Well the rain has come and hopefully gone. The radar is clear over us right now but I would not say we are out of the woods yet. When I last checked the rain gauge we were at 1.25" and that is only since about 2:15 this morning. How do I know that? That is when Maddie, my 3 year old Beagle, decided it was time to play, and of course, I am the lucky one who she comes to when she is energized. As I always do, I peeked outside to see the weather happenings and at that time, the concrete was somewhat dry, however the wind was picking up and the sprinkles had started.
The majority of the rain fell in about a 1 hour window, which left not much time to allow the water to soak in or run off, the end result being an abundance of standing water. The good news is it is slowly draining off so by this afternoon we should not see much at all.
The bunkers had some minor washing out of the faces and the crew is hard at work removing the contamination and fixing these wash outs. Fortunately, the outlook on the rest of the day is better than it started, with strong north winds forecasted. This should help in drying us out in time for the heavy frost on Sunday followed by more rainstorms in the early part of next week.
One positive to come out of this morning is we were able to see the effectiveness of the drain line we installed on #1 and it appears that everything is functioning properly. We still have a little tidying up to do around the catch basin we installed, but we postponed this work due to the forecasted rains today. Our plan is to relevel the ground around the basin to allow better movement of water into the basin, which should help to dry up the approach a little quicker.
Keep warm this weekend, it looks like we could see a hard freeze Saturday and Sunday nights. Unfortunately, this means we may have a lengthy frost delay on Sunday morning, but you can always make plans to come have breakfast at the club and wait it out.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
It appears that after a few days of sunshine and warm temperatures, we are going to get reacquainted with winter. The forecast is calling for a good chance of rain tonight into tomorrow morning. Let's hope it is a quick moving storm and we are not inundated with rain.
This past week we were able to finally repair the broken drainage line on #1 green which has been causing many headaches during the wet winter. Along with repairing the line, we also installed a catch basin in the approach to help drain that area.
The crew continues to dress up areas that were neglected during the growing season and also have begun to repaint the interior of the bathrooms on the golf course. Hopefully we will be getting our new water cooler houses next week. These two cooler stands will replace the stands that we currently have connected to the bathrooms on #4 and #14. By removing these stands, we hope to eliminate a lot of the moisture problems we are seeing inside the bathrooms.
I hope you are all making plans to attend the Big Game party on February 7th in the Mens Locker Room, I am sure Ramon will put on a great party for all. Remember that ladies are invited so don't forget to invite the wife or the girlfriend. We have a busy February planned at the club so make sure you get your hands on a club calendar and make plans to attend a few of the events.
Until next time, make sure you pull those jackets and umbrellas back out, it appears you will be needing them over the next couple of days. As always, feel free to pass along any ideas or suggestions you may have, our ears are always open to new ideas.
And always remember to fill your divots and repair your ball marks.
This past week we were able to finally repair the broken drainage line on #1 green which has been causing many headaches during the wet winter. Along with repairing the line, we also installed a catch basin in the approach to help drain that area.
The crew continues to dress up areas that were neglected during the growing season and also have begun to repaint the interior of the bathrooms on the golf course. Hopefully we will be getting our new water cooler houses next week. These two cooler stands will replace the stands that we currently have connected to the bathrooms on #4 and #14. By removing these stands, we hope to eliminate a lot of the moisture problems we are seeing inside the bathrooms.
I hope you are all making plans to attend the Big Game party on February 7th in the Mens Locker Room, I am sure Ramon will put on a great party for all. Remember that ladies are invited so don't forget to invite the wife or the girlfriend. We have a busy February planned at the club so make sure you get your hands on a club calendar and make plans to attend a few of the events.
Until next time, make sure you pull those jackets and umbrellas back out, it appears you will be needing them over the next couple of days. As always, feel free to pass along any ideas or suggestions you may have, our ears are always open to new ideas.
And always remember to fill your divots and repair your ball marks.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Miserable Weather Continues
We just can not get a break this winter with the weather, however it looks like we may miss out on the predicted rain today, but it is still early in the day. The golf course is holding up as well as it can considering the circumstances.
The past couple of days were spent applying herbicide to the golf course to get rid of the Volunteer Ryegrass that has come up during the past months. At this time, we also went ahead and put down our pre-emergent herbicide to help control germination of more weeds.
Due to the wet conditions, we are unable to get out on the golf course itself, so we are limiting our work to dressing up areas that get neglected during the growing season. These areas include but are not limited to, flower beds, broken cart paths, and other small projects. Please feel free to pass along any ideas you may have for that one area in your mind that may need a little love and affection.
