The Cottage Bar Story



Stack of trees on the 4th hole ready for chipping

One of my duties during the Winter of 2004/2005 was to monitor the logging operation for the clearing of the golf course. My task was to flag the boundaries of the property and to keep the logging moving forward. It was a very interesting time because I was able to see golf holes created from forest to finished product.                      

 

Loggers in 15th Seep

The timber was of low value for it's potential for lumber. Much of the property was logged in the 1970's leaving very young trees. Most of the trees were chipped up to be used in the bio-fuel industry. However, there were pockets of mature trees in areas such as gully's or steep slopes. These areas held 50-80 year old trees. The trees were most likely not taken during the initial logging due to the rough terrain. One of these areas is the gully or "seep" that you hit over on the tee shot for the 15th hole. In this seep there were very mature white ash and yellow birch.

   

Out of respect for the land, we chose to keep the trees for lumber and not let the logger take them. After some negotiating with the logger they agreed to drop them and place them out of the way for us to use. The motivation to keep the trees was focused on bringing the natural world inside. Using the lumber harvested from the property in the Cottage was one way of connecting things together.

 

Portable Saw Mill on the Golf Course

 

After we secured the trees, I contacted a local portable sawmill operator. I found Woodchuck Milling out of Johnson, VT. Woodchuck Milling showed up on site and we set up shop on the 18th hole. After the trees were milled we needed to get the fresh cut lumber dried quickly or a fungus would set in and ruin the wood. The lumber was trucked to Steve's Kiln Drying in Wolcott, VT. After being dried, the lumber was trucked back and stored on-site for two years.  



The Cottage Bar



The final home for this lumber was the Cottage bar. Local furniture maker Whit Hartt from Elmore, VT was chosen to build the bar with our wood. We are proud of Whit's work and the effort that went into creating this wonderful piece of furniture. Next time you are in the Cottage, take some time to enjoy the beautiful grain in the home grown wood from the golf course.







Grass-Leaved Goldenrod

Grass-Leaved Goldenrod

Grass-Leaved Goldenrod with gone by Penstemon

This pretty yellow flowered plant is really not a goldenrod which are in the Solidago family. This plant is in the Aster family (Asteraceae). The picture here was taken next to the cart path going up the hill to the 9th tee. I like this picture because behind it is a Penstemon plant that has gone past the flower stage and the stem has turned a beautiful red.



Name: Euthamia graminfolia

Common Name: Grass-Leaved Goldenrod

Color: Yellow

Bloom: August-September

Location: 15 tee, 16 wetland,17 green

Use: Attracts pollinators, stabilizes soil

USDA Plant Guide



Grass-Leaved Goldenrod flower



Penstemon

Beard Tongue or more commonly called Penstemon is one of our more successful population of wildflower. The beautiful White flowers bloom in July and August. The bees love this flower. They will dive right into the flower to get the nectar. It is fun to watch while you are waiting to tee off on the 6th tee.


Name: Penstemon digitalis
Common Name: Beard Tongue or Penstemon
Color: White
Bloom: mid-summer
Location: 6 tee, 7 wetland, 8 green
Use: Attracts pollinators, stabilizes soil

USDA Plant Guide

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.

Welcome



The Team

Welcome to the Stowe Mountain Club Turf Blog. This blog will serve as an inside look into the golf course maintenance operations at Stowe Mountain Golf Club. We are proud of the conditions and experience we produce for you. Communicating the process of how my team and I get to the final product is the goal. While turf and course conditions will be the focal point, there will be other opportunities to share my knowledge of the natural world that we all live and play in while at Stowe Mountain Club.






The Work

     

It has been an interesting journey from construction, through opening, to where we are today, and to what lies ahead. The Stowe Mountain Golf Club story is what will unfold here. We work and play in a beautiful environment. The information in this blog will get you even closer to to this place.


 



The End Result

 The winter months will allow me to provide some history of the golf course and how we have arrived at where we are now. As we move into the season, I will give weekly updates on the maintenance operations and various observations on the property. Check out some of the information I have posted already to get a taste of what is to come. So, stay tuned to this blog and enjoy the journey with us.