Last Update of the Year

There has been a lot of activity on the course over the past couple of weeks as we prepare for our busiest months of the year. We have been working from tee to green on final details to set us up for a successful season. Before I get into the good stuff I need to let you know about a hydraulic leak on the 4th hole. One of our rough mowers blew a hydraulic hose and it leaked and sprayed oil over an area of rough. We have flushed the area, and applied a compound to help soak up the heaviest concentration. Time will tell how effective this treatment was. Much of the damage from an oil leak is from the heat of the oil burning the turf. Once we know the extent of the damage, which will be within a week, we will re-sod any areas that turn brown. Our Green Committee Chaiman, Charlie Murphy shared a quote that I had never heard before, but is very true. When it comes to oil leaks "there are 2 types of superintendents - the ones that just had an oil leak, and the ones that are about to!" It is a reality of this business that we live with, and deal with when it happens.

Damage from this hydrauloc leak will be repaired as needed.

Daily course rules signs have been installed at #1 and #10 tees. These signs have sliders that display different messages. Examples are "Course Closed", Fertilizer Applied", and "90 Degrees Rule Today" Be sure to check these daily.

We continue to look for solutions to the weak perimiters we are experiencing on some of the greens. To date we have managed irrigation to these areas by taking moisture readings daily and hand watering accordingly, dedicated a less agressive cut mower to cut greens perimiters, put these areas on a perscription fertilization program, and replaced drain vents with caps. Our latest effort was a multi step process.

The first step was to hand aerify the area. The device we are using is a hand made tool that our equipment technicians fabricated. This tool pulls a small plug and creates holes in the green.

This is a close-up view of the holes.

Next, a soil ammendment is poured onto the area.

The material is then worked into the holes and spread evenly over the surface. The product we are using is a greens grade porous ceramic. Each particle has microscopic holes that perform better than natural soil. By amending our greens mix we are greatly increasing pore space which will increase water and air movement, and nutrient holding capacity. The areas that we are having challenges with on the greens are persistent - they are the same spots we have been struggling with since last summer. As I have stated before, we will continue working on these areas until we have consistent quality turf throughout all greens.


Our last wall to wall fertilization was completed this week. This granular application will get us through until spring. We can expect a burst of color and growth as the quick release portion of the fertilizer kicks in. Then the slow release portion will feed the turf throughout the season.

This large spreader quickly spreads the fertilizer over the wide open areas of the course.

Push spreaders are used around tees, green slopes, bunkers, and lake banks. Blowers follow the applicators to move the fertilizer off hard surfaces and onto the turf. It is important for us to keep the fertilizer on target and out of lakes, preserves, and areas that could run off into drains.


As you can see we have been busy with last day preparations for our busy golfing season ahead. We are expecting a record season with not only a high number of rounds of golf played, but also high member satisfaction. As this will probably be my last posting of the year I am wishing everyone Happy Holidays, and a healthy and happy New Year!

Slicing the Golf Course, and Other News

We are taking advantage of the favorable growing weather, combined with the fact that we will be applying a wall to wall granular fertilizer next week, and sending out our slicer. This is the same implement that we use during the summer months to aerate fairways and roughs. The difference when we use it during fall and winter months is that we change from coring tines to slicing tines. The coring tines we use in the summer punch a hole in the ground and pull out a plug. This does a great job of relieving compaction and creating channels for water and air to move through the soil. The down side is that this is a disruptive process that takes a couple weeks to recover from. We can get similar results, without the disruption, in the fall and winter months by changing from coring tines to slicing tines.

This is what the course looks like following core aeration.

The slicer tines we are using now don't pull a plug - instead they cut through the soil.

This is how the course looks following slicing. It is a lot less disruptive than core aeration but we are still opening up channels that help with water and air movement. Aside from some bruising of the turf at the slices these treated areas will clean up nicely following mowing and have little to no effect on play. The fact that we are fertilizing next week makes this an ideal time to do this work since the slicing will allow the fertilizer to better reach the plant roots. The slicing in combination with the fertilizer application next week have us on track for success as we near our second season opening January first.

The fan installation at #17 is nearing completion. The fan has been mounted, the electrician is on site doing the wiring, and FPL is scheduled to install the meter next week. If all goes well we could have the fan running next week, and set the green on the road to recovery.


And some news from the shop......
On December 14th our Equipment Manager Wayne McDermott hosted a TESTA meeting at Stonebridge's maintenance facility. The Turf Equipment Service Technician's Association is comprised of local golf course technicians and vendors. They meet monthly at various venues to network, host speakers, and hold educational and training sessions. Wayne was proud to have them here to show off his shop and the equipment he cares for, and I welcomed them on behalf of Stonebridge. This was a great opportunity to highlight us as a first class operation!

