential for crown hydration.

    Currently, the Stowe Mountain Club crew is wrapping up a couple drainage projects that were initiated in the late Fall of 2014. The hillside on the eleventh hole had drainage installed to firm up the slope due to springs emerging through the turf. These springs were captured and piped through the fairway. The fourteenth fairway had drainage installed to help prevent winter damage and help firm up the fairway after rain events. These projects are in the final stages of completion.

    At Stowe Country Club a large key culvert was replaced in the practice field. The old pipe was made of metal and was rusted out creating multiple sinkholes holes in the field. Coupled with this project is the addition of target greens in the practice field. When completed there will be four greens for players to hit at. These greens will replace the current poles. The design of these target greens is such that they are raised slightly above the field and the top surface will be mowed at a short height. This raised angle and low cut will provide a larger target for players to aim at and improve their game. Two of the four greens have been shaped and seeded. the other two are still under construction. As an added visual aesthetic, there will be pseudo bunkers placed in front of these greens. These features will look like bunkers but will be built in such a manner that mowing and picking balls will not be extra maintenance.

Wash pad at Stowe Country Club. Notice grass clipping
separation system in trough.

    Finally, a project was completed at the SCC maintenance facility that has revolutionized how the turf care team  conducts business on a daily basis. A new equipment wash pad was constructed away from the fourteenth tee box. Prior to this new wash area, all equipment was washed directly adjacent to the tee box. The subsequent activity and smell of decaying grass clipping significantly impacted the golfing experience. The new location is on the other side of the road out of site of the public and golfers. The construction of the wash area is such that grass clippings can be managed properly reducing the odor and the water runoff is treated using a natural buffering system. Maintaining great golfing conditions starts with effective, efficient, and safe working conditions at the maintenance facility.

    While the dry May weather has presented some challenges for the grounds staff, the dry firm conditions have been excellent for golf. I hope everyone has had the opportunity to get out and play. Our two golf courses are very close to rebounding from winter and will soon be in top form. Thank you for your patience and assistance while we continue to maintain and improve the golfing experience at Stowe Mountain Resort.

A Short Look Back and a Long Look Forward

The 2014 Golf Season was defined by the epic level of turf injury that occurred from the severe winter weather of the "Polar Vortex". Widespread turf loss was reported throughout the Northeast and Canada. Unfortunately, six greens at each of Stowe's courses experienced some type of turf loss. The areas that experienced the most damage were greens seven and thirteen at Stowe Mountain Club (SMC) and twelve and thirteen at Stowe Country Club (SCC). Fairway damage was also significant at each course. While many golf courses suffered for months with visible damage it was hard to find any damage on either of Stowe's courses by late June. The hard work and diligence of both crews  is commendable.

Late Fall of 2014 was a productive time at SCC with focus on drainage, infrastructure repair, and tree management. Most projects on the to-do list were completed with exception being the repair to the green-side bunker on the ninth hole. Completed was the repair to the bunker on one green and the fairway bunker on eighteen. Good sand and new drainage were installed, and the bunkers will play and look better in any type of weather. The re-contouring of the bunker on eighteen provides an important architectural feature-the hazard is now visible from the tee.


Re-contouring SCC 18 Fairway Bunker

Last season a tremendous amount of work went into improving the drainage at both courses. "Slit drainage" was installed in multiple areas. Slit drainage utilizes a unique two inch pipe that is back filled with straight sand. This design has proven its success on our clay based soils. The fairway drainage on nine and eighteen will now allow for firmer playing conditions especially during extended wet periods.

  

Installing Drainage SMC 14 Fairway

The unique location of the SMC course provides a challenge for turf survival due to the length and intensity of the winter weather. We are continually developing new methods and practices to prevent winter kill. Keeping the playing surfaces free of standing water is paramount to good in-season playing conditions and winter survival. At the SMC course, fairway drainage work was initiated on eleven, fourteen, and fifteen. Many of the new drainage lines were left open for the winter to assist in water movement during the spring thaw. These areas will be recovered before opening day. 

This winter we have been busy with the continued implementation of the SCC tree management program. For more information and to review this program, read the blog posted on 5/11/14. As it was last year, the focus this winter is on damaged trees that pose a safety hazard and trees that are overgrown and impacting play and the aesthetic of the course.

