Project Time

We had above normal precipitation in November and several high wind events so all the leaves are down a little earlier than normal.  We've got most of it picked up and now without the need to blow all the fine turf every day, we have time to start on our long "to do" list.  This is the best part of the off season because almost every day we get to go home knowing we made some kind of improvement on the property.  When you spend all day blowing tree debris only to come in the next day and do the same thing, it feels like you're not being very productive.  Now that it's project time, we know we're making a difference and that helps us get through some of the miserable days of weather we have during the winter.  Here are some of the things we've been working on.

 The curbing around the first tee was replaced last spring and we had every intention of replacing the curbing around the putter at that time but it just didn't happen.  The project on the first tee had some delays so we finished it later than I had planned, so once we finished the project and installed the clock I decided it was time to just focus on the golf course.

 The putter/first tee area is busy with traffic so working here can be difficult when the golf course is open.  Last week we had frost delays every day which made this the perfect time to work on this project.  You can see how the old railroad ties were in pretty bad shape and really hazardous for people to step on.  This project was overdue for sure.

 We used the same 8X8 timbers that we placed around the first tee in the spring. They are not railroad ties so they don't have creosote in them which makes them more environmentally sensitive.  We intentionally left them as they came off the mill.  They are not planed or sanded so hopefully they will not get slippery.  I think they look great.  Thank you Pinnacle Lumber for finding the perfect material for curbing.

 The crew finished raising the sprinkler heads which we started last winter.  That is no small task as we have about 800 sprinklers in the fine turf areas which need to be raised every 2 to three years.  Once the sprinklers we're raised we started raising the valve boxes.  Above is an example of a valve box in desperate need of raising.  Some of these boxes are the original ones installed in 1989 and they look pretty gross.  So, we are not only raising the boxes, we are replacing every box in the fine turf areas.  The new boxes are smaller in diameter and I have designed a custom lid which Keltech plastics made for us. 

 The plastic pipe sleeve is important to keep soil away from the top of the valve. 

 Since the new boxes are smaller than the old ones, we have to get creative with the sodding but once tamped down they look good and the bare spots will fill in quickly.

 The custom lid was created because every lid you can buy is simply junk.  The lid that comes with these boxes are thin, look cheap, and have a hole in them.  That hole is for your finger so you can pull the lid up, but that hole makes valve boxes really attractive for bees to make their home.  Try turning a valve when there's a bee hive on it.  Our custom lid has a stainless metal handle that drops down so there is no need for a finger hole and no need for a special tool to get the lid off.  Also, you can see there is a recessed area for a yardage tag.  We will be putting new yardage tags on all these boxes very soon.

Lastly, back by popular demand we are adding new sand to all the bunkers making them so soft that recovery from them is impossible.

 Seriously, we are adding sand to the bunkers because they need it.  I apologize if you get into a trap that we recently worked on because they will be soft for a while.

When we constructed the bunkers in 2013, we were judicious with the sand because too much sand is just as bad as not enough when you consider good playability.  Not only that, bunker sand is expensive so controlling costs was really important during the construction period.   Now we are adding sand where we need it but we are still judicious because unfortunately the bunker sand we have is no longer available.  We have several tons in storage but since we can't buy anymore, we will make that stockpile last as long as possible.  Adding sand to bunkers is a necessary evil.  You would be surprised how much sand leaves a bunker annually by golfers hitting shots and by the action of blowing debris from them.  If you don't monitor the quantity of sand and add some occasionally, you'll end up with so many thin areas that the bunker liners will be compromised and then we will start seeing rocks coming up into the bunkers.  So like I said, this process is important and by doing it we are prolonging the life of the bunkers and of course sustaining good playability. Another way of making a difference which makes the off season and "project time" so important and gratifying. 

The BRAIN

I would like to introduce "The Irrigation Computer".  This thing is the brain of the irrigation system and it is one of the most important tools we have for managing the playing surfaces that make up the golf course.  It would literally take me hundreds of pages on this blog post to explain half of what this thing can do so I won't even attempt it.   Right now I just want to show you my new Map screen.  The current software we're using to control the irrigation system (IR) is called "Lynx".  Lynx is the newest and latest and greatest software made by TORO.  We were one of the first to get this new software and it is nothing short of amazing.  Lynx was created with a completely new platform and a completely different way of thinking compared to previous programs.  This new stuff is very intuitive so it's much easier and faster to make adjustments. When somethings easier and faster we can do more of it.   The more daily adjustments that are made, the better the playing field gets.  Anyway, I want you to see my new map screen.

