Scouting Report for July 27

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD. Don't forget to follow the link!~~ July 27, 2012 Scouting Report Three periods of Bentgrass Decline: Soil Temps Hover at 80°, Anthracnose, Pythium, Fairy Ring, Drought, Peter says Turf Field Day and Tim likes Flowers Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle As July ends, we've learned a few things that a record-hot-brutal-summer can teach you! It turns our July, 2012 had three periods of bentgrass decline. In Chicago the first of our stressful periods began with the wondrous July 4th weather (a string of 100s pounded a cool humid landscape). Let's not forget the blessed rain! Severe thunderstorms are quite common for the upper midwest in summer and Chicago is wettest in July or August - just flip a coin to see. Quite probably it could be August in 2012...unfortunately. But I digress. Back to physiological decline of creeping bentgrass. It is something that is well documented by plant physiologists by use of controlled growth chambers. They found extended periods of supraoptimal temperatures meant presto - a slow to rapid decline of creeping bentgrass plant health. Soil temperature is key because it directly effects the rootzone environment and roots are not only responsible for water and nutrient uptake, but also other things like production of plant hormones and storage of photosynthetic carbohydrates. Once we realize bentgrass isn't creeping bentwondergrass, pieces of a sometimes confusing summertime puzzle make sense. A newer disease to blame? Nope. Instead the senario is likely: physiological decline predisposes bentgrass to some new and unusual 'diseases' or disorders. However, as was true in other unusual Chicago growing seasons (1988 and 1995) certain cultural practices help greens BIG time. Read on for more physiology... Click here to view the July 27, 2012 Scouting Report. Have a wonderful weekend - moderate Sat/Sun temps. Oh, and rest up for the month of August? Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

Signs of Recovery

As a follow up to yesterday's post highlighting Dr. Settle's mention of our course's and many other course's in the area struggle with dormant Poa trivialis, I thought this picture might be worth sharing. You can see green leaf blades beginning to protrude from plants that might have appeared dead but most certainly were not.  With this past week's few days of rain and a break from the blistering heat (yesterday not included) the Poa trivialis is timidly stepping back into the light.

In the upper right corner of the photo you can see our lush, green Bentgrass -the intended species- hanging tough after months of abuse. While there is still plenty of summer left and more blazing hot days in our future, this happening again is not impossible- but as you can see the spots will recover.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

A Rather Relevant Report

By now all of you who follow the blog are aware of the Scouting Report, a newsletter issued by Dr. Derek Settle, head agronomist for the Chicago District Golf Association. I cannot say, however, how many of you are aware that what is posted is not the full report. Subscribers receive an email that gives a brief summary of Dr. Settle's thoughts and provides a link that takes readers to view the full report. When I re-post what I receive from Dr. Settle, I include both the summary and the link to the full report, but I fear many people are unaware of the latter.

In this past week's Scouting Report, Dr. Settle addresses briefly but directly an issue that we are dealing with here at Cress Creek with a species called Poa trivialis that has established itself in our fairways and is now languishing in this year's brutal (and unprecedented) summer weather.  In his report Dr. Settle says: "Drought plus hot summer temps means Poa trivialis may now be very dormant." He also includes a pair of pictures that I am re-posting here with his comments.  While the lower picture was taken during his visit to Cress Creek earlier this month, the upper picture is not a Cress Creek fairway.

"Poa trivialis  that looks completely dead may still be alive if you take a closer look. Settle 7-17-12"

"A fairway looks very dead, but it isn’t. Bronze patches is sometimes dormant turf. Settle 7-17-12"

Click here to view the Scouting Report in it's entirety, and don't forget to follow the link on any future Scouting Report posts!

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Trial by Fire

With no outing to contend with yesterday, grounds got out the tractors and and did some digging.  Drainage was installed on 13 fairway, near the approach on the left side of the fairway.  Barely 12 hours later mother nature saw fit to test our work, sending a storm our way that saw benches blown into ponds and more than a half inch dropped on the course in 15 minutes. The video shows how we fared.  I think it's safe to say: "Objective Accomplished", though we can't forget that with drainage there is no such thing as "Mission Completed".