TESTA members at their December meeting at Stonebridge.

What is that black stuff - and what is that smell?

Towards the end of last week you may have noticed some small areas in front of the red tee and in the fairway on hole #14 that looked and smelled odd. As I have mentioned in previous communications we have some weak areas on the course, and we are giving these areas extra attention until they are consistent with the rest of the turf on the course. The areas we treated last weak were a test to see how disruptive the process would be, how it would affect play, and see how the turf would respond. By Monday these treated areas were almost unnoticeable, so we are moving forward to treat more areas. Here is the process:

An organic fertilizer, similar to Milorganite, is spread over the area first. Then a rich organic soil is spread by shovel over the area. We are always looking for ways to conserve our resources, and the use of the organic soil is a good example of how we can do this. This soil has already served a purpose at Stonebridge. It was the potting soil that last years annual flowers grew in. The common grounds crew changes this soil each year to provide a good growing medium for the tender annual flowers. While this soil is no longer ideal for the annuals to grow in it can have a second life on the golf course. This soil is still rich in organic matter, which is lacking in much of the sandy soil that makes up the golf course. We work this soil and Milorganite into the sandy soil with the intent of changing the soils physical properties to better support turf growth. It also provides a better environment for microbial growth, which provides a lot of benefits that we cant see or appreciate without a microscope and a college diploma. So in reference to the title of this blog, the black stuff you see, and that "down on the farm smell" is the organic fertilizer and soil that has been applied.

We then run the aerifier over the material to punch holes in the soil.

A drag mat is then run over the area to work the material further into the holes in the soil.

After dragging the sprinklers are turned on to further work the material into the turf. We will continue to drag, water, and mow the area over the next few days. Each day the black look, and the smell, will diminish and the area will become more playable. We will be working on this project over the next several days so that we are finished and have good playing conditions in these areas by January 1st. Next spring we will be trucking more material in to treat more of these types of problem areas. It is worth noting that the small areas we treated last week have shown significant improvement. As I mentioned, our problem areas receive extra attention - at least 2 additional treatments per week of fertilizers and plant protectants. We will never know if it is one product that makes the difference, or a combination of products. The main thing is that we keep trying to make these areas consistent with the rest of the golf course turf, and we wont stop trying until we reach that goal.

Update December 9, 2011

Before I close up shop for the day I want to send out a quick update of what is going on around the golf course and grounds. The sleeve has been bored under the preserve between Manchester and #17 green in preparation for installation of the fan. Next week we will be trenching, laying conduit, and pulling wire. There will be some workers in the area, and some equipment being used, so we apologize in advance for any disruption to the serenity of your round of golf. We have purposefully scheduled this work in December when rounds of golf played is significantly lower than November or January.

If you played golf this week you may have noticed a brown ring around the lakes. This was caused by a change in the of height of cut from 4" down to 11/2". After  considerable thought and discussion the decision was made to change this mowing standard. The rough was maintained at 4" in the past in order to prevent balls from rolling into the lakes. An unintended consequence of this practice was a lot of lost balls in the tall grass, additional time spent looking for balls, and also the rules of golf call for different treatment of a lost ball than a ball in the hazard. The shorter grass will allow more balls to roll into the water, but the thought is that they will be easier to find. It should also result in fewer lost balls, and faster play. The good thing about this change is that if the general consensus is that it was better when the grass was long, we can let it grow back.



You may have also noticed that some work was done on some of the collars. Vents, instead of caps were installed on the greens drainage system when the greens were rebuilt. I have heard 2 different views on the benefit of vents s. caps from green industry consultants. It may or may not be significant, but many of the problem areas on the perimeters of some of the greens are adjacent to these vents. It is possible that the vents are causing the green perimeters to dry faster than the rest of the green and causing stress to the turf. We have taken the vents off around some of these areas, and replaced them with caps. Time will tell if this makes a difference. In addition to this drain work we are giving these bad spots additional water and foliar fertilizer, and plugging bare spots. In the upcoming days we will also be adding amending the soil to improve its nutrient, water, and air holding capacity. As you can see we are taking many different approaches to solving this problem, and we wont stop until we have 100% turf coverage on all greens.

The Floritam that was sprayed a couple weeks ago has been removed, and fresh sod has been installed. This sod will be receiving daily afternoon watering until a root system has developed that can sustain the sod. This will take about two weeks. We have also sprayed out the area between the road and the chipping green and will be re-sodding it soon. Most, if not all of the Floritam in Stonebridge is over 15 years old. We will do more replacement later this year, and will plan on doing at least a truck load of sod each year to replace some of the old and worn out grass. It is the wish and goal of the grounds maintenance team that Stonebridge is a place you can be proud of, and be proud to bring your family and friends to.

Welcome to your Blog Spot

Thanks for taking the time to visit your new site that will keep you updated on what is happening on the golf course and grounds at Stonebridge Country Club. I am taking the leap from 1990s technology to the present world of instant information. Before I get into any updates I would like to introduce you to your hard working maintenance staff. We are all dedicated to providing our members with the best golf course and grounds possible. I will start by reintroducing myself, then highlight each of the grounds department managers and their teams.

Alan Bakos,CGCS
Director of Grounds

I began my golf course maintenance career in 1979 at Bonita Springs Country Club. I spent the first month hand mowing tall grass and cutting down trees around their water treatment reservoirs. After a month of hard labor I graduated to raking bunkers, a real job with a seat and stearing wheel! I had arrived into the world of golf course maintenance, although at that time I didn't know it would be my career. Through the 80s I worked at San Carlos Golf & Country Club, Imperial, and Bonita Bay. In 1991 I took my first superintendents job at Country Creek, followed by The Moorings Country Club, where I stayed until 2005. From the Moorings I packed up the family and we took off for adventure to Nevis, West Indies. On Nevis I held the position of Director of Resort Landscaping and Golf Course Operations at the Four Seasons Resort. I left Nevis in 2008 for Stonebridge Country Club. I could write a book about my experiences living and working abroad, and I am grateful to be employed at Stonebridge and to be back in the United States!
I hold an Associates Degree in Business Administration and Management, and also in Golf Course Operations. I have been a Certified Golf Course Superintendent since 1998. I also hold numerous other certifications and licenses that pertain to my position. I am Jordan's dad and Susan's husband. I am also proud of my position of Scoutmaster of my son's Boy Scout Troop. I enjoy working with the boys, trying to develop them into future leaders, good citizens, and good men. Sometimes it is like herding cats though!  And now for the rest of the team......

Jayme Lane
Irrigation Manager

Jayme is on the right, with Common Area Irrigation Technician Bob Muschong next to him. Jayme has been at Stonebridge since 1996. Jayme is responsible for scheduling irrigation, maintaining the system, and keeping the drainage system functioning properly. Everyone should recognize Bob as the man that checks and maintains your homes irrigation system.

Gary Gorden

Integrated Pest Management Manager

Gary is on the right, with Irrigation Technician Lance Solis on the left. Gary was hired as our IPM Manager this past summer. He holds an Associates Degree in Golf Course Operations. Gary has been in the turf management industry for the past 27 years. Previous positions include Operations Manager with JP's Lawn Care, Maintenance Supervisor/Spray Technician for the Vineyards Common Grounds, and Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at Bonita Bay. 

Wayne McDermott

Equipment Manager

Wayne is standing on the left, with Equipment Technician Oscar Barton on the right. Wayne has been with Stonebridge since 1993. Wayne and Oscar are the men behind the scene that keep things running. They perform all of the preventative maintenance and repairs on all of Stonebridge's rolling equipment. They also spend a considerable amount of time keeping the reels on our precision cutting units, such as our greens mowers, sharp and cutting properly.

Mark Metzger

Golf Course Superintendent

Mark is on the far left, standing with his golf course maintenance team. Mark started at Stonebridge only this past summer and has already made his mark on the course. Mark holds a degree in Golf Course Operations. He did an internship at Bay Hill, and was the Assistant Superintendent at The Strand during its grow-in. He also held the position of Golf Course Superintendent at Arrowhead.

Lee Dixon

Common Area Maintenance Manager

Lee is on the left, standing with his common area maintenance team. Lee's team is responsible for maintaining the clubhouse and recreation center areas, both Stonebridge entrances, neighborhood cul-de-sacs, all berms outside of the lateral hazard on the golf course, preserves, and numerous other smaller common areas.

 This is no small task for a 5 man crew! Lee has been in the landscaping/golf course industry since 1995, and holds a Bachelors Degree in Communications. He was previously an Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at the Vineyards and the VP of Operations for the Vineyards landscaping department.

Thanks for taking the time to read my first post. I will be adding material regularly giving updates as to what is happening on the golf course and on the grounds, so check back often.

The first bit of information I will share is regarding some patches of blue grass throughout the common areas.

Lee has sprayed weeds in many areas of Floritam in preparation for replacement with new sod. The spray will kill any grass and weeds in the area. These areas will be turning brown over the next several days. After the herbicide has had a chance to work these areas will be cut out and re-sodded. Two weeks ago this project was on hold since we were in water restrictions and would not be able to apply sufficient water to establish the sod. Since the restrictions have been lifted this is no longer the case. We will be laying about 25 pallets of sod, so there should be a noticeable improvement in the look of the grass in these areas.