WINTER PREPARATION

DRAINAGE PREPARATION

In spring when bunker sand is frozen no standing water can move within the drainage system. In bunkers that are prone to large amounts of standing water over long periods of time, we install riser pipe out of the drain tile network at the lowest point in the bunker. The first step is to locate the drain tile location with a drainge tracing tool and then install the "periscope" or riser pipe. Note the pipe rising above the grade of the sand which will help move standing water out of the bunker. This saves significantly on labor to continually use pumps and fuel to move the surface water during spring golf course preparation.

WINTER PREPARATION

TOPDRESSING

After final turf protectants are applied to the greens turf, a sand layer is applied to the surface. This further bit of protection, in addition to the placement of a permeable turf cover, safeguards the turf from the harshness of winter. Here we are covering #17 green and below is the finished product on #6 green. Note the permeable cover in the foreground in place ready to be laid on the green. This process, including equipment travel time takes 1 staff member 16 manhours to topdress 19 greens.

WINTER PREPARATION

GREENS PROTECTIVE FENCING

On the first day the course closes to play we begin to install protective fencing around all the greens. T-bar steel posts are located at 15' spacings around the green and 6' page wire fencing is attached to the posts. This fencing protects the greens from wildlife traffic that causes significant damage. The fencing is placed at a distance away from the green that still allows us to aerate, topdress, spray or mow the greens within the fenced area. This process takes 4 staff members 128 man hours to complete. The fencing will remain in place the entire winter until just days prior to the golf course opening the next spring.

WINTER PREPARATION

AERATION

Tee and fairway aeration has begun now that the course has adequate time to dry out from the rains of September. Tees are aerated and topdressed prior to commencing on fairway aeration. Here we are testing out our settings on #2 Tee. The tine used is a 5/8" side eject tine set to a depth of 4". Note the windrow kit attachment to the John Deere 1500 aerator. This allows the pulled cores to be easily cleaned up with a sweeper or manually shovelled. Following the cleanup of the cores we blow the tee decks clean of the final bits of debris and mow one last time.

CONSTRUCTION

SHORT GAME COMPLEX

Construction is now underway on the new short game complex, that includes a practice green and bunker. The project will be completed over two phases, with Phase One being the rough grading of the site completed this fall. The spring will see the completion of Phase Two which includes the detail shaping, irrigation and drainage installation, placement of sand/soil and grassing. The existing cartpath will be removed and relocated. This location near #10 Tee will provide for practice greens now at both the 1st Tee and the 10th Tee as well as a training and learning complex that allows for bunkers shots, chipping and putting.

WEATHER

FROST

We all deal with frost but it never ceases to amaze me the power and heat behind the sun. This photo of #2 Fairway clearly shows a vast temperature distance between the sunny and shaded areas. Despite a still cool ambient temperature the sun reaching and heating the exposed turf is vastly different than in the shade.

WILDLIFE

THE ELK STRIKE AGAIN

As mentioned, every fall brings turf damage from the visiting elk and deer. We brace ourselves each morning to hope we don't find what we did here on #5 Fairway. Unfortunately this damage was on the heels of 1" rain the prior day which made the turf very soft and easy prey for the elk. It can always be worse, this could be the green. The damage was repaired, the turf re-knitted, sanded and seeded prior to golf reaching that hole.

WEATHER

LATE SUMMER RAINS

Most often after a late season rain, when the clouds pull back, snow is revealed. At this point in the season we begin to see very cool and frosty night time temperatures after a system like this comes through. Prior to this snow accumulation at higher levels we had a very warm run of day and night time temperatures. 1.5" of rain fell late August and after 2 days of rain snow had accumulated above the tree line above the golf course. This photo of Hole 9 fairway shows Lady MacDonald Mountain covered in snow. The Town of Canmore can be slightly seen and her base. On days like these it is very easy to come to work and take in the scenery.

