Golf Course Maintenance Specifications Sun City West January 1, 2013
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this maintenance plan is to develop and represent acceptable ideals for the care and maintenance of the seven Sun City West golf courses. It must be understood that this plan is flexible and dependent on the best efforts of the Superintendent and his crew to implement the following procedures attentively and with common sense. Modifications to this plan are appropriate when weather conditions and other unavoidable circumstances arise. These objectives will be met within an overall annual operating and capital maintenance budget prepared by the Golf Maintenance staff, and approved by the General Manager and the Board of Directors. CONTENTS: Page 2 Objective/Index Page 3 Mowing Operations Page 4 Mowing Operations continued Page 5 Cultural Practices Page 6 Cultural Practices continued Page 7 OverSeeding Page 8 Soil and Water Testing Page 9 Fertiltiy Page 10..Pest Control Page 11..Seed and Sod Selection Page 12..Daily Maintenance Course Set Up Page 13..Lake Maintenance Page 14..Trees Page 15..Driving Range Maintenance Page 16..Practice Green/Chipping Greens Page 17..Irrigation Scheduling and Maintenance Page 18..Pump Station and System Maintenance Page 19..Pump Station/System Maintenance Cont Page 20..Drainage Page 21..Cart Paths Page 22..Traffic Control Page 23..Golf Course Marking Page 24..Building Maintenance Page 25..Tournament Standards Page 26..Frost and Rain Policy Page 27..Maintenance Records Page 28..Personnel Page 29..Landscape and Shrub Maintenance Page 30..Flowers and Groundcover Page 31..Wildlife Services/Swans 2
MOWING OPERATIONS Mowing schedules, height of cut, and mowing equipment is kept on a detailed maintenance program throughout the year. Due to seasonal growth rates and climatic changes, adjustments to the schedule will be made as necessary. During reduced growth periods or turfgrass stress, conservative procedures are acceptable. A. GREENS 1. Mowing Equipment: Triplex putting greens mower 2. Mowing Frequency: Seven days per week 3. Height of cut: 1/8" (0.125) to 7/32" (0.220) clippings removed 4. Greens Speed Between 8 to 8 6" (Bermuda season) 9 to 10 Rye season) Greens Speed may lower during aerification and over-seeding periods. B. PUTTING GREENS COLLARS AND APPROACHES 1. Mowing equipment: Triplex putting greens mowers 2. Mowing frequency: Three times per week, or as required 3. Height of cut: 3/8" (.375) to ½" (.500), clippings removed 3
C. TEES 1. Mowing equipment: Triplex putting greens mower 2. Mowing frequency: Three times per week or as required 3. Height of cut: 3/8" (.375) to ½" (.500), clippings removed D. FAIRWAYS 1. Mowing equipment: 5-gang reel-type mower with hydraulic driven reels 2. Mower frequency: 2-4 times per week, depends on growth rate 3. Height of cut: ½" (.500) to 5/8" (.625), clippings returned 4. Cutting Direction: Changed with each mowing to insure contoured shaped fairways and enhance striping. E. ROUGH 1. Mowing Equipment: 5-7 gang reel-type mower or rotary deck mower 2. Mowing Frequency: Two times per week or as needed during Bermuda growth season 3. Height of cut: 1"- 1½" ( 1.500) clippings returned F. GREENS AND TEE BANKS 1. Mowing Equipment: Triplex trim mower 2. Mowing Frequency: Three times per week 3. Height of cut: ¾" (.750) to 1½" (1.500) clippings returned 4
CULTURAL PRACTICES Cultural practices will be implemented to achieve a dense healthy strand of turf and to maintain optimum playing conditions. Practices include but are not limited to the following items: A. GREENS AND COLLARS 1. Aerification Greens will be aerified three times a year; with aerification in mid/late February using ¼"solid tines. Spring aerification will be ½" hollow tines in April/May and hollow 5/8" deep tine for summer aerification in July/August. Cores will be removed and the holes filled with sand topdressing to the turf surface. A supplemental aeration can be performed using a 7 mm 6" solid needle tine without sand topdressing. 2. Top Dressing USGA Root Zone Mix will be applied and brushed or matted into the turf surface following core aeration when tines greater than ½" are used. Light sand topdressing will be applied to the greens a minimum of 4 times a year at the rate of 1/3cu.yd./5000 sq.ft. Light topdressing will be scheduled at 2 to 4 week intervals during the active growing season, and can be combined with vertical mowing operations. 3. Vertical Mowing/Grooming - Vertical mowing and grooming can be scheduled based on the growth rate of the grass in order to maintain an upright growth habit and control grain and thatch. Vertical mowing will be suspended when there is turf thinning, stress or limited growth. Vertical mowing will be performed one time per week in two directions from March till September. Grooming 3-6 times per week 4. Putting green rollers - The use of putting green rollers is acceptable for tournament preparations and will be used 2-3 times a week when the grass is less active and 3-6 times a week when the grass is more active to ensure smoothness on the green and true ball roll. 5
