The Art of Balancing Turf and Tree Health

Thursday, January 27, 2011

You may have noticed a few trees missing around the golf course.  You may have also noticed some undergrowth being cleared and some limbs being removed.  We do this work during the winter when frozen ground conditions limit damage from falling trees and less traffic on the golf course limits safety concerns.  We take careful consideration when choosing to prune or remove any tree at Willow Oaks Country Club.  Tree maintenance and removal is performed for three important reasons. 1: Tree Removal due to damaged, dead or unsafe...

Read More

Turf Twisters from the USGA

Friday, January 21, 2011

Frost by the Green Section staff Q: During the spring our golf course superintendent has an irritating habit of delaying morning play until the frost has melted on the greens. Is this truly necessary to protect the health of the turf? (Missouri)   A: The short answer to your question is yes. The long answer is that ice crystals on the surface of the grass makes them brittle enough to break off at their base when stepped on. In fact, the turf can become so brittle that even a small...

Read More

Warm Afternoon

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The highs today look to be in the high 50's.  With that being said, we are changing hole locations (pin position 9) and rolling greens with walk mowers.  When we roll greens this way, we use old greens mowers that have been modified for this purpose.  This type of rolling requires more man hours than a riding roller but is less aggressive.  We are laying down lattice around our greens to turn the walk mowers on to prevent damage to the dormant turf.  The greens are being rolled to smooth out imperfections, provide as good...

Read More

All 18 Holes Open for Play

Sunday, January 16, 2011

All 18 holes will be open for play today.  With temperatures around 50°F yesterday, the rest of the snow has melted off.  This is a good thing for golfers but with highs around 45°F-50°F and lows in the teens we are experiencing some freeze and thaw conditions.  This thawing process leaves the ground soft as the frozen moisture in the soil profile melts.  This means that turf is damp and soft in the afternoon during warmer temperatures and then frozen in the morning and at night due to freezing temperatures.  Due to these...

Read More

15 Holes Open for Play

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Number 7 Green: 60% Snow cover The golf course will be open for play this morning at 11:00 a.m. Holes 7, 11, and 15 will remain closed due to snow cover. These greens receive limited sun exposure due to shade from surrounding trees. Number 7 Green is still about 60% covered with snow and should stay that way through the weekend. There is minimal snow left on number 15 and 11 but caution must be taken to prevent damage. Please skip these three holes during your round tod...

Read More

The More it Melts, The More it Falls

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Winter Equipment Maintenance After receiving a few inches of snow this past weekend, the golf course could really have used a reprieve from frozen precipitation.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  We began receiving snow and sleet this morning and it looks to continue throughout the day.  We will keep you updated on the status of the golf course.  We have been busy inside working on small projects, winter equipment maintenance and repairs to our Mechanic's side of the shop. ...

Read More

Willow Oak Tree Management Program

Monday, January 03, 2011

 This week, work began on the Willow Oak trees behind the clubhouse.  The dead wood is being removed and the trees are being pruned to take some of the excess weight off of these century old namesakes.  Willow Oaks Country Club has made the commitment to maintain all of the Willow Oaks around the clubhouse and in the parking lot on a preventative basis in order to preserve the aesthetic appeal of the trees, help the trees age gracefully, and to maintain a safe environment.  This...

Read More

Happy New Years

Monday, January 03, 2011

The beginning of 2011 has brought us warmer temperatures and in turn a playable golf course.  The departure of the majority of the snow allowed for some golf yesterday.  The wet conditions left behind after the snow melt were magnified by rainfall throughout most of the day.  The golf course will be open for play as long as we do not receive any more snow but other winter weather can wreak havoc on the golf course as well.  Continual freezing and thawing can lead to poor putting surfaces during periods of high soil...

Read More