This is winter?

The above average temperatures have continued for much of February, and it does make you wonder if this will be the new normal.  Things are definitely different this year, as the greens were cut twice in January, and this past week we mowed and rolled them.

Laurel Creek member, Steve Kavney, caught this unusual February activity last week:

People often ask if a certain weather pattern is good or bad for the golf course.  In the case of a very warm winter, there may be some issues we see down the road.  The post-emergent herbicide we apply in late fall for the control of Poa annua on tees and fairways, works best when we have a period of extremely cold weather--which we have not, possibly lessening its effectiveness.

Speaking of Poa, a second concern is that this warm weather could lead to an extended period of Poa seeding on the greens this spring.  We carefully track temperatures throughout the late winter to determine the best time to apply a combination of plant growth regulators, which reduce the annoying Poa seeds on the greens.  However, we are limited in the total quantity of these products we can apply in the spring (without causing unwanted adverse effects to the plant).  Therefore, if we need to make an early application, there is the chance that late spring Poa seeds become an issue.

Lastly, we typically make our Crabgrass pre-emergent application in late fall.  With "normal" temperatures, this product will effectively prevent Crabgrass throughout the following season.  But a warm, wet winter has the potential to allow this product to start to breakdown, which may lead to weed breakthrough later this year.

So, yes, weather anomalies most definitely impact us both in the short term and long term on the course.  Like a sports team, we enter the season with a plan.  However, once we're in the game, the ability to quickly adapt and change based on whatever is thrown at us, can be the difference between success and failure.

Rain, rain, go away...

If you feel like it's rained a lot this winter, you are (partly) correct.  That is, we had measurable precipitation on 21 of the first 44 days of the year.

However, the total rainfall amount has not been that high.  Despite having 11 days of rainfall in January, we actually finished the month below average in total precipitation.  So, it may be more accurate to refer to this pattern as frequent rain, and not a lot of rain.

Whatever you call it, it's been enough water to keep the course saturated.  Obviously, the drying we get at this time of year is only a fraction of what we experience during the summer, so a little rain goes a long way.

The other weather issue we've been dealing with are the warm temperatures.  We actually cut the greens twice in January, and every day from February 1-February 13 had a high temperature above average.  Drainage work is typically best done by us in the winter, but wet and warm is not the combination we need to for trenching on soft areas of the golf course.

Despite the current weather issues, we keep reminding ourselves of one thing:  At least it wasn't snow...

Some musical chairs in the Grounds Department

As we discussed last week (Thank you, Joseph!), our longtime equipment mechanic, Joseph Ferman, has retired.  The position of Golf Course Mechanic is often one of the most difficult to fill, as the nuances of the job make it unlike any other.  It is a fast-paced work environment, requiring a broad knowledge base.  A golf course mechanic must have excellent troubleshooting skills, along with an understanding of gasoline and diesel engines, hydraulics, electrical wiring, reel grinding, etc.

For anyone unfamiliar with the industry, the demands of the job can be daunting.  For example, in-season, the greens are cut seven days a week, meaning that each of the greens mowers need to be checked for quality of cut and height of cut seven days a week.  The same holds true for any piece of equipment that we use--once it leaves the shop, it will require some maintenance when it returns.

Given these challenges, we are quite fortunate to be able to have a current employee, Don Robel, assume the position of Mechanic for us.  Don has been employed at Laurel Creek for several years as our lead Spray Technician, and has assisted in equipment maintenance and special projects.  He has an extensive knowledge of small engine repair, as well as being familiar with the flow of our operation.  Additionally, Don has personally operated all of our equipment, so he is aware of exactly how each piece should be performing.

Don Robel prepares a tire for mounting.

While Don's shift to Mechanic fills one hole for us, it creates another, as we will lose his skills on the golf course.  Fortunately, we have been training several other employees as Spray Technicians, who have now obtained their applicator's licence, and gained experience in the field.

Thank you, Joseph!

As January ends, so too does an era in Laurel Creek's Golf Course Department.  After almost 15 years of service to the Club, Joseph Ferman, our golf course mechanic, is retiring.

Joseph's story is an interesting one, as he and his family emigrated from Ukraine in 1992.  Joseph is full of stories about his homeland, including being sent into Chernobyl to help with the cleanup...

At one of his first golf course jobs in the United States, he was shown a fleet of golf carts, many of which weren't running.  There was concern that Joseph's somewhat limited knowledge of English might be an issue in repairing the carts.  However, Joseph knew enough English to respond by asking, "What language do the carts speak?"

We wish Joseph happiness in his well-deserved retirement, and are grateful for his service to Laurel Creek.  We know that he and his wife, Yelena, are looking forward to spending more time with their two adorable grandsons!