B. TEES 1. Aerification - Tees will be aerified a minimum of two times per year: May, June, and August using a greens aerifier fitted with ½" tines. Cores will be removed from the surface. Emphasis will be on the Par 3 tees where the majority of traffic occurs and more divot damage takes place. 2. Vertical mowing Verticutting - Tees will be vertically mowed a minimum of two times per year (not including preparation for overseeding) between the months of June through September to control thatch accumulation. C. FAIRWAYS 1. Aerification The fairways will be aerified a minimum of two times per year between the months of April through October using ½" to ¾" hollow tines and one time with 7/8" by 10" tines. The plugs will be dragged and/or pulverized followed by sweeping to remove debris. 2. Vertical Mowing Fairways will be vertically mowed on the courses that have 328 TIF (Trail Ridge, Deer Valley and Desert Trails) a minimum of 2 times per year between the months of June through September to control thatch accumulation. This will be followed by mowing and sweeping to remove debris. D. ROUGH 1. Aerification - The rough will be aerified a minimum of two times per year using ½" to ¾" hollow tines. The cores will be dragged and pulverized followed by sweeping to remove debris. 2. Natural Grass Areas (out of play) - Areas that are considered out of play will be left as a natural landscape area. Mower cut will be between 4 to 5 inches. 3. Seeding - The rough will only be seeded as necessary to restore turf coverage and density. A seeding rate of 100lbs Hulled bermudagrass seed per acre is recommended. 6
OVERSEEDING 1. The Greens - will be overseeded with Perennial Rye Grass 3-way Blend at the rate of 42lb/1000 sq. ft. The work will be done in the fall - late September through early November. This operation can be combined with vertical mowing and light sand Topdressing. 2. The Tees - will be seeded with perennial ryegrass at the rate of 35lb/100 sq. ft. Scheduled over-seeding dates are in late September through early November. Preparation for over-seeding will include vertical mowing in several directions. The seed will be applied at 1/6 the rate in 6 directions. 3. The Fairways - Fall overseeding will consisting of a 60/40 mix of perennial ryegrass seed and an intermediate will be used at a rate of 600lb/acre. Possible adjustments may be made based on the ADWR (Arizona District of Water Resources) water allotments and drought. 7
SOIL AND WATER TESTING A. SOIL TESTING Twice a year soil samples will be taken from each course. Samples will come from two respective greens and fairways in December/January and July. The same areas will be sampled each time in order to gain a historical perspective of soil fertility. The samples will be submitted to a chemical soil testing laboratory for analysis of nutrient content including: phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper iron, and boron. Additional properties that will be tested include: ph, soluble salts (Electrical Conductivity), as well as the base saturation percentages of potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and hydrogen. B. WATER TESTING The irrigation water supply from each well, will be tested annually. The test will include an analysis of soluble salts (Total Dissolved Solids or Electrical Conductivity), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), ph, carbonate and bicarbonate levels. 8
FERTILITY Soil tests will be used as a tool to formulate an annual soil fertility program. The soil testing lab will submit a copy of the soil tests along with recommendations for a fertility program. Phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, soil amendments, and micronutrients will be based on the results of the biannual soil tests. The timing and application of nitrogen will be based on the turf species, turf growth rate, season, soil testing, climate conditions, water quality, results of past testing, history of area, and the use of the intended area (i.e. Green, tee, fairway, or rough). The following nitrogen fertility guide lines are offered: The use of liquid fertilizers such as 10-34-0, UN-32, and Calcium Nitrate are injected through the irrigation system. UN-32 and other complete fertilizers will be used in the months of March through the overseeding grow in period. Greens: Tees: Fairways: Rough: 8-10 lbs. actual nitrogen/1000 sq. ft. per year 4-6 lbs. actual nitrogen/1000 sq. ft. per year 8-10 lbs. actual nitogen/1000 sq. ft. per year (260 lbs./ac.) 2-3 lbs. actual nitrogen/1000 sq. ft. per year (175 lbs./ac. NOTE: All above rates include granular and/or liquid fertigation applications 9
