Wednesday, December 2, 2009

April 2008

From the Golf Course

It has been a very interesting and challenging spring on the golf course. As you know the weather has not cooperated with anyone this spring and it’s made it quite challenging to get some projects completed.

Overall we are pleased with our turf conditions and with the progress we have made on the golf course. If you have been out and played you have seen that we did have some winter ice damage. It is not a lot of damage and most of it is confined to the intermediate rough areas. All of these areas have now been sodded and should not take long to heal.

The cart storage area is nearing completion, as the weather warms, young tender plants are being shipped to us and we are planting them. This project should be complete within a couple of weeks. Also planned is new landscaping on the walkway down to the Iowa Grille and around the front entrance circle.

Although there has not been a lot of play there has been a lot of cart traffic abuse already. Many people have forgotten what the red stakes mean. Restricting cart traffic is a “must” and the rules need to be adhered to. Not restricting traffic creates trampled lies around the greens. Not only are these unsightly; they are very difficult to hit off of and to get it up and down. Please enter and exit all fairway areas at the red stakes.

There are soil divot bottles on all walking and riding carts. Always replace your divot and then topdress around the edge to protect it and help it heal. The soil in the bottles can also be used on the tees to fix divots. Remember it is the responsibility of the golfer to replace divots and repair your ball marks on greens.

Now is the time to be putting down your crabgrass pre-emergent on your home yards. As you are fertilizing yards please remember that all fertilizer landing on hard surfaces will run into, and pollute our water systems. Please make sure that after an application is made, to blow off all patios, sidewalks and driveways.

Many of you have irrigation systems in your home yards. Last year I installed a new style of irrigation controller in my home yard. This is a “smart controller” that receives a signal every afternoon to tell it how much moisture the turf has lost that day. It then knows how much it needs to run that evening to replenish what has been lost. It is a very efficient way to water and it can save you money. One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing irrigation running after a big rain event. What a waste of a valuable resource! If you are the type of person who does not like to deal with setting your irrigation system every day, then this is the way to go for you. An interesting note, the water loss that is measured each day in Des Moines, comes from the weather station at Des Moines Golf and Country Club and is uploaded to these satellites.

Respectfully,

Rick Tegtmeier, CGCS
Director of Grounds