Winter Weather and Frost Delays

With the changing weather comes changes in management practices here at Willow Ridge. Particularly in regards to frost delays caused by freezing temperatures and cold fall nights. The frost alone is not damaging to the turfgrass, but walking and running equipment over the grass can be extremely damaging.

The putting greens, maintained at such low heights of cut are very susceptible to damage when they are covered with frost. This is because the leaf blades which are 90% water become covered in ice crystals. When walked on, the the ice crystals are likely to puncture and rupture the cell walls of the plant. Often times symptoms do not manifest for 24-48 hours where a dead footprint will appear. Not only are the greens susceptible to frost damage, all of the turf can be killed when walked on with frost. This includes not only tees, fairways and approaches but the rough as well.

Damage resulting from walking on frost covered turfgrass

While frost delays can be an annoyance, it is important for everyone to understand the reasoning behind them. Walking on the greens before the frost has melted can cause irreversible damage resulting in unneeded repairs. When there is a frost delay, information can be found by calling the golf hotline. The management staff is in close contact with the first tee during frost delays ensuring golf can begin as soon as favorable conditions return.

Lightning Detection System and Saftey

Here at Willow Ridge we have an Electric Storm Identification Device coupled with four sirens on the course. This device can detect when lightning is in the area and alert golfers and employees of the eminent danger. The alarm sounds when lightning is between 0-5 miles from Willow Ridge, meaning the storm is close. The alarm is a solid tone indicating everyone to take shelter immediately, there is no telling if the lightning is on top of us or 5 miles away.

When the alarm goes off drop what you are doing and head to the nearest shelter, if you cannot get back to the clubhouse, maintenance facility or the bathroom on the course it is advisable to find a thick growth of small trees in the woods. Stay away from wire fences, metal pipes, rails, isolated trees, and other equipment.

There is also a two-toned alarm indicating that there has been no lightning strikes in past 15 minutes. It is important to stay alert and cautious during this time because it does not indicate the storm is gone or that everything is clear, it is only an indicator that there has not been a lightning strike within 5 miles for 15 minutes.

This past year the United States had 26 lightning strike fatalities according the National Weather Service. It is extremely important to stay aware of the weather and know what the lightning detection alarm sounds like and how to react. There are four loud speakers that sound when the alarm goes off, located by the first green, the seventh tee, the sixteenth tee and by the maintenance facility.

New Pump

A new booster pump has been installed giving the irrigation system an important upgrade. The old pump was nearly 20 years old and on its last legs. Attempts to repair the pump to get through the season were met with unavailable parts, meaning if the pump was to fail we would be out of luck and with inadequate water available.

Old Booster Pump

The irrigation pump is the heart of the golf course water system, providing the necessary water to much of the golf course. Without the pump, keeping the course green and alive becomes a impossible. It is likely that a lot of our managed turf would stress, becoming brown and dead. The pump is an often overlooked feature of the golf course, when it breaks down everybody can see the results.

New Booster Pump

The new booster pump is state of the art, with computer controls that give us more flexibility to manage the watering schedule. The new pump is more efficient than the old one, and at the same time can output more water. The biggest advancement the new pump has over the old pump is a feature called Variable Frequency Drive(VFD). The old pump is comparable to a light switch, it has two modes On and Off. The new pump is akin to a dimmer switch, there is a sliding scale between On and Off. The pump automatically adjusts its power level and water out to meet demand most efficiently. VFD is a major factor in the reduction of electric costs surrounding the pump station.

New Booster pump internals

Divots, Divots, Divots Everywhere

Divots on the golf course are a common and normal occurrence that we must appropriately manage to ensure a quick and efficient recovery. All of the golf carts are equipped with a green sand mix in divot repair bottles to help us fill divot on the course. The reception of the divot repair bottles has been exceptional and has helped us cut down on tedious divot repair jobs. However, there are generally two types of divots found on the course, and they need to be taken care of in different ways.

Divots of all types, sizes and shape

Thin divots with no soil attached should be filled with sand as per normal routine. This helps to keep the tee surface or fairway level and promotes faster healing. The green sand helps to conceal the divot as well as heat the ground up to assist recovery. It is equally important to not overfill the divots with sand as this can damage the mowers and create an uneven playing surface.

The second type of divots commonly found are larger and have roots and soil attached to the underside of the divot. These are essentially small pieces of sod. The best course of action is to replace the divot in the same direction it came out and firmly tamp it down. By replacing large divots recovery time can be tremendously sped up without affecting aesthetics, play, or maintenance.

Divots such as this one with soil should be placed back and NOT filled with sand.