We've been using Lynx for a few years now but without the map screen.  That's  because our irrigation system is now 25 years old and back when it was designed, the technology for GPS mapping didn't exist.  We could have the system mapped with GPS but now with Lynx we don't need to because the software allows you to make your own map with just a photo of your course.  So check out the lower half of my screen in the image above.  The photo I'm using to make my map is our most updated master plan by DMK golf design.  In the center of the map screen above you see 10 and 17 green and then all those yellow dots are sprinkler heads.  Right now I'm still working on getting this map ready for the upcoming season.

See when I scroll over to the south end of the property there are no yellow dots on holes 13 through 16.  It takes some time to input the data necessary to create the dot for each sprinkler but it is so worth it.  By having the map, we no longer need to refer to our crude hand drawings for each hole in order to find the address for each sprinkler.  We just need to click on a dot on the map and this box pops up.

This box displays all the necessary information about the selected sprinkler.  Here's a closer look at the box.

You can see this sprinkler has an address, a code that describes the area it is in, the type of nozzle, and obviously some other stuff but in the bottom right is that window that says "percent adjust".  This is where I can turn that sprinkler up or down.  Right now you see this sprinkler is at 100%.  So if this was a sprinkler on one of the greens and I decide to water greens for 10 minutes then it will water for 10 minutes.  If I change the "percent adjust" to 50% and run greens for 10 minutes then this sprinkler will run for 5 minutes.  There are 1200 sprinklers on the course and each one of them has their own "percent adjust" which is based on the water needs for that particular area.  Some areas require more or less water than other areas depending on the environment in that sprinkler's area, soil type, grass type etc.  The environment is not a constant.  A sprinkler that is in full sun in the spring can be in part shade in the fall and vice verse.  Since the environment is not a constant, we need to make adjustments to many of the sprinklers almost every day in order to provide a consistent moisture level across the playing field.  Before we had map, we had to navigate through a menu like you see below in order to find the address for the sprinkler we wanted to adjust.

Now of course with the map, it is so much easier to quickly find the sprinkler we want to adjust.  This will reduce the time we spend making adjustments so now we can make better use our time.  You got to hand it to the TORO company.  They have made countless advancements with irrigation central controllers and all the while allowing many older systems to upgrade and take advantage of these improvements.  Installed in 1989, the irrigation system at Tacoma was one of the first computer controlled systems made and today I'm using the most advanced computer system to run it.  Think about that for a minute.  It's astonishing.  Thanks TORO!

Game Changers

 Check out what showed up Thursday.  These are triplex mowers, and yes we will be using them on our greens from time to time.  These two new units are replacing 20 year old machines that we phased out of our mowing programs several years ago.  Why did we stop using the old triplexes?  Simply put, they were inefficient and posed a risk to our putting greens.  The old machines were slow.  Yes they could mow a green faster than the walking mower, but transporting from green to green was slow so overall there wasn't a huge time savings.  Most importantly is that the old machines used hydraulics to power propulsion and the cutting units. With hydraulics comes the potential for hydraulic leaks.  I'll never forget the first Member Guest Invitational with myself as superintendent in 1999.  We were mowing greens in the afternoon trying to get a blistering 10 on the stimpmeter (today our daily green speed average is about 11 on the stimpmeter) and a triplex blew a hydraulic line on the 18th green.  Today, you can still see where that oil leak occurred since we had to cut out the dead, oil soaked grass and  replace it with new sod. 

 A lot has changed since those days.  For one, we don't have to double cut or triple cut greens to get great green speed.  We have learned how to grow grass with less fertilizer and we even have products that slow the growth of grass so all that mowing is no longer necessary to produce fast green speeds.  Also we now have really neat greens rollers which help us get speed and smoothness.  But that's not all that's changed.  Mower manufactures have figured out how to eliminate hydraulics.  Take a closer look at the cutting unit of our new machines.

 The two lines going into the reel motor are not hydraulic hoses, they are wires.  This motor is powered by electricity.  In fact all the motors on this machine are powered by electricity.  The only oil in this machine is that which is in the engine. This machine has a small 2 cylinder diesel engine that drives the generator which creates the electricity to power all the motors.  So really there is absolutely no fear that this machine will leak oil on the greens.  It doesn't stop there, with the on-board computer, you can customize the mow speed and transport speed to maximize efficiency.  With 15 blades per reel there isn't a machine out there that can mow any faster.  Lastly, this baby transports from green to green super fast which really increases its overall productivity.  I could go on about this machine but I'm sure you've heard enough to know these things are "game changers".  With these as part of our fleet, we now have options.  If we need to mow super fast, we can do that.  If for some reason a double cut is necessary for that special event, we can easily do that.  Watch this video and see this amazing technology in action.

