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.

Winter Work at Stowe Country Club

By Mark Finch, SCC Golf Course Superintendent

Winter Work

When we see a golfer or two walking the course course with a couple of irons and a pocket full of golf balls around Thanksgiving, it is a telling sign that winter in coming late. When we see the same people roaming the snow-less property on Christmas Eve is in confirmation that winter is late. Then to see people hitting balls and carrying a shag bag around the practice field after the New Year, we become skeptical of winter's arrival. 

So how does a winter like this affect the golf course in the spring? A quick recap of notable events:

• 66 degrees, December 24th
• 1 inch rain, December 30-31st
• (-10) degrees, January 5th
• 1 inch rain, January 10th
• 3 degrees, January 11th
• 54 degrees, February 3rd
• (-18) degrees, February 14th
• 1 inch rain, February 16th
• 5 degrees, February 18th
• 0.75 inches rain, February 20th 

Ice formation on the turf is the conditions we are most concerned about in our region as it pertains to the winter turf survival. The other condition is called crown hydration. This is the harmful freeze-thaw pattern that the turf is susceptible to while breaking dormancy in mid-March and early-April. These fluctuating extremes are notable but not that unusual. The sequence in which these events take place is what requires close attention. Basically, the recipe for disaster (in our case, ice formation) is a winter rain event immediately followed by single-digit temperatures. We observed this pattern three times so far this season. Fortunately, in the case of the December rain, the ground had not yet frozen so the rain was absorbed throughout the soil. The subsequent events occurred in mid-January/February and there was a large amount of ice. From a glass half full perspective we had a couple factors on our side at that point; barely any snow and it was already mid-February. Turf can withstand a certain amount of time under ice cover. Creeping bentgrass has an ice tolerance of 90 days and Poa Annua has a tolerance of only 30-60 days. Having a mixed stand of both of these grasses at SCC causes concern for any length of ice cover. This February icing events puts us in the better scenario for survival due to the shorter duration under ice. Turf damage occurs from ice coverage due to the low levels of oxygen and the accumulation of exhausted gasses that can be fatal to turfgrass. 

It is almost inevitable that every winter comes with a January (or February) thaw. As noted, on February third we reached fifty four degrees which typically would have melted a lot of snow. But with hardly any snow on the golf course to melt, it was the ice that was melting. By the end of that week Stowe Country Club was approximately ninety percent void of ice and snow. 

Digging Dry Well On 18 Green

We are not in the clear yet. The scariest days of winter are still to come for golf course superintendents in northern climates. The days and nights of freeze-thaw, or crown hydration potential, occur in mid-March through early-April. Essentially, the plant may begin to take on water during a thaw and then freeze at night. The cell structure of the plant becomes swollen with water and when this water freezes the cells expand to the point of rupturing. This rupture occurs in the crown, or growing point, of the grass so the plant becomes injured. 

We do everything we can throughout the winter as superintendents to intervene and mitigate any conditions that may be conducive to either of these types of winter associated injuries. Timely snow removal to hasten ice melt, drainage improvements to facilitate standing water and plant protectant applications are some examples of countermeasures we routinely execute before winter arrives and as the snow melts. Invariably, there is always the possibility of some amount of turf loss due to the unfavorable winter conditions. As for this year, we are closing in on the point where we can rule out much possibility of significant ice damage due to length of cover.

Adding New Sand at 18 Bunker

Our staff took full advantage of the extended period of mild weather that occurred well into the month of December. This "bonus" time was used to aerate fairways and rough along with facilitate a few drainage projects and bunker improvements that were scheduled to take place in spring 2016. Golf course improvements and repair that began after the golf course closed for the season include:

• Both greenside bunkers renovated on hole 18 (completed reshaping, new sand and internal drainage)
• Fairway/Rough internal drainage on hole 13 (piping and surface drains installed and ready for spring regrassing) 
• Leveling and resodding of back tee on hole 10

There is no question that drainage infrastructure is lacking at SCC but our progress is reaching a  point where noticeable improvement is being made. We plan to continue addressing poorly draining ares of the golf course in the early spring and again in the fall of 2016. Our efforts are focused on fairways and bunkers. Enhancements in our cultural programs on greens has paid great dividends with the drainage performance and playability of the putting surfaces. We will continue to institute new practices to sustain the progression this year. 