Golf is a game of options. Many of the trees found next to teeing grounds force the player to play only one type of shot. Opening up the tee shot to multiple options is a sign of a well designed golf course. For example, two white pines were recently removed from the ninth tee. These two white pines forced play to the left from the white and blue tee box. From the back tee, the tee shot was exceptionally narrow due to the overgrown canopy. Players now have the option to draw or fade the ball into the landing area. The next trees to be removed will be the white pines behind the sixteenth green. These four trees have been damaged by the violent storms that have rolled through the area in the past decade. The interior of the trees have signs of rot and are deemed hazardous. 

White Pine behind SCC 16 green with severe
structural damage and rot

From an architectural perspective the number sixteen green sits atop a beautiful rise that provides a panoramic view. It is a common misnomer that all golf greens need some type of backdrop for the purposes of "framing". While in some cases a frame provides focus and depth, in others an open sight-line behind a green can also provides an exciting challenge for golfers. In researching the course history the architect, William F. Mitchell, did not intend for this particular green complex to have a backdrop of trees. As a result, no replacement plan is in place once these damaged trees are cleared.

The Stowe Golf Agronomic Team is excited for the upcoming 2015 golf season and we hope the winter weather is as good to the golf courses as it has been to the skiers and riders. While we continue to enjoy the winter season, we will continue working hard at both Stowe Country Club and Stowe Mountain Club. 

Winterkill 2014

In previous posts it was predicated that the weather leading into winter was potentially harmful to golf course turf. Unfortunately, that prediction came true. The turf loss on golf courses in the northeast and beyond is of epic proportions. Veteran golf course superintendents are proclaiming that this is the worst winterkill they have experienced in their careers. The widespread area and level of damage are the main reasons this is news worthy topic. The damage consists of dinner table sized dead spots on greens to complete loss of multiple putting greens. The area of concern covers New England (seacoast to the mountains), Quebec & Ontario regions, and North Central region (Michigan and Chicago area).

What happened? Simply, too much rain in January. The abundance of winter rain led to copious amounts of ice. The nail in the coffin for turf was the dramatic, almost overnight, switch from generally moderate temperatures in the early winter to a chilling continuous freeze mid winter. After the last rain event in mid January the temperatures plummeted and did not rise until April. This flash freeze scenario was a main cause of the widespread damage, especially in northern Vermont. The two other scenarios that led to turf loss were anoxia (extended ice cover) and crown hydration (spring freeze/thaw cycle). Review prior posts and "post categories" for more information on these environmental conditions.

Course Updates:
Fortunately extensive turf loss was avoided, but both courses did receive isolated damage. Areas where water was unable to flow freely subsequently pooled up causing ice and turf damage. This winter emphasizes the importance of effective drainage (subsurface and surface) on golf courses. Drainage is key to creating conditions conducive to winter survival which then leads to quality conditions during the playing season.

Stowe Country Club

16th approach "Birdbaths"

The three historically wet greens received the most damage (3, 12, & 13). These greens have poor subsurface drainage and more importantly have very poor surface drainage. #12 is the worst of all greens. The entire lower shelf was damaged. Once the water drained to the green it pooled and froze solid. The other two greens were damaged in low spots, or "birdbaths" as I call them. Any other such birdbaths on the course were also damaged such as; 18 fairway, 16 & 17 approach and areas near drainage culverts, i.e 3 & 5 fairway. The 4th, 9th, and 10th green also received some damage. The damage on these greens was due to the freeze/thaw cycle in the spring.

14th fairway drain. Notice no winterkill below drain.

Stowe Mountain Club
The good news is that the fairways did well this year. SMC did receive some damage in areas that historically pool and subsequently experience winter kill. Every year drainage is added in these areas to better winter survival  to create firm playing conditions. This is an unfortunate ongoing challenge. A drain installed on hole 14 last Fall proved very successful. The bad news is that the damage to greens is more than we have seen since opening in 2007. The worst greens are 4, 7, and 13. These greens are bowl shaped and were unable to shed water fast enough when the January rains came. Other greens have smaller areas of damage at the water exit points. These areas were damaged due to what is called "collar dams". The small change in the height of cut between the green surface and the collar is enough to slow the winter rains down to form pools of water that causes ice formation. Collar dams become worse over time due to the turf maturing and forming a thick thatch. These areas will be corrected by cutting the sod out and lowering the sub-grade to make a smooth transition for water to flow freely.

