The Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay Maintenance Department

Last Post

2010-07-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately this will be the last post for the Raven at Lora Bay Maintenance Department blog. My position has been eliminated following the recent purchase of the club. The new owner already owns a club just down the road and the ownership group have made the decision to operate both turf departments with one Superintendent.

Many thanks to all who followed and took interest in our activities over the past year-and-a-half. Being involved with the construction and maintenance of the club since day one was an absolute thrill and a real pleasure.

There won't be any posts for a while but keep your eyes peeled for updates on my new adventures when everything gets settled. Please keep following chrislecour.blogspot.com!

All the best for a great summer and here's to the future...

Chris

Irrigation Woes

2010-07-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

It's often true that equipment will most likely cause a Golf Course Superintendent and his staff grief late on a Friday afternoon. In this case it was late on a Friday evening, technically early Saturday morning. Just when we needed it most, our irrigation system experienced a significant pump failure during the extended heat wave that began the week before the Gretzky Event at Lora Bay. At some point in the last 2-3 weeks, a power surge in the irrigation system's pump station caused a surge protector to blow and take with it a component that allows both of our 75 hp pumps to work in tandem. Conditions have been so wet in June that we rarely used the pump station to water the course in the evening which explains why we did not notice the problem earlier. Without the damaged component, only one pump was working during the evening of Friday July 2nd while the system was calling for twice as much water as that pump can handle. The end result was a 'low pressure shutdown' and in essence, no water applied to the couse that Friday night, the following evening and two days later at the start of the Gretzky Event. Our pump station distributor was quick to respond to our calls for assistance and the problem was quickly identified and fixed in time to avoid losing turf on the course. Below are some pictures of the widespread droughty conditions seen throughout the course last week and a bonus shot of the carnage in the pump station from the blown surge protector. Luckily the Kentucky blue grass on our fairways is quite resilient to drought and has almost completely bounced back.

Fairway Snake

2010-06-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

All the rain we've collected over the past several weeks has made it difficult to keep on top of our rough and fairway mowing schedules. The equipment we use is designed to be relatively low-impact in terms of inflicting damage on saturated turf but that doesn't solve the problem of what to do with the clippings that remain on the fairways after they have been mown. The Fairway Snake helps us combat the problem of excessive clumps of clippings left on the fairways. The Snake can be used in the mornings on days when fairways are not being mown to knock the dew off of the turf, thereby decreasing potential disease pressure. We've been using it after mowing to break up the clippings. It's a great tool that fits nicely into our IPM program when we have available staff on no-mow mornings. Thanks to our cinematographer, Ryan Caesar who is more comfortable capturing snowboard acrobatics on film than cultural practices on turf!

Wet Bunker Sand

2010-06-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Almost 5" of rain has been recorded at the Raven Golf Club in the month of June (4.95" to be exact). In fact, we have only had 5 consecutive days without any recorded precipitation! What happened to our long, hot, dry summer?!
When the course becomes saturated, so too does the sand in the bunkers. And when our bunker sand get wet, it tends to become compacted until it can be gently cultivated and allowed time to dry out. There have been a number of complaints from some golfers this month about the condition of the bunkers; obviously the conditioning of the bunkers has been less than ideal but unfortunately the cure is out of our hands. Mother Nature simply needs to string together a few warm, slightly breezy days to allow the sand time to dry.
Several golfers, however, complained of several deep grooves, or furrows left in the bunkers after the Sand Pro had been through the bunker to rake the sand. Apparently these furrows made recovery shots very difficult as the ball tended to bury itself in the furrow, making for a more difficult shot than normal.
The reason behind the furrows was that excessively moist sand began clumping together on the tines that help loosen the bunker sand before the finer rake attachment on the machine makes its final pass. This wet sand resulted in a regular 1/4" tine increasing in diameter to up to 1" or even 1.5" before the bunker was fully raked. Our operators have become aware of this condition and will attempt to knock the sand loose from the tines when possible. Unfortunately, the quickest and easiest solution involves the sand in the bunkers completely drying out which, given the forecast, may not exactly be right around the corner.

Plugging out Grease Spots

2010-06-27T19:34:00.001-07:00

Recently a problem with one of the vibratory rollers with which we use to roll the greens resulted in a trail of grease spots on our putting green...not exactly the first impression you want your members to see before starting their round. Using a soil sampler I was able to remove 25 plugs approximately 1" in diameter, just large enough to cover the grease spots, from our bent grass nursery and transplant them in the affected areas on the putting green. The whole process took less than five minutes and it is difficult to tell where the injured areas were in the first place.

Helping Hands

2010-05-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I literally locked myself in our upstairs bathroom to FINALLY (emphasis my wife's, not mine) put a fresh coat of paint on the walls and cover up 5 years worth of spills, scratches, and dents all caused by the unholy trio known as the Lecour children. It seemed to be a thankless job and no one seemed to miss me for the 4 or 5 hours I was missing from the family dynamic...until it was time to clean the brushes and I opened up the door to leave. I guess the audience outside just couldn't wait to see the finished product. Either that or they had been holding IT for a very long time.

Thanks to my son Ben for the smile it put on my face...

Not All Aerators Leave a Mess

2010-05-18T08:49:00.000-07:00

This morning we started our monthly aerification on our fairways. The soil profile on the tees and fairways is classified as a silty clay and is very prone to compaction. For this reason the very idea of pulling a core on the fairways keeps me awake at night. I've had nightmares where one aerator after another attempts to pull cores on our 6th fairway only to discover each machine in pieces before one pass can be completed!

For that reason the Aerway has been a tremendous help for us in maintaining healthy fairway turf. It allows us to penetrate 3-5" into the soil profile with its large shattertines and improve gas exchange in the rootzone. Most golf courses would only aerate their fairways once per season using the traditional method of removing a core. This method would be preferable to simply slicing our fairways; since the removal of cores is not an option, we simply slice more often to promote the exchange of gases and root development in the soil profile. It takes one operator approximately 3-4 days to completely aerate all 18 fairways and approches.

Farewell to Patrick Greenman

2010-05-15T07:18:00.001-07:00

First Assistant Superintendent Patrick Greenman has moved on to bigger and better things and has bid farewell to the Raven Golf Club. Patrick has accepted a position at The Briars Golf Club in Sutton Ontario that will eventually see him take over for the current Superintendent who is retiring within the next two years.
Patrick has been instrumental in the success of the Raven Golf Club. He joined us in 2005 just as construction was starting to roll. His work ethic, knowledge, leadership and ability to motivate others are admired by all who had the privilege to work with him.
Patrick will be missed by his many friends at the Raven and we wish he and his family all the success in the world as they embark on this new chapter of their lives.

Heavy Rain Cleanup

2010-05-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Over 1" of rain fell Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening and the Raven staff enjoyed several new (albeit temporary) water features on the 8th hole yesterday as a result. Very little mowing was done on the course as most of the crew concentrated their efforts on bunker repair and cleanup. This rain event was relatively minor when considering some of the gully washers we have experienced since the course first opened. The 2.8" of rain we received in June of 2007, just a couple of weeks before the Telus Skins Game was to be held here, comes to mind...

Removing Poa...One Plant at a Time!

2010-05-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

Our greens primarily consist of creeping bentgrass. Eventually another species of grass, a weed species to many Superintendents in this climate, begins to invade the canopy and attempts to establish itself. Annual bluegrass or poa annua is an extremely invasive turf type that thrives under shady, moist conditions. Problems arise for turf managers because it is a prolific seed head producer which can lead to adverse putting conditions; it also performs very poorly in the heat of the summer, does not handle traffic stress very well, and does not survive under extreme winter conditions (late winter periods of freezing and thawing, extended ice cover in the middle of winter).
For all these reasons we make every attempt to keep poa annua from invading our putting surfaces. Unfortunately it is an uphill battle. During the summer we manage the putting surfaces to promote bentgrass rather than poa and moisture levels in greens are carefully monitored. Since the species is so opportunistic, cultural practices such as core aeration are timed to take place when poa is less likely to establish itself.
When it does take root there is little choice but for us to physically remove the individual plants from the putting surface. At this time of the year, poa seedheads are easily identifiable. The individual plants are cut out of the greens and removed and the holes are filled with sand. All of this takes place when the greens are healthy, actively growing and recently fertilized to encourage the scar to fill in quickly.

Leatherjackets

2010-05-04T03:58:00.001-07:00

Leatherjacket is the term for the larval stage of the European Crane Fly. The crane fly will show up later in summer and scare the daylights out of your kids as it resembles a mosquito on steroids. Fortunately the crane fly does not bite or sting and is relatively harmless. It is considered a pest because of the damage it can cause to home lawns and golf course turf during the larvae or leatherjacket stage. From mid April to mid May, the eggs that were laid the previous summer are now leatherjackets and feed on turf roots. They prefer moist soils and do not survive well in droughty conditions. With all the rain we received over the weekend, that is likely why they are so prominent on our bentgrass nursery as shown in the picture below (three larvae can be seen poking up through the turf canopy). Fortunately, healthy turf can survive a large number of leatherjackets before control measures must be taken; several sources and publications indicate 20-25 larvae per square foot before damage is typically observed. However, each golf course is different and must establish their own thresholds to determine when control measures should be implemented.

1st Day of the 2010 Season

2010-04-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

What a great first day for golf at the Raven! Just a reminder to those of you new to the golf course...please stay out of the native areas.

Ready for Golf?