Trouble playing the video? Click here.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Scouting Report for July 20

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~
July 20, 2012 Scouting Report

Record Hot and Dry: Soil Temps Reach 85°, Highs +90°, Needed Rain Returns, Peter says Tall Fescue & Tim's phrase is Drought Tolerance of Bentgrass

Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle

July began hot, then eased for about a day but once again was over-the-top hot this week. Besides gaining an additional five days to tack onto that Chicago record of 26 days with highs +90°, the biggest story this week was what fell from the sky. It was rain, and in one evening and into the next morning some suburbs would record 2+ inches. For example, Sunshine Course in Lemont would total 2.3 inches of rain from July 18 to July 19. But in-between rare rain events our outdoor reality is that we've begun to accept a different look. Brown lawns and leaf-scorched trees are now common and has become our landscape look in 2012. The only alleviation is through use of automatic irrigation systems or alternative practices such as the labor intensive hand watering that superintendents and staff must do to maintain sand-based golf greens. In addition to the constant visual monitoring of midday wilt stress, today we maintain plant health with newer technology. Soil probes that we use to physically sample the root-zone to understand the below ground dynamics of soil and roots are now supplemented with electronic sensors used to generate maps of soil moisture across areas. This allows greater accuracy of water management this season, very necessary when average soil temperatures at a 2 inch depth touch 85 degrees or more (saw again this week). When too wet, soils cannot adequately release heat at night and roots can plain cook - just part of the story as oxygen is necessary for root life and wet soils also work against us by trapping toxic gas byproducts like CO2. The bottom line is summer 2012 has so far produced some of the warmest and driest growing conditions ever recorded. Our work continues as we advance through this record hot, dry summer and boy, it's gotten real ugly.

With the return of rain, we thought maybe just maybe we'll see the return of a normal summer? What we were thinking until a super-hot forecast appeared for next week. In the meantime, try and have a good weekend.

Click here to view the July 20, 2012 Scouting Report.
Derek Settle, PhD
Director of Turfgrass Program

The Stake and the Rake

I wanted to share a couple of quick notes with all of you.  The first is the placement of a red and white indicator stake on hole 9.  This stake is placed at the 60 yard mark, and is meant to help players beyond the rope line discern just how far they are from the green. The stake and it's appearance are not set in stone, we are simply trying a new system asked for by members who were having trouble deciding how to approach this hole.

My second piece of news is that one of our trap rakes, the machines we use to rake the bunkers every morning, is currently out of commission. With 96 bunkers on the course this means that raking each one every morning and still finishing in a timely fashion (i.e. ahead of play) is now out of the question. For the remainder of the week, bunkers will be spot raked only, meaning that any bunker deemed playable without being raked will not be. We ask that you please be extra vigilant in raking yourself out of the bunkers during this time.  Every set of foot prints that is not raked will add even more time to a task that will already be moving at half speed.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Scouting Report for July 13

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~ July 13, 2012 Scouting Report A 'Cool' Break: Soil T Falls 10°, Record Heat Meant Poa/Bent Physiological Decline, Dry Means Lawns of Straw, Peter's Brown Patch and Tim says Bluegrass Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle Tired. Not just because record heat has entered our supposed cool, humid environment but also because days are long 'at the end of a hose'. It makes sense when you consider +90° or +100° daytime highs versus the biology of a cool-season turfgrass system (poorly adapted to heat). Turf is tired. Just more item is needed to connect the dots. It's a single short sentence, often ambiguously said, "Fine turfgrass maintained for golf courses." It really means, "Intensive, sometimes extreme cultural practices are required to maintain golf greens." When it is record hot, we must adjust to reduce mechanical stress. We know nothing is more stressful than a sharp blade cutting grass and so it all starts there. It's simple, but it requires frequent monitoring and constant adjustment. If we do not, physiological decline of cool-season turf is certain. You see, a natural and gradual midsummer process of starvation (respiration exceeds photosynthesis) always exists. If we ignore it, one hot afternoon might be turf death. But for a break. Grass blades teetering on the edge of photosynthetic life saw a reprieve on Saturday July 6th when Canada blew a breeze our way (July 5th saw 102.6° versus July 10th saw 81.7°). A very difficult week reversed itself and tired expressions on tanned outdoor faces began to change. The corners of mouths lifted on most superintendents. It was a smile. Still, one of the scariest summer growing seasons continues. When July looks and feels like August, but it's not. What will August look like? Only time will tell, but from my laptop (after I download multitudes of photos at day's end) this summer is no longer so green. Round 2 is about to begin. Here goes something! Click here to view the July 13, 2012 Scouting Report. Have a good weekend and nice to see a smile or two again out in the field this past week! Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

