Scouting report for May 25

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~

May 25, 2012 Scouting Report High Temps Hit 90s Early: Lack of Rain = Dry, Hand-water Management Starts, Peter thinks Root Research, and Tim says "Fairy Ring Research Begins" Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle Memorial Day Weekend Arrives and yet it doesn't seem quite right. So far this season has advanced early, but the poor old calendar just progresses according to numbers. To me and to others, Memorial Day came and went a month ago - this calendar is of growing things. To the uninitiated all seems well, but folks that maintain the landscape are tired - they had to start "doing" a month earlier than usual. What continues to concern us, just a little bit, is exactly just how this growing season will play out since such a spring has never been recorded. March amazed us with 80s for highs - nine consecutive days. Later, April calmed us with more normal temperatures, but a lack of rain meant we were very dry. May saw the usual zig zag of spring as Mother Nature's final cold frosty breaths were exhaled. May's final full week has arrived and already Chicago is counting her first few days above 90 degrees - usually this begins in June. But May is not over when one more piece of awe inspiring meteorological information (AIMI) hits the news, a 100 degree day forecast for Sunday, May 27th. Currently, it isn't even summer and eyebrows (mine especially) begin to look like twin mountain peaks. During summer in Chicago we know the century mark is unusual to cross at any point. For example, we saw 100+ last July, but the last time that had happened was 2005. The earliest 100+ degree day in Chicago (Midway Airport) hails back to May 31, 1934 - dust bowl years. Hang on, summer just arrived. Click here to view the May 25, 2012 Scouting Report. Enjoy your holiday weekend and... summer early! Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

The Monday Minutes

With no outing on the books for today we took our freedom and ran, biting into a few projects that might be too disruptive were there play on the course.  Most of our man power has been devoted to our ongoing bunker project. Every bunker on the front nine has now been evaluated and corrected, with progress on the back nine continuing as I type.

We also spent some time working on the clubhouse landscaping.  More specifically, the parking lot islands. If you remember, last year we made an effort to soften some of these features; today we continued that effort. A few pallets of sod and just a little more mulch is bringing the whole are together.  Sometimes the best solutions are also the simple solutions.

A course full of players is a course serving it's purpose, but I must admit that I look forward to the few days that we have it all to ourselves and can get knee deep into hardcore projects- sometimes literally.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Cress Creek Grounds has come to Twitter!

Now there is another way to stay up to date on any news coming from grounds!  Please follow @ccccgrounds on twitter for pictures, updates and any other course related info I can share!

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Sod!

Monday the right-side banks of one and nine green received a much needed face lift. In just under one hour and forty-five minutes the crew laid over 6,700 square feet of sod! It was a truly impressive sight. These areas are very high traffic spots and wear to the point of destruction is unavoidable given enough time. On a golf course, where play (and so wear) is the goal, the only way to repair an area like this is to eventually strip and re-sod it. So today we did just that.

In a very real way the most important effort comes now. We will do our part by keeping the sod watered and fed, but the membership must do it's part by respecting the rope, stake, and signs we have put in place around each area. I know I have said before how tender sod is at this stage. Traffic or play of any kind can cause irreparable damage and undo all that hard work.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Scouting Report for May 11

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~

May 11, 2012 Scouting Report May's Temperature Zig Zag: Soils are sub-60 again, Fairway fungicide programs begin, Waitea, Microdochium, Dollar spot, and Tim's Waitea data is early! Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle This week did you sit back and enjoy the fruits of ideal growing conditions? ...for cool-season turf? We would have, but were mowing. You see, April frustrated us a bit because we stayed cool and it didn't rain much. Rapid warm-up spring came to a screeching halt. May has us back on track - most trees have now leafed out nicely and birds seem to be everywhere. Canada geese are also increasingly around and on Sunshine Course in Lemont the bluebird houses are already busy with activity - only it's the sparrows and tree swallows making the first move. Meantime, lawns and roughs are growing like no other, helped by alternating days of good rain then bright cloud free sunlight. Interestingly, the landscape continues to remain ahead by about a month based on our historical records of scouting for flora and fauna (that's flowers and fungi for me). If you have liked this unusual spring (March wowed us) then you should also like this knowledge - some of that early solar energy transferred below. Early warmth without too much rain has meant that we are now enjoying our best roots in what might be ages. Root Olympics 2012? It's been very different from springs 2010 and 2011- both were overly cool and wet (I called each rootless/ruthless). It got me thinking, since my arrival to Chicago in 2006 this might be the best spring for root growth yet. That's good news since a dry Chicago summer is kinda-sorta overdue. Click here to view the May 11, 2012 Scouting Report. Enjoy the near-ideal conditions for plant growth AND any opportunity to be outdoors this weekend! Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