2010-04-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Raven at Lora Bay will open for the 2010 season tomorrow, Friday April 30. As mentioned in previous posts, the course survived the winter extremely well with very little damage to the turf at all. The past week has been very busy for our team, as it always is when it's seven days and counting to Opening Day.
Since last Friday, 14 pallets of sod have been installed. Normally at this time of year, once a strip of sod has been unrolled, Mother Nature usually takes over and we rarely have to water these areas more than once or twice. That's not the case this year as the cool, dry, windy conditions force us to water the sod patches every day. We're not complaining. It's a nice change from the cool, WET, windy conditions we've suffered through the last two years.
See you on the course!

Hole #13
Hole #4
Hole #13
Hole #13
Hole #11

Keeping Poa Out

2010-04-26T17:08:00.001-07:00

In our attempt to prevent poa from encroaching onto the greens for as long as humanly possible, we've removed some of the green surrounds (or 'collars') that were predominantly poa annua. These sections will be sodded with a healthy stand of dwarf kentucky bluegrass.

2010-04-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

All 20 greens were core aerated and topdressed early last week. Since the last greens were completed, the weather has been outstanding and the healing process is well underway. By the middle of next week, before our Opening Day on April 30th, the greens will be in fabulous shape. We look forward to seeing old and new friends on the course on Opening Day!

Each green was core aerated with 1/2" hollow tines set on 1 1/2" by 1 1/2" centers.
This season we purchased a Core Hog from Par Aide. The unit fits onto the front of one of our Toro Flex 21 greens mowers. When I first saw the Core Hog used in an online video, it seemed a bit hokey but I was willing to give it a try. It turned out to be a HUGE time (and back) saver and was worth every penny.
Enough sand was applied to fill the holes left on each green. The sand was then brushed into the holes as well as the turf canopy.
I was unsatisfied with the condition of the greens last season after we aerified. The were not as smooth and true as they should have been to start the season. This year we rented a small asphalt roller and added it to the process...problem solved.
After rolling, the greens were fertilized with a homogenous ammonium sulphate fertilizer and irrigated. All the greens will be irrigated on a regular basis over the next few days to speed up the healing process and ensure they do not dry out during this unusually dry spring.

2010-04-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Turf Maintenance crew has been very busy over the last two weeks preparing the course for our opening on Friday April 30th: the fairways have been verticut (lightly sliced) to promote new growth in areas affected by snow mold and then cut several times; vole damage in the rough is being overseeded with dwarf kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass; tree cleanup has been completed on most of the holes; the irrigation system is fully charged with very few leaks; severe wear areas left over from last season are being prepped for sod later this week; the greens have been cut several times as have the tees, approaches and collars; and the club house gardens are being edged, cleaned out and pruned.
We have had several new hires start the season for us already with more to come. A good deal of our time has been spent training our new team members on many aspects of golf course maintenance. We are fortunate to have such a strong contingent of new and returning employees and expect great things from each team member throughout the season.
A common question we receive from the few members we see at this time of year is "Why aren't you already open?" While the grass is indeed waking up from winter and actively growing, it doesn't take much of a cold snap to send it backwards at this time of year. We've been very fortunate to enjoy some unseasonably warm weather in March and April, but as the 14 day outlook from the Weather Network below illustrates, daily highs are barely at and often below seasonal averages. In fact, snow has been forecast for the area this very weekend! The decision to open a couple of weeks later than some other area courses ensures the golf course will be in peak condition and able to sustain and recover from golfer traffic. Rest assured when the golf course opens in less than 2 weeks, we'll be ready for you!

Sweeping Winter Away

2010-04-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Each spring, from a distance, the melting snow reveals a lush green golf course. Up close, tell tale signs of winter still remain; areas that are susceptible to heavy spring runoff are matted down or covered with the crusty remnants of grey or pink snow mold. Exposed peaks or high points that do not see much snow cover are dessicated and stand out next to the greens, tees and fairways.

As part of our spring cleaning ritual, these areas are swept with a tow-behind brush and the resulting debris is raked and removed. Before we started using the brushes, all of those unsightly spots would had to have been raked by hand, a very time consuming and laborious assignment for any staff member. Sweeping the areas breaks up the crusty layer that may be impeding growth and allows light and air to reach the turf canopy to stimulate recovery and new growth. What used to take up to two weeks with hand raking is now completed in a matter of two to three days.

Tow-behind brush
Side by side, before and after sweeping

Course Opening April 30th

2010-04-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

With the mercury reaching over 27C each day over the Easter long weekend, it sure felt like spring had arrived, if only for a few days. Temperatures have now returned back to seasonal norms and we have a number of Turf Maintenance team members in to ready the course for opening day. The golf course and practice facility are scheduled to open Friday April 30th. If the weather should cooperate we will consider opening a few days early, however history tells us that we still have some very cool and very wet days ahead.

#10 green

#6 fairway

Tree work

2010-03-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

With 3 seasonal employees returning this week we have been focusing our efforts on some tree cleanup work that has been long overdue. After removing a large number of hazardous trees the previous winter, we were prevented from removing the debris from the edges of the holes as sufficiently as we wanted to. With the use of our mini excavator and several bodies, the majority of the debris has been removed and the perimeter of those holes will look much cleaner.
Also overdue on our to-do list was pruning the apples trees on the 13th and 14th holes. It has been two years since those trees were last pruned and it was starting to show. Our crew will prune as many trees before opening day as possible, focusing on the ones closest to the center of the fairways. They will then work away at the remaining trees after the course opens as time allows.

Winter Maintenance on Irrigation Components

2010-03-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

At the end of every season the faceplates inside the irrigation controllers located on the golf course (you've seen them...those grey pedestals on the edge of most holes) are taken in and stored inside for the winter. The power is turned off to the controllers and moth balls are placed in the base of each unit to ward off mice from having a party with the wires inside. The school is out on whether the power should be left on or off; what is generally agreed upon is that the power should not be turned on and off throughout the winter.
Before the faceplates are placed back in the controllers they are taken apart and inspected for any damage to the ribbon cables, circuit boards, etc. Insects tend to congregate inside the controllers in the summer and can make a real mess of the inside of a faceplate, which in turn can wreak havoc on the boards themselves. The boards are gently but thoroughly cleaned and repaired if necessary.

Weather Station Maintenance

2010-03-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

Our weather station, located on the 6th hole, provides us with hourly updates for such minimum and maximum temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, amount of rainfall, and solar radiation. All of these factors are used to calculate an Et value, or evapotranspiration. Et is the amount of water lost by a plant through the combined efforts of evaporation and plant transpiration. This amount is expressed in inches, and more often than not in tenths of an inch. In an effort to prevent overwatering on the golf course and replenish only what the turf requires to survive, we take Et into account when the irrigation central control is used to water the golf course. To ensure the weather station is functioning properly, certain components must be calibrated on a regular basis. Recently the instrument used to measure solar radiation, the pyranometer, was removed and sent to LiCor Biosciences for recalibration. The process will take approximately 4 weeks to complete as an extended period of sunlight is required to make sure the pyranometer is providing accurate readings. This instrument should return in plenty of time to provide us with accurate Et readings when needed most...during the dog days of summer.

Spring is Near

2010-03-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

More and more turf is poking through the snow with each passing day. The spring melt has been relatively gentle compared to past seasons when warm temperatures continued overnight and were accompanied by large amounts of rainfall.
The greens and tees I've noticed so far have no snow mold or winter damage at all and look like they have survived the winter exceptionally well.

Under the snow

2010-03-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday I sampled several greens to see how the turf was looking under the snow. The greens I chose looked great; most of the areas had zero ice cover, were free of any signs of snow mold or damage and looked to be in very good shape. The odd area where there was some ice did not give me cause for concern at this time. The ice appeared to be very porous and easy to crumble, indicating that those specific spots would not be prone to damage due to anoxic (lack of oxygen) conditions.
I managed to find the last hole location of the 2009 season on the 6th green and the hole was completely full of ice while the turf surrounding it was ice free. Even the deep tine aeration holes left from last fall were full of ice up to the level of the turf.

Preparing for Spring Melt

2010-03-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Every spring the snowmelt collected from portions of Hwy. 26 and other areas surrounding the golf course converge and cause a wild torrent of rushing water throughout the entire length of the boulder creek which runs along holes 9 and 1 and ends up in our irrigation pond. Experience has shown that several areas of the creek need to have the snow pack removed to prevent any flooding on the course or along Lora Bay Drive. For the past few season we have used our mini excavator to clean out the snowpack at both ends of the box culvert which runs underneath West Ridge Drive and a section of the boulder creek spanning well over 100m. The forecast over the next week calls for highs just above 0C and subzero lows overnight which should help ease the spring melt for the time being.

Taken during construction in 2005

X-country trails

2010-03-05T11:29:00.000-08:00

It's wonderful to see the X-country trails being used, especially with the beautiful weather we have had all week. This weekend should be just as sunny and mild so get out there and enjoy the snow!

CGSA Conference

2010-03-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

The Canadian International Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show was held this past week in Toronto. Organized by the CGSA and OGSA, the conference program featured a number of well known experts in their field covering a wide variety of poignant topics:

Keynote speaker was Peter Mansbridge.
Nutrient Use on Golf Courses- Brian Horgan, Ph.D.
A discussion panel comprised of USGA agronomists Adam Moeller, Larry Gilhuly and Bob Vavrek.
Turf Disease Identification/Treatment and Causes- Bruce Clarke, Ph.D.
An architects panel that included Doug Carrick, Ian Andrew and Jason Straka.

Holiday Reading Material

2010-02-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

Less than stellar weather during our trip to Florida gave me the chance to finish several books while on vacation. From my sister-in-law I borrowed The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. I've seen the movie version a number of times and thoroughly enjoyed the story of the crew of the Andrea Gail. I had hoped I wouldn't be disappointed in the book and I wasn't. It is an exceptionally well told story.

