Driving Range Tee Fraze Mowing

After decades of intense play and millions of divots, the Driving Range Tee box was in need of leveling. Our staff have been diligently topdressing divots every week for years, but despite all this hard work, we determined that something needed to be done to make the tee more level. Stripping/grading and sodding the tee is an option; similarly to what was done to the Par 3 tee boxes last year. However, we didn't want to close the range for an extended period of time and the costs involved weren't in the budget. One technique that has become more popular over the past 10 years is fraze mowing. Fraze mowing is the process were a tractor mounted machine "scalps" down to a predetermined depth to remove as much foliage and thatch as possible, while leaving enough vegetation at the surface to allow the turf to recover. As you can see from the pictures, this process is invasive and we knew we would need to give the turf time to recover. Thankfully, we have artificial turf mats along the backside of the range tee. This allowed us to complete the work and keep the range open for play while the turf recovered for a few weeks. Last Friday, the turf on the range tee recovered enough to allow players back on the tee box. We appreciate everyone helping us by staying on the mats and being patient while the turf grew back in. The process was a huge success and we expect to schedule this to be done every few years as needed to ensure a smooth, firm practice tee.

Course Update

Winter wonderland!

Covers coming off for hopefully the last time

    Spring is in the air and a lot is happening around the golf course!  Last week, we hopefully had our last greens covering event and winter storm.  The course received 2-3 inches of snow last Friday that helped insulate the greens from the 14 degree low Saturday morning.  Thankfully after Saturday, we quickly warmed up and uncovered Sunday.  From there, we jumped right into tournament preparations for the Rogers State University Hillcat Invitational last Monday and Tuesday.  We hosted numerous division II teams and by all accounts, the course played well and feedback was positive. 

Regarding the greens, anyone that has played in the last few weeks can see that they look kinda funny.  While at first glance it may be concerning, our team has thoroughly inspected all the greens and although some areas of greens look void of any green grass, there are viable stolons and other plant parts under the surface.  This means that these brownish areas, are just more dormant that other parts of the green and we fully expect these areas to quickly green up once the temperatures warm up consistently and we get further into spring.

Over the past few weeks, the team has been working hard to not only prepare the golf course for play, but finishing our winter to-do list so we can begin all the spring tasks that will set the turf up for a successful growing season.  The team has been busy working on irrigation repairs, painting equipment parking spaces in the shop, removing/pruning trees, repairing cart path sections on #9 and #11 and installed a new stone path at clubhouse. 

Spring is not only a transition for the turf, but for our staff.  This week we welcomed back several seasonal greenskeepers from last year.  We are grateful for them returning this year and already our department feels more productive.  We still have a long way to go before we are fully staffed, but we feel that we are off to a positive start.  Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing candidates and on-boarding new hires.  This is always an exciting time as we get to know all these new faces and get them trained and ready for the demands of another golf season.

Greens Covering

    

    Without a doubt, the biggest health risk for ultradwarf Bermuda greens in Oklahoma is winter injury.  Ultradwarf Bermuda greens love our long, hot and humid summers, but our winters get plenty cold enough to warrant covering them with tarps to protect them.  The decision to cover greens, or not, is largely based on if the temperature drops below 25 degrees for more than 4 hours.  Greens will remain covered until the weather goes above 40 degrees for more than 4 hours.  If not, the greens will remain covered until such conditions occur.  Once the grounds department decides to uncover the greens, they will begin once the temperatures reach 40 degrees, or the frost has lifted.  Tee times made during this time of year should be considered tentative and subject to change on short notice depending on the weather.  The best thing for golfers to do is call the pro shop to check on the availability of the course before they arrive. 

    Although we are new to the covering process, thanks to the experience and leadership of our Assistant Superintendent, Shane Brown, our team has acclimated to the task quickly.  The first time we covered, it took 6 people 5 hours.  Now we have it down to 2.5 hours with 8 people. Covering greens was something I was anxious about since it is labor intensive and we don't have a very big crew (there's only 4 of us).  Thankfully, we have such an amazing team, here at Bailey Ranch, that staff throughout the facility continues to step up and help.  We routinely get 8-10 volunteers to help out, which makes the process so much faster and easier on everyone.  Our GM, Head Professional, F&B manager, cart staff, and members have all gotten in on the action.  So grateful to be a part of such a special group.  We've turned covering greens, which many consider to be to big of a downside, into a team building exercise.  Everyone is engaged, committed and pushing each other to get the job done.  

    So far this winter, we have had to covered/uncover greens 5 times since New Years Eve, for a total of 26 days covered out of 41.  That's a cover rate of 63%!  Talking to other superintendents around the state that also have Bermuda greens, it sounds like the frequency and duration of the covering events is unusual.  I've been told that, although each winter is different, typically courses will cover 5-8 times on average and the duration may only be a few days each time.  Despite the unusually cold past 6 weeks, the covers seem to be doing their job and the greens look great.  Hoping for an early start to spring so we can stay open and get the growing season underway!