Finally, if you're on the course this coming week (which you should be since the forecast is perfect), you will notice a couple new things.  First, on the maintenance you'll see we're installing white dots which will replace the white line for the O.B. markers.  Why?  Well......the white line faded so there was certain times when it was difficult to see.  Yes we could paint it more often but the road is a mile long so that isn't cheap or easy.  Every time we paint the line, the area needs to be prepared with the pressure washer and like I said, the road is a mile long.  Washing a mile long road is tough.  The white dots are more permanent.  This of course is just a trial so please check them out and let me know what you think.

The other things you'll notice this week is the big dots on the fairways.  Each fairway will have one big green dot and one big red dot like you see in the picture below.  These markers represent the Committee's suggested locations for the new family tees.  Once the final location of these tees is decided, the painted dots will be replaced with permanent markers.  Adding these two short courses will give the golf course a wider range of suitability for all those different types of golfers.  Super young players or those that are just learning will like that they can reach the green in regulation.  Older players that have lost some yardage off tee can now play a course that is easier to score on.  When you score well, you're happier.  It's all about making golf more fun and part of that is keeping a good pace of play.    

If you're playing a course that is too long for your ability, you are taking too many swings.   The USGA and PGA have done a lot of research on the subject.  They have found that the magic number for keeping golf fun is 90.  If you can't break 90, you are not having enough fun to keep playing the game, AND you are taking too long which means your ruining the fun for the group following you.  Be courteous to others on the course and play to an appropriate set of tees.  Keep moving up to a shorter set of tees until you can consistently break 90.  It's good for you and for those that are waiting on you.  Click here to learn more about the family tee program.

I'm in LOVE with a mower!

Here she is.  Our new TORO GROUNDSMASTER 4300.  Let me just say I am in love with this machine and this blog post is intended to tell you why.  In this picture she is getting the once over by our mechanic to make sure she was delivered "ready to go".  Joe will check all the fluid levels and make sure every fitting and bolt is tight before it goes out on its maiden voyage.  This machine is brand new and came with a price tag of $53,000.  Yes, that is a ridiculous amount of money and hard to swallow but this is a very specialized piece of equipment and should serve the club well for over 5 years.  She is replacing our Jacobsen AR5 which is in the picture below.  The AR5 was purchased 5 years ago and cost $45,000.

That was a lot of money back then and I guess it still is but the worst thing about it was the AR5 came with many problems.  All of the rollers and caster wheels on the cutting deck required costly maintenance.  She blew hoses almost every month from a poorly designed steering system which meant hydraulic oil leaks in our roughs was a common occurrence.  The frame cracked and which Jacobsen repaired free of charge, but it had to be off site for that repair so we were without a mower for over a week.  In reality though the AR5 was not a complete waste of money.  It simply was a case of early release.  The AR5 was the first of its kind as the industry was shifting from mowing rough with reels, to mowing roughs with rotarys.  It takes a lot of horsepower to mow with rotary blades and up until recently, that kind of horsepower was not achievable from a small lightweight power plant which is essential on golf course equipment.  We were one of the first owners of the AR5 and since it was really the first fine turf rotary mower on the market, it had some issues that have since been improved on.  Anyway, let me introduce the TORO 4300 to you and show you why I love it.  First and foremost, it cuts rough like no other using a proven cutting deck design that TORO has been using for several years now on its smaller machine, the sidewinder which you see below.  We have two of these and they handle all the roughs around the greens and tees.  Below you see the sidewinder.

Now below is a picture of the cutting deck on the 4300.  Notice the similarities.  I love the way this deck cuts and it recycles clippings very well leaving behind very few clipping clumps.

Also the rollers both front and back have not given us any problems.  The same rollers are on the sidewinder machines and to date we have not had to rebuild one after several thousand hours of operation.  Below you see the turbo charged power plant on this beauty.

The 4300 has plenty of power to mow even tall wet grass which of course we see all the time here in the great Pacific Northwest.  Below you see underneath this machine and how they used steel lines wherever they could instead of hoses.  Steel lines hold up much better than hoses over time so we should see much less oil leaks on the course.

Oh yeah, the picture above also shows the business end of the cutting deck and you can clearly see the aggressive blade we use that pulverizes grass, leaves, pines cones, and everything else that gets in its path.  Our mechanic Joe loves the accessibility of the filters for easy maintenance and little design features like good clearance around fittings for repairing or replacing lines and hoses.  Check out this pic.