It is important to differentiate between the two different types of divots and properly mend the affected area. It is important to remember under the etiquette section of the USGA rule book golfers are responsible for repairing their own damage and preventing undo damage by taking divots on practice swings. Proper divot repair is an integral part of keeping our tees and fairways in top shape,

Broken Tee Boxes and Unbroken Tees

As part of our weekly routine here at Willow Ridge grounds crew we clean out the broken tee boxes that are located next to each set of tee markers. Through some observation we have noticed that a lot of the tees we are collecting are not broken at all. In fact, between 30-50% of the tees we collect are in perfect shape. There are also countless tees left in the tee surface ready to place a ball on top.

We urge everybody to clean up their broken tees, and take the good ones on to the next hole with you.

Pond Maintenance

Ducks and algae seen at the pond by the 6th green

The water features here at Willow Ridge stretch across the entire course with eleven of our eighteen holes having a water feature or very close to water. Keeping the ponds clean and properly maintained keeps the course looking complete and well kept. The aesthetic features waterways offer, as well as their ability to turn an easy hole into a challenging hole are what make them so important.

Water feature from the red tee on the 4th hole

In the past we have tried to keep up with pond maintenance with varying levels of success. This year we have enlisted the help of a pond maintenance company, and together came up with a maintenance schedule to treat the ponds. These treatments help to make the ponds more environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Monthly treatments to reduce the presence of algae and aquatic weed pressure work by limiting how far light can penetrate the water. Reducing the amount of sunlight in the ponds helps to give them a deep color. We have purchased grass carp, these freshwater herbivorous fish feed exclusively on aquatic weeds. They are a great environmentally friendly way to limit aquatic weeds while also increasing biodiversity.

The aquatic plants seen growing around the pond banks are maintained as a buffer zone. These areas of tall vegetation help to catch surface water and subsurface flow containing nutrients. Without these buffer zones, the nutrients will reach the water more easily and can cause increase instances of algal blooms.

Buffer zone visible to the right of the 16th green

The ponds and streams provide habitat for many different types of local wildlife. There are multiple species of fish, turtles, frogs and birds that all use the ponds as a means for survival. Snapping turtles and eastern painted turtles can be seen bathing in the sun on warm afternoons, an egret patiently waits for a passing meal while an osprey circles overhead looking for its next meal. Mallards can be seen diving for food as the barn swallows swoop around for insects just over the surface of the water. The list goes on and on, the water features at Willow Ridge are home to a wide variety of wild life. Having well maintained ponds not only provide a better overall look of the course, but they draw in unsuspecting wildlife. Who knows, you may even see a bald eagle.

Bald Eagle seen over the winter at Willow Ridge CC

Aeration Holes, Shrub Additions, and Pin Placements

The aeration holes are filled in 100% and the greens are smoother and truer than earlier in the season. We here at the maintenance facility want to thank you for your patience through this critical cultural practice. I'd like to reiterate the importance of aeration again to stress just how important this is to the success of our golf course. One often overlooked aspect of aeration is improved water percolation through the soil surface. The channels created from aeration help to move water off the surface of the putting green and into the soil, improving drainage and providing a healthier growing environment for the turf. Another critical reason for aeration is the removal of organic matter which helps to keep the greens firm and provide a better roll for the ball. If the organic matter was allowed to build up the greens would play slower and feel spongy. Keeping up with the proper amount of aeration should be as important to the golfers as it is to us.

A cross cut of an aerification hole showing clean sand devoid of organic matter

Annuals planted oustide the clubhouse by the 18th and 9th greens

Our annual flower beds have been planted across the course, and we have planted some new shrubs. Behind the thirteenth green are three new flowering Viburnums(Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum). This is an aesthetic touch in order to improve the backdrop of the thirteenth hole. After the harsh winter, some of the boxwoods(Buxus) along the cart path at the first tee failed to fully recover. The worst of the bunch were pulled and replaced to keep the uniform look. Having nice ornamentals enhanced the beauty of the golf course.

Three new doublefile Viburnums behind the 13th green. 

Just this year we have implemented a new technique for pin placement. This involved breaking the greens up into individual zones containing multiple pin placements each. On some of the greens this proved to be very difficult, notably the 3rd, 8th, 9th, and 15th holes have limited pin placements either because of their smaller size, large swales and/or aggressive ridges. This can be seen in the photos below by the shaded areas, while the labeled sections are available for pin positions. Some of the designated zones are more difficult than others from a playability standpoint as well as the
management side. In order to determine these areas that are out of play we use a maximum slope of 2.7 degrees. This number was developed with help from USGA references comparing greens speed to maximum allowed slope. This method allows us to ensure that every pin placement is in a fair location.

Pin Placement Guide for Front 9

Pin Placement Guide for Back 9