Repairing Drainage 18 Bunker

During the month of January we resumed implementing our tree management program. For a period of time we had just enough snow to get on on the course with our tractor to conduct tree work. There are a growing number of tree specimens on our property that are diseased and hazardous. We specifically identified an area between the twelfth and thirteenth holes where spruce trees had matured to the point of die-back and became diseased. The selective removal of these trees will better enable us to safely recapture the beauty in this vast rolling space as a fescue area with desirable trees featured. A similar renovation took place between the fourth and fifth holes. The species here were northern white pines of the "pasture" form. After assessing the unnerving growth habits and health of this stand we prioritized reclaiming this tract as well. The completion of work at this location will introduce expansive views of the golf course as well as the scenic view of Camel's Hump from the fourth tee and green. We are excited to be finalizing the revitalization of the fourth hole through the completion of several projects over the past few years. These efforts include: 

• Tree removal and fescue grass establishment, left side 2013-14
• Tree removal and fescue seeding right side 2014-15
• Cart path relocated and paved, tee to green, 2015
• Mounded fescue features, right side, 2015
• Bunker shape restoration, new sand, 2015
• Tree removal, fescue restoration, right side, 2015-16

Golf Maintenance Staff Re-assembling SMC Tent

At this point in February we feel the golf season fast approaching and there is still a lot to do. There are golf course accessories to refurbish for another season and a fleet of grounds equipment that we overhaul, service and sharpen to be ready for heavy use during the golf season. We are fortunate enough to house all of our equipment under shelter this year for the first time ever with the addition of a temporary structure that we re-purposed from Stowe Mountain Club. We were able to erect the structure ourselves just in time before the first snow. 

When the golf ends for the year our efforts to maintain the course do not end. In fact, some of our most productive work is conducted in the off season. With another winter flying by, we continue to work hard preparing for another great golf season at Stowe Country Club.

 

The Fall Push

The golf season may have ended at the resort but the work on the golf course continues. Both golf maintenance crews are busy with chores to put the courses to bed for the winter. The challenge this time of year is the unpredictable weather and not knowing when winter conditions will finally arrive.  Our goal is to have all winterization chores done by the second week of November.

Draining spring on  11 approach

When the courses close our first task is to bring in all items on the course that are not anchored to the ground. These items include tee markers, flags, benches, hazard markers, bunker rakes, ball washers, etc. These items are thoroughly cleaned and stored safely for the winter. Tree litter clean up is constant in these last few weeks. Whenever conditions allow we will clean up leaves and pine needles. The irrigation systems will be cleared of water using compressed air. Close attention is paid to this chore because an improperly blown out system will lead to broken pipes or irrigation heads in the spring. After the system is clear of water the pumps are dismantled for the winter.     

Old picture of SCC showing original bunker contour lines on 18

This time period on the golf course is ideal for drainage projects. Multiple drainage projects have already been accomplished and are still under way. At Stowe Mountain Club (SMC), three springs that popped up during the very wet June were fixed. Due to the mountainous terrain, springs will pop up over time as the groundwater moves through the underlying soil and exits at the surface. These spring diversion projects were done on eleven approach, sixteen approach, and eighteen white tee. A large drainage project was also completed between seven tee and 8 fairway. Due to the proximity to the dam, this project was contracted out and was supervised by an engineer. We will be sodding this area in the coming days so that it will be ready for play on opening day next year.

Same bunker today at SCC. Notice how bunker has grown in.