WILDLIFE

ELK ON GOLF COURSE

When you do your morning tour of the golf course and you see this on one of the fairways you can expect there is going to be some damage on the golf course. And of course we get proven right during the August and September Elk rutting period. Just part of some of the challenges of growing turf in a mountain setting.

Here on Hole #4 fairway the herd trampled through on the way to bedding down on Hole #6, see above.

Aside from hoof damage from the elk running or walking, sometimes the bull elk will use their antlers to create a "wallow". This is either in preparation of laying down or simply to scratch their antlers. Sometimes it can be them using their hooves to "paw" away at the turf. In this case on Hole #10 it was hard to tell what the reason was.

And when they travel across a green, in this case #9 green, there is no mercy due to the softer rootzone and shorter cut turf. All repairs were done by hand using turf cover staples to knit the turf together. Topdressing sand and divot seed mix is used to smooth out the final fix. Many man hours are consumed each day searching for and repairing damage.

DRAINAGE

DRAINAGE TRENCH

When dealing with water related issues sometimes the simplest solutions are the most practical. Rather than overcomplicate a problem, a long standing practice was implemented to solve the issue. In this case with a supercharged flooding issue from the treeline along #11 fairway, a simple and tidy French Drain was the answer. After conferring with course architects Gary Browning and Wade Horrocks as well as hydraulic engineer Dennis Westoff it was concluded that less is more. So it was devised that with the water pouring along the surface and into the fairway, as well as subsurface springs popping up, a simple trech was dug to move the water into our pond and keep it from the fairway. When the water receded and subsided, after more than 6 weeks of flow, drain rock and tile was added.

The trench will remain open open to the surface in order to function to maximum capacity during flow events in the future. The photos depict the initiation of the project and show some of the flow we were experiencing. Next the trench is shown intercepting and moving the water. What then follows is the steps to complete the project.

WEATHER

WINDSTORM IN JULY

At all golf courses trees become a highly concernable maintenance issue during extreme weather conditions. In this case on a severely windy night we were greeted, in the morning, with downed trees similar to the one shown in the picture of #7 fairway and cartpath. This was a perfectly healthy tree that had fallen due to high winds. It is always amazing what trees continue to stand or fall during high winds as it can very highly unpredictable.

GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE

IMPROVED GREEN

Hole #8 green site may be one of the most difficult locations at the golf course to maintain healthy turf on the greens. Situated on a north facing mountain slope and sitting directly below a larger slope this site has all the challenges of turf management. A Par 3 with limited sunshine, limited air movement and a wet location all add heavy stresses. In addition to that a malfunctioning drainage system and heavy shade led to unhealthy turf that we battled for many years. With a comprehensive review of the fertility and cultural programs as well as drainage repair, tree pruning and irrigation control we have started 2011 with some positives. The vast snow cover of the winter prevented ice damage or cold temperature kill which has contributed to a good start to the season. Staying consistent to the inputs of the last 18 months, we will continue to micro-manage the site.

WEATHER

END OF SPRING, START OF SUMMER

After an extended spring we now are rolling into summer with solstice just days away. Here is a quick shot of #16 fairway looking west towards The Rundle Range. Plenty of snow in the peaks but all snow is now gone from all the golf course shaded and cool areas. Heavy rains at times and plenty of total moisture have added to the challenge of the spring maintenance program. We're all looking forward to a warm summer.

WEATHER

SPRING WEATHER

Typically in the mountains May can bring a large deposit of snow early to middle of the month. This year, following the heavy snowfalls in April, we recieved 6" of snow on May 27th that was preceded by 1" of rain the prior day. Despite the heavy rain and snowfall amounts Stewart Creek flows remain normal as shown in this photo of hole #14. While many other golf courses in the area are dealing with flooding conditions or preparing for flooding, this is one occasion where being in the mountains and having snow has lessened our immediate concerns, however we do have a contractor on standby to assist with creek monitoring in the event of heavy flows. We will be on alert following these snows and rains as the temperatures rise back to normal in the coming days. Whilever our property is on the mountainside, we wish the best to all the golf courses downstream of us along the Bow and Elbow rivers as these snow and rain conditions in our area can lead to problems for those many kilometers away.

