What the hail is up with this weather?

The three pictures to the right were taken about an hour apart.  The unpredictability of Oregon Coast weather strikes again.  Sandpines received 2.76 inches of rain yesterday.  It was the most rain in a single day since November 7, 2006 (4.55 inches).  We are now over eighty inches of precipitation for 2010, and we still have a few days to go.  Right now, it looks like we will top 2009 by about thirty inches. 

Last Sunday morning, a thunder and lightning storm was on display for a couple of hours (sorry, I wasn't feeling brave enough to get a picture).  That makes two weekends in a row with thunder and lightning.

We were just about to mow greens this morning when the hail started coming down.  Hopefully, the weather will be more cooperative tomorrow, so we can get the greens mowed.


Thankfully, dry conditions are in the forecast this coming weekend.  I am sure we will see some frost, but at least it is not supposed to rain.  It should be a great time for those of you who got new golf clubs for Christmas to come out and give them a try.

Jerry continues to make bunker repairs.  He finished removing trees and brush from the bunker islands on hole fourteen last week.  Currently he is adding sand to the left green side bunker on hole 10. 

The agronomy staff has spent more time than usual blowing tree debris off greens and repairing bunker washouts over the past couple of weeks.

Dean recently finished grinding the Triplex reels and installed new bed knives.  He will start grinding the fairway mower reels soon.

Strikes, Gutters, and Edging

Last week we began edging sprinkler heads and drainage catch basins.  It is much easier to find your yardage to the green once the sprinkler heads have been edged.  They are also much easier to service and repair when the entire top of the sprinkler head is exposed.  It has been especially important to keep drainage catch basins clear with all of the wet weather we have been experiencing.  The edging should be completed sometime next week.

Jim edging a sprinkler head

Steven edging a drainage catch basin

Jerry completed his latest bunker project on the right green side bunker on hole 17 this week. He repaired some turf damage located just outside the bunker.  He also added quite a bit of sand in order to restore the bunker to the proper depth.  The playability of the bunker is greatly improved.  It is also more maintenance friendly.

Last Thursday the Sandpines staff was treated to a holiday party at the local bowling alley.  It was a blast.  Everyone who attended had a great time.  Its hard to go wrong with pizza, beer, and bowling.  I don't think my bowling career is going to pan out, but I did put away a lot of pizza.

Jerry delivers a strike

On behalf of the Sandpines Agronomy staff, I would like to thank Michael and Nancy for a putting on a great holiday party.

Off Season Topdressing

The greens were topdressed today.  Sand topdressing is beneficial in many ways. Consistent sand topdressing keeps thatch diluted, which improves infiltration and keeps the surface firm.  It also smooths the surface by filling depressions and imperfections caused by the traffic of play and maintenance.  The sand also protects the crown of the grass plant, making the plant healthier.  Healthier plants are less susceptible to stress and require less inputs.

Approach topdressing was also started today, and should be completed soon.  We try to topdress greens and approaches monthly in the off season, but as with all plans this time of year, it depends upon the weather.

Last week was pretty wet until Friday.  A few traffic areas were getting sloppy, so traffic was re-routed in those areas.  This is most evident on hole 4, where some ropes were added for better traffic control.

I attended a pest management seminar in Portland last Thursday and Friday.  There were some great topics and speakers this year.  It was nice to learn a couple new things, refresh a few things, and network with industry contacts.

Sandpines received 12.02 inches of precipitation in the month of November.  That brings the total for 2010 to 71.01 inches so far.