2023 Drainage Project Update #4

 We stayed on task this week with drainage work on #12 despite looming wet weather. As planned, we moved to the middle of #12 fairway and completed 200 feet of drainage ahead of incoming storms. Enrique & Liborio can complete 200 feet in two days as long as it is dry. This type of work, or any type of work in which bare soil is exposed is a nightmare when it gets rained on, so we watch the forecast and move very cautiously with impending rain. Enjoy the pictures below that tell the story of drainage progress this past week. 

We got started Monday as planned to beat the weather forecast. Step #1 is remove the sod and start excavating the soil for pipe and gravel installation.

Step #2 install 4" perforated drain pipe, tie it into sub surface drainage system, and fill the ditch with drain gravel.

Step #3  replace the sod and sand topdress. 200' in 2 days. We will still need another week or more on #12.

Looks like drainage progress will get stalled next week, however weather forecasts are fickle and if we have a 2 day opportunity, we'll install another 200'

Poa - The Battle Begins

Poa Annua, or annual bluegrass is a common weed or  desirable grass depending on your perspective. Prior to our 2021 renovation our greens were a combination of Bentgrass and Poa Annua, and in 2021 during our renovation we resurfaced and seeded our greens to Dominator Creeping Bentgrass. I'll for sure be addressing the subject of Poa in these course updates from time to time, explaining our efforts and strategies to keep our new bentgrass greens free of it. 

We currently have more tools and treatments to help with Poa Annua encroachment then we had in the 1990's and there are more coming to market in California soon we hope. We will use everything at our disposal including most importantly over 40 years of hard knock experience understanding that this will be the fight of our lives and will only last forever. Every strategy from fertility and cultural practices, to irrigation and surface performance management will be evaluated through the lens of preventing Poa encroachment. 

Below are some pictures of a sweep we made earlier this week on our greens to hand pick small Poa Annua plants which is a common early strategy for new Bentgrass Greens. Treating every square inch of the surfaces is not necessary at this point when we can simply mechanically remove it while training our greenskeepers to identify and remove when the plants are small, which will be one of the ongoing strategies for the rest of our days. Below are some pictures of our "Poa Sweep" this week.

This plant was actually in the step collar but is a good example of a Poa Annua plant in Bentgrass.

Here we are using an ice pick to surround the margins of the poa plant and dig it out by the roots.

The extracted Poa plant.

Closing up the scar with a ball mark repair tool.

Adding a sand & Dominator Bentgrass seed mixture to the repaired scar.

Closeup of the finished product.

Thanks for Your Support. The Best is Yet to Come!