As everyone is aware I'm sure, Florida is currently experiencing one of its worst droughts in years. The Naples area is 10 inches below average in 2011, and there are areas 30 inches below average over the last 12 months.
South Florida Water Management District governs users of irrigation water. In April, the SFWMD mandated a 15% reduction from our monthly irrigation allotment. In April we had almost 37 million gallons to use for the entire month. We made it through April in good shape, and also has some timely rains early in the month.
The month of May saw our gallons reduced to 31.5 million gallons, and currently for June we have 16.75 million gallons. The reason for the reduction even though temperatures are high and water demand is also high, is our allotment is based on average monthly rainfall. This is were receiving very little rainfall in May and the beginning of June really makes it difficult to supply enough water to keep grass green.
Our current June allotment allows for 560,000 gallons per night. Under normal circumstances we would be using close to 1.3 - 1.4 million gallons per night. That is much more than a 15% reduction when there is no rainfall occurring.
Due to the shortage of irrigation, we've decided to concentrate our irrigation on the open South Course. This will hopefully provide acceptable playing conditions, with some brown turf in areas. Supplemental hand watering is being done each day to help keep prime playing area green.
The North Course currently is only receiving irrigation on the greens. Bermudagrass is extremely drought tolerant, and can survive a couple months without water. The turf will turn brown or do into dormancy, but once adequate moisture returns to the soil, the turf will quickly recover.
Hopefully the rainy season is starting to show its face, and the current drought is a thing of the past. If there are any questions about water restrictions or the current conditions of the golf course, please do not hesitate to contact the Golf Course Operations Department. We would be more than happy to answer any questions.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Mediterra Men's Invitational vs. PGA Tour Transitions Championship
With another Men's Invitational in the books, I thought it would be fun to compare the course conditioning between Mediterra and Innisbrook Resort host of the PGA Tour Transitions Championship being held this week. The data for the Transitions Championship was found on the GCSAA website.
Tournament Green Speed:
Mediterra - 12'6"
Transitions Championship - 11'
Tournament Mowing Heights:
Mediterra Greens - 0.085"
Transitions Greens - 0.130"
Mediterra Tees - 0.250"
Transitions Tees - 0.325"
Mediterra Fairways - 0.475"
Transitions Tees - 0.325"
Mediterra Rough - 1.75"
Transitions Rough - 2.5"
Innisbrook Resort this time of year is overseeded with Poa trivialis on Greens and Perennial Ryegrass on Tees, Fairways, and Roughs. The look and playability would be different than the Bermudagrass that we have at this time of year in SW Florida, but it is still interesting to compare the two golf courses.
Tournament Green Speed:
Mediterra - 12'6"
Transitions Championship - 11'
Tournament Mowing Heights:
Mediterra Greens - 0.085"
Transitions Greens - 0.130"
Mediterra Tees - 0.250"
Transitions Tees - 0.325"
Mediterra Fairways - 0.475"
Transitions Tees - 0.325"
Mediterra Rough - 1.75"
Transitions Rough - 2.5"
Innisbrook Resort this time of year is overseeded with Poa trivialis on Greens and Perennial Ryegrass on Tees, Fairways, and Roughs. The look and playability would be different than the Bermudagrass that we have at this time of year in SW Florida, but it is still interesting to compare the two golf courses.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Weather Update from local Meteorologist
The word has been out about the weather this winter, and how it is so much different than many of the winters many of us have experienced here in SW Florida. Below is an email response from Lauren Casey of Wink News regarding the weather we've experienced this winter.
The cold air in February only solidified this winter's place in history. SWFL experienced it's coldest December-February period in nearly 30 years...since 1981! Ft. Myers experienced the 10th coldest January since records began in 1902...and the 4th coldest February on record.
The nation as a whole experienced the coldest December-February period in 25 years and the 18th coldest winter for the contiguous United States in the past 115 years. Nine states (most in the Southeast) had top ten coldest winters on record including Florida with it's 9th coldest...
In the month of February, morning low temperatures in Ft. Myers dropped into the 40's on fifteen mornings...more than half of the month's 28 days. Average morning lows during that time frame are low to mid 50's...so a morning in the 40's is well below the average but to have 15 in the month is extremely atypical.
Not even Cupid could heat things up in February as Valentine's Day 2010 broke a 50 year old record for the lowest high temperature...meaning it was the coolest Valentine's Day ever on record in Ft. Myers with a high of only 59 degrees. The old record was 62 degrees from 1960. The average high would be near 80 degrees.