OPENING DAY

OPENING DAY MAY 21, 2011

The golf course was open on May 21st. Here Cody is setting the pin prior to painting the hole on #7 green. This hole is located at approximately 4700' of elevation on the north facing slope of the mountain. Note the narrow patch of snow eft in the native grass area in the background. The terrain rises up rapidly alongside this hole with the density of tree cover similar to the back drop in this photo. Despite yearly spring challenges, it is always great to get the golf course open.

COURSE PREPARATION

HOLE 14

As we approach opening day this photo of #14 taken from a similar location on two previous occassions shows the turf improvement over a 14 day period. Despite average temperatures and turf that still needs to have the frost come out of the ground, improvements are evident. After vertical mowing and blowing clear all the dead matter what is left is a promising start.

COURSE PREPARATION

OPENING SOON
With opening day now scheduled for Saturday, May 21st more intense labor is directed at the key areas of the course. As an example here we are double cutting #4 green which will also see a light topdressing and rolling prior to this weekend.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM

IRRIGATION SYSTEM START UP
As the temperatures rise and the winds pick up, the drying effect on the greens increases. Tank watering of the greens provides an adequate watering source, until the turf density begins to increase. As the density increases, the root mass of the turf draws in more water requiring a higher level of replenishment. As such, the irrigation system needs to come online to maintain the turf requirements. With sufficient frost out of the ground, the system can be initiated with great control of individual greens, tees and fairways. Greens are the first to recieve water, then tees and finishing with fairways and roughs. The main lines are High Density Polyethylene with all laterals to greens, tees and fairways being PVC. Here we have a successful start up on the Practice Green. Using sprinkler heads and handwatering with hoses from the system provides the proper moisture as needed. Due to frost levels moving at various rates, the system will take approximately 2 to 3 weeks to bring fully online, with all air purged and maintaining proper system pressure.

SPRING GREENUP

SNOW REMOVAL

Just one week later and this photo of #14 fairway reveals the success of manually moving the snow. If we were not to manipulate the snow to accelerate the melt this fairway would have the same snow level as the snow that remains beside the pathway. What will finish this hole is track driven, walking snowblowers. Next the turf needs to dry, then the frost needs to come out of the ground and the spring vertical mowing and cleanup can begin.

SNOW REMOVAL

SNOW REMOVAL IN SHADED LOCATIONS

As the weather warms and the sun angle rises to assist in the snow melt, we cast remaining snow into previously melted areas. To accelerate the melting process in shaded areas, the blowing of snow into warmer locations enhances the melting and subsequent drying. This photo shows #14 fairway, the left side being the southern shaded section and the right side being the northern warm section. The northern section faces south towards the sun angle which attracts heat and melts at a much more rapid pace than the opposite side. If we were not to manually manipulate the snow in many spots of the course, the natural melt would be greatly extended.

MOWING

FIRST MOWING OF GREENS

Here we are with the first mowings of the season beginning on Hole #5. There has been no evidence of snowmold damage to the greens nor ice damage. Despite heavy snow levels this spring, the accumulation all winter was a great insulator for the greens.

WEATHER

IMPROVED WEATHER

Finally the temperatures are pushing near normal levels to help us move snow off the golf course. The temperatures, in addition to us snowblowing greens, tees and fairways, have accelerated the melt. With longer daylight hours this will aide in the snow melt and drying the course. This shot of #16 green shows how the green has wintered and began to warm up. With each day we see more portions of the golf course open up.

