Heritage Ranch Turf News

Happy New Year

Monty Ashworth — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:16:53 +0000

First off, I want to thank everyone who donated to the employee holiday fund. This year end bonus really means a lot to my staff. They have shared with me how the bonus helps them provide a better Christmas for their families. The staff starts asking around mid December and I explain that it is donations from the community. Every year the community has come through, and for that I am very grateful.

The new year finds the maintenance staff in project mode. Leaf clean up, tree pruning, accessory painting, etc. The staff is also repairing the perimeter fence of Heritage Ranch as well as cleaning brush along the walking trail.These common area tasks allow the maintenance department to keep dedicated employees working during the dormant months as well as complete projects for the HOA at a cheaper rate than an outside contractor would charge.

What’s with all the digging around # 1 green?

Last week the irrigation system was drained for leak repair at #1 and 9 green areas. While the system was dry, two stripped valves on #1 and valves on #2 and 3 were replaced.

Why were the lake wells running when the lake was full?

The wells are powered by 75 hp motors which are located 800′ below the surface. These motors are turned on periodically to protect against bearings freezing up. By simply turning the wells a few times during the winter months, we are extending the motor’s life span, and in turn, saving on costly repair bills.

A commercial backhoe will arrive tomorrow for work on golf course and common area projects. It looks to be a busy week so look for posts and pics to follow.

Main Line Leak on #1 Fairway

Monty Ashworth — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Last week in the middle of # 1 fairway a six-inch gate valve decided to start leaking. Why an installer decided the middle of the fairway, dead in the landing area, was a great location for this valve is another conversation in itself. Due to the poor quality of the original valves, the area was not able to be isolated and the entire golf course system had to be drained for the repair.

After the area was excavated, the valve and a section of pipe was removed and replaced with a new valve and bolt coupler.

The excavation started on Wednesday morning, installation occurred on Thursday, and clean-up of the area took place on Friday. Grass will be laid back on Tuesday.

USGA Site Visit

Monty Ashworth — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:59:20 +0000

On the 24th of May a visit from the USGA turf advisory service was conducted. Mr. Bud White, who serves as the Mid Continent advisor, preformed a 4 hour survey of course conditions, budget, and water source quality.Mr. White performs over 150 course surveys a year for the USGA.

This visit was spearheaded by Tom Collins of the Green Committee. Along with myself, members of the Green Committee, Golf Committee, Charlie Mabie, and Tony Trevino attended the survey.

MR White along with staff and HR members

There were several good recommendations that came out of the meeting. A written report of Mr White’s findings will be available in two to four weeks.

Good Timing

During the USGA survey, the convoy was passing by # 16 green just in time to witness Harry Icke record a Hole In One.

Congratulations Harry

Hole In One

Quick Article from the USGA

Monty Ashworth — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:21:15 +0000

Golfers’ Perspective of Bermudagrass In The Spring: “It’s Green! Just Fertilize It.”

By Bud White, director, Mid-Continent Region
April 26, 2011


Early spring bermudagrass fairway just starting green-up.

Bermudagrass approaches, tees, and fairways are unpopular with golfers during the spring. These areas on the course usually start green-up in early March, but do not begin to thicken until later in May. Why is this? Golfers see the green-up and complain that the superintendents are not fertilizing and watering enough to spur the fairways to grow.

Bermudagrasses, like all warm season grasses, are almost completely temperature-driven in the spring. The rule of thumb is that until the daytime high temperatures and nighttime low temperatures add up to 150ºF, there will be no strong bermudagrass growth. Neither fertilizer nor water can challenge this fact — temperature is the determining factor in spring. Iron applications can improve color and spring green-up, but it will not increase spring growth. Golf course superintendents would love to promote bermudagrass growth and see improved fairway density in March and April, but this is beyond their control. With luck, golfers will understand and be patient!

Spring cart traffic can affect turf quality as well. Some courses confine the use of carts on fairways in early spring to improve surface quality, and these restrictions do make a significant difference. Many courses have seen good early-June fairway quality in early May, due to better cart traffic management in March and April.

Special Announcement: Beginning this year, the GCSAA will award education points for Turfgrass Advisory Service (TAS) visits. Golf course superintendents and assistants who subscribe and participate in a USGA TAS visit at their golf course will earn 0.3 points for ½-day visits and 0.6 for full-day visits.

As a reminder, there is no fee increase for 2011 Turf Advisory Service (TAS) visits if payment is made before May 15, 2011. Take advantage of this year’s $600 prepayment discount. Misplaced your prepayment invoice? Simply contact your regional office or visit the USGA website under “Course Care” tab and download a TAS application. Subscribe to TAS

If you would like more information about a Turf Advisory Service visit, contact either of the Mid-Continent regional offices: Ty McClellan at tmcclellan@usga.org or (630) 340-5853 or Bud White at budwhite@usga.org or (972) 662-1138.

Jobs / Internships State & Regional Associations Golf Resources Directions to the USGA International Golf Federation

Down with the Red Oak

Monty Ashworth — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:48:22 +0000

Hole #9 tee shots will appear much less intimidating moving forward. What once loomed over the right side of #9 fairway is now next winter’s firewood material. The left trunk of the tree that resides approx 200 yds from the green had been slowly degenerating for several years. The decision to remove the tree was made on the advice of a certified arborist and his refusal to allow his crew to climb the tree and remove dead limbs.

Red Oak from the Bronze tee View

Left trunk after Felling

#9 Back in Play

Even though the oak knocked more of my drives out of the air than I care to count, I’m going to miss trying to dodge it the next time I play.

Week of April 4

Monty Ashworth — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:48:51 +0000

After two weeks of cold mornings, the lows started to rise on Tuesday. Let’s hope Monday’s frost was the last one of the season. Especially since tomatoes and peppers are going in the ground at my home garden tomorrow.

Wildlife Sighting

The red tail hawks are nesting once again between #4 green and #5 tee area.

Hawk Nest Hole #4

Practice Area Addition

Four post were placed down the right side of the range for short distance wedge practice per the Golf committee. The posts are marked with distances of 25, 50, 75, and 100 yds, although the numbers are hard to see from the tee area. The distances are measured from the front of the hitting area.

Short Game Distance Posts

Week of March 21

Monty Ashworth — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:13:22 +0000

The dirt work was completed on several projects last week and new sod was delivered and laid. The first project was the sodding of the bunker faces on two green side bunkers on #4 and a bunker on hole #13. After the drainage and sand is re-installed, the bunkers will continue to be played as ground under repair until May. This will allow the grass time to establish the roots needed for secure footing.

Hole # 4 green side bunker after sodding

The second project the staff completed was the green tee areas on holes #5 and 8. After many accurate comments on the difficulty in placing tees in the ground of the new tee areas, the new tee areas were constructed with a 4″ sand cap. Hopefully this change will produce a positive change in the green tee areas for # 5 and 8. Like the bunkers, the new tees will play as ground under repair until May to allow for the roots to establish.

New forward Tee on Hole #5

Do The Green Covers Really Work?

Monty Ashworth — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 20:53:00 +0000

During the course of January and February, the greens were covered for three weeks with a fabric for protection. The main benefit the covers provide is protection from winter desiccation. When a very cold, windy and dry weather system moves in to the area, the air has the ability to pull the moisture from the plant to the point of death. The covers provide a barrier which help prevent desiccation from occurring.

Green Grass vs Dormancy From Covering

A secondary benefit the covers provide is the actual soil temperature increase. The grass that is on our greens have been documented to expire at a soil temperature of 21 degrees in a controlled growth chamber. The difference in soil temperatures between covered and uncovered is approximately 8 degrees. Such a small change in temperature is insignificant for the two or three-day freezes, but the covers prove vital during the prolonged freeze which occurred in February. During the two-week weather system, the lowest soil temperature recorded under the covers was 28 degrees. A little simple math will tell you that without the covers the greens temp would have been 1 degree below where grass was recorded to expire in a controlled growth chamber.

Open for Business

Monty Ashworth — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:37:12 +0000

After the greens were continually covered with tarps for longer than any previous period at HR, play resumed last Saturday at 11:00am. The course was closed for 12 days as golfers watched two different weather systems move through the North Texas area.

# 14 Green after the cover was removed on 2/12

After four days of analyzing various greens, It appears that the greens will survive the extended freezing temperatures. The stolons and rhizomes are showing healthy signs for dormant bermudagrass. Golfers have been inquiring about the dark streaks and patterns that are on the greens since the course opened. The color difference is in relation to the level of dormancy of the grass. The difference in the dormancy was produced simply by how the cover was laying on the green ( overlapped, wrinkled, etc. ) which produced different surface temps. The dark and light areas should even back out after a couple of weeks of sunshine.

Winter Weather Approaching

Monty Ashworth — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:49:20 +0000

North Texas has been blessed with some fantastic golf weather these past few months. The rain and floods that plagued the winter of 2009 have been replaced with sunshine and highs in the 60′s.

Heritage Ranch will take hopefully a quick break from the mild winter while a cold front moves through the area next week. The maintenance staff will cover the greens following play on Saturday afternoon. At this time, the covers are expected to be removed on the 13th or 14th, depending on conditions later in the week.