PEST CONTROL Pest resistance is greatly enhanced when a dense healthy strand of turfgrass is maintained. It is strongly urged to control target pests using cultural and Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) methods in order to avoid the excessive use of pesticides. Despite these efforts, chemical pest control materials are sometimes necessary and will be applied by a licensed pest control applicator in accordance with all local, state, and federal regulations. Curative and preventative control programs will be utilized to target the following pests: A. GREENS 1. Fungus - No serious fungal disease problems have been reported on the greens during the past two years. Although, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Fairy Ring are regional concerns. 2. Weeds - Poa Aunua Goose Grass 3. Insects Ear Wigs, Rove Beetle, White Grubs 4. Vertebrate Pests Pocket gophers B. TEES 1. Weeds Goosegrass and Crabgrass a. Based on previous weed encroachment levels, a preventative herbicide program for crabgrass and goosegrass will be required 2. Vertebrate Pests Pocket gophers C. FAIRWAYS AND ROUGH 1. Weeds Mallow Weed, Wild Carrot, Crabgrass, and Goosegrass Note: Based on previous weed encroachment levels, a preventative herbicide and Pre-emergent applications will be required for weed control 10
SEED AND SOD SELECTION A. GREENS Only certified (blue tag) Perennial Rye Grass Apron treated seed will be used on the greens. Only Sand base 328 TIF or 328 TIF grown on the same exact sand material used for topdressing will be applied. B. TEES Only certified (blue tag) perennial ryegrass seed will be applied to the tees for over-seeding in the fall. Repair or renovation of weak or bare areas will be done using Tifgreen, Tifway, or Tifway II hybrid sod. C. FAIRWAYS AND ROUGH Only certified (blue tag) Perennial Ryegrass 60/40 Intermediate Blend will be used. Hybrid Bermudagrass sod will be planted on the fairways and roughs. SAND SELECTION FOR BUNKERS AND TOPDRESSING GREENS - The sand used to topdress greens will match as closely as possible, to the material present in the top 4" of the greens. USGA Rootzone Mix has been used for topdressing program for the past several years. A sample of this sand will be tested by a soil physical testing laboratory along with a core sample taken from a representative green to ensure compatibility. Any future changes in topdressing sand selection must be based on the results of a physical soil analysis of the greens and proposed material. BUNKERS The selection of bunker sand will be based on the material currently being used on three courses. Deer Valley, Desert Trails, and Pebblebrook are using a White Bunker Sand. Echo Mesa, Stardust, Grandview, and Trail Ridge are using Washed Engine Sand. All future renovation changes to bunkers and traps will use White Bunker Sand exclusively. 11
DAILY MAINTENANCE COURSE SET UP A. HOLE AND TEE MARKER MOVEMENT Hole locations and tee marker placement will be changed daily to provide a challenging variety of play and to evenly distribute traffic wear on the tees and greens. Sun City West uses a nine quadrant hole rotation system on the greens. Tee markers match the hole locations, if the hole location is back, the tee markers will be forward and vice versa if the hole location is forward. Note: For selected events the Golf Maintenance Manager and/or Superintendent will designate pin locations B. DIVOT REPAIR Tee divots will be repaired with sand only during Bermuda season. A mixture of Ryegrass seed, sand, soil, and an organic amendment will be used the months of October through March. Tee divots will be repaired a minimum of two times per week. C. BUNKER MAINTENANCE 1. All Green Side Bunkers will be completely raked 5 6 days a week (Mon-Sat). Fairway Bunkers will be raked on Tuesday and Thursday. 2. Bunkers will be kept free of weeds, rocks and debris at all times. 3. Bunkers will be edged and trimmed every week in the summer months and once a month in the winter months; or as necessary to preserve the original contour of the bunker and maintain a clean appearance. 4. Sand will be redistributed or added on an annual basis to maintain a uniform depth between 4" and 6" in the base of the bunker. 5. Bunker rakes are to be placed inside the bunkers with ¼ of the handle sticking out. Bunker rakes should be in good condition and replaced as needed. 12
