Dam Removal

If you've watched the national news lately, you've likely seen the concerns about dams failing due to the heavy rains in the west.  In contrast to this, we've developed some dams on the golf course which we weren't looking for, and would like to get rid of.

These are referred to as "collar dams" and develop primarily due to sand accumulation from both bunker and topdressing sand over a period of time.  On several greens, the collar is now higher than the putting surface, thus preventing surface run-off of rain water.

Removing the dam requires a bit of delicate surgery on the green, collar and surrounds.  The first step includes checking the existing grades with a transit, and determining the area which needs to be regraded.  In order to have a smooth tie-in to the surrounding area, it's often necessary to start the grading well beyond the low point.

In the case of #3, we knew that an issue existed prior to last fall's construction on the surrounds.  The grading adjacent to the green and bunkers was done in a manner which would allow us to get some drainage once the green itself was addressed this winter.

The finished product.  The sod seams have been topdressed.  Winter (if that's really the season we're in) is typically the best time for us to tackle a job like this, as the sod will not require babysitting.  Now that it has a little more slope to it, this will truly be a knee-knocker of a pin placement...

Pavilion Pad Project Prep

The first phase of construction on a new pavilion behind #9 green is now complete.  While some of the projects we undertake require weeks or months to finish, the team made quick work of the field prep for this area.

A transit level is definitely required when you need to create a flat surface on a sloped hill.

When it came time to do the concrete pad and footings, we left that part of the job to a contractor who does this day in and day out.

As we said, this is the first phase of this project.  Once completed, the pavilion will be used for many purposes during the golf season.

The Greatest Show on Turf

While many may think of the St. Louis Rams when they hear the words, "Greatest Show on Turf," for those actually working in the turf industry, it's often the annual Golf Industry Show that comes to mind.  With a fantastic combination of educational offerings and large trade show, this year's show in Orlando did not disappoint.

One seminar which we found to be extremely informative discussed the impact of spray tank water quality on application efficacy.

We often use our irrigation system as the water source for our sprayers, so this is certainly relevant to us.  While we typically focus on water pH, this class shed light on the importance of other water quality issues such as hardness and turbidity.

With 250,000 square feet of space, the trade show always has a lot to offer.  The major turf equipment manufacturers can be counted on to have large booths displaying everything from mowers to blowers to aerifiers and bunker rakes.

However, it's often at the smaller booths that we find a new product or two which can help our operation.  Here's a few examples:

Flexible irrigation repair couplings--less digging is always a bonus!

A tool which uses both air and water for quick cleaning of equipment and carts.

A greens roller which requires no trailer to transport from hole to hole.

Additionally, the show provides an opportunity to catch up with other superintendents and share some tips and tricks which are working at our golf courses.  There is a lot to take in, and we always return home with some new ideas which we can implement into our operation this golf season.

Mystery Solved

For several years, #16 green has been notorious for poor irrigation pressure.  Running two or more sprinklers at once has been a problem, so some further investigation was in order.  We weren't able to take the valve apart in the ground, so the decision was made to replace it.

Once the old valve was removed, our suspicions were confirmed.  The gate which should rise and fall as the valve is opened and closed, was stuck and open only about 25%, severely restricting water flow to the green.


With the valve placed in a vice, it's easy to see the gate was only slightly opened.

How it should look with the gate out of the way.

In addition to the gate not operating, the wheel handle had rusted and fell off the stem.

The tricky part when replacing components on our system is that virtually all of the pipe is gasketed--that is, basically just pushed together, and held in place by the weight of the soil over top of it.  Because of this, we had to make sure that there was no gap between pipes when the repair coupling was installed, and be certain that the pipe couldn't move at all.  Had there been any gap, the feed for the greens loop could easily have popped out of the Tee fitting it was in.

Concrete and rebar on both sides of the valve should prevent any pipe movement.

The only downside to making repairs such as this in the winter is that it will be at least six weeks until we pressurize the system and get to find out if the repair was a good one.  With any luck, we'll find that the sprinkler performance will be greatly improved on this green going forward.

When You Need Eyes in the Back of Your Head

Prior to making any spray application on the golf course, the equipment is thoroughly inspected to be sure it is functioning correctly.  This includes checking the rate on the sprayer's controller, as well as a visual inspection of the nozzles' spray pattern.  In addition, as the spray tech is operating the sprayer, they are watching the nozzles--that is, the nozzles they can actually see.

While the nozzles on the left and right booms are easily checked from the operator's seat, the rear, middle boom is not (even if you had eyes in the back of your head).  So, while a sprayer may be performing well when initially tested at the maintenance facility, over the course of spraying out 300 gallons, things can go wrong.  This includes a hose leaking, a broken nozzle body, or a clogged nozzle.  Obviously any of these can cause an area to receive too much, or too little of the product being applied.

An unseen nozzle issue caused a misapplication on #6 fairway.

In order to improve the view of the center boom, we've tried some things in the past, such as installing mirrors, without much success.  This time we went in a different direction, and backed into  the solution:  For $33 on Amazon, we found a nice backup camera and monitor.

The camera was mounted to a bracket on the back of the sprayer.  

If you're wondering what the little yellow flags above the camera are for, it's another proactive step in keeping everyone safe in the workplace.  There was concern that someone might accidentally walk into the camera's mounting bracket when the machine is parked in the building--the flags act like mini safety cones.

The view from the driver's seat.

A close-up of the screen with the three rear nozzles visible.

While there may always be some fires to put out in any operation, we are hopeful that the addition of this camera will be another good step towards fire prevention.

Rewired

Rarely does a season pass by when we don't find ourselves taking on a new and challenging project.  Most recently, the Clubhouse renovation and expansion means that the irrigation controller located outside the Pro Shop needed to be relocated.

While this may not sound like a big deal, when you consider how many wires merge at this box, getting everything to a new location took some planning.  The wiring includes 32 zone control wires from all over the Clubhouse grounds, a common wire, a 120 volt power supply wire, and a communication cable which comes from the golf course maintenance building.


When it comes time to relocate an irrigation controller, one option is to unbolt the box, frame and pour a pad of concrete at the new location.  Of course, there is another option--carefully dig up the whole thing and move it.

Irrigation wires weren't the only pieces of infrastructure exiting the Clubhouse on the side.  A fiber optic cable which runs to the Cabana and golf course maintenance building, and the 480 volt fan power wires also needed to be moved.

Buster keeps an eye on things as conduit is installed behind the Clubhouse.

Just a few of the wires which will need to be relocated.

With a number of obstacles to cross (such as landscape lighting, irrigation pipes, and drain lines) almost all of the digging was done by hand.  Fortunately, the temperatures have been mild, and the sandy soil around the Clubhouse made for easy trenching.  The team did a great job in getting this project knocked out, so we'll be ready to go when spring comes.

The (Fantasy) Capital Equipment Budget

Thanks to sound long-term planning, we have been able to keep the Club's equipment fleet updated regularly, and take advantage of new, emerging technology in golf course management.

However, we now find that there are a few key pieces of "turf management" equipment which we have yet to acquire.  These would clearly be an invaluable asset to the golf course operation, as the uses are practically limitless.

For example, it's a safe bet that geese aren't going to just paddle away from the Gibbs Biski Amphibious Motorcycle.  You drive in the water, and right back out.

Then there's Bubba's Hovercraft.  You may just think of this as a replacement for a golf cart, but when there's work to be done on the course, and it's too wet (or there's too much snow) to be driving utility vehicles, how do you get on site?  You use a hovercraft, of course.

Lastly, there are times when we need to get from one part of the golf course to another in a hurry.   This could be an irrigation issue, a hydraulic leak, or a medical emergency--there's no time to waste.  How do we do this?  A drone isn't going to get you there.  You need a jetpack!

With Bubba's Jetpack, we can monitor course conditions, keep an eye on pace of play, and make sure team members are accomplishing their tasks.

As you can see, there are plenty of toys...uh, critical pieces of equipment we are lacking--and likely will be for a long time...