CCCC Report from Derek Settle, PhD

The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) head agronomist came for a brief visit last week. Derek Settle, PhD, is a name you may remember.  Dr. Settle is the man behind the Scouting Reports that I re-post on this blog each week. Saturday morning he came to the course to consult on a areas of Rough Blue Grass (Poa Trivialis) that we reported were going dormant in a post entitled: Trivial Pursuit, at the end of last week. This Link will take you to a copy of Dr. Settle's full report.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Scouting Report for July 6

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

July 6, 2012 Scouting Report Record Heat: Chicago Counts Days of 100s for Highs, All 3!, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Pythium Blight, Both Peter and Tim Say Dollar Spot as it Explodes Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle When Chicago's cool, humid environment is no longer either we know it, and so does our landscape. A very difficult week for plant health was just experienced. As is always true, it's all about the weather. It was just last summer when a single daytime high crossed the century mark. That raised eyebrows in Chicago because our last 100 degree high had been in 2005. Chicago is now having one of its hottest summers on record. The last most similar summer dates to 1995. A golf course superintendent never forgets a bad summer and both 1995 and 1988 are at the top of that list. This week brought consecutive 100+ highs which began on July 4th and by day three, Friday, our official temps at airports O'Hare and Midway saw 103 and 105 respectively. On top of that we continue to remain as dry as we've been in a long time. As we look down, we find unirrigated lawns are now straw colored and some have even begun looking somewhat white?!? Golf courses in the upper Midwest deal exclusively with cool-season turf. Although we can have good control of irrigation inputs when it's dry, we have little to no control of temperature. The most troubling aspect is that peak summertime soil temperatures build on themselves during July and August and at the moment our current readings at a two inch depth have crossed into the 80s. In a majority of cases our current troubles are not disease, but instead midsummer physiological decline. Adjustment of cultural practices as needed can only maintain turf health. The heat is on. Click here to view the July 6, 2012 Scouting Report. Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

A Historic Chapter Comes to a Close

Though temperatures will be rising into the triple digits again, the forecast says today is to be the last day in our current stretch of severe heat. While this still leaves us in the middle of a rather potent drought, next week's temperatures should give the course a chance at some recuperation before Invitational next weekend, which will bring with it more day's in the 90's!


When drought and blazing heat unite in an almost unmatched way as they have for the past week, a Superintendent's response is generally to put their head down and push through.  Just as the coming break in the heat will offer the course a momentary respite, it also allows my staff and I a chance to look back and take stock of what we've just been up against. To that end, I thought I would share a few facts from the Chicago Weather Center on just how unprecedented this past week has been.


1.) Up to the current hot spell, only four years since 1871 had produced four or more daily 100s: 1934, 1947, 1953, 1988. This year (2012) is now among them.


2.) The three back to back 100-degree days just completed here--102-degrees Wednesday and 103-degree highs Thursday and Friday, all record breakers--constitute one of only three such strings over Chicago's 142-year observational record. It was 65 years ago in 1947 that we last experienced three consecutive 100-degree or higher temperatures.


3.) The opening six days of July included within the 10-day period of heat being discussed here, is the hottest in 101 years! The period from July 1-7 has produced an average temperature of 87.4-degrees in Chicago which is an extraordinary 13.8-degrees above normal!    


The good news is: we made it! While there is still plenty of summer left, this particularly harrowing stretch is coming to a close.  Thank you again for your patience as Grounds raced to keep up with the heat. Feel free to join us as we all heave a sigh of relief!


See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Trivial Pursuit

As I'm sure some of you have noticed, select areas in our fairways have gone dormant over the past few days. In the hope of avoiding any confusion, I thought I would explain just what's happening out there.
I have spoken before about the many different types of turf that have invaded our course. The spots you are noticing are a species called Poa trivialis, generally known as Rough Bluegrass. Poa trivialis has a far lower tolerance to heat and drought, and given we are experience quite a bit of both it has gone dormant.

Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about this. The amount of moisture we would have to apply to keep the Poa trivialis healthy would pose a danger to the Bentgrass that surrounds it- Bentgrass that you will notice is still going strong. Once temperatures have grown mild once again the dormant turf should return with time, but until then our only viable option is to wait.

I'm supplying links to articles that discuss this subject in depth, one was published by Ohio State University, the other by Purdue University. This latest (and by far most severe) stretch of heat should come to a close this weekend, with the forecast showing Sunday's high as a frigid 82 degrees. Until then, we thank you for your patience as we drag hose and pop on heads. We're in the home stretch!

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Get Out of the Kitchen

 I wanted to quickly share an article I found on Yahoo's news site today, which presents some staggering numbers on this years unprecedented heat.  The figures discussed must be seen to be believed, and even as someone who finds himself exposed to weather for the better part of the day, I was still shocked! Suffice it to say that the heat we are experiencing here is in no way localized.

You can find the article here.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling

Scouting Report for June 29

~~The following is the C.D.G.A. scouting report as posted by Derek Settle, PhD~~ June 29, 2012 Scouting Report June Ends HOT: 1st Type 2 Fairy Ring on Greens, Dollar Spot Jumps After Rain, Japanese Beetles Build, Peter's 1st Dollar Spot Data and Tim says Tall Fescue Chicago/Northern Illinois Update: Derek Settle Summer just got Record Super Hot. Until now we have been praising our cool-season turf for its deep roots and good color. "Good, nice, wow, terrific." And in response our turf has listened by glowing green and blemish free (given supplemental irrigation). This week things started to change. Peak summer heat entered our Midwest sky above (early) as an ominous forecast of 90s to 100s for highs strung themselves together. Accordingly we began to see signs of plant stress and our miniature boat-shaped leaf blades on greens, Poa annua, gave its first whelp of summer. This recent amber hue is now commonly occurring on Poa greens in Chicago, yet for the average eye all is well and the putting green looks fine. However, for superintendents this all-to-familiar-look means normal plant physiology of fine turf is no longer the same. On golf surfaces, physiological decline has begun and touche, in response they're moderating maintenance on greens. On especially hot days we back off. As far as ball roll or those green speeds you won't be able to tell as natural plant growth regulators are now in place - high temperature, midday wilt stress and high light levels. With plant growth next to nil careful inventory and evaluation of habitual stressors begins. Like the extra mechanical wear which always rings the cleanup laps of greens. Like traffic patterns on turf (the stressful effects of concentrated foot traffic on greens, and harsh traffic patterns of carts on fairways/roughs). Talk about a hot summer huh. Well it is! Click here to view the June 29, 2012 Scouting Report. Have a nice weekend and enjoy your 4th of July. Thankfully rain seems to have returned. Derek Settle, PhD Director of Turfgrass Program

Words of Wisdom

Many of you know the name Steve Cook. He is the certified golf course superintendent and director of agronomy at Oakland Hills Country Club (and if you don't know the name "Steve Cook", you certainly know the name "Oakland Hills Country Club"). Wednesday Steve posted a blog discussing the dichotomy between the mentality that should accompany turf management with temperatures in the 70's or mid 80's, and the mentality that should accompany turf management in extreme weather conditions- I would think that  the worst drought in a quarter century counts as "extreme"!

In his post, Steve uses a driving metaphor to explain what he calls a management "downshift": "...when the temperatures are North of 90 degrees, as in 97 degrees Thursday, it's time to let up on the gas and downshift into a lower gear. That kind of weather is not the time to be a hero and drive over the cliff." The 97 degree Thursday that he mentions is the very same Thursday that brought us into the100's last week- the first 100 degree day in June in 24 years!

After reading what he had to say I felt I couldn't describe how grounds has been operating through this period of intense heat and drought any better. Click here to see the post in it's entirety. And it is important to remember that even though we have been lucky enough to see rain this weekend, our drought is nowhere near broken. We are still inches below the line that we would need to cross for that to be true.

See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling