Carolinas Golf Association Mimosa Hills Country Club AGRONOMY REPORT Bill Anderson, CGCS Agronomist Carolinas Golf Association Date of Visit: March 1, 2016 The Carolinas Golf Association is an educational organization founded in 1909 to promote and protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with 685 member clubs represented by over 150,000 individuals. With its rich legacy, championship traditions and commitment to the future of the game, the CGA has been a steward of golf in the Carolinas for over one hundred years. The activities and services of the Carolinas Golf Association are governed by an Executive Committee consisting of Carolinas golfers who wish to serve the game and the association through service.
Carolinas Golf Association To: Dan Winters, Golf Course Superintendent of Mimosa Hills Country Club Fr: Bill Anderson, CGCS Carolinas Golf Association Agronomist Re: Site visit on March 1, 2016 Dear Dan, On behalf of the Carolinas Golf Association, we thank you for the opportunity to assist in your golf course maintenance and overall improvement program. I would like to say thank you to President, John Sallstrom; Treasurer, Chuck Ohrt; Secretary, Ronny Wilson; Committee Member, Knox Matthews; BOD Member, Don McGinnis; Golf Professional, Jimmy Piercy; Asst. Supt. Brian Reddick and you for the great welcome, hospitality and lunch. Our site visit consisted of a morning tour of all eighteen holes with numerous stops to discuss specific issues that the committee wished to address. The overall theme of the day was Dan s desire to develop a plan of action for the overall improvement of the course. With the basic agronomic program on very sound footing, it is everyone's wish to move the overall look, conditions and playability to a higher level. Listed below are the topics and my suggestions for the club to consider on the areas we covered in order: Golf Course Topics of Interest: 1. Greens Cultural Program 2. Past Winter Kill Shade and Soil Conditions 3. Tree Removal - Re-grassing 4. Maintenance Building, Condition of Equipment 5. Bermuda Grass Encroachment 6. Review of Leyland Cypress, Future Hedge Plan 7. Irrigation Pump Station, Lake and Water Source 8. Conclusion 2
Mimosa Hills Country Clubm 1. Greens Cultural Program for Organic Matter Control The current program and plan for three aerifications in March, May and September is very sound. The impact of 15% of the greens surface area is on the low side of the recommended USGA guidelines of 20%. With the current organic matter results at 3%, your current practice is controlling the build-up of thatch which is detrimental to a green. Do not allow thatch to reach past the 4% maximum threshold. I suggest you continue monitoring this level. If the presence of organic matter increases, you will need to expand the size and/or frequency of the aeration as soon as possible. Dan has reduced the sand topdressing program due to budget constraints and has eliminated the 6-8 light applications needed during the high growth periods of the bent grass. This is unfortunate. The basic practice is very beneficial, and one of the best ways to manage organic matter decomposition. It creates smoother, better, putting surfaces. If monies are available I highly recommend this practice be re-started. In general the greens are in outstanding condition. These are some of the best surfaces I have seen in my travels. I think the overall program is very sound and all should be pleased with the results of a somewhat limited cultural program. 2. Past Winterkill Issues with Shade and Soil Conditions Winterkill is a term commonly used in turf grass management to represent any injury occurring during the dormant winter months. The specific cause of injury is direct low temperatures. The second is winter desiccation, and third is low temperature fungi. The previous winter of 2015 created a great number of direct low temperature kills in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The damage of direct low temperature kill occurs most commonly during periods of alternating freezing and thawing and is aggravated by the increase in plant internal moisture. This, coupled with sudden drops in temperature creates a perfect storm for damage. The degree of low temperature damage hardiness varies throughout the winter and is lowest in late winter. The situation that winter of excess moisture in January/early February and low temperatures in late winter is exactly what occurred in February 2015. Several of these damaged areas still need to be repaired and I recommend you consider using improved cold tolerance Bermuda grasses like Latitude 36 or NorthBridge for these chronic winter damaged areas. 3
Both of these grasses were developed and owned by Oklahoma State University and are great options. Numerous other areas such on holes 11,12 and 14 would benefit from extensive tree removal improving direct sunlight and growing conditions. 3. Tree Removal and Re-grassing As we continued the tour, we discussed more shade issues on numerous sites that included greens, tees and fairways. Since the original construction, trees continued to grow, and the golf corridors continue to shrink. The only solution is a long term, comprehensive tree removal and thinning program. Over the years, additional trees have been planted, producing shade, and they are now having a negative effect on the turf. The surrounding turf and the overall look of most holes will be improved if trees are removed and more sunlight is available for the Bermuda grass turf. Bermuda grass needs 8 to 10 hours of sunlight per day during the growing season. The shade during the winter months also creates colder soil temperatures for longer periods of time, and increases your risk of winterkill. The trees blocking the morning sun rising in the east are associated with many of the winterkill and weak turf areas. As we toured numerous areas such as #11,12 and 14 will benefit from tree removal for better conditions. References: Problems Associated with Trees on the Golf Course, Dr. Leon Lucas; Man's Friend or Golf's Enemy?, David A. Oatis Other areas to consider to improve turf conditions in weak areas are to increase the summer aerification program to reduce compaction and improve irrigation coverage to these edge rough areas. At fairway #12 I recommend this large tree be removed and the original swale be re - cut to intercept the drainage water and divert to the culvert at the bottom of the hill. This will keep water from racing across fairway and causing damage to this area. Mimosa Hills Country Clubm 4