Moving Forward:
The damaged greens on both courses were seeded earlier this week and covered. A limiting factor for good turf germination and growth are soil temperatures. A warm stretch of weather is greatly needed at this time to hasten seed germination. The covers are used to assist in warming the soil. Fairway and tee damage will be seeded this coming week. Selected areas in fairways will be sodded to speed up the recovery process. Sodding greens is not preferred due to the difficulty of feathering the new sod to the existing turf. This feathering process is much easier with fairways due to the higher height of cut.

The recovery process from winterkill is one of the most difficult tasks superintendents face. Maintaining healthy turf (mowing & grooming) directly adjacent to new seedlings takes skillfulness. Additionally, restricting golfers on these recovering areas may interfere with play, which is not popular. These are challenges that can be resolved on a short and long term basis. The turf maintenance team will work diligently to grow in the newly seeded areas and continue to add drainage to prevent future damage. This is not the first time we have seen winterkill and it will certainly not be the last. Your patience with the recovery during the ensuing weeks will help us with the task ahead. I will update you on a regular basis during. You can follow me on Twitter for daily updates @kevinkomer.

More information on Winterkill 2014 can be found below:
Club & Business
CBS Boston
WMUR Manchester, NH
Press Herald, Maine
Superintendents Association of New England
Michigan Superintendents Association
Ontario, Canada Damage Report
USGA Northeast Region
Chicago Damage

Thank You Cupid

We woke up on Valentine's day to a foot of fresh snow. For skiers and riders this storm has turned around a winter that has been far from epic. The snow stake on top of Mt. Mansfield reached 60 inches indicating that making turns in the trees is free and clear. The skiing and riding has been outstanding on and off trail all week. I am sure the snow-machine riders have been loving the deep snow pack as well. A good snow pack is much more preferred on the golf course during the winter compared to bare ground or ice. The snow provides a buffer to the extreme cold temperatures and the harsh winter winds. Snow is very porous and allows for gases to escape from the ground and allow oxygen in. In essence, snow allows the turf canopy to be protected and breathe in the winter.

Patchy ice on the 12th green, January 14, 2014

Yesterday brought everyone back to the realities of our fickle New England weather. A rapid warm up made the precipitation that fell all afternoon be of the liquid state. I hate to even udder the word during February in northern Vermont. However, the reality is that .64 inches of rain fell yesterday. That is a lot of rain to fall in mid-winter. The snow pack is now much more dense allowing less of a protective buffer and more in the way of a barrier. This sealing off or barrier effect is compounded by the potential for more ice accumulation. The existing snow will absorb much of the rain but there is also a good chance that slush will form at the base. This slush will then form into ice as the temperature drops back to normal.

Nature's Concept

In my last post I described a not so good scenario for golf course turf leading into mid-winter. To follow up, the subsequent days after that post stayed above freezing and rainy. Due to this continued abnormal weather, the ice accumulation on the golf course went from really bad to just bad. The rain kept falling and the ice kept melting. When the rains finally stopped in mid-January the ice coverage was half of what it had been. The total for winter rain, after this last event, is at 7.7 inches. There are still pockets of ice all over the golf course. The maintenance team is preparing to remove the snow from greens beginning in March to reveal these ice pockets. Once the snow is removed we will begin to carefully remove the ice.Removing the snow too soon exposes the tender turf to harsh conditions. Mid-March through Mid-April is always a tricky time when it comes to golf course turf survival in Northern New England. The extended ice cover and freeze-thaw cycles play havoc with the turfgrass plant as it slowly breaks out of winter dormancy.

Vertical black drainage pipe over catch basin
13th green December 13, 2013

To ensure the removal of water off the turf surface during the spring thaw and winter rain events like we just had, we protect the catch basins from freezing over. Keeping the catch basins open so that water does not pool up and sit on the turf is of critical importance to winter turf survival. To assist in this we took a trick from nature. The idea came from the observation that the base of trees tended to have less snow than adjacent areas. The heat from the tree trunk warming up in the sun along with the wind swirling around them reduced the snow pack at the base of the tree. To mimic this phenomenon the maintenance team places a vertical drainage pipe directly over the catch basin. The pipe acts as a tree to help reduce the ice and snow from accumulating over the basin. These pipes also help us locate the basins in the snow so that we can be sure that the free water is moving into the basin. This practice is one of many that is done to keep the turf alive in our beautiful, yet harsh, mountain environment. 

Winter Rain



Shoveling water exit points on greens during 1/6 rain event

It is raining, again. Currently, it is 44 degrees and a steady rain is falling on frozen ground. Today's rain is the third rain event this winter. Our weather station has recorded 4.5 inches of rain since mid-December. While winter rains are not uncommon, the multiple rain events coupled with extremely cold temperatures in a short time period is uncommon. The result of this weather pattern is the accumulation of copious amounts of ice everywhere. Back roads, driveways, and sidewalks are pure ice. Walking through parking lots is treacherous. These uncommon winter rains and ensuing ice build are dreadful for many outdoor activities. The skiing on maintained trails is marginal. The snow-making and grooming teams are in high gear trying to keep the slopes in good condition. Skiing back country is simply horrible and non-existent. The wildlife even struggles with this weather. The raptors i.e., owls, hawks, and eagles, struggle mightily with these uncommon events as well. Raptor's feathers get wet and are unable to dry before the temperature plummet essentially causing a disability for flight. Additionally, when a crust forms over the snow, raptors struggle or are unable to break through the snow to get their food of voles and mice. There's just too much ice and not enough snow.

Block of ice on the same green 24 hours after 1/6 rain event

The survival of golf course turf when conditions like this occur is also a struggle. If I was asked to script the weather scenario that would be most destructive to golf course turf, I would have described the weather we had on December 22, January 6, or today. The scenarios include a significant rain event occurring when there is snow accumulation on frozen ground. The falling rain and subsequent water accumulation backs up in low areas. The snow slows the movement of water and the ground is unable to absorb the water. When the temperature drastically drops to below freezing a solid block of ice is formed. The weather that occurred on January 6th was the worst of the three storms. The rain started in the early morning and increased in intensity through the morning. Check out the video 1/6 Rain at Stowe Country Club in the village of Stowe. At noon the rain turned to snow and the temperatures plummeted to the single digits later that night. The result was that many areas of the course turned into skating rinks. A massive amount of 4-6 inch ice was formed throughout the course. The problem with ice on turf is that if the ice stays solid for more than 60-90 days the turf will begin to decline because of the reduction in oxygen and the accumulation of harmful gases. The key to turf survival under ice is reducing the total accumulative days of ice cover.

As a superintendent, I mitigate these adverse conditions in anyway possible. During these uncommon rain events, the maintenance team ensures the drains stay open to move the water. Snow or ice is removed if the drain has been blocked. Low drainage points on greens can be shoveled to make sure the water keeps moving off the green and is not backed up. In some cases however, this task can become overwhelming and fruitless. Unfortunately, the January 6th rain event was such the case.

The multiple rain events and subsequent cold temperatures during the early part of the winter season is of concern for the survival of many outdoor activities including golf course turf. The maintenance team will continue to monitor ice levels and cumulative days under ice. Hopefully the conditions for turf, as well as skiing, and raptor survival will improve. In the next posts I'll provide updates on subsequent actions relating to turf survival for the various weather Mother Nature provides.

The Rugged Mountain Spring



The golf course has turned the corner and is back on track. The variable weather during April in the mountains takes its toll on turfgrass. The long winters with extended ice and snow cover has depleted all of the reserves in the grass plant and it just wants to wake up, start drinking water and soak up some nutrients. The challenge in the mountain environment is that spring is slow to come and can be quite harsh at times, delaying "normal" spring conditions.

