Green Aerification Update

Despite some ominous weather forecasts the Golf and Grounds crew had a busy day yesterday aerifying and cleaning all 19 greens. The front 9 greens we also topdressed, seeded and fertilized and are open for play today. If the weather cooperates today the back 9 greens will be topdressed, fertilized and seeded today to complete the greens aerification process.
Weather permitting all the tees will be aerified tomorrow and fairway aerification and topdressing will start on Monday the 10th.

Fall Aerification Schedule

Green aerification

 Tuesday, September 4th will mark the start of our fall aerification program at Silver Spring.
Greens and tees are scheduled to be aerified on Sept. 4, 5 , and 6 and fairway aerification and topdressing will begin on Monday September 10th. Fairway aerification will continue throughout the week of the 10th and with  good weather should be completed by Tuesday the 18th.
The Green Committee thanks you in advance for your cooperation and understanding during this process

Green topdressing

Fairway aerification and topdressing

Power of Mother Nature

 The severe thunderstorm that raced through our area Sunday night left it's calling card at Silver Spring.
The pictures to the left show a direct lightning strike to a large Ash tree on the left of 13. The force of the strike split the tree and scattered pieces of the tree up to 100 yards away.

 The electricity from the strike followed down the tree and found a near by irrigation sprinkler head shattering the head causing a water leak.

After shattering the sprinkler head the electric surge followed the wires on the sprinkler head to the junction box and destroyed the communication decoder associated with the sprinkler head.As the electric surge dissipated into the earth several other nearby communication decoders were destroyed.
The weather station on the second hole also took a electric surge that knocked out the base irrigation computer in the maintenance facility.
The golf and grounds crew was able to diagnose and fix all the electrical problems the storm created and our irrigation system was 95% operational by Thursday morning.

Hydraulic Leak

This past Monday a hydraulic hose on one of our Fairway mowing machine failed and left a 18 inch wide stripe across the 13th fairway.
 The location of the hose was directly under the operators seat so the leak was difficult to detect until the cutting pass was completed. Once detected the leak was flooded with water in an attempt to disperse and breakdown  the oil. Fortunately we have converted the oil used in these machines to a bio-degradable oil that is more environmentally friendly to the turf. These new oils minimize turf damage. Usually the turf will turf brown for a period of time and a slow recovery process will then start. Throughout the process the turf remains playable and will not track to other parts of the fairway with cart or foot traffic.

Silver Spring Bluebirds

Silver Spring has for the past several years been a part of the Audubon movement to encourage more wildlife and bird activity on our property. The naturalized areas on 2, 8, 11, and 15 provide habitat and a food source for a variety of birds and small animals. Brush piles are left in the woods and the edges of our irrigation lakes are left untrimmed to provide homes for inland and aquatic species.

Through the efforts of Hank and Collette Huidekoper and Mark Hawley, several bluebird houses have been placed in the appropriate areas on the course in an effort to increase the bluebird population.

AS of June 30th the 12 bluebird houses have provided home/nesting areas to 25 bluebirds. We presently have another 11 chicks in our houses. This represents the highest total since the program started.  These houses are also a favorite for swallows and 5 of the houses have become home for them.

Mr. Hawley monitors the houses weekly and provides a spreadsheet and pictures to track any activity. We thank the Huidekopers and Mr Hawley for their efforts to help Silver Spring continue in our efforts to be an environmentally friendly facility.

Week of July 8th

Besides the normal cutting schedule for the week the golf and grounds crew will be applying an Annual bluegrass weevil insecticide treatment to the green and tee surrounds and playing surfaces.
A white grub preventative treatment will be applied to the roughs on the course;
Greens venting will take place on Monday the 9th;
Calcium will be applied to the pool courts on Monday the 9th;
The audit of our irrigation system will continue this week;

Green Venting

Finished surface

Equipment used

Greens venting is performed every 3 to 4 weeks. The process will provide channels for water, air and nutrients to get into the growing medium. The process also help loosen compacted surfaces.

Work Scheduled for the week of July 1

Calcium treatment of the clubhouse courts.
Fungicide application to the fairways
Wetting Agent treatment to all greens
Fungicide application to green surfaces.
Continuation of golf course detailing,( ie, trim wood lines, fairway and tee divot repairs)
Irrigation system monthly check.

Fire Works Cleanup