Golf Course Maintenance Summer Update This year we have been faced with many weather challenges. The year started with below average rainfall, and Summer arrived early. So far this Summer, temperatures have reached 100 degrees 16 times this year. I want to share some of the challenges we have and what we are doing to combat them. I frequently get asked, “How do we know how much water to put out each night?” We irrigate based on E.T. (Evapotranspiration), which is the process by which water is transferred from the plant (grass) to the atmosphere by evaporation. Our irrigation software and weather station give us the daily E.T. rate based upon weather conditions. With that information, we can determine how much water to put out. It usually is around 80% of E.T. We then supplement the other 20% in the morning by running some sprinklers or hand watering areas. With the recent heat, we have watered the equivalent of one inch of rain in a three-day period. Through the use of our new irrigation software, we have eliminated many of the excessively wet areas. Our golf course has almost 2000 sprinklers that were installed in 2000. Most sprinklers last around 15 years. We have been replacing sprinklers yearly when they fail. This year we have already replaced 130 sprinklers. Many of our sprinklers were installed with spacing that is not consistent. For example, on hole number 10, there are sprinklers spaced at 30’, 60’ and 90’. The normal is 60’. This causes overwatering where the spacing is tight and underwatering where the spacing is stretched. This winter, we will work on correcting the spacing in many areas on the course. Cool-season grasses tend to struggle during the heat of the Summer. This past year, we replaced our tees with Santa Ana bermudagrass, a warm-season grass, and loves the heat. Most of the struggles we have
are in our fairways and roughs. The vast majority of turf we have lost in fairways this Summer is poa-annua. This shallow-rooted annual grass naturally dies when the temperatures get hot and then germinates with cooler temperatures. The past two years, we have seeded these areas with more desirable grasses. Our goal is to eliminate as much of the poa-annua as possible and replace them with bluegrass and ryegrass. This spring, we seeded fairways 10 and 18 with Kentucky bluegrass and fescue mix. While we have lost poa-annua in these fairways, the bluegrass and fescue are now taking over. The results are promising but do take time to make the transition. I mentioned that the tees were sodded with Santa Ana bermudagrass. This grass has done exceptionally well. It has also has solved our two most significant challenges in the Summer, which are inconsistent turf and weeds. The density and aggressive growth of Santa Ana do not allow for the weeds to compete. The tees are now so durable that even when temps were 105+, they showed no signs of heat stress and continued to aggressively recover from daily play.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve the course each year. Jason Conrad Winchester Golf Course Superintendent
Important Contact Info: Winchester Country Club Winchester HOA Winchester Security Meadow Vista Emergency Line (Fire, Police, Ambulance)
530.878.3000 530.878.3845 916.677.9243 530.823.4411
www.web.foretees.com/winchestercc 3030 Legends Drive Meadow Vista, Ca 95722