Snow blowing 13th green in late March



The big push for us started in late March when we began to snow blow greens. As the weather permitted, Mark Finch, assistant superintendent, would walk the snow blower out on the course and remove as much snow off of putting greens as possible. We make this effort because history has taught us that the quicker the snow and ice get off of putting greens the better. If we left it up to Mother Nature to melt the ice and snow, we would have a considerable amount of damaged turf. By April 9th we had cleared as much snow as possible off all the greens with a walk behind snow blower. The following weeks in April consisted of shoveling the remaining snow off of greens and breaking up ice pockets that had formed on the greens surface. This work is slow at this time of year. The snow changes its form from day to day and throughout the day. If the temperatures drop at night, the snow is rock hard and is very hard to move. If the sun comes out and the temperature rises, the snow becomes like wet cement and is equally hard to move.



Breaking ice on 7 green in mid April



During late April we rent a tractor with a snow blower attachment. This is done to clear all of the cart paths so that we can drive utility carts around the course without having to drive on squishy spring turf. All cart paths were clear by April 19th. Check out this video of the snow blowers in action. https://vimeo.com/65894776
During this same week we took sledge hammers and broke up the remaining ice that was on the greens. Now, it was time to focus on the remaining snow and ice on fairways. We pushed as much snow as we could off of fairways to assist in the melting.

The big worry at this point is turf damage due to crown hydration. Crown hydration is caused by the turf breaking it's dormant state, absorbing some water, then freezing at night due to the low temperatures. The plant is so tender as it comes out of dormancy that this extreme freeze/thaw cycle will explode the plant cells at the growing points, causing instant death. Most of the turf damage that occurs takes place during a few days during this late April time period when all the harsh conditions combine to trick the plant into waking up but then hitting it hard at night with below freezing temperatures.

Due to our work, the greens made it through just fine. The 10th green received some damage towards the front. With some TLC it will be just fine. A few fairways did get stung by the harsh conditions. The 12th, 14th, and 15th received the worst damage. The "corner" I spoke of  involved sodding and seeding these fairway spots. In a couple weeks we will be back to normal with the exception of the 14th fairway. This area will need a little more time to heal. I ask for your patience as we grow in a few areas on this hole. 

Winter

One of our winter chores is to assess the conditions on the golf course and how they will impact turf survival. This task requires myself and Mark to put on snowshoes and hike around the course. We bring a shovel to see how deep the snow pack is and to see if any ice has formed. This tour of the course is done every few weeks or after a winter rain or thaw event.

Looking at snow and ice depth on Jan. 25th on 2nd green

There are four main causes of turf loss due to winter conditions; extended ice cover, snow mold fungus, the freeze/thaw cycle, and wind burn. In this post, I'll discuss ice damage which is caused by extended ice cover. The other causes I'll discuss in future posts. Extended ice cover can cause major damage. If turf is under ice for more than 60-75 days there is a potential for damage. Different species of turfgrass can tolerate ice cover better than others. Creeping bentgrass, our dominant species of turf was chosen for it's tolerance for these conditions. Bentgrasses have the potential to survive 90 days under ice.


Ice on 12 green Feb. 18th

Why does extended ice cover kill grass? Good question. University studies have shown that a process called "anoxia" occurs. Anoxia is the lack of oxygen. During the winter months the turf is dormant (or not actively growing). However, the turf is still alive and is respiring. Respiration is the process of creating food for survival. Respiration is low but still active. This lack of oxygen makes respiration difficult and the plant simply dies due to starvation. The depletion of oxygen also leads to the build up of carbon dioxide (CO2). Even though plants need CO2, an excess can be toxic and lead to death. When anoxia has occurred there is usually a strong odor present when the ice has finally melted.

Where are we today? Well, we have ice. On January 31st, a one inch rain/ice event occurred with snow on the ground. This rain event was followed by temperatures in the teens. The snow on the ground slowed the movement of water and subsequently ice was formed in the low areas and on various bowl shaped greens. The good news is that the rain/ice event happened late into the winter and the duration of ice cover will most likely be short enough for the bentgrass to survive. The month of March is always the deal breaker. At what time the winter breaks in the month of March is the question. An extended wintry March can make winter survival for golf course turf a bit tricky. Every winter has its challenges. Touring the course during the winter and accessing the conditions prepares us for these challenges . Being prepared to act accordingly in March often determines the turf health for first half of the golf season.