Of course the crew loves operating this baby.  It is the most comfortable machine to operate in the fleet with a control center that has everything at your fingertips.  Below you can see the helm of the 4300.

So in closing, you'll have to trust me that the 53K was worth it on the new 4300.  I mean the last thing we need is "out of control" rough.  With this machine, we can keep the rough under control because the only time it will be in the shop is too change the blades.  We won't be wasting time and money keeping the decks in working order and we won't be repairing dead turf areas from oil leaks.  This is no experiment on my part because I know from experience as this new 4300 is actually our second one.  Our first 4300 has been out on the course for over a year with no issues.  I just love it.  Just don't tell my wife I have a new love at the golf course, she'll be jealous.  Click here to go to the TORO website and see all the features and specs on the 4300.









Simple Fertility

Here at Tacoma C&GC, we fertilize almost exclusively with liquids that we blend ourselves.  Why? Because it's the most ecomomical way to purchase fertilizer, and we can control the ratios of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium and all other necessarry elements.  This picture below shows the three main components of our blends.  All three of these materials are highly soluble and therefore readily go into solution.  We "melt" them into solution using the inductor which feeds into the 1100 gallon batch tank at our chemical storage building.

Below in this picture you can see Doug feeding the inductor.  The entire batch tank system is powered by a trash pump.  After all desired products are fed into the inductor, it is disconected from the system and then the trash pump keeps all 1100 gallons of fertilizer agitated or circulating for whatever desired length of time to ensure everything is mixed up.

This picture also clearly shows the pipe connection which is tied into the irrigation system and is our source of water for the mix.  The trash pump is on a timer which we typically set to come on 3 times during the night and run for an hour each cycle.  This next picture shows what the tank looks like from inside the building.

As soon as we are ready to apply the fertilizer, the same pump which powered the inductor and agitation is then used to transfer the mix to the spayer.  It takes a few minutes for the transfer and during that time, other products are added into the spray tank to make up the final blend. Some of these other products might be micro nutrients, growth regulators, etc.  One of the most important additives is a nitrogen stabilizer.  This product makes the final mix cooler, meaning a lower salt index which eliminates the possibility of fertilizer burn.  It also makes the nitrogen act like a slow release fertilizer so we minimize the chance of making the grass "flush" or grow rapidly.  One of the main advantages of making a custom blend like this is we have more control over plant growth.  The color response, and growth rate with our custom blend is predictable which isn't always the case when you  feed turf using granular applied products like the ones most of us use on our lawns at home.



making the transfer to the sprayer

 You can see that the concept of "batching" fertilizer is pretty neat and quite handy if you want to customize your fertilizer.  But one of the biggest advantages is efficiency.  It's economically efficient because we buy fertilizer in it's raw, "simple" form.  It's also time efficient because the blending is done the day before apllication.  This means we can quickly refill the sprayer in minutes and stay ahead of play on the day it's applied.


spraying fertilizer using a foam marker



Where are all the stripes?

This picture was taken in the spring of 2007 and I must admit the all the stripes you see are pretty cool.  For as long as I can remember I put a huge emphasis on burning in the stripes.  I was very hard on my staff to perform their mowing in such a perfect way so that all the stripes lined up perfectly.  Often I would see guys mow areas more than once only because they wanted to please me by having perfect stripes.  My staff might be the best on the planet, but we are only human and my emphasis on lining up the stripes was becoming obsessive.  One day I just said myself, "This is a waste of time, we need to be looking at ways to save time and money."  I wanted to increase productivity from the staff and the best way to do that was to find ways to do things faster.  Mowing with an emphasis on stripes takes time.  One needs to lift the cutting units at the end of each pass and then drop the cutting units at the beginning of each pass.  This not only wastes time but is stressful on the machine by adding unnecessary wear and tear.  To increase productivity we decided to just stop mowing stripes on fairways.  Immediately I was impressed as to how much time we saved.  So we then took it a step further and stopped mowing stripes on tees.  Now we actually try and avoid mowing stripes by mowing against the direction of the last cut so as to wash out the stripe effect. This has greatly improved our productivity, reduced wear and tear on the machines, and most importantly reduced my stress level.  No longer am I obsessed with stripes.   Actually, I like the "no stripe" look so much better.  Eliminating the stripes also eliminated the "man made" look so the place looks more natural. 

This picture shows todays mowing style which is much more efficient for us than striping.  Using this method saves about 6 man hours each time we mow fairways.  Thats almost equal to having another person on the staff that day.  The bottom picture shows the "no stripe" look on #3 tee