At Stowe Country Club (SCC), we are close to completing the bunker restoration on the eighteenth green. These bunkers had grown in over time and water would puddle in the bunkers after rain event. These bunkers were re-contoured to the original shape, drainage was installed, and new sand was added.

SMC, Applying Wintergreen to greens 

Finally, in preparation for the long winter we implement multiple preemptive measures to help the turfgrass survive.  If you ski during the early season you may notice that the greens at SMC are a vibrant green color. This is due to a paint that is applied to the putting surface for winter protection. This product is called Wintergreen and is a combination of a latex paint and anti-transpirant. The logic behind this application is that it protects the turf from severe wind damage, will prevent disease controls from degrading, and will help the soil warm up in the Spring due to the dark green color. After painting the greens we will lay a protective mat in areas that experienced prior winter damage. This mat is called Enkamat and has proven to prevent ice damage. We will then cover the entire green with a breathable cover on eight of the greens. These greens are covered because they get windblown and do not get the protective snow cover. Some of the same measures are implemented at SCC, but not all.

If you get a chance to enjoy touring the course this winter please stay off of the greens. Packing the snow on the green will cause icing which can kill turfgrass. We will rope off all the greens to identify the location of each green. Both golf maintenance teams hope you had an enjoyable 2015 golf season. We are already preparing for another great golf season in 2016.

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. 

A Work In Progress

    Golf courses are in a perpetual state of decline. It is no different from any other manmade object. A house, a car, or a road will eventually need some type of maintenance activity to keep it performing and looking good. Additionally, due to the fact that golf courses are a living and breathing (respiring actually) thing they can also be compared to human health. When neglected, the body and mind will decline at a faster rate than one that has had preventive health care and proper nutrition. Providing the golf course with proper nutrition, preventive treatments to ward off pests, removal of excess thatch, repair of failed infrastructure, and proper tree management ensures its long term health.

    While the term "a work in progress" often refers to a situation that needs work to become good, in the golf course world, it refers to the concept that the act of continual work is paramount to the future health and playability of the course. The simplest example of such work is aeration. The Mountain and Village course greens are two to three weeks out from a hollow core aeration. While the greens are a bit bumpy in the immediate days following aeration it is the long term health and performance of the greens that need focus. The removal of thatch and organic matter through hollow core aeration prevents soft greens that footprint easily and become bumpy, stay wet for extended periods, are more prone to disease, and become more susceptible to winter injury.

   The more complex work is the revitalization and repair of golf course features. Such work includes drainage repair and installation, repairing damaged cart paths, tee top leveling, re-contouring of bunker edges, and tree work. Some of this work occurred this Spring while other work will occur this Fall.

Stowe Mountain Club

• Continued aeration. Fairway aeration is ongoing. We are currently half way through this process. With

  

  Fairway aeration and clean up

  good weather this process will be complete by next week. Tees and approaches will follow and only take a couple days to complete.
• Drainage on the right side of eleven fairway. This hillside is crucial to the playability of this hole. Tee shots that hit the hill stand a good chance of rolling back to the fairway. Due to some groundwater springs, this hillside is often soft and impedes the ball from rolling to the fairway. 
• Extend drainage in fourteen fairway. Last Fall, a main drain line was installed near the landing area. The main purpose of this line is to alleviate chronic winterkill caused by excessive wet turf during snow melt. The installation of this drain line was successful in limiting the amount of winterkill this Spring. This line will be extended and laterals will be installed to further eliminate the potential for winterkill.
• Fairway drainage on fifteen fairway. As with fourteen, this fairway succumbs to winterkill due to wet conditions during snow melt. Drainage will be installed to assist with winter survival.
• An ongoing project is the repair of a ground water spring above the first landing area on the eighth fairway. Due to the proximity to the dam, this project has been a slow and deliberate process. The design to alleviate this chronic wet spot has been highly engineered and managed. A subcontractor is currently being secured to finish the project. 
• New forward tees have been built on the third hole and eighth hole. The third hole tee is now open. The eighth tee was constructed from the spoils of the previously discussed wet spot on eight. This tee has been seeded and will open Spring of 2015. 
• Fescue has been planted along the stone collar on the ninth hole.
  

  
  

  

  Collar extension on #9

  This work also used the spoils from the drainage project on the eighth hole. Planting fescue along the edge of Peregrine Lake softens the look of the stone and allows for additional playability to mis-hit tee shots.  
• The collar on the right side of the ninth hole has been extended. This collar extension was done to aid in the approach shot bouncing to the left and landing on the green. Collar extensions similar to this work have been installed on the sixth, eighth, eleventh, and thirteenth. These creeping bentgrass collar extensions are done to assist with better playability around the greens. 

Stowe Country Club

• Tee aeration is complete. Fairways and approaches will be aerated after Stowe Mountain Club is complete. All of the aeration equipment is shared between both courses. Aeration at Stowe Country Club is very important because of the heavy clay soils that exist under all the features. Alleviating soil compaction and increasing surface drainage is part of the ongoing work that promotes healthy turf and good playability in all weather conditions.
• A new culvert pipe was installed at the practice facility field. This pipe transfers water from a stream that enters the field on the west side. The existing pipe was an old metal pipe that had completely rusted and caved in. Prior to the installation of the new pipe being, water would flow onto the field and pool up for extended periods of time.
• A new culvert pipe was installed on the thirteenth hole. This pipe had completely failed like the one on

  

  Silted bunker on #13

  the practice field. During the Winter melt, the pipe collapsed and silted in the greenside bunker. The pipe was replaced and the bunker was also repaired. New drainage was installed in the bunker along with all new sand being added. 
• New forward tees have been constructed on the sixth and ninth holes. The ninth tee opened recently and the sixth tee may open in a few weeks if the weather provides good growing conditions. 
• The final step in drying up the seventh hole was completed this Spring. The wetland to the left of the landing area was leaching water through the soil creating chronic wetness in the fairway. An interceptor drain was installed to divert this water away from the fairway. 

  

  Repaired #13 bunker with drainage

• The new upper practice tee was opened during Kirkwood week. We doubled the size of the tee surface, moved the ball machine away from the road, eliminated a small practice green and bunker that had gone into disrepair, and provides a new staging area for carts during tournaments and outings.
• This Fall, we plan on repairing multiple bunkers and fairways. These projects will commence immediately. The order of completion is as listed below.  

• Multiple laterals will be installed on the eighteenth fairway. This work was started last Fall by installing a drainage mainline. We will connect multiple laterals to this mainline in the coming weeks.
• The fairway bunker on the right of eighteen will be re-contoured and drainage will be installed. This bunker has grown in over the years and pools up after rain events.
• A mulch bed will be installed underneath the spruce grove on the left of eighteenth hole. This work will be done to provide definition to the landing area and to protect the future health of these trees.
• The greenside bunker on the first hole will be repaired. Currently, water leaches out of the bunker and settles near the approach. This area has turned into a chronic wet area that is very difficult to play out of. Additionally, the general appearance of this area is very poor and should be corrected because it sets the tone for the entire golf course. Internal drainage in the bunker will be installed to transfer the water away from the playing area and new sand will be added.
• The second half of the ninth fairway will be drained and the greenside bunker will be repaired. This fairway does not drain after rain events. A main line will be installed with multiple laterals. The bunker will be re-contoured to divert surface drainage away from entering the bunker, internal drainage will be installed, and new sand will be added. 

    All of this work is being done with an eye on the future. The short term disruption to play is done for the long term goal of the continued enjoyment of both golf courses by the members and players. This continued enjoyment is based soundly on the hard work of the maintenance team and the commitment of Stowe Mountain Resort to provide great conditions.  We thank you for your patience and understanding while all of this work is in progress. 

 

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