El Nino has been a large factor in the unusually cold weather this season. During an El Nino pattern, the sub-tropical arm of the jet stream takes a more southerly track than is typical...as a result areas of low pressure (storm systems) are driven by the jet stream on a more southerly track ie. closer to us! This has resulted a more active rainfall pattern during what is suppose to be the 'dry season' and has allowed cold, arctic air to plunge in behind the passing systems.
El Nino has begun to weaken and most computer forecast models are predicting an end to El Nino by summer. This may bring an end to the unseasonably cool weather, but in another sense, may not be great timing as we near the start of hurricane season as El Nino typically works to suppress hurricane activity.
Hope that information helps and I think everyone is looking forward to the start of Spring on Saturday!
Sincerely,
Lauren Casey
The cold air in February only solidified this winter's place in history. SWFL experienced it's coldest December-February period in nearly 30 years...since 1981! Ft. Myers experienced the 10th coldest January since records began in 1902...and the 4th coldest February on record.
The nation as a whole experienced the coldest December-February period in 25 years and the 18th coldest winter for the contiguous United States in the past 115 years. Nine states (most in the Southeast) had top ten coldest winters on record including Florida with it's 9th coldest...
In the month of February, morning low temperatures in Ft. Myers dropped into the 40's on fifteen mornings...more than half of the month's 28 days. Average morning lows during that time frame are low to mid 50's...so a morning in the 40's is well below the average but to have 15 in the month is extremely atypical.
Not even Cupid could heat things up in February as Valentine's Day 2010 broke a 50 year old record for the lowest high temperature...meaning it was the coolest Valentine's Day ever on record in Ft. Myers with a high of only 59 degrees. The old record was 62 degrees from 1960. The average high would be near 80 degrees.
El Nino has been a large factor in the unusually cold weather this season. During an El Nino pattern, the sub-tropical arm of the jet stream takes a more southerly track than is typical...as a result areas of low pressure (storm systems) are driven by the jet stream on a more southerly track ie. closer to us! This has resulted a more active rainfall pattern during what is suppose to be the 'dry season' and has allowed cold, arctic air to plunge in behind the passing systems.
El Nino has begun to weaken and most computer forecast models are predicting an end to El Nino by summer. This may bring an end to the unseasonably cool weather, but in another sense, may not be great timing as we near the start of hurricane season as El Nino typically works to suppress hurricane activity.
Hope that information helps and I think everyone is looking forward to the start of Spring on Saturday!
Sincerely,
Lauren Casey
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
USGA Florida Regional Update - March 11th
Winter Season Golfer Alert
By John H. Foy, DirectorMarch 11, 2010
Twice in the past 25 years, the USGA Green Section Florida Region has sent letters to all golf courses in the state in an effort to make golfers aware of the effects of adverse conditions on the environment. The 1998 winter season is a case in point, where the Pacific El Nino effect caused major problems in providing the expected conditioning and quality at Florida golf courses. The purpose of this update is the same.
An El Nino condition is warmer than average surface sea temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Although it’s located thousands of miles away, it influences weather conditions across the United States. As in the past, when a moderate to strong El Nino is in place, winter temperatures in the Southeast and Florida are colder than average, while at the same time precipitation is above average. The extended stretches of cold temperatures in January and February resulted in average temperatures four to five degrees below normal, and the National Weather Service recently reported that this was the second coldest January to February on record in West Palm Beach, going back to 1888. The average temperature for the season, reported at Palm Beach International Airport, was 64.1 degrees F; 3.2 degrees below normal.
Although 3.2 degrees below normal average may not seem significant, it has a major impact on warm season turfgrass growth, such as bermudagrass and seashore paspalum, in the central to southern part of the state. Basically, there has been no turf growth for the past two months, and, when combined with peak winter season play, the fairways and roughs at many courses have been beat down and worn out. Normally, during this time of year, there are golfer complaints about tight fairway lies and no definition between the fairway and rough cuts, but the degree of deterioration experienced at some courses is greater than normal.
An even greater impact on conditioning and quality occurs at facilities that deal with budget cuts, where further reductions in fertilization and pest control programs have taken place. The one silver lining to the cold weather is that it makes it easy to provide medium fast to fast putting speeds.
During the second week of March, temperatures have started to climb into the 70’s throughout the state. After all of the cold weather, these temperatures feel quite warm and are sufficient to produce a turf green-up. However, based on the extended forecast, this will be a short-lived spring tease. The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service issued its latest El Nino Advisory, and, based on all of the forecast models, the El Nino effect will remain in place until at least May. For Florida and the Southeast, temperatures will continue to remain below average and precipitation above average. A cool and wet spring is just the opposite of what is needed for recovery from the winter and to quickly reestablish course conditioning.
