First Post and Winter Preparations

Welcome to the new Blackhawk CC greens and grounds blog.  This blog was created to supplement the "Course Conditions" page on the Blackhawk website and will be used to provide more frequent and more informal updates on the course's maintenance.  Since much of what we do truly is "behind the scenes", this blog will provide a better overview of our day-to-day operations.  Now, onto what's happening on the course as the golf season winds down...

Yesterday, we completed our first preventative application of snow mold plant protectants.  Snow mold can be a very destructive disease that is favored by cool temperatures and extended periods of wetness.  There are actually two kinds of snow mold: pink and grey.  Pink snow mold can occur without snow cover and is active when wet weather combines with temperatures that are 30-65 degrees   Last year, in fact, we had some pink snow mold on the south sides of the most heavily shaded fairways during late September.  Grey snow mold, on the other hand, requires cold (30-40 degrees), wet weather with a long duration of snow cover to become active.  Last winter, the course was under snow cover for the 6th longest duration on record (93 days), and despite applying snow mold protectants, some grey snow mold damage did occur.  Within the next couple of weeks, we'll be making our second snow mold plant protectant application.  Ideally, this will occur as close to the first snowfall as possible, but between frosty mornings, windy conditions, shorter days, and the unpredictability of Wisconsin's weather, we won't cut it too close.

Following snow melt in 2010, a sharp contrast between the rough area that wasn't sprayed for snow mold and the fairway that was could be seen on number 15. 

Next Wednesday, we will be blowing out the irrigation system.  This is done to prevent water that may be in the irrigation system from freezing, expanding, and cracking the irrigation pipes.  To accomplish this, a large air compressor is hooked into the irrigation system at the pumphouse.  Accordingly, the on-course restrooms will be closed for the season by next Wednesday.  Shortly after blowout is completed, we will be removing the irrigation intake pipes from Lake Mendota.

Taking the irrigation pipes out of the lake is a cold, dangerous job that requires a barge to move the heavy, cast-iron pipes into the pumphouse.

After finishing the irrigation system winterizing and snow mold applications, sand topdressing of the greens won't be too far behind.  The sand is applied to protect the crowns, which are the growing points of turf plants, from drying out over winter, and it also benefits the soil profile by diluting organic matter that can be detrimental if not managed.

Five green following last fall's topdressing.

If you've been on the course lately, you've probably already noticed that the on-course equipment (benches, ballwashers, etc.) is slowly disappearing.  Although we will leave some of these items out as long as the course is open, they will be making their way to our shop for winter maintenance and cleaning.

Despite the weather getting colder over the next few days, the long-range forecast has temperatures in the 50s.  Hopefully, you'll be able to play a few more rounds before the course looks like this...