D. LAKE MAINTENANCE 1. Trash and debris (dead fish or water fowl) will be removed from the lakes each morning before play begins. 2. Aquatic weeds and algae will be adequately controlled to promote a clean appearance and good water clarity. Control measures may include mechanical methods - such as lake aerators or materials registered for use in the State of Arizona. 3. Lake fountain installation as budget allows. Existing fountains will be maintained in working order and will be repaired or replaced as necessary. 13
TREES 1. Pruning and removal Trees will be pruned every year to maintain their health and shape. In order to avoid safety hazards all dead or dying trees will be promptly removed along with the tree stump. 2. Trimming around the base of trees The grass around the base of three trunks will be trimmed on a regular basis to maintain a clean and weed-free appearance. String trimmers will be kept away from the trunk at all times to avoid injury to the tree. It is acceptable to treat a 1 foot band around the base of the trunk with a non-selective herbicide (Round-Up) to control grass and weed growth. 3. Root pruning Surface roots are evident in many areas on the golf courses, they cause damage to equipment and are disruptive to mowing operations. Root pruning of affected areas will be accomplished every two years in a manner that protects the health of the tree, yet minimizes adverse impacts to the turf and mowing operations. 4. Pest Control The trees will be treated, as necessary, to control pests and diseases. 5. Palm Trees Each year in the month of July ALL Palm trees will be trimmed by an outside contractor. Potential contractors are required to submit a bid for this project. 14
DRIVING RANGE MAINTENANCE 1. The drive range landing zone will be maintained with the same equipment, fertility, and pest control guidelines as the rough. 2. The center portion of the driving range landing zone will be core aerified a minimum of two times per year during the months of April through August. 3. Trash and debris will be removed daily from the tee complex are and the bag stands will be repositioned.. 4. The driving range tees will be mowed three times a week with a Triplex tee mower or 5 gang fairway unit set at tee height. Tee stations will be set-up by golf maintenance. 5. The driving range tees will be topdressed on Wednesdays, after the first shotgun. October through February dragged in with sand, mulch, and Ryegrass seed. March through September with sand and mulch mix only. 15
PRACTICE GREENS/CHIPPING GREENS 1. The putting and chipping greens will be mowed daily at the same height as all other greens. 2. Greens will be rolled the same as all other greens. 3. Hole locations will be changed three times per week. (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) 4. All cultural practices will be performed as on all other greens. Re: aerification/verticutting. RESTROOM MAINTENANCE 1. Janitors currently employed by the Golf Operations Division clean all outside restrooms. Golf Maintenance Employees perform a follow-up check of all restrooms for any overnight vandalism as well as a quick check for trash, cleanliness, and stock of paper product. 16
IRRIGATION SCHEDULING AND MAINTENANCE 1. Scheduling The automatic irrigation system will be monitored and adjusted daily according to the needs of the turf and changes in weather patterns. The goal will be to promote healthy turf growth and dry, firm playing conditions with minimal wet spot. 2. Hand-watering As a water conservation method, hand-watering will be done as needed to address any localized dry spots on tees, greens, and fairways. 17
PUMP STATION AND SYSTEM MAINTENANCE 1) Any necessary repairs to the irrigation system will be made without delay. 2) The Irrigating Technician will keep an acceptable stock of repair items such as pipe, fittings, repair tools, and replacement parts for irrigation heads and controllers. 3) A preventative maintenance schedule has been developed for the field satellites, valves, remote control valves, filters, and irrigation head. 4) A weekly and quarterly reports are compiled to record service frequency, system status, repairs, and problems detected. 5) Pump station meter readings are to be taken every day for water usage reports. 6) Pump and Well stations have a preventative maintenance program which is contracted out to a local pump company. 7) Checks by the contracted company are performed on a biannual basis. 18
Provisions for water shortages In the event of an extended water shortage or drought, water usage will be prioritized in the following order: 1. Greens 5. Fairways 2. Tees 6. Trees 3. Green Banks 7. Rough 4. Fairway Landing Areas 8. Driving Range Well Pump Maintenance/Inspections Every two years one well pump will be taken off line for a performance evaluation. The entire pump assembly will be pulled and inspected. A video scan will be performed to check the condition of the well casing and perforations. All worn and/or damaged parts will be replaced. An efficiency test will also be performed. This program is part of our ten year plan and will be funded through the capital budget. 19
DRAINAGE All established subsurface drain lines, drainage dry wells, and catch basins will be maintained and repaired as necessary. All drainage system components will be kept free of weeds and debris, and kept in a properly functioning condition at all times. BUNKER DRAINAGE Most bunkers in SCW were constructed with drainage systems, occasionally drains become plugged, and need to be cleaned and/or replaced. When work is necessary the bunker will be marked as ground under repair. 20
CART PATHS 1. Cart paths will be kept clean and edged on a monthly basis. 2. Surface of all paths will be maintained in good order. 3. Annual asphalt repair and seal coat resurfacing will be done during overseeding by a contracted vendor. 4. Desert Trails and Deer Valley have concrete cart paths. Damaged sections will be replaced as needed. 21
TRAFFIC CONTROL 1. Traffic control signs and ropes will be used and maintained throughout the course to control cart traffic. These signs are placed in playing areas where turfwear or thinning is present. 2. As budget allows - aerification, seeding, and sodding of heavily-worn or bare areas will be performed promptly to restore a dense, healthy turf cover. 3. Sun City West recognizes physical handicap situations. Players requiring more accessibility to greens and tee complexes may request a yellow handicap flag from the starter. 22
GOLF COURSE MARKING 1. Out of Bounds markers and hazard stakes will be maintained and clearly defined as required according to the Rules of Golf. These items will be kept in good repair and replaced as needed. 2. Ground Under Repair will be marked with white marking paint. This includes any worn area, turf surfaces deemed unplayable, or areas under renovation. MAINTENANCE OF COURSE MARKERS AND SIGNS All tee markers, tee signs, yardage markers, and directional signs will be kept in good repair and re-painted or replaced as necessary. Edged on a regular basis kept exposed. 23
BUILDING MAINTENANCE 1. The areas immediately surrounding all golf course buildings will be inspected on a regular basis. 2. Inspections will insure lighting systems, parking lots, walk ways, and accessory structures comply with OSHA standards. 3. The maintenance facility will be kept clean and in good repair at all time. 4. All fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides kept at the maintenance facility will be stored safely and in compliance with local, state and federal regulations. NOTE: A safety inspection is performed at each course every month by the Rec. Center Safety Coordinator 24
TOURNAMENT STANDARDS 1. ADDITIONAL STANDARDS will be implemented for the following events: a. Annual Sun City West Celebration of Golf Events b. Ladies Club Tournament Events throughout the year c. Men s Club Tournament Events throughout the year d. LPGA Legends Event 2. SPECIFICATIONS a. Greens will be double cut (time permitting) and rolled. b. Marking of the golf course (ground under repair) will be marked the day before the tournament. c. All mowing and course set up will be done before play. NO maintenance will be performed during Major Tournament Events d. Pin placements will be set up to provide fair and challenging hole locations. e. For selected events the Environmental Service Manager and/or the course Superintendent will designate pin locations. 25
