This is supposed to be the dry winter?

 La Niña, they call it. It's the positive phase of the El Niño system and it is associated with cooler than average temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, these cooler sea temperatures are sure to bring less rain to drought stricken California. Right?

Here we are, late December, and the weather station at Bernardo Heights has recorded 3.46 inches of rain in this month alone with more to come this weekend. Last year, we picked up 1.6 inches in December. Then the skies opened up and the biblical rains came down and washed away mulch and DG and bunkers and did very little good. It was all at once, 4.29 inches in 3 days and 2.6 inches in 5 hours. It all ran off and made one hell of a mess.

This year's rains have been slow and steady. There is some cleanup work to do, but nothing like last year. More importantly, these rains were useful in pushing through our soils and flushing out two years of sodium that's accumulated from our well water. There is no substitute for rain like this.

Hopefully you've noticed that the many acres of decomposed granite and mulch have held up pretty well this year. We spent a lot of time and money spraying stabilizers on our major runoff areas. I'd say we are about halfway done and we continue to learn as we go. We still need to install more drains and reroute some rain water, but we're making progress.

Another positive I see right now is green bermuda. We just passed the shortest day of the year and the bermuda in most fairways is still green. We have used some colorants, but they have been mowed off and you're looking at grass that is still growing. One reason is a healthier stand of bermuda after all the fairways have enjoyed their first full year of bermuda-only growth. Another is the warm temperatures and lack of frost with only two minor frost events on the year.

We are in a really good spot right now. The fairways will get back to growing in late March, the mulch and decomposed granite will be groomed and stable, and the greens will be refreshed and ready for another summer after all this amazing rain. All of this points towards excellent conditions in 2017 and that prognostication is far more reliable than a weather report.

Paspalum Collars

Collars are rarely a topic of conversation at golf courses. The main purpose of a collar or fringe cut is to create a transition between the higher cut green surround and the putting surface. In fact, before Bernardo Heights, I've never heard, "the collars are amazing" or "the collars are terrible." They rarely enter the golfer's mind and they do not need to be thoughtfully played or navigated. If the collars are in decent shape, you'll never hear a word about them.

We have a different situation here. The collars are Seashore paspalum and they were installed with a five foot width. During most of the year, they look great, but the grain is so extreme that a shot into the collar, even a low chip, will check up hard and stop quickly. If you land down grain, the ball shoots forward. Each chip or pitch requires a decision on how to play the collar. It's a great defense for the golf course, but it's not an enjoyable challenge.

When winter rolls around with cool temps and short days, the collars lose their color and density. Some areas thin out completely and we are left to putt on