Another book I enjoyed was Malcolm Gladwell's What the Dog Saw, a collection of the author's previously published essays. Like other Gladwell books, all the selections are very well written and thought provoking. It is definitely worth picking up.

X-Country Trail Grooming

2010-02-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, we have resumed grooming the X-Country trails on the golf course! Maintenance of the trails was suspended last season due to equipment concerns. With the purchase of a new Ski-doo Skandic SUV, we now have the right equipment to groom the trails properly.

As in previous years, the trails will follow the cart path thru the front nine, then continue on the back nine to the 14th hole. At the 14th, skiiers can choose to pick up the Georgian Trail and continue east or west, or they can retrace their steps back towards the clubhouse via the golf course.

After a fresh snowfall, the trails are first rolled to compact the snow as much as possible. Then the tracks are set with the aid of our homemade groomer.

Snowshoe enthusiasts are reminded to please stay off the groomed portion of the trail and all participants are asked to please respect the golf course just as they would during the golf season.

Enjoy!

Out of Office

2010-02-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

I will be taking a break from regular turf updates for a few weeks as I'm on vacation with my family in Florida. Enjoy the weather wherever you are...

2009 Weather Summary

2010-01-22T11:38:00.001-08:00

Any of you weather junkies out there can now view the daily weather for 2009 as recorded at the Raven Golf Club...the link is on the sidebar to the right of the daily posts.

IPM Desk Review

2010-01-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

Our annual IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Desk Review for 2009 has been submitted for approval by an independent environmental auditor. Preparing for the Desk Review is a year-long process as all scouting forms, historical weather data, pesticide applications, employee training, and all maintenance practices for the entire year need to be summarized for the auditors. The Raven just passed their second On-Site Audit in October (conducted once every three years) and we're looking forward to receiving the results of our 2009 Desk Review.

January 22 Weather Update

2010-01-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

So far so good...conditions in 2010 have been relatively mild to date. There was a good deal of snowfall in the first week to ten days of January, but mild temperatures the following week saw some of the high spots on the course lose their snow cover. A number of the greens that had light cover also lost a significant amount of snow; there was only one green that appeared to have any ice in a very localized spot. It was approximately 1/2" thick and that does not give us cause for alarm at this point. Our predominantly bentgrass and sand-based greens are better suited to survive extended periods of snow and ice cover than older push-up greens with large populations of poa annua. We will continue to monitor all the greens and other areas that have historically caused us problems in the spring.

Recent research and articles regarding the effects of ice on golf course greens from Iowa State University and The Crop Science Society of America shed some light on the issue...if you're into that sort of thing.

Maple Turf Seminar

2010-01-21T11:52:00.000-08:00

One of our generous suppliers, Maple Turf Supply sponsored a day of continuing education for Golf Course Superintendents in this region. The seminar was held yesterday at Copper Creek Golf Club in Kleinburg. There were some interesting presentations on the use of ammonium sulphate in fertility programs and disease management strategies. Many thanks to Maple Turf for sponsoring such an informative program.

Winter Work...The Cleanup Begins

2010-01-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

I look forward to the winter months for the chance to recharge my batteries, but also for the opportunity to reevaluate our department's practices and policies from the past season to determine what worked, what didn't, what needs to change and what we need to build on to be successful in 2010.

Our Equipment Technician/Jack-of-all-Trades, Mike McBride spent some of this time reorganizing and cleaning up the shop area of the Maintenance Facility, something that desperately needed to be done before he arrived. Unfortunately for Mike, jumping headfirst into the position at the beginning of the golf season didn't allow him the time to do justice to the task at hand. Now the shop is set up to run efficiently, shop space has been maximized and all the clutter that had accumulated over the course of several seasons has gone to a better place in that junkyard in the sky.

TurfNet TV Part 2

2010-01-10T05:59:00.000-08:00

TurfNet, the leading online resource for Superintendents in the world, recently posted a 2nd short movie they filmed at Lora Bay last summer. The topic was the success of our dwarf kentucky bluegrass fairways. Have a look at the clip here...

Under a Blanket of Snow

2010-01-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

This morning we finally found some relief from the snow squalls that have been pounding the area for the past 5 or 6 days. We have been very busy since New Year's Eve clearing the Clubhouse and Lodge parking lot, shovelling and applying ice melter to the walkways and patios on a daily basis. I took this opportunity to expose some sections on a few greens to examine what was happening underneath...

Every green on the course has varying amounts of snow cover: from a trace amount (the dark green of the turf can still be seen underneath a slight bit of snow and crust) to as much as 12" on some of the more sheltered greens. None of the greens I was able to examine (#'s 6, 9, 18 and the putting green) showed any signs of a significant ice layer beneath the snow. A buildup of ice this early in the winter would be cause for concern. An ice layer on turf, especially turf that is predominantly poa annua, can suffocate the turf in as little as 30 days; the ice does not allow for the release of toxic gases or oxygen exchange and the damage is quite evident in the spring. Our predominantly bent grass greens can survive for 60 and even 90 days under ice cover. However the ideal in our situation and climate is for a healthy layer of snow to insulate the turf that still allows for the exchange of oxygen and gases in the turf.

The second photo shows a 1.5" layer of crusty snow that was removed from the 6th green. The sample is easy to crumble and quite porous. This type of snow cover on the greens should not pose any adverse problems but we will continue to monitor the turf throughout the winter and take action if necessary.

Standards and Planning

2009-12-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

I've uploaded a copy of the Maintenance Department's Standards and Planning policy for the golf course. It can be downloaded as a .pdf file or simply viewed online by clicking on the document. It is located just under my profile...
This document explains our benchmarks for the playing conditions and health of the golf course and how we plan to achieve these goals, now and in the near future.

The Match

2009-12-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

The Match by Mark Frost tells the story of a legendary best-ball match played at Cypress Point in 1956. When a millionaire car dealer boasts that two of his employees, amateur golfers Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward cannot be beaten by any twosome in a best-ball match, another millionaire takes up the challenge. His team: Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.
The Match describes in vivid detail the game played that day and the lives of the players before and after the match. It was difficult to put down and a must-read for fans of the game.

Taken By Storm

2009-12-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

The buzz surrounding the Copenhagen Climate Conference is everywhere these days. Although Conference protestors and participants alike paint a gloomy picture for the future of our planet, we shouldn't forget that the alarmists ignore many flaws in their argument that man is causing the earth to warm at such a rate which will ultimately prove catastrophic in the near future if extreme measures are not taken.

Taken By Storm, co-authored by Christopher Essex and Ross McKitrick was published in 2003 and attempts to debunk some of the myths and inaccuracies of the global warming issue. It is well worth reading for an intelligent and scientific examination of the claims presented by many environmentalists.

Back to School at Syngenta Super U

2009-12-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the extreme good fortune to attend Syngenta's Superintendent University-Business Foundations 2009 held at the Richard Ivey School of Business in London Ontario. Ivey School of Business is part of the University of Western Ontario and is one of the leading business schools in the world.

The program was intense and very worthwhile. Classes began at 8AM each day and continued until approximately 10PM each evening. Instruction and discussion relied heavily on case studies and focused on several areas:

Presenting with Impact.
Making Investment Decisions and Managing Cost, Revenues and Profits.
Recruiting and Selecting Staff.
The Business of Golf.
Understanding Your Club's Financial Statements.

If you EVER have the opportunity to participate in an Executive Development program at Ivey, GO! I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Many thanks have to be extended to Syngenta for sponsoring the program and recognizing the value of making professional development accessible to its customers.

Late Season Topdressing

2009-11-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

The dry, warm weather in November gave us a great opportunity to topdress all 19 greens, at a rate heavier than normal, for the last time this season. Some of the sand will find its way into many of the holes that remain from the deep tine aeration that occurred a few weeks earlier. Much of the sand that remains in the canopy will help protect the turf from the potential of winter desiccation in the absence of an early snow cover. Many golf courses will bury their greens with sand just prior to the onset of snow to protect them from desiccation; since we are not terribly prone to this problem but the threat still exists, we apply at a rate that should still provide some measure of protection.

End of Season

2009-11-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

The trees are now bare, the leaves have been cleared off the golf holes and all that's left of the fall cleanup is the pickup of the apples on holes #13 and #14. The weather has been just tremendous for getting many of our major and minor fall projects completed; November saw the weather we wish we had received in October. Unfortunately Mother Nature does not go by any calendar, we just take what we can get. Below is a picture of the 6th hole taken just last week. The stakes in the fairway and rough indicate where the catch basins are so they can be easily located under a cover of snow and cleared of any ice and debris if necessary.

Deep Tine Aeration on Greens

2009-11-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Once the golf course had closed for the season, we deep tine aerated the greens with a Verti Drain aerator. The Verti Drain is a PTO driven unit that has the ability to either core or solid tine aerate turf with a variety of tine styles and sizes. We chose to solid tine all 19 greens with a 1/2" tine on approximately 3" by 4" spacing. It took approximately 10 hours to complete all 19 greens. We set the tine depth to 8" and were able to complete the process with minimal interruptions and disturbance to the turf. The turf benefits from an increase in the root zone's gas exchange capacity and we will likely see an increase in root depth in and around those holes come spring time.
We were fortunate enough to borrow the unit from a neighbouring golf course. Earlier in the season, this golf course borrowed our Toro Pro Core 648 aerator to core aerate their greens and in exchange we had use of their Verti Drain just last week.

