January brings in a new year and frigid temps. We're still a few months away from being able to get out on the golf course; however, we did install some drainage lines on our trouble greens to keep the water from sitting on the surface all winter. As we drove around the golf course last week, we did notice that the drainage lines were working and most of the greens were free of any standing water. We also applied a product on the greens that's used quite a bit on the east coast (where winter kill is rather extensive) to aid the turf in forming sugars, carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids. Without getting into a whole lot of boring information, these are important in building strong, healthy walls needed during hard winter months.
It looks as though we are going to have an up and down weather pattern throughout the month of January. This could mean a lot of snow or rain, depending on the temperature at that time. In the event that this type of pattern does come true, having the drainage installed in the greens will only benefit us as we move forward. Of course, we still have black sand to spread on the greens in case there is a significant amount of ice buildup. The black sand works well in melting down any ice layer that may form on the surface.
We hope that you are reading this blog from a location where you don't have to worry about WIND CHILL!
Welcome to The Wyndgate Maintenance blog. There's been much going on within the maintenance department throughout the winter and into the early part of the spring. During the month of January, Phil Hopper and myself (Ron Betz) applied 80/20 black sand to the Eastwynd greens due to the amount of ice that was sitting on the surface. Some areas had greater amounts than others, nevertheless we were able to eliminate any problems that could have occurred. Driving around the golf course, it's evident that the maintenance crew, albeit very limited, has been extremely productive and upbeat during the early part of the year. Cart path repair has begun on the golf course and will continue throughout the season. We also have a plan which will allow for routine maintenance on the paths such as edging and weed/grass eradication. Maintenance building cleanup is also one of our priorities, aside from the golf course, that we are focusing on this spring and will continue to do throughout the season. It's been a slow process but we are starting to see improvements to the yard area and beyond. The office spaces and break room area were treated with a fresh coat of new paint, with the hopes of brightening the place up a little. If you have a minute or two, feel free to buzz on through during the season.
The design of this is to answer any questions you may have or to get to know the staff a little more and also to receive a little bit of a heads up with our activities that may affect your round, such as top-dressing, aerifying, and verti-cutting. A "meet the staff" section of the blog will be updated as we bring back our employees and it will have a photo and small bio of each employee we have at maintenance. We encourage you to take a look at it so you can have a little understanding of our staff. We will be keeping up with this blog on a daily basis, not just during the golf season but during the winter months as well - winter posting will be on a weekly basis. "Frost delays" or "conditions too wet" will also be posted on here by Phil or myself when those conditions apply.
We hope that this blog finds everyone well and we look forward to seeing everyone throughout the golf season! If you ever have any questions and you would like to speak with Phil or myself, feel free to contact us by phone, email or as you see us on the golf course.
Have a GREAT day!
Ron Betz Phil Hopper
rbetz@thewyndgate.com philhopper@thewyndgate.com
(248) 652-3451 ext. 2 (248) 652-3451 ext.1
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