FROST AND RAIN POLICY A. FROST The greens are a primary concern during periods of heavy frost. All play will be suspended until the frost has melted from the greens. It is advisable to allow the maintenance staff 30 minutes lead time to prepare the course before play resumes. Water will be applied to tees and greens to help break down the frost. Carts may be restricted to the cart path only during frost delays. The decision to keep traffic off the golf course must be made conservatively to protect the condition of the course. The golf maintenance staff will communicate length of delays to the starters on duty, and provide updates. B. RAIN NOTE: Time of delays can vary from course to course due to microclimates During periods of heavy rain golf carts will be restricted to cart paths only until conditions are dry enough to support cart traffic without damage to the turf. Isolated wet areas will be marked and roped off to keep carts out of area. Cart on the fairways following heavy rain will be at the discretion of the superintendent following a thorough inspection of the golf course. NOTE: Rainfall amounts can vary from course to course. 26
MAINTENANCE RECORDS Accurate maintenance records will be kept by the Superintendent and/or the Assistant Superintendent at each course. A. DAILY RECORDS 1. Job assignments for each crew member 2. Water Usage reports 3. Meter readings for Well and Distribution pumps B. WEEKLY RECORDS 1. The weekly check list includes: recording the frequency of mowing operations, vertical mowing, changing of holes, and notes any area that require special attention. 2. Track fertilizer and pesticide applications C. ANNUAL MAINTENANCE PLAN The Golf Maintenance Division prepares an annual maintenance plan that includes scheduled dates for core aeration, seeding, broad-scale herbicide application (e.g.) pre-emergence or post-emergence herbicide applications) and any other duties that will result in significant disruption of the golf course. The plan will be coordinated with all clubs and tournament agendas to avoid conflicts in scheduling. The plan will be flexible, however, maintenance programs should have priority over tournament schedules. 27
PERSONNEL (L-R) Dan Ahee, Jessie Hagan, Oscar Murillo, Jonathan Courtney, Dan Maurer Pebblebrook & Stardust Jonathan Courtney Grandview Dan Ahee Echo Mesa Dan Maurer Trail Ridge Oscar Murillo Deer Valley & Desert Trails Jessie Hagan A. SUPERINTENDENT/ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT The Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent will be on site during normal working hours to direct and supervise the maintenance staff. They will both maintain current Pest Control Applicators License within the State of Arizona and directly supervise the application of all fertilizers and pest control materials. Maintenance of all records and usage reports are the responsibility of the superintendent and/or the assistant superintendent. B. STAFF Development and Training The course superintendent will provide a well-trained and experienced staff to perform the duties and functions of the maintenance program. All work will be performed in accordance or industry standards and applicable safety regulations. All maintenance work will be performed so as not to unduly disturb golfers or patrons. 28
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE A. SHRUB MAINTENANCE Re: Trail Ridge, Deer Valley, Desert Trails. Shrubs will be pruned and shaped two times a year in the manner that preserves the health of the shrubs and sustains an attractive, well groomed appearance. Shrubs will be maintained at a height that does not obstruct visibility to cars entering or exiting the parking lot. New growth will be restricted to ensure a well groomed appearance. Any dead or dying shrubs will be promptly removed and replaced. Note: Pests and diseases will be controlled to prevent damage and maintain an acceptable appearance 29
B FLOWERS AND GROUND COVER 1. Annual flowers will be replaced two times per year; in spring during the Months of April/May and in fall during the month of October. A planting plan will be drawn up for each flower bed. 2. Irrigation, fertilization, and pest control will be performed to provide an attractive and well maintained appearance. 3. Any flowers or vines that are dead or have a dried-out appearance will be replaced. 30
WILDLIFE An abundance of Natural Wildlife can be found throughout Sun City West. The most predominant is the Urban Coyote, however, Javelinas, Bob Cats, Harris Hawks, Canada Geese, Cormorants, and even a Tundra swan reside at various locations throughout the area. SWANS 1. Sun City West is presently home to 37 Swans. We anticipate hatching cygnets in spring of 2013 to replace the swans that have been lost over the past few years. 2. Three part-time employees are under the direction of the Wildlife Service Coordinator. 3. Many SCW residents have adopted the swans at their lakes and assist the Swan Team in feeding and watching over the swans. 31