Soil Samples for Fertility Requirements

2009-11-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

At least once per season we collect soil samples on 3 greens, 3 tees and 3 fairways to determine the fertility requirements of those respective areas of the golf course. The same greens, tees and fairways are sampled each year to determine benchmarks in those areas. The holes sampled are #18, #6 and #16, which were at the time we began sampling back in 2005, one of the best, one of our average, and one of our weaker holes in terms of turf quality. The general trends in terms of macro and micro nutrients required by the soil do not change much over time but there are deficiencies of certain nutrients that we need to keep an eye on each year and make adjustments for those deficiencies in the following year's fertility program. Keeping an eye on these fertility levels each season and applying just the required amount of nutrients needed to sustain healthy turf allows us to maximize our fertilizer budget.

Sprayer Calibration

2009-10-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

All golf courses in Ontario are required to enter the Integrated Pest Management program administered by the IPM Council of Canada if they wish to continue using pesticides on their turf in the next few years. The Raven at Lora Bay has been certified in IPM for several years now, long before it became mandatory to do so.
One of the key components of the IPM program is sprayer calibration. Golf courses are required to calibrate their sprayers a minimum of three times per year. Some golf courses choose to have an outside contractor in to calibrate their sprayers but we perform these calibrations ourselves.
The process usually takes several hours per calibration and requires two employees to make the calilbration go more quickly. Each sprayer has it's odometer checked over 100m. Each nozzle of each unit is checked for volume output over 30 seconds; variances over 10% need to be corrected and the output checked again. After a series of other visual checks and tests and some pesky math, a known volume of water is put into the sprayer tank and sprayed over a area of the golf course which has had its exact area determined, in our case it is usually 2000 square metres which has been carefully measured out. The amount left in the tank (or the lack of water left in the tank before spraying the entire area) determines where adjustments may need to be made.
Currently we have two sprayers for the golf course: a Toro Multi-Pro 1250 for greens and tees and a Toro Multi-Pro 5700D for tees, rough and fairways. Both sprayers were calibrated just this past week so they are ready to apply our snow mold preventative applications at a moment's notice.
Every 3rd year following a golf course's enrollment in the program, an independent auditor is on site to determine our competency in the IPM program. Our on-site audit is scheduled for next week.

Beaver damage

2009-10-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

A local resident has been giving us cause for concern recently and unfortunately he has been difficult to track down and reason with. A beaver has been removing a number of poplar trees adjacent to the 2nd tee, dragging them across the tee and the pond and building a little home for himself on the 3rd hole side of the pond. The erosion caused by his handiwork inside the bank of the pond is evident in the picture above. By following Ontario's Ministry of the Environment guidelines the club has contracted a local licensed trapper to remove the beaver. Once removed, we will have to begin the process of repairing the hillside to prevent further erosion in the future.

Reasons for Cart Path Only Rule

2009-10-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

With over 2" of rainfall in the past 4 days, golf carts have been restricted to driving on the cart paths only. While most members and guests understand the reasons behind the Cart Path Only rule, questions often arise as to the rationale behind this day-to-day decision.
Whether it is Opening Day, the last day of the season or somewhere in between, each day on the course we have to evaluate the moisture levels in the soil to determine the appropriate cart rule for that particular day. 95% of the time it is very easy; often in the 24 hours following a substantial rain event in the middle of the summer, the carts can be allowed off the paths. Conversely, after the amount of rain over the last week and given the time of the year, the decision to restrict traffic to the paths is equally easy. When there is standing water on the golf course and a quick drive down the fairways leaves a 'rooster-tail' of water following you that would make a wakeboarder proud, it's time to stay on the paths.

Here's an good article from the USGA Green Section Record in 2004 that examines the issue.

Late Summer and Fall Fertilizer

2009-09-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

Many of the cultural practices we carry out in September and October are the most important things we can do for the health of the golf course throughout the entire year.
For instance, almost 1/2 of the total nitrogen we apply to the greens over the entire year is applied during the month of September and October. Two applications in September, one a slow release granular and the other a quick release granular allow the plant to take up nitrogen that in turn can be used for carbohydrate production during this month when the turf is quite actively growing. These carbohydrates will be used throughout the fall to prepare the plant for its winter sleep. A late fall or dormant application in late October (consisting of an organic N source and a slow release N source), while the soil temperatures are still favourable and the turf is green but not actively growing will also benefit the turf in the fall but more importantly next spring as the plant breaks dormancy and prepares for a new season. The two September applications totalling 1.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet and the dormant application of 1 pound per 1000 square feet means approximately 1/2 of the roughly 5 pounds of nitrogen that we typically apply to the greens each season is applied during this critical period.
The tees, fairways and rough also receive a dormant application of fertilizer, usually consisting of a slow release N source, a quick release N source such as ammonium sulphate and an organic source. The rate applied on the tees and fairways is also 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. The fairways also receive a mid to late October application of magnesium which helps maintain good levels of that nutrient in the soil profile; it's quite common to find Mg deficient soils in this region.

Butterfly Garden

2009-09-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

The butterfly garden we seeded behind the 18th tee has really taken off! While the wet weather during May, June and July hampered many golfers from enjoying the course, the added moisture certainly helped the wildflower mix which is notoriously slow to germinate.
The garden was seeded with a blend of two wildflower mixes from Ontario Seed Company, a combination of their 'Butterfly Mix' and 'Hummingbird Mix'. It contains a variety of wildflowers including Columbine, Purple and Prairie Coneflowers, Siberian Wallflower, Scarlet Flax, African Daisy, Red Poppy and many others known to attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.
Now that the garden is established, it should require little maintenance. At the end of the season we will mow the plants down, leaving the seeds to propagate the area for germination next season. Many of the plants are perennials and these individual flowers will survive to bloom again next spring.

Carts on Hole #16

2009-09-16T04:35:00.000-07:00

After a long wait, the time is finally here to allow carts off of the path on hole #16 on a regular basis. Since opening, the 16th has experienced prolonged periods of wetness, more so than any other area of the golf course. Contributing factors include a lack of sunlight and an abundance of shade on that hole, its proximity to the ridge on the left hand side which just seems to 'bleed' water long after other areas on the golf course have dried up and the composition of the root zone mix on the rough and fairway (silt and heavy clay). We've determined the area has matured sufficiently and the turfgrass has adapted to its surroundings and is better able to withstand cart traffic on a more regular basis.
In the future, the 16th may be "Cart path only" even when all other holes on the golf course are dry enough for the carts to "Scatter". It still retains moisture much longer than the playing surface on the other holes. However we hope the Scatter rule will be in effect for the majority of the season. Please pay attention to the Cart Path Rule of the day on #16 and enjoy your round!

Walk Bridge Safety

2009-09-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of recent close calls involving golfers and a walk bridge on the 9th hole forced us to take a look at the surface of the bridges and how we could prevent someone from slipping on the bridge and potentially suffering a serious injury. Two of the three walk bridges on that holes now have painted walkways; the third will be painted later this week. The paint contains a grit or sand-like material that should greatly increase the amount of traction of the surface of bridge, especially during the early morning hours when the walkways can be quite wet from the morning dew or after a heavy rain.

TurfNet TV

2009-08-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Recently TurfNet staff member Jon Kiger paid a visit to the Raven to film several segments for their Tips and Tricks section of the website. TurfNet is a site dedicated to the turf industry and helping Golf Course Superintendents and turf managers solve problems and exchange information related to the business of golf and turf. The clips can be accessed by clicking here...

Lightning

2009-08-22T04:07:00.000-07:00

Early Thursday evening a major storm blew through the entire province, causing several tornadoes over a large area. One of those touched down just several kilometres east of the Raven and caused extensive damage to several condos and a neighbouring private ski club.
Our Maintenance crew spent most of Friday getting the bunkers back into top shape after almost 1.5" of rain fell during a very short period. Attached is a picture of a lightning strike on our 17th green. It will be interesting to see how the turf responds to the strike over the next several days>

Good Golf Etiquette, Chapter 3

2009-08-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

There are a number of golfer habits (to put it as politely as possible) that Superintendents as well as fellow golfers, are forced to contend with on a daily basis: unrepaired ball marks, bunkers not being raked after hitting out of them, not replacing divots and ignoring cart traffic signs being among the most popular/notorious choices. However, there is one that I could never understand or comprehend once I reached the age of 12 and matured enough to know better and that is the chunk or divot taken out of a green, presumably after a missed putt:

I mean, seriously? Taking your frustration out on the green?!? For goodness sake, it's a missed putt! Take a deep breath, count to 10, do whatever you have to do to get your inner beast under control but don't take it out on a piece of turf. The putting green didn't cause that missed putt. I'm not going to say who did, but I'll give anyone out there three guesses and the first two don't count. It's not like Superintendents don't have enough to deal with when maintaining turf grass mown at .110", what with the pressures from heat, humidity, excessive moisture, disease, insect and weed invasion, golfer traffic, ball marks, and the list unfortunately goes on. Please, have just a little respect for the grass, your foursome (believe it or not, you probably just embarrassed yourself in front of them), every single golfer following you that day, the employee who has to change the pin and the spot you damaged, the golf club, the game itself, sportsmanship, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson and anyone else who can only scratch their head at such an act of vandalism.

And just an FYI...it's inexcusable, no matter who you are or how you slice it (pun intended), to slam your club on the tee, the fairway, your golf cart, even that tree next to you. If I had pulled a stunt like that 25 years ago when golfing with my father, that would have been the end of my golf season for the rest of the summer. It's an absolute shame that more golfers, young and old and current-No.1-golfer-in-the-world just don't get it.

Thatch and Rootzone Management on Tees

2009-08-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

In an effort to improve the rootzone characteristics on the tees, we began slicing all 18 tee decks last week. We use a tractor mounted implement called an Aerway to slice 4-6" deep holes into the tee surface to improve gas exchange and water infiltration in the rootzone. The process is not disruptive to golfers in the least and we are able to accomplish the task on all our tee decks over two days.

Another practice we use to reduce or dilute thatch on the tees is verticutting them several times per season. Verticutting involves cutting vertically into the turf less than 1/4" of an inch deep to remove the buildup of thatch and organic matter inherent in bent grass tees. That spongy feel that some tees exhibit when walking on them is the result of thatch buildup and needs to be addressed over the course of a season through core aeration, verticutting and topdressing. As an aside, the 'Raven tees' or tee decks with the black tee markers will usually be spongier and have more thatch than the other tee decks on any given hole as they receive less play; increased golfer traffic and the act of simply walking on the tees is one way to help dilute thatch on bentgrass tees or greens, unfortunately not enough to eliminate the other cultural practices we use to this end. Again, we are often able to verticut the tee decks on all 18 holes over two days within no disruption to golf.

Core aeration on the tee decks will occur during the last week of August and will be spread out over the entire week to accommodate our other regular maintenance practices and reduce the intrusion to our members and guests.

Fairy Ring

2009-08-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Another turf disease that has appeared recently but is more of a curiousity than a hindrance to playing conditions is fairy ring. Basically there are 3 ways fairy ring will show itself on golf courses:

1. Sunken or dead turf.

2. An abundance of mushrooms within the ring or circle.

3. Stimulated growth in a circular pattern.

The disease favours wet thatchy turf that is low in nitrogen. It can also be enhanced by decaying organic matter in the root zone. The last few seasons we have always seen an outbreak of mushrooms on several fairways, notably on #13 and 14, by this time of the year. This year the outbreak has been much less severe. What he have noticed is more of the stimulated growth pattern on several fairways including #'s 6, 8 and 14 among others. It had been more prevalent on #9 fairway in other seasons but not so much this year.

There are chemical treatments available but we have never been pressed to treat fairy ring. Like Red Thread, it is not a detriment to playing conditions and is more of a curiousity to some of our members and guests than a real pest.

Uflexx

2009-07-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

This season we began using more water soluble fertilizer products on the fairways. Uflexx is a completely water soluble nitrogen source (46-0-0) that we have been using to apply 0.3 lbs. of nitrogen per 1000 square feet to supplement our granular fertilizer fairway applications. To save time and fuel, Uflexx can be mixed with Primo Maxx, a growth regulator that is applied monthly to the fairways to control clippings and encourage lateral growth of the bluegrass. Besides the low cost of Uflexx, one of its biggest advantages is the ease with which it is mixed in the spray tank. Because it completely dissolves in water, the fertilizer is poured into the sprayer's strainer and the force of the water from the hose filling the spray tank causes the Uflexx to dissolve almost immediately

Red Thread

2009-07-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

Weather conditions over the past week have produced a very mild outbreak of red thread on some of the fairways. Low nitrogen fertility levels, temperatures between 16C to 24C with humid conditions and a lot of rainfall all contribute to the disease. Red thread can be most severe on bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. Fortunately with the weather we normally enjoy in the region and by maintaining adequate fertility levels the disease has never become so severe or reached a level that we have needed to apply a fungicide to control it; it is more of a curiousity than anything else. An application of a soluble nitrogen source on the fairways this week should keep the disease in check.

Everest

2009-07-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Two books I've enjoyed the last while, on a topic about as far removed from golf as could be, revolved around famous and tragic expeditions to Mt. Everest. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, is centered around the notorious 1996 expedition season that claimed the lives of a number of climbers. Nick Heil's Dark Summit takes place 10 years later and follows the events that culminated in the deadliest Everest climbing season ever. Both books are gripping, very emotional at times and would be enjoyed by a wide variety of readers.

Caddy for Life

2009-07-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

Tom Watson's 2nd round share of the lead at the British Open is just about the best news I've heard all day, and I've had a great day. I was fortunate enough to meet Watson years ago while I was an Assistant Superintendent in Toronto. He's always seemed so genuine and just a class act all around; he has always been one of my favourite golfers. Today's news also made me think of a book I read a few years ago, Caddy for Life by John Feinstein. It's the story of Bruce Edwards, Watson's long-time caddy who succumbed to ALS only 15 months after the disease was diagnosed. It is a wonderful book about golf and friendship. A great read whether or not you are a golf fan...

Nationwide Wrap-up

2009-07-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

After a nice weekend off following the end of the Nationwide event (at the Raven, at least...play continued at the Georgian Bay Club thru Sunday), it's good to be back at work. Before I completely put this year's tournament in the record books, here's a brief glimpse at what we accomplished during tournament week to get the course in top shape for the players:

Sunday July 5 (AM):
Cut and rolled greens.
Changed holes.
Machine and fan raked bunkers.
Tee maintenance.
Hand watered greens if necessary.

Sunday July 5 (PM):
Hand watering on some greens.

Monday July 6 (AM):
9:30 Shotgun on 18 holes- Samsung sponsored ProAm
Cut and rolled greens.
Changed holes and tee maintenance.
Cut all tees including Practice tee.
Machine and fan raked all bunkers.

Monday July 6 (afternoon until dark):
Cut and rolled greens.
Cut greens collars.
Cut all fairways and approaches.
Filled divots on practice tee and all fairways after mowing.
Hand watered greens.
Cut 40" intermediate pass in rough around fairways.
Cut dew walks from tees to beginning of fairway.
Cut 40" wide pass around greens to at 1.5".
Filled divots on practice tee.

Tuesday July 7 (5AM to 9AM):
Practice Round
Cut and rolled greens.
Cut Back 9 fairways.
Cut Practice tee.
Machine and fan raked bunkers.
Dragged Front 9 fairways to remove dew.
Changed holes and tee maintenance.
Hand watered greens as necessary.

Tuesday July 7 (5PM to 10PM):
Cut and rolled greens.
Cut all tees.
Cut Front 9 fairways.
Cut 40" intermediate pass in rough around fairways.
Filled divots on fairways.
Hand watered greens as necessary.
Cut 40" pass around greens to 1.5"
Filled divots on practice tee.

Wednesday July 8 (5AM to 9AM):
Practice Rounds.
Cut and rolled greens.
Changed holes and tee maintenance.
Cut greens collars and approaches.
Removed dew from fairways and tees.
Machine and fan raked bunkers.
Cut practice tee.Hand watered greens as necessary.

Wednesday July 8 (5PM to dark):
Cut and rolled greens.
Cut tees.
Cut fairways.
Cut 40" intermediate rough around fairways.
Cut 40" pass around greens to 1.5"
Cut dew walks from tees to beginning of fairway.
Filled fairway divots after mowing.
Filled divots on practice tee.

Thursday July 9 (5AM to 9AM):
Day 1. 7AM tee times off the 1st and 10th tees.
Cut and rolled greens.
Changed holes and tee maintenance.
Cut collars and approaches.
Removed dew from fairways and tees.
Hand watering greens if necessary.
Machine and fan raked bunkers.
Cut practice tee.

Thursday July 9 (5PM to 10PM):
Cut and rolled greens.
Cut tees and fairways.
Cut 40" intermediate rough around fairways.
Cut 40" pass around greens to 1.5".
Filled fairway divos after mowing.
Filled divots on practice tee.
Hand watered greens as necessary.

Friday July 10 (5AM to 9AM):
Day 2. 7AM tee times off the 1st and 10th tees.
Cut and rolled greens.
Changed holes and tee maintenance.
Cut collars and approaches.
Removed dew from fairways and tees.
Hand watered if necessary.
Machine and fan raked bunkers.
Cut practice tee.

More often than not, senior department employees were on site long after the morning shift ended and long before the afternoon shift began to ensure nothing went wrong during the day and that everything was ready for the next shift.

Friday evening one employee followed the last groups of the day and picked up the Nationwide flags and tee markers for the PGA officials. By 9:30, he was off the course and headed home.
It's a lot of work for only two days of tournament play but the end result is very gratifying: Raven members, PGA officials and players, celebrities and amateurs and almost everyone involved agreed the tournament was a huge success and the club was in peak condition. Once again, a huge thank you to our Maintenance Department for working countless hours leading up to and during the event, the volunteers who gave their time to pitch in and help as well and a few employees from the Golf Services department at the Raven for working with us on their days off.

Nationwide Wayne Gretzky Classic, Day 2

2009-07-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of the event got under way at 7AM this morning with a double crossover on the 1st and 10th tees. A second crossover will take place after 12PM. After the first round, the leader is Kyle Reifers who shot -11 at Lora Bay, eclipsing the old record of -10.

Below are some photos of the course this week. See if you can tell which ones were taken at first light of the day and which were taken just before the sun went down:

Nationwide Wayne Gretzky Classic, Day 1

2009-07-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

Day One of the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, a Nationwide Tour Event, is in the books and things could not have turned out better on the first day. A cool, wet spring followed by a summer that hasn't arrived didn't diminish the expectations that our club and our department have placed on ourselves in leading up to this event. Even this past week, there was a run on sweaters in the golf shop as the temperature reached highs of low to mid teens. However it seems we have reached the light at the end of the tunnel; today was a perfect day for golf. Temperatures reached the low 20's, the wind was warm and blowing and the course was shining.

The event is held at two local courses, the Raven and the Georgian Bay Club, one of the new premier facilities in the area. GBC's Superintendent is Bert McFadden, a friend to many in the industry and one of the best grass growers around. Scores are still coming in but it looks like the pros lit it up at both courses today.

The Classic is also a celebrity Pro-Am event and is attended by such famous names as Grant Fuhr, Kirk Muller, Charles Barkley, Cassie Campbell, Catriona LeMay Doan among others.

More details will follow in subsequent posts tomorrow...

After a Long Day...

2009-07-03T02:30:00.001-07:00

Even the strongest, most energetic crew members need a pick-me-up, helping hand or perhaps just a ride home after a long day...

Good Golf Etiquette, Chapter 2

2009-07-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

Repairing ball marks is one of the easiest things a golfer can do to help improve and maintain his or her golf course. When you watch the pros play on TV, after they have hit an approach shot, the first thing you'll see 99% of them do as they're walking up to the green is find their ball mark and repair it. There are a number of different methods to repairing ball marks and researchers have actually studied, if you can believe it, the best and least intrusive way to repair the inevitable dimple. The only bad way to fix the mark is not to do anything at all. Not only will the dimple scar the green, but unrepaired marks disturb the playing surface for every golfer behind you that day and for weeks afterwards.

Saying that, when the mark has been repaired, or if you have used your ball mark repair tool to mark you ball while cleaning it on the green, PLEASE remember to remove the tool before leaving the green. One such tool was left on the 2nd green earlier this week. Since we are starting before dark these days in preparation for the Nationwide event, our greens mower failed to notice the item during his pre-mow routine. The mower hit the ball mark, damaged the bedknife and left unsightly lines on the green that were difficult to see before sunrise. This type of damage is costly, very unfortunate and easily avoidable.

Wayne Gretzky Nationwide Update

2009-06-30T05:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the beginning of Advance Week, the week preceding the start of the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, a Nationwide Tour event co-hosted by the Raven Golf Club. Officials from the PGA are due to arrive this week in preparation for next week's event. The golf course is in great shape and only promises to get better with the forecast for the next 10 days. The list of celebrities can be found here and is being updated on a regular basis.

Member Guest Days

2009-06-30T05:22:00.000-07:00

This past Friday and Monday the Raven hosted their annual Mens and Ladies Member Guest Days. Conditions were ideal for the men on Friday. The ladies experienced some cloud cover but were lucky enough to finish the course before the skies opened up in the late afternoon. By all accounts both days were very successful so congratulations to the Golf Shop for organizing both events.

On the Job Training

2009-06-22T05:01:00.000-07:00

Any of our members or frequent return visitors from our inaugural season in 2006 may remember how much we struggled with the two greens on #15 and 16 during that year. Both greens came out of the winter in excellent shape but the perimeter of each green really started to deteriorate by the last week of June. By the end of July, the perimeters were in real trouble and we had no choice but to repair the areas with sod that fall. Those two holes are located in a microclimate unlike any other on the golf course. Both greens receive very limited sunlight, limited air flow and the humidity is often much higher on those two holes than on the rest of the golf course. Those three factors certainly contributed to the decline of those greens that year. We were able to assist #16 with some selective tree removal which increased the amount of morning sunlight the green receives. However for the most part, the growing conditions have remained the same; we simply had to change the way we managed the turf on those two holes:

because the turf stays much more wet and is weaker on #16 than other fairways, we are almost always Cart Path Only on that hole; we use the maximum recommended amount of a plant growth regulator on those two greens to suppress top growth of the turf and increase the lateral and downward (roots) growth of the bentgrass on the greens; unless we are watering in fertilizer or another product, we only hand water those two greens. Those are just a few of the techniques we have adopted to better manage the turf on those two holes.

Below are two pictures of the 16th green. The first was taken in 2006 just before sod was installed on the green, the second just last week:

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

My own father was a tremendous role model for me; not a day goes by when I don't think of him and all the sacrifices he made for me and just how much influence he had on my life. So here's to all the fathers out there who play such an important role in the lives of their children...

Levelling Irrigation Sprinklers

2009-06-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

As the golf course matures, every spring and fall we find ourselves with a new batch of irrigation sprinklers that require levelling. More often than not, the sprinklers themselves have remained fairly level; it is the area surrounding the sprinklers that settled and needs to be levelled to allow for a consistent and fair playing surface for the golfer. Around the green, green surrounds and approaches where topdressing sand has been applied on a regular basis for several years, the sprinkler themselves usually need to be raised every so often so they are at grade with the turf. Otherwise golf balls may settle in a sunken sprinkler head as they approach the green, or if the depression is severe enough, the sprinkler nozzles could be adversely affected by the turf and water distribution on the green could suffer.

Irrigation Audit

2009-06-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

We are more than halfway through an irrigation audit of our 18th hole. It is my goal to audit at least 3 holes this season and more if at all possible. An irrigation audit is a good first step to ensure that the irrigation system is distributing water effectively throughout the golf course.

The audit consists of measuring the distance between sprinklers, measuring the pressure at each sprinkler, making sure all the irrigation heads are level or with grade, confirming the correct nozzle is in the sprinkler, timing how long it takes for each head to make a full rotation (since the system is new, there is not much difference but each head can vary which can affect distribution), measuring the angle of distribution for part-circles, and several other factors. Once most of your data has been gathered and corrections, if necessary, have been made in the field, catch cans are placed in the audit zone and the sprinklers are set to irrigate. The amount of water in each catch can is tallied and all of this information, together with some heady formulas, determines whether or not the irrigation system is operating efficiently. On each hole chosen for auditing this year, the entire green, tee and a section of fairway will be audited.

Warmer Days Ahead

2009-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Like most of the province, we've been experiencing a very cool, wet spring. This hasn't helped some of our weaker areas in the rough recover from light damage incurred over the winter. The good news is the forecast is bound to improve and it looks like we may see above average temperatures sometime later this week. We look forward to seeing you on the golf course. Fingers crossed for warmer weather ahead; after this past winter, we deserve it!

A New Spin on an Old Practice

2009-06-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

Typically we topdress the greens every 2 weeks while the grass is actively growing (mid-May to early October). Every 4 weeks before a topdressing application we like to verticut the greens; known as 'grooming' to some, it involves slicing lightly into the turf canopy to remove organic matter. The grooves allow the sand to penetrate into the canopy and help breakdown thatch and additional organic matter. Normally we start the process by verticutting the greens (1 employee), blowing the organic matter off (2-3 employees), topdressing the green (1-2 employees), brushing the sand into the green (1 employee), mowing the green (3-4 employees) then watering the green for several minutes.

This week we tried verticutting the sand directly into the turf after the green had been topdressed. The result allowed us to use 3-4 employees elsewhere on the course and the greens turned out beautifully. The mowers picked up hardly any sand (our Equipment Technician would argue otherwise) and the greens mowers still stayed well ahead of the first group of golfers. After tinkering with a couple of different methods of combining verticutting and topdressing, I think we've found our favourite. A few pictures of the process below...

Good Golf Etiquette: Chapter 1

2009-06-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

Nothing irks a golfer more than having their ball wind up in an unraked bunker right in the middle of a foot print...ever wonder where the sand went after that shoe left the bunker?!?

Spraying a few grains of sand from a greenside bunker onto a green is to be expected over the duration of a day on the course. However, golfers should make an attempt to remove any excess bunker sand that may be stuck to the bottom of their shoes, in the cuff of their pants, etc. BEFORE they proceed to the green to make that birdie putt. The Superintendent, Equipment Technician and the foursome behind you will all thank you.

Bunker Maintenance: A Day at the Beach

2009-05-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist myself...

For the past week, the Maintenance Team has been getting the bunkers back into shape after a long winter (and previous playing season) of use and abuse. With significant rain events, wind, snow and the occasional golfer blasting out of one of our 67 bunkers, you can imagine just how much the sand can move and shift and find itself accumulating in places it wasn't designed to be in. And no, not all 67 bunkers are located on hole #6. It just appears that way when you're standing on the tee...

The bunkers are designed to have 3-4" of sand on the bunker floor and 1-2" on the faces. Obviously this changes over time and at least once a year, and quite often several times in high traffic bunkers, the sand must be moved around appropriately, new sand is added, contaminated sand must be taken away, grasses and weeds are removed and the bunker edge reestablished. This is a very long and arduous process and will take at least two weeks to finish. After one full week all but a couple of the bunkers on the front nine are complete. The finished product looks fantastic. Kudos to the Team members who have been slugging it out on the beach!

Slicing Greens

2009-05-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

This morning we performed a routine cultural practice on the greens by slicing them to allow for air and gas exchange in the root zone. Slicing is another form of aeration but is performed on a regular basis during the season; it is such a non-disruptive practice that most golfers may not even notice the greens have been aerated. It takes approximately 4 hours to slice all 19 greens at Lora Bay. We use a Bannerman 48" slit aerator, the tines of which are able to penetrate 6-8" into the root zone when they are brand new. They can wear down quite quickly when coming into contact with our high sand greens mix, but the current tines are still penetrating up to 5" into the turf. Opening up the playing surface allows oxygen to enter the root zone which benefits the entire plant.

Weather Station Makes Water Use More Efficient

2009-05-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

In order to help us irrigate the course more efficiently and use water as effectively as possible, we use the data from our weather station to help us make irrigation decisions on a daily basis. The weather station measures temperature, wind speed, humidity, solar radiation and rainfall to determine the rate of ET or evapotranspiration daily. ET is the amount of water the turf has lost due to those five determining factors. A clear day with a strong breeze and mild temperatures will see the turf lose a lot more water than an overcast, muggy day. By calculating ET we are able to water only what the plant has lost either the previous day or since the last irrigation cycle. Even then we only attempt to replace between 50-80% of the ET rate; this way we can keep the turf healthy, playing conditions dry and firm, and hopefully, the golfers happy.

Clear, Windy Days Puts the Focus on Irrigation

2009-05-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

This past week's sunny and windy conditions have really helped dry the golf course considerably, which we were really counting on. For many weeks after the spring melt, water continues to bleed out of the ground and tree line on several areas of the course: the Practice Facility, #'s 5, 6, 8, 13, 16. While some areas of the course still have an excess of water, others are quickly beginning to dry out.

We use several 'indictator' areas on the course to help forecast a variety of biotic and abiotic conditions: disease infestations, dry soil conditions on the greens, tees and fairways, grub and insect outbreaks on certain holes, etc. For instance, we know that when conditions turn dry, several spots on the greens are usually the first to dry out and that tells us that other areas on the course are not far behind: a back left patch on #13; the front of #14, the back and right 'cleanup pass' on #5 and the far back section on #11.

The picture below was taken this morning at approximately 8AM. The previous day we had applied a wetting agent to all the greens. Briefly, the wetting agent is designed to take out peaks and valleys in the soil profile and help make soil moisture levels in the greens' rootzone more consistent. 6-7 minutes of irrigation were applied to the greens immediately after the application. Last evening, at least 0.25" of water was applied to the greens to ensure the wetting agent penetrated at least 3" into the rootzone. Last evening was also very windy...so even after all that water, the dry spots on #14 green indicate where the sprinklers were unable to reach the turf because of the high winds:

Enter the art and science of hand watering. Despite our irrigation system's extensive capabilities, nothing can replace hand watering with a hose to place water exactly where you need it exactly when you need it; no technology will ever replace it.

The turf on the greens is very resilient and the root zone is quite extensive so after some hand watering, those dry areas will bounce back very quickly. However, those dry spots along with some of our other indicator greens let us know that the hoses will soon be coming out in full force to help keep our greens firm and consistent.

New Nest Boxes Are Up

2009-05-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

During the winter our resident carpentry expert, Jeff Eichenberger, spent a couple of days constructing some new bird boxes for the course. The Purple Martin house went up several weeks ago near the 12th pond and appears to be a big hit with the local martin population. This week Jeff was able to install the nest boxes that are designed to attract saw-whet owls and red-headed woodpeckers (left to right, respectively, in the picture below). Keep an eye out for these birds and please send us a comment if you spot any on the property; the boxes are located just inside the tree lines on holes 1, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18.

Here is a look at both species:

The three bat houses also went out this week; one is located at each barn on #10 and #12 and the third is at the irrigation pump house. We'll keep you posted on their progress throughout the season.

Greens Update

2009-05-13T04:59:00.000-07:00

Less than two weeks ago we finished core aerating the greens and they have recovered exceptionally well and are in top form. This was the first time the greens have been core aerated; the objective was to break through the organic 'mat' layer that has formed, which makes it difficult for nutrients, water, and plant protectants to penetrate through the layer and reach the roots to be taken up by the plant. We used a Toro ProCore 648 aerator with 0.5" side eject, hollow tines mounted on double-row ten-tine holders. With the adjustable operating speed of the ProCore, we were able to place the tines on 1.5" centers. This translates into 72,000 holes or cores pulled per 1000 sq. ft! The disruption to the surface was minimal; cores were broken up and removed and the greens were topdressed shortly after to help fill in some of the holes and smooth the playing surface. Before we aerated most of the greens, we applied 0.5 lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. to help aid the greens in recovery. The nitrogen was applied in the form of ammonium sulphate, which is quickly taken up by the plant. Ammonium sulphate also helps aid in the suppression of take-all patch, a devastating turf disease which is active at this time of year but does not really show significant signs of damage until the warm, dry months of summer.

Here is the ProCore in action:

Distribution of holes on the playing surface:

#6 green immediately after core cleanup (April 25th):

#6 green recovered (12 days after aeration):

Irrigation Update

2009-05-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

The Raven is fortunate to have an extensive irrigation system with very good coverage and water distribution and excellent control. We have the ability to distribute precisely the exact amount of water we need to throughout the golf course. It is a very efficient and well designed system. With all the kilometres of pipe and wires and over 1100 sprinkler heads on the property, managing the system is a full-time job during the golf season for our Irrigation Technician, Ryan Caesar.

The spring startup went relatively smooth this year with very few leaks or breaks to repair. However, one of those leaks was a doozy! A 'T' that connects the 6" irrigation main line to the lower tee deck on the 15th hole heaved with the frost this spring and was leaking quite badly when it was discovered. Luckily we keep a good supply of repair parts in stock and the main line was put back together in no time at all.

For a repair on the main line that was damaged when a tree uprooted beneath it this winter, we called in the professionals. Atkinson Irrigation installed the system during construction in 2005, and are among the best irrigation installers working in golf today. The main line running from the 17th tee to the 16th green consists of HDPE pipe, a very durable and very flexible product that was slightly damaged during the late December windstorm that knocked out power to many residents in the area. The damaged section was removed and a special coupler was installed just yesterday. That section of main line is now at full pressure and operating normally.

Purple Martin House

2009-05-05T03:30:00.000-07:00

Our Purple Martin house is open for the season and looks like it is attracting a lot of attention from the local martin population. Opening the house to attract only Purple Martins is tricky; usually the house is put up for the season but the compartments are closed to deter other birds from occupying the nesting spots. Once Purple Martins are seen in the area and flying around the house, the compartments are opened and the desired species can move in. This being our first season with the house we opted to put it up with the compartments open once purple martins had already been seen in the area. Since then, many martins have been seen frequenting the house. It is located at the pond near the 12th hole.

May 1st- Opening Day

2009-05-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

The golf course was a little soggy from the heavy rain the night before (and the night before that, and the night...) but The Raven opened the 2009 season on May 1st in fine form. The greens, tees and fairways are in excellent shape as they wintered very well. Hopefully the weather will deliver some warmer temperatures to aid some of our weaker areas in their recovery but we are fortunate to be in such good shape considering the long, hard winter of 2008-09. The Maintenance Department had very little time to get the course in shape, especially considering the late season foot of snow we received during the first week of April; that storm set us back considerably. However, all of our Maintenance team members really came through and worked very hard to have your golf course open strong AND on time. Many thanks have to be extended to our Assistants Patrick Greenman and Jeff Eichenberger, Equipment Technician Mike McBride, senior staff members Jon Fleming and Ryan Caesar and every one of our full-time and part-time team members. Job well done!

Helping Others

2009-05-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

With all the misery in the world today and the media's predisposition to focus on all that is wrong with the planet, it's refreshing to meet someone like Tammy Babcock. Tammy is a genuine humanitarian who operates a not for profit organization called Help Tammy Help Haiti. She is an ordinary person performing extraordinary acts of kindness in Cite Soleil, one of the largest and most dangerous slums in the Northern Hemisphere. Take a minute to browse her site and find out how one person is making a world of difference to so many.

Advantages of Dwarf Kentucky Bluegrass Fairways

2009-04-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

When we made the decision 4 years ago to seed the fairways at Lora Bay to Dwarf Kentucky Bluegrass, we knew we were making a good financial decision and one that would have less impact on the environment. Every spring confirms that decision. Bluegrass fairways have greater resistance to most turf diseases, thereby requiring fewer pesticide applications. Not only are we using fewer chemicals, we are saving between $15,000 and $30,000 each year for snow mold protection alone. Snow mold can still affect kentucky bluegrass; the damage can be more severe in the rough than on the fairways because there is more leaf tissue available for infection in the rough (a 2" height of cut as compared to 0.5" on the fairways). However not only is kentucky bluegrass more resistant to many diseases, its recuperative potential after infection is outstanding. Below is a small area with some snow mold damage on one of our fairways. After the matted area was verticut (sliced), new green tissue can easily be seen in the damaged area. With some warm temperatures and moisture, the entire area will quickly heal itself.

Below you can see a fairway at Lora Bay that was untreated for snow mold this past season. Without protection from fungicides, if this had been a creeping bentgrass fairway that experienced the extended snow cover we did this winter, the damage would have been devastating. We do treat two fairways at Lora Bay for snow mold (#'s 15 and 16) only because the pressure on those two holes is so severe; we usually have two weeks longer snow cover on those two holes as opposed to the rest of the golf course. However, we are comfortable enough now with the results after several winters of heavy snow cover that we may decide not to treat those two fairways in the future.

Recent golf course pictures

2009-04-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Below are some recent pics of the golf course:

The Weather Made Me Do It...

2009-04-24T03:19:00.000-07:00

So much for my next-life career as a meteorologist! As it turned out and was chillingly obvious this week, we didn't turn the corner towards warmer weather. Last Friday's sun and warmth was just a teaser. Most of this week was cold, windy and damp. The weekend should provide some relief with temperatures in the twenties, however next week we are expecting below seasonal temperatures again and some rain.

The weather certainly isn't making our job any easier. Areas in the rough that were lightly damaged by snow mold are recovering, just not as quickly as we would like to see at this time of year. All the golf holes on the course have been raked and debris that accumulated over the winter has been removed. All the greens and tees have been cut several times and we will have cut the fairways twice by the end of today. By the time the Raven opens next Friday May 1st, the course should be in excellent early season shape from tee to green. There will be a few areas in the rough and on some of the bunker faces that will require time to recover from damage incurred last fall and winter, but they will recover in time. I'm also happy to report that the practice green and Practice Facility will open today for members. Operating hours are 9am-5pm, seven days a week.

I look forward to seeing everyone out on the course in just a few days!

Course update

2009-04-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Finally, today feels like we may have turned the corner towards warmer weather. The sun has been shining all week but the air has been awfully crisp. Today the thermometer finally reached double digits (17C). The weekend looks promising and although the forecast calls for some rain mixed with wet snow next week, that should be winter's last gasp.

The crew have been focusing on cleaning up debris on the course: trees and limbs that came down over the winter have been raked and removed; we've started to rake the matted areas on the turf that were hit with snow mold; we've even started to mow some of the turf that was firm enough to drive upon. Despite the setback of last week's snowstorm, we've come a long way this week and have made a lot of progress towards opening the course in two weeks. Check back in for more updates and enjoy the beautiful weekend!

Mike McBride

2009-04-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Our new Equipment Technician, Mike McBride is fitting in with the rest of the Maintenance Department team very well. His maturity and experience have already proven to be a real asset to our department and the entire club. Please join me in welcoming Mike to the Raven at Lora Bay and feel free to stop and say hello when you meet him on the course.

Water Conservation Tool

2009-04-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

This season we will be relying on our irrigation system's Rainwatch module to help us conserve water and save on electricity required to power the irrigation system.

The Rainwatch system consists of a tipping bucket (pictured) and a pulse decoder, both tied into the irrigation system's central control. The tipping bucket will measure rainfall and instruct the central control to act accordingly if an irrigation cycle is imminent or even while it is occuring. For example, during the middle of an irrigation cycle it begins to rain. According to preset parameters, Rainwatch could tell the central control to suspend irrigation or stop it altogether when the level of rainfall reaches a certain point, thereby saving water and the electricity required to distribute it throughout the course. This is especially useful since most of our irrigation events occur in the evening when no staff are on the course. As well, during an evening cycle, should a cloud burst drop 0.25" on the turf over the course of several minutes, Rainwatch may tell the system to pause for a determined period of time. Since a quick shot of intense rain will rarely provide any benefits to the plant or soil since most of it will not have time to penetrate the soil and run directly into the drainage system, Rainwatch could instruct the central control to continue watering after the rain event if necessary to replenish the plant rootzone.

Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Designation

2009-04-09T08:08:00.001-07:00

On Saturday April 4th, we invited Raven homeowners and members to attend a presentation that explained just how we achieved this designation. The meeting was very well received with between 40-50 attendees. Some homeowners who could not attend the presentation have asked for a copy, so here it is:

ACSP Certification

View more presentations from clecour.

The Global Warming Reality

2009-04-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across a book that addresses the myths and reality of global warming head-on. Written by Danish economist/political scientist Bjorn Lomborg, Cool It is a well thought out examination of the perceived threat of global warming. The basic premise of the book: Is global warming real? Yes. Is it really as bad as Al Gore and a host of environmentalists make it out to be? No, not by a long shot, and here's what we can do to make things better.

Lomborg takes the emotion out of the argument that we need to stop global warming simply because it is occurring. His recurring question throughout the book: Where can humanity get the most bang for our buck and where can the money do the most good for all of us? Whether or not you agree with his view, it is well worth reading to get a rational handle on this global issue. You can read more about Lomborg here.

Along much the same lines, here is some information on the Manhattan Declaration, supported by a growing number of environmental scientists and climatologists. Also well worth reading...

Good bye to Equipment Technician

2009-03-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

Raven at Lora Bay Equipment Technician Kyle Wilson has been with the club since the construction and grow-in of the golf course. He has managed to keep all of the equipment operating safely and effectively despite some hiccups along the way, no matter what Mother Nature (or the employees) throw his way. Today marks his last week with the club. Kyle has started his own business and will be assisting homeowners in Southern Ontario with their leaky basements and drainage problems. Please join me in thanking Kyle for his time with the club; he has made a strong contribution to the success of the Raven and we wish him the very best both personally and professionally in the future.

Our new Equipment Technician will be on site in the very near future. Mike McBride is a resident of Markdale but comes to us via Khandahar, Afghanistan. Mike is currently finishing up a 14 month contract position as a small engine mechanic and will be arriving home soon. We were very fortunate to have had a large number of applicants in response to Kyle's departure. However, Mike stood out both in his resume and in conversations I had with him. We feel very lucky to have Mike joining the Raven at Lora Bay team shortly and wish him a quick and safe return home.

More tree (and irrigation) news

2009-03-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

During the melt that occurred shortly after Christmas, accompanied by high winds that knocked out power for several hours for many residents throughout the region, several trees blew over on the property. The most significant one was located in a relatively well protected area on the top of the ridge behind the 17th tee. Besides losing this large specimen, another pressing concern is the affect it had on our irrigation mainline which runs down the ridge to the 16th approach. The rootball of the affected tree pushed the mainline approximately 4 feet into the air. That section of pipe is HDPE (high density polyethylene), an extremely durable, flexible, and long lasting material that is becoming more common in golf irrigation installations. The pipe is restrained at both ends (top of 17 and bottom of 16) and the rootball has settled significantly, lowering the pipe closer to its original resting spot. With any luck when the temperatures become more favourable and we restore the rootball to completely lower that section of pipe, we will not encounter any leaks when the irrigation system is charged up...fingers crossed.

Hazardous Tree Removal

2009-03-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

To ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for all members and guests, last fall we retained the services of a local and well respected aroborist to assess the health of the trees around a number of golf holes. Recently we have received a number of concerns from some Lora Bay homeowners, members and even neighbours about the number of trees we have removed from the property this winter. Hopefully this post will satisfy all of those concerned.

Last fall a letter was sent to all Lora Bay homeowners explaining the situation we found ourselves in concerning many of the trees surrounding a number of golf holes:

1. That the Raven at Lora Bay had initiated a hazardous tree assessment study to be conducted by a certified arborist.

2. That there were a significant number of hazardous trees identified by the arborist as having the potential to fall and cause injury or death to members, guests, employees or even the homeowners that walk the golf course in and out of season.

3. That the Maintenance Department was going to remove the tagged trees this winter, thus taking every reasonable precaution to reduce this risk and protect our members, guests, employees and homeowners.

The bottom line is that the trees we removed posed a risk and we removed that risk, for obvious reasons. The safety of our guests, homeowners and employees is far more important to me that protecting a dead or dying tree that added absolutely no value to the golf course and could only be considered a liability.

Although some homeowners may disagree, the golf course is not being ruined by the removal of this dead wood. The health of the forest understory has been enhanced, as has the overall value of the golf course. Healthy trees add value and should be protected in most situations; dead or dying trees that pose a risk do not and should be removed, both to reduce the risk of injury and prevent or slow the spread of disease.

Recently the Grey Bruce Conservation Authority contacted the club after a neighbour reported to them that we were taking down trees, presumably illegally or without a permit. After forwarding the report from our arborist, the Conservation Authority quickly replied that a permit is not necessary if the trees being removed are hazardous and we were advised to continue with our tree removal program. I applaud the Conservation Authority for recognizing the importance of human safety over allowing dead wood to stand.

I would urge any homeowners, members or neighbours to contact me directly if they have any concerns about this matter or any other golf course activities in the future.

Spring just around the corner

2009-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

Although it is bitterly cold today, a few days of sunshine remind us that spring is just around the corner. Most of the greens and tees are almost completely free of snow and have few signs of snow mold damage. Here are a few pictures taken this afternoon on the golf course:

Lora Bay Earns Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Designation

2009-01-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

The Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay is being recognized for environmental excellence by a world renowned environmental group. We have achieved designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program. Audubon International is dedicated to providing individuals and organizations with the resources to make their communities more sustainable through good stewardship of the natural environment.

The Raven is only the 40th course in Ontario and the 674th in the world to achieve this honour. To achieve full certification, we had to demonstrate a high degree of environmental quality in the following categories: Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation and Water Quality Management.

Remaining certified is an ongoing process and we will be required to prove that not only are we maintaining our current high standards, but we are always striving to improve and protect our environment and surroundings.

The Raven has also adopted the Beaver Valley Community School under the Audubon's Adopt a School Program and we look forward to working with them even more in the future. Click here to learn more about the ACSP for Golf Courses.

Audubon International offers other important programs that may be of interest to a number of individuals at Lora Bay and within the town of Thornbury including the Green Neighborhoods program and the Sustainable Communities program.

The entire Raven Maintenance Team and ownership should be commended for this tremendous effort.

Ontario Pesticide Ban Update

2009-01-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

Last spring the provincial government introduced legislation that would ban the use and sale of cosmetic pesticides in Ontario. The 45 day period for public comments has come and gone and the legislation will likely come into effect sometime this year. Under the current proposal golf courses are excepted from the ban provided certain conditions are followed. The first and most important stipulation is that each golf course must be accredited in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by an approved body. It's important to note that since 2006, the Raven Golf Club has enjoyed full certification in the IPM Accreditation Program governed by the IPM-PHC Council of Ontario.

More information on the ban can be found here.

What's with the Weather?

2009-01-08T10:24:00.001-08:00

First I'd like to extend a Happy New Year to all of our members, guests and homeowners. As is often the case in the surrounding area, the weather during the holidays has been anything but predictable. After an early snowfall in November, we have seen not one but two significant snowmelts to date. The most recent occurred just after Christmas when temperatures rose to 15C and stayed well above freezing for more than 48 hours. The high temperatures were accompanied by very strong winds and rain for an extended period. Luckily very few trees fell during the high winds and those that came down did not cause substantial damage. Some holes flooded quickly but the stormwater ponds on the property meant any flooding was shortlived:

Currently there is a healthy layer of fresh snow on the course. Although we can't predict what will happen for the rest of the season, we do not expect to see any disease or ice damage in the spring from the recent thaws.