A hot topic item around the club right now is the presence of the coyotes that have taken up residence on the golf course. These animals tend to come across to some as an aggressive animal, however their nature around here is more of the curious type. They are not one that will run up and attack any living thing, however they are not the type that will immediately run off unless they are spooked. If you happen to encounter a coyote, the best thing to do is to try and spook the animal off, by either shouting at it, waving your arms or a golf club, or by possibly driving towards it in your golf cart. The more that we instill the fear factor into these animals, the less visible they will become. However, if at anytime the animal does not turn and run when you attempt to scare it off, please notify someone in the pro shop and we will contact the proper authorities. If you want more information on the coyotes feel free to contact our local Wildlife Biologist, Keith Crenshaw at (281) 456-7029. Keith works for the Texas Parks & Wildlife and is great at answering any questions/concerns you may have with a wide range of animals.
If anyone knows a good salesman in the area, I need to place an order for a big dosage of sunshine, so send him on over. As always feel free to pass along any suggestions, questions, or concerns and we will do our best to address any and all. I encourage all who are not on the email list to sign up so that you can receive all weekly updates that Ricky sends out. If you have not seen the calendar for February it looks like we have a lot of exciting events planned, so make sure you don't miss out.
The past couple of days were spent applying herbicide to the golf course to get rid of the Volunteer Ryegrass that has come up during the past months. At this time, we also went ahead and put down our pre-emergent herbicide to help control germination of more weeds.
Due to the wet conditions, we are unable to get out on the golf course itself, so we are limiting our work to dressing up areas that get neglected during the growing season. These areas include but are not limited to, flower beds, broken cart paths, and other small projects. Please feel free to pass along any ideas you may have for that one area in your mind that may need a little love and affection.
A hot topic item around the club right now is the presence of the coyotes that have taken up residence on the golf course. These animals tend to come across to some as an aggressive animal, however their nature around here is more of the curious type. They are not one that will run up and attack any living thing, however they are not the type that will immediately run off unless they are spooked. If you happen to encounter a coyote, the best thing to do is to try and spook the animal off, by either shouting at it, waving your arms or a golf club, or by possibly driving towards it in your golf cart. The more that we instill the fear factor into these animals, the less visible they will become. However, if at anytime the animal does not turn and run when you attempt to scare it off, please notify someone in the pro shop and we will contact the proper authorities. If you want more information on the coyotes feel free to contact our local Wildlife Biologist, Keith Crenshaw at (281) 456-7029. Keith works for the Texas Parks & Wildlife and is great at answering any questions/concerns you may have with a wide range of animals.
If anyone knows a good salesman in the area, I need to place an order for a big dosage of sunshine, so send him on over. As always feel free to pass along any suggestions, questions, or concerns and we will do our best to address any and all. I encourage all who are not on the email list to sign up so that you can receive all weekly updates that Ricky sends out. If you have not seen the calendar for February it looks like we have a lot of exciting events planned, so make sure you don't miss out.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Greens are Covered
As I sit here this morning and go over my checklist of cold weather preparations and precautions, I keep asking myself, "just how cold it is really going to get?" That is probably a question that many have right now as we prepare for one of our coldest string of days in over 10 years. Based upon various weather reports, we have taken the necessary precautions to protect against the worst of conditions.
On Wednesday, we were able to get all twenty putting greens covered and staked down with only minimal problems. The little bit of wind that was blowing, however did cause a little ruckus on a few holes that aren't guarded by trees. In a little over 4 hours, all the greens were covered and we were packing up to go home, just as darkness began to fall and a light sprinkle was felt.
The process started off in a fiery rage and continued through about the first 6 holes, until we were met with our first hurdle on #7, wind. After securing the protective cover, the crew all began to wonder if this was a sign of what was yet to come. With their heads held high they moved onto #8, not knowing what was lying in wait for them. Just as the tarp was being unrolled and spread out, a strong gust came off the lake and had everyone holding on for dear life, hoping to hang on to the massive black monster. Finally, after what felt like minutes, but was really only seconds, of uncontrollable chaos, the wind died and the tarp was stretched across the green and quickly secured. After that melee, everyone felt slightly bummed, however the enthusiasm that they had at the beginning was soon rediscovered and the rest of the greens were conquered with minimal problems.
Today we will spend the morning double checking all of the stakes to make sure they are secure for today's winds that are expected to reach 30 mph with gusts of over 40. If you happen to witness a 2000 square foot black cloud floating overhead, don't be alarmed it is just a rogue greens cover. Please contact the maintenance department at Deerwood, and we will come and get the runaway.
As I conclude this morning's entry, I want to remind everyone to take the weather forecasts for this week seriously and protect your water pipes, plants, and your pets. We are in for some freezing temperatures that could last 36-48 continuous hours, beginning late this afternoon, temperatures that a lot of us are not accustomed to.
On Wednesday, we were able to get all twenty putting greens covered and staked down with only minimal problems. The little bit of wind that was blowing, however did cause a little ruckus on a few holes that aren't guarded by trees. In a little over 4 hours, all the greens were covered and we were packing up to go home, just as darkness began to fall and a light sprinkle was felt.
