Carmel Country Club Agronomy

  Luckily our area ended up on the light side of the ice Armageddon that the news was calling for on Saturday. The sleet covered the property and afforded both our courses a few days rest. Our team was out and about Monday to clean up the mess around the Clubhouse. The sun helped out as well and most of the surfaces were clear by the afternoon. We still have some ice left on a few shaded areas but it looks like a few brave soles will be teeing it up this afternoon on the South. The covers on the North apparently know exactly what to do by keeping the soil temps at exactly freezing temp even when the air temp is around 20. We will pull the covers back today to check on some moisture and then put them right back on for probably another week. Even the bentgrass on the South is pretty close to going dormant this year which is a great thing. With the turf hardened off, any spent energy is going to the plants root system and will be better prepared for the summer. Outside of the recent i...

  The cold nights were back this week and despite the sunny afternoons most of the turf stayed frozen all week. Every different kind of winter precipitation is headed our way this weekend and behind it will be the coldest temperatures of the season. We are hoping for more sleet than freezing rain as the ice from the freezing rain can cause a massive amount of trouble on and off property.  The covers came off the North greens Wednesday afternoon but will go right back on Friday morning in front of the storm and impending polar vortex drop in. We were able to check moisture on the greens and apply a fungicide that helps keep the turf healthy under the tarps. Tarp work takes the majority of the crew but thankfully the winds were down this time around. Sometimes the winter weather can help explain what happens in the summer time more clearly. Here on 18 this bunker is south facing, so it bakes in the sun all afternoon. The face of this bunker was dry and not frozen while the botto...

  Another shot of cold air is headed our way so we will go ahead and put the tarps on the North bermuda greens on Sunday morning. We have been using 20/19 degree lows as a trigger for the tarps. You can see the difference the tarps made a few weeks ago when the low hit 16 at night. The South will be able to handle anyone that wants venture out in 40 degree temps Monday through Wednesday next week. The cool season bent on the South continues to enjoy the sunny and dry winter. We did have to finally put some water on these greens this week as there has not been any significant rain yet this year. The greens were dusted with sand this week which was watered in just in front of the drizzle on Monday. Dry cold weather makes tree work much easier in January. The Grounds team went after this dead oak in the golf parking lot on Monday. Ambrosia beetle had infested this already drought stressed tree over the past year and took the rest of the life out of it. Previously a tree service had qu...

  The weather could not be better as we enter the new year. The dry, mild temperatures are a win for everyone as golf play has not slowed down but we are able to accomplish our pick of projects with the absence of significant rain. January is our month to really ramp up improvements for the coming season and we are deep into that progress. The North team has started and is moving along quickly leveling heads around greens. The finished product eliminates any tripping hazard, allows for a smoother ball roll and also ensures that the sprinkler head water distribution is correct and level. The South squad is also continuing work around the greens getting the fan bases closer to a 100 foot radius of the bentgrass. Ground poles on 4, 8 and 11 were each planted almost 4 feet in the ground this week.  The weather has been great for golf but any kind of grass growth even on ryegrass is non-existent. We will remain on the range mats for the majority of January with the exception of the...