Ash Treatments

Tree care sometimes requires more than pruning, and protecting a tree from disease or damaging forces can, at times, require some chemical help. Wednesday every Ash Tree on the course was treated with a product designed to protect them against the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer and other invasive, destructive insect species. As we did with the Crabapples this past march, the Ash trees were sprayed to prevent a problem they have not yet developed. Let me say plainly that there is as of yet no sign of any invading species.

See you on the Course!
Elliott Dowling

Scouting Report for May 6

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~

May 4, 2012 Scouting Report It's May, We Warm: A Trifecta of Disease, 1st Waitea, Microdochium patch, Dollar spot returns, and Tim says "Early Dollar Spot Research" Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle It became May and well... we warmed. This would my first week to see a lot of core Chicago courses - I'd be in diagnosis mode. Compared to March's freakish warm, this time around it would be less mysterious. I would recognize the usual fungal diseases of late spring. I would see three different foliar diseases - triggered by the recent rain and warmth of May. It began last Saturday when a superintendent's two email sentences would excite me. "Looks like Waitea is active on our green in the test area. Very faint, but lots of rings." But my first incline that Waitea had finally arrived would be nothing compared to another arrival. On Monday and Tuesday, following our rain, an outbreak of Microdochium patch would sporadically occur across the Chicago District - Poa annua showing greatest susceptibility. For example, I would document Microdochium patch (aka pink snow mold) affecting golf surfaces (mainly tees) in travels to three north suburb courses, two west suburb courses and then I saw it on the south side. I was quite well versed when I received a call for help from a far south suburb superintendent. Then as a bonus, in my travels I would see more Waitea and find my first significant outbreak of dollar spot on a fairway. My eyes and lens had began to overheat. This week represented the first real bout of the usual contenders of spring. Growing season 2012 just began to make some sense. Click here to view the May 4, 2012 Scouting Report. Have a good weekend and enjoy those dwarf Korean lilacs beginning their bloom! Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

Before and After

I recently took two pictures that I thought I should share with all of you.  One was taken Monday, April 30. The other was taken yesterday, May 7, exactly one week later.

May 7

April 30

I'll let them speak for themselves.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Aerification Notes

 Monday marked the start of "aerification week". In terms of work to be done, Tuesday marked the end of it. Last year we made a capitol request for the expressed purpose of purchasing a new aerifier to replace one of ours that was more than 25 years old. The request was granted, the machine was purchased, and Monday we sent it for it's maiden voyage.

Generally our 19 greens (18 holes and the putting green) are split between three machines. This year the numbers were a bit different. Our new aerifier finished 9 greens in the time it took the other two to finish 10. The actual pulling of cores (small cylinders of turf, roots, and soil) was finished by lunch. The unfortunate rain that decided to swing our way Monday afternoon put a small crimp in our plans, but topdressing and fertilization went off without a hitch on Tuesday.

 The holes in the greens will heal over the next few weeks and as always we appreciate your patience as they do so. The tees and portions of the fairways were aerified as well, though the total aerification of the fairways will be an on-going background process just as it was last year. That process will begin next week.

I absolutely have to thank our crew for this undertaking unrolling so smoothly.  They put in every effort to see that it was not only done- but done well, and that is greatly appreciated. Days like these can be quite long, and at times it can be hard to resist the urge to drop right where you are.

Some resist better than others...

See you on the course!

Elliott Dowling