The process started off in a fiery rage and continued through about the first 6 holes, until we were met with our first hurdle on #7, wind. After securing the protective cover, the crew all began to wonder if this was a sign of what was yet to come. With their heads held high they moved onto #8, not knowing what was lying in wait for them. Just as the tarp was being unrolled and spread out, a strong gust came off the lake and had everyone holding on for dear life, hoping to hang on to the massive black monster. Finally, after what felt like minutes, but was really only seconds, of uncontrollable chaos, the wind died and the tarp was stretched across the green and quickly secured. After that melee, everyone felt slightly bummed, however the enthusiasm that they had at the beginning was soon rediscovered and the rest of the greens were conquered with minimal problems.
Today we will spend the morning double checking all of the stakes to make sure they are secure for today's winds that are expected to reach 30 mph with gusts of over 40. If you happen to witness a 2000 square foot black cloud floating overhead, don't be alarmed it is just a rogue greens cover. Please contact the maintenance department at Deerwood, and we will come and get the runaway.
As I conclude this morning's entry, I want to remind everyone to take the weather forecasts for this week seriously and protect your water pipes, plants, and your pets. We are in for some freezing temperatures that could last 36-48 continuous hours, beginning late this afternoon, temperatures that a lot of us are not accustomed to.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Arctic Blast
It appears that we are going to have a true winter this year. Looking at the forecast, we are in for quite a shock later this week, with an approaching arctic front that is expected to bring in some temperatures that this part of Texas has not seen in more than a decade. The changes will be felt beginning Wednesday evening with north winds reaching 20-30 mph coupled with temperatures in the 40's which will bring wind chills in the upper teens by Thursday afternoon. The only bright spot is that the wind will die down once the frontal boundary moves off the coast, however we could experience temperatures at or below freezing for 48-60 hours.
One major precautionary step we are putting into place is covering the greens with turf covers. This is only the third time in 5 years that we have had to cover the greens, but this is the first time we will be experiencing the extended freezing time that is forecasted. The covers will help to protect the turfgrass crowns and stolons from direct low winter temperatures and dessication, by trapping heat under them. Research has shown that covers have the ability of raising the soil temperature 10-15 degrees above actual air temperature. The covers will also prevent moisture loss, which will keep the turfgrass plants from drying out and becoming susceptible to dessication. Dessication is caused by high winds in combination with low humidity, which are both elements we will be facing with this arctic storm.
As of right now, we are scheduled to begin installing the greens covers sometime midday Wednesday and do not expect to remove them until, at the earliest, midday Sunday. This means there will be no play allowed on the golf course. We will attempt to control all traffic on the entire golf course because major turfgrass injury is possible when temperatures stay below freezing for an extended period of time.
As always with freezing temperatures, keep in mind the 3 P's, Plants, Pipes, and Pets. Make sure to protect pipes that are along the exterior of the house and disconnect any outside water hoses and remember to cover the faucets. As far as plants go, the best bet is to bring anything you can, inside the house. For those plants in the ground, hydrate today and tomorrow and cover with multiple layers of cover, if possible. The bad news is that the forecasted temperatures are below the cold hardiness of most tropical plants, so most of these will probably be lost. Last but not least, don't forget to bring Fido in from the back yard, I am sure he would love to curl up next to the fireplace instead of becoming frozen yard art.
One major precautionary step we are putting into place is covering the greens with turf covers. This is only the third time in 5 years that we have had to cover the greens, but this is the first time we will be experiencing the extended freezing time that is forecasted. The covers will help to protect the turfgrass crowns and stolons from direct low winter temperatures and dessication, by trapping heat under them. Research has shown that covers have the ability of raising the soil temperature 10-15 degrees above actual air temperature. The covers will also prevent moisture loss, which will keep the turfgrass plants from drying out and becoming susceptible to dessication. Dessication is caused by high winds in combination with low humidity, which are both elements we will be facing with this arctic storm.
As of right now, we are scheduled to begin installing the greens covers sometime midday Wednesday and do not expect to remove them until, at the earliest, midday Sunday. This means there will be no play allowed on the golf course. We will attempt to control all traffic on the entire golf course because major turfgrass injury is possible when temperatures stay below freezing for an extended period of time.
As always with freezing temperatures, keep in mind the 3 P's, Plants, Pipes, and Pets. Make sure to protect pipes that are along the exterior of the house and disconnect any outside water hoses and remember to cover the faucets. As far as plants go, the best bet is to bring anything you can, inside the house. For those plants in the ground, hydrate today and tomorrow and cover with multiple layers of cover, if possible. The bad news is that the forecasted temperatures are below the cold hardiness of most tropical plants, so most of these will probably be lost. Last but not least, don't forget to bring Fido in from the back yard, I am sure he would love to curl up next to the fireplace instead of becoming frozen yard art.
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