Mimosa Hills Country Clubm 4. Maintenance building and condition of equipment The existing maintenance building and equipment are showing their age and the club needs to be aware of the importance of funding an ongoing capital replacement program for both items. It is impossible to maintain a good overall program with poor facilities for staff and old worn out equipment. Parts are hard to find or no longer available. The current plan of leasing several pieces of good, but used equipment is a good start. More equipment is needed as soon as possible. Consider purchasing several of the most needed equipment pieces. I recommend you contact Weeks Farm Machinery in Moultrie, Ga and secure information on their auction program of good used turf equipment. Several clubs have saved a lot of money using this program. 5. Encroachment of Bermuda Grass into Bent Grass Greens This is a common problem in this part of the country. Unfortunately, there is no herbicide that will effectively remove the Bermuda without causing damage to the desired bent grass. The use of the herbicide Tupersan works to some extent to slow down the Bermuda, but only works for a few years. A program of edging and physical removal also helps, but only to a very limited extent. I suggest these areas be re-sodded when the current plan to improve the collar tie-ins is implemented. This project re -grades the edges of collars and surrounding areas for better transitions. Producing a more original, natural slope here will be a great improvement for both golfer-playability and maintenance. That is the time to re-sod the Bent grass edges of the green and remove the undesirable Bermuda grass all in one action. 5
Mimosa Hills Country Club 5. Review of Leyland Cypress - Future Hedge Plan The current plan is to start removing the diseased, dying Leyland Cypress and replace with Green Giant Arborvitae in stages. I see nothing wrong with this approach. I recommend other shrubs be incorporated into the hedge landscape. Rather than try to match (it will never match), the linear plantings into one tall monoculture green wall - Consider planting linear groupings of sturdy, soundbarrier, wind and disease-resistant, long-lived, hollies. I recommend you consider Burford Holly Burfordii Ilex cornuta or Nelly R Stevens to name a few favorites in this family of plants. These are shiny-leaved, evergreen and bird-friendly. It is widely used in landscaping and is an excellent plant for hedges and screens. 6. Irrigation Pump Station, Lake and Water Source During our tour we discussed the current pump station and water source issues. The pump station is old, in good working order and well-maintained. However, the limited capacity of both the pump station and the water source requires Dan to restrict irrigation at critical times. This is to save money by not buying water from the city of Morganton. While this is sometimes necessary, it is not sound practice to allow Bermuda grass to go completely dormant during the summer months. It leads to weak turf with more winter kill and weed pressure. Long range plans should be made to expand both the water storage capacity and the pumping per minute rate to around 1500 gallons per minute. This will allow Dan to irrigate the entire course during nonplay hours. 6
Mimosa Hills Country Club CONCLUSION It was a pleasure to visit Mimosa Hills Country Club and spend the day with the entire group. I hope you find the report useful as you improve the care and conditions on your course. Again, please call me at 704-363-1381 if you have any questions. I hope to return soon, as I look forward to a continuing working arrangement with your club. Sincerely, Bill Anderson Bill Anderson, CGCS Agronomist Carolinas Golf Association bill.anderson@carolinasgolf.org 704.363.1381 The use of brand names or service providers does not imply endorsement of the products/providers or criticism of similar ones not mentioned, but are used herein for convenience only. Mention of a proprietary product or service provider does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the consultant. A SAFETY Training Offer from the Carolinas Golf Association Carolinas Golf Association is offering online safety training sessions for a reduced member price from McCord Golf Services. Many golf courses overlook the importance of safety programs and safety training for their employees. I recommend you ask your crew, everyday if they have any safety concerns and remind them to work safely today. In addition to daily reminders to be safe, you should hold a monthly safety training meeting. Not only are you required by OSHA laws to provide a safe workplace but studies show safety programs can reduce employer costs by reducing accidents, injuries, insurance costs, lost work hours, and improving productivity and morale. The CGA has partnered with McCord Golf Services and Safety to provide a series of safety training videos at a reduced subscription price of $250 a year. For more information on these safety training videos, or to subscribe, go to www.mccordgolf.com and use the discount code CGAmember at checkout. 7