For warm season turfgrasses to resume sustained active growth, daytime and nighttime temperatures must remain consistently in the mid-80 and mid-60 degree range, respectively. In Central to South Florida, the combination of a progressively increasing day length and milder temperatures will make it possible to reestablish the green color, but, regardless of inputs, forcing the resumption of sustained growth activity and being able to produce a rapid recovery simply is not possible.
Though the extent of winter overseeding programs has been cut back at courses in the northern part of Florida, the prospect of a cool and wet spring raises additional concerns about increased difficulties and a more pronounced deterioration in conditions during the transition process out of the overseeding cover. This is because growth and maturing of the overseeding grasses is favored, and they are able to persist longer and have a competitive advantage over the underlying base bermudagrass. We can only hope that the current, long range forecasts are wrong.
On a positive note, the base bermuda turf of Florida golf courses does possess a tremendous recuperative potential. Thus, with a few weeks of sunny, warm, and dry weather, a full recovery and reestablishment of good quality course conditioning can be accomplished. Yet, until more favorable environmental conditions are occurring, a degree of patience and understanding will be required during the remainder of the winter play season in Florida.
By John H. Foy, DirectorMarch 11, 2010
Twice in the past 25 years, the USGA Green Section Florida Region has sent letters to all golf courses in the state in an effort to make golfers aware of the effects of adverse conditions on the environment. The 1998 winter season is a case in point, where the Pacific El Nino effect caused major problems in providing the expected conditioning and quality at Florida golf courses. The purpose of this update is the same.
An El Nino condition is warmer than average surface sea temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Although it’s located thousands of miles away, it influences weather conditions across the United States. As in the past, when a moderate to strong El Nino is in place, winter temperatures in the Southeast and Florida are colder than average, while at the same time precipitation is above average. The extended stretches of cold temperatures in January and February resulted in average temperatures four to five degrees below normal, and the National Weather Service recently reported that this was the second coldest January to February on record in West Palm Beach, going back to 1888. The average temperature for the season, reported at Palm Beach International Airport, was 64.1 degrees F; 3.2 degrees below normal.
Although 3.2 degrees below normal average may not seem significant, it has a major impact on warm season turfgrass growth, such as bermudagrass and seashore paspalum, in the central to southern part of the state. Basically, there has been no turf growth for the past two months, and, when combined with peak winter season play, the fairways and roughs at many courses have been beat down and worn out. Normally, during this time of year, there are golfer complaints about tight fairway lies and no definition between the fairway and rough cuts, but the degree of deterioration experienced at some courses is greater than normal.
An even greater impact on conditioning and quality occurs at facilities that deal with budget cuts, where further reductions in fertilization and pest control programs have taken place. The one silver lining to the cold weather is that it makes it easy to provide medium fast to fast putting speeds.
During the second week of March, temperatures have started to climb into the 70’s throughout the state. After all of the cold weather, these temperatures feel quite warm and are sufficient to produce a turf green-up. However, based on the extended forecast, this will be a short-lived spring tease. The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service issued its latest El Nino Advisory, and, based on all of the forecast models, the El Nino effect will remain in place until at least May. For Florida and the Southeast, temperatures will continue to remain below average and precipitation above average. A cool and wet spring is just the opposite of what is needed for recovery from the winter and to quickly reestablish course conditioning.
For warm season turfgrasses to resume sustained active growth, daytime and nighttime temperatures must remain consistently in the mid-80 and mid-60 degree range, respectively. In Central to South Florida, the combination of a progressively increasing day length and milder temperatures will make it possible to reestablish the green color, but, regardless of inputs, forcing the resumption of sustained growth activity and being able to produce a rapid recovery simply is not possible.
Though the extent of winter overseeding programs has been cut back at courses in the northern part of Florida, the prospect of a cool and wet spring raises additional concerns about increased difficulties and a more pronounced deterioration in conditions during the transition process out of the overseeding cover. This is because growth and maturing of the overseeding grasses is favored, and they are able to persist longer and have a competitive advantage over the underlying base bermudagrass. We can only hope that the current, long range forecasts are wrong.
On a positive note, the base bermuda turf of Florida golf courses does possess a tremendous recuperative potential. Thus, with a few weeks of sunny, warm, and dry weather, a full recovery and reestablishment of good quality course conditioning can be accomplished. Yet, until more favorable environmental conditions are occurring, a degree of patience and understanding will be required during the remainder of the winter play season in Florida.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Fertilizer Application to Golf Courses
A couple weeks back following each day of the Ladies' Member-Member, we conducted a wall to wall fertilizer application to the golf course following the Ladies' event that day. This included closing the golf course that day, and contracting the application to a vendor from Ft. Lauderdale. He uses the machine below to spread the fertilizer of choice, and at the rate of our choice. He can normally finish one golf course in 3 hours.
Since we do close the golf course during this application, many never get to see the equipment that is used to complete the wall to wall fertilizer application process. The machine is equipped with turf tires that are very friendly to the grass. The machine is also equipped with a GPS tracking device that helps the applicator know exactly where each pass should go to prevent overlap or skips.
We use these wall to wall fertilizer applications to help provide necessary nutrients to the turfgrass that will enable the turfgrass to reach optimum density, color, and overall health. Our plan is to do another in April, which will help promote new growth following the below normal temperatures we've been experiencing this winter. With temperatures getting closer to normal, and the fertilizer applications, the turf here at Mediterra should return to the quality that is expected.
If there are every any questions regarding the materials we are applying to the golf course, do not hesitate to contact us down in the Golf Course Operations building. We would be more than happy to answer any questions.
Since we do close the golf course during this application, many never get to see the equipment that is used to complete the wall to wall fertilizer application process. The machine is equipped with turf tires that are very friendly to the grass. The machine is also equipped with a GPS tracking device that helps the applicator know exactly where each pass should go to prevent overlap or skips.
We use these wall to wall fertilizer applications to help provide necessary nutrients to the turfgrass that will enable the turfgrass to reach optimum density, color, and overall health. Our plan is to do another in April, which will help promote new growth following the below normal temperatures we've been experiencing this winter. With temperatures getting closer to normal, and the fertilizer applications, the turf here at Mediterra should return to the quality that is expected.
If there are every any questions regarding the materials we are applying to the golf course, do not hesitate to contact us down in the Golf Course Operations building. We would be more than happy to answer any questions.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
USGA Florida Regional Update - Feb. 23rd
Cold conditions continue to plague Florida golf courses, as below-normal temperatures have persisted since early January. A golf course superintendent from Southwest Florida questioned a local meteorologist about weather conditions, and below are a few of the reported facts:
- There have been nine morning lows in the 30's. In an average year, we reach the 30's only a few mornings for the entire winter season.
- Three morning low records have been broken.
- The coolest high temperature was tied on Jan 10.
- The area has tied "the record" for consecutive lows below 50 F.
- On January 9th, a high of 52 F was reached at midnight, but around 8am temperatures fell into the 30s and remained there all day. The coolest high temperature was 40 F, so, if you overlook midnight, January 9th could be the coldest day ever in Ft. Myers.
The turf actually began to come out of winter dormancy and turn green on lower mowed surfaces, when a slight reprieve from the cold weather was experienced in late January. Believe it or not, this factor also had a negative impact on some golf courses that deal with plant-parasitic nematodes, as the nematodes became active as well. Soil temperature dropped shortly thereafter with several cold fronts and frosts, and this caused additional turf loss, as already-thin areas received continued golfer traffic and no turf recovery. Putting green perimeters have been the most widely damaged areas due to the stresses of increased mower turning, golfer entry and exit, and shade.
Cold fronts have generally been accompanied by rain. In fact, many superintendents have reported no irrigation applied in 2010 to date. This has had a beneficial impact on lake levels, as they are very high on most golf courses, but excessive leaf and soil moisture and moderate temperatures can increase turf diseases. Patch diseases have been observed at a few golf courses, and the University of Florida turf pathology lab has reported a high incidence of Pythium in golf course samples. Preventative fungicide programs should be continued until warmer and drier conditions occur.
Recovery simply cannot occur until active turf growth resumes with warmer soil temperatures. Multiple days above 80F and nights above 60F are necessary to make any marked improvements in turf quality. Sustained warm air temperatures are necessary to significantly raise soil temperatures. Active bermudagrass recovery can occur when soil temperatures rise above 65 F at a four-inch depth. The forecast for the upcoming week is low temperatures and scattered rainfall. Unfortunately, considerable improvements in turf quality should not be expected for at least another three to four weeks.
Source: Todd Lowe, tlowe@usga.org or 941-828-262
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Driving Range & Practice Facility Monday Closure
I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of the new Monday hours for the Driving Range and Practice Facility. The Driving Range and Practice Facility will now close on Mondays at 3:30 p.m., and stay closed for the remainder of the day. All scheduled maintenance to the Driving Range and Practice Facility will be conducted during this time.
Thanks,
Aaron Ohloff
Golf Course Superintendent
Thanks,
Aaron Ohloff
Golf Course Superintendent
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