DRAINAGE

GREENS DRAINAGE

After we cleared #14 green of snow and allowed the remaining 4" of snow to melt away (see the photo of the green) we checked our repaired drainage system and were pleased to see the results. The green was already beginning to evacuate drainage water from the green that was collecting in the subsurface network and removed out the 4" drain tile exits. The photo below shows draining water icing up as it exits the pipe due the outside cooler temperatures. On this day, April 20th, the water was draining at a rate of .50 USGal/min or 2.0 Litres/min. The value of a properly installed drainge systems is put to the test not just in summer but also in spring and in fall. The last interesting note is the quality of the water moving out of drain exit, clean smelling with no anaerobic scent to it at all. All signs pointing towards clean air and water moving through the green as it was designed to do.

GREENS

CLEARED GREENS After clearing the greens and leaving a 3 - 4" snow layer behind, moderate temperatures are able to melt the snow clear of the surface. Here #1 green was revealed within days of clearing it. By placing the turf covers in position the previous fall, the green surface will begin to warm slowly as the days heat up and the sun begins to shine. Also, by putting the covers into place prior to winter, in the event we need to remove ice throughout the winter or spring, the covers provide a protective layer to help in that process. The covers create a good separation from the green turf blades to aide in the ice removal process via shattering it and pushing it off.

WEATHER

MORE SNOW

This past weekend we saw a storm bring 9-10" of fresh snow. On top of the vast amounts of snow we already have this newest snowfall dumped a large amount on greens we had already cleared. The 9" layer shown in the picture is on our practice green, so today we will clear the greens (with the tractor mounted snowblower) we had previously cleared to accelerate the melt. Greens that had fully cleared of ice and snow and are now soft and will see a natural melt as we won't put heavy equipment on them. If we were to not clear the greens this newest snow would be slow to melt and would only melt down to the snow and ice layer that was left behind the first clearing attempt. Just part of mountain golf life.

WEATHER

BLOWING SNOW OFF GREENS This week we began the process of clearing greens of snow. Temperatures have moved above +5C and night time temperatures are very moderate. This process involves using a snowblower to move the snow off the green surface. This particular year, with the vast amount of snow still present, requires more labor than in the past. Note in the photo breaking up the snow layers prior to the blower moving the snow. The snow depth shown here on #1 green varies from front to back, aproximately 30cm of snow on the green's front edge to 100-120cm along the back edge, evidence of snow drift throughout the winter. We blow the greens and leave a thin layer of snow behind to ensure a consistent melt and eliminate numerous freeze/thaw cycles which causes great stress to the turf. With the snow depths this season if we were not to help the snow along we would still have melting snow on the greens to the end of April.

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE SENSORS FOR GREENS

To monitor the greens during the winter months we utilize data loggers and temperature sensors to track detailed temperature conditions. The photo on the left depicts the data collected which shows the "blue" actual air temperature and the "brown" under the snow/turf cover temperature of the green. Note on November 15th the "brown" under snow temperature stabilized as evidenced by the first winter snowfall.

Throughout the winter, to date, we have seen actual air temperature lows of -34C and highs of +11C however the temperature under the covers and snow accumulation layer remains between -2C and -8C. It is always interesting how little the first snowfall can be, in this case 4", to create a proper insulating condition that protects the greens. Naturally, our total snowfall, >24" in most locations, stabilizes the temperatures through drastic freeze/thaw cycles in the middle of winter and spring. By tracking temperatures we are able to monitor green conditions accurately to determine if ice is forming (too warm) or if the green is susceptible to cold temperature kill (too cold). Click on the photo to see a larger picture of the graph.

WILDLIFE

ELK ON THE GOLF COURSE IN WINTER
It is very common to see elk moving and feeding on the golf course throughout the winter. Here we have several elk that have worked through the snow to the turf to feed. There was actually a herd of 80 elk spread out along #2 fairway(shown), #3 and #4 fairway, in trees and out in the open. They also will "bed" down in the open areas, that is they will clear snow away to lay down on the turf (as it is much warmer than the outside temperatures). These spots that the elk feed or lay down on reveal themselves in spring time as discolorations due to the exposure to cold temperatures. In addition the elk urine through the snow creates dead patches of turf that need to be repaired in the spring. Yet another reason why we use protective fencing around all the greens in the off-season.