#10 Lake

I have been getting a lot of questions lately about the lake on #10. In recent weeks it has turned a murky brown, we have seen some fish die, and the smell is rancid. My first suspicion was that a faulty lake circulation pump had created the problem. But the the pump was only down for a day and a half; not enough time for such a drastic change. We have not made any recent fertilizer or chemical applications, so I could rule that out as well. Sabotage??? Surely not. I did some research and made a few phone calls and found the answer. The process is known as lake stratification. Basically, the lake is in the process of overturning itself, moving the warmer surface layer down as the colder water from below moves up. This stirring action is what is creating the murkiness and terrible smell, as the sediment from the bottom is rising to the top. We will be adding microbes to help move this process along and hopefully prevent such an occurrence in the future.

Wind damage

The Santa Ana winds returned Wednesday with a vengeance. Winds were around 30 mph, with gusts into the mid 40's. We lost a big Eucalyptus on the right side of the third hole. We also lost two large Pines on number 7 and number 11, and a Tulip tree near the eighth tee. Unfortunately, not one of these specimens was on our tree removal list. As of today, we are still in recovery mode as the course is littered with limbs and debris.

Aerification

We started tee and approach aerification on Monday, completing through the eighth hole. The remainder of the front nine and all of the back nine should be wrapped up by this afternoon. Often despised, aerification is one of those processes that has definite long term benefits. Not only does it relieve compaction, it also reduces thatch and organic matter, while allowing for better water infiltration and percolation. We typically follow this process with a light seeding and a healthy dose of fertilizer to have them looking their best in no time.

New equipment

Yesterday our new equipment arrived. It was like Christmas in March! We received a new fairway unit, a rough unit, and a trim mower. We also purchased a new greens aerifier. While the mowers are vital for daily grooming of the golf course, the aerifier is essential for proper cultural practices. All of these pieces of equipment should provide us with years of problem free use, saving us labor and repair expenses over time. We are very grateful..........

It was a good rain....

The ridge of high pressure that has been pushing most storm activity north of California finally broke, bringing with it our most substantial rain event in the last three years. It was a good, soaking rain with periods of heavy precipitation at times, totalling 5.05" between Wednesday night and Sunday morning. The golf course surface drains fairly well and we hope to allow carts off the paths by the middle/end of the week. Damage was limited to 1 tree behind #11 green, numerous branches and the typical bunker washouts. It sure is nice to finally get some clean water and flush the salts from the rootzone. With the soils being more balanced and warmer weather coming, I expect to see the grass begin to jump. It was a good rain....