Golf Course Maintenance Weekly Monday 2/1/16

We received just over a half of inch of rain last week here at GBGC so I wasn't really paying much attention of what was going on with Folsom Reservoir (FR). I customarily check the reservoir levels every Monday morning as a ritual of sorts and was shocked to see how much it came up last week. It came up 80,525 acre ft. in a week crossing last years level and crossing the Normal level for this time of the year. However it is the only reservoir that is above normal on the State Department of Water Resource's map of Major CA reservoirs. 

On this chart FR is the only CA reservoir
at normal

The weather station measured 0.56" of rain last week bringing our annual rain year total to 10.35" behind a 24" normal by 13.85". We did get some dry weather last week and were able to let the carts off cart paths for the first time in awhile only to have to restrict them again after weekend storm that lingered through Sunday AM. Dry weather forecasted for the week so we will be able to let carts off the path by Tuesday.

What a difference a week makes. FR surpassed last years level and went above normal

Besides mowing the golf course this week since it still will be dry, we will be trimming sand traps along with miscellaneous weedeating and edging cart paths. Trimming sand traps and associated weedeating takes the GCM staff between 80 and 100 man hours depending how we deploy the labor. As in most routine maintenance tasks we are much more productive if we put a  several maintenance staff on the task at a time as well as getting them started first thing in the morning. This job really slows down when we are caught by players which puts a premium on staying ahead of the crowd. Today, (Monday) we don't have a tournament so we deployed 5 GCM guys to get a big jump start. 

Edging Bunkers

The process includes weedeating the edges and banks followed by blowing the created clippings and debris out of the bunker. Next we rake the bunker and check sand depths on the faces. We target one to two inches of sand on the steep bunker faces as we want golf balls that hit in these areas to move down to the bottom of the bunker. That's our intent. It doesn't always work out that way as I am sure everyone has found out on a occasion or two. 

Blowing out the debris

Along with sand trap trimming we made a light application of sand topdressing to the greens this morning and will continue pruning near #17. That's our plan, any major changes I'll let you know.

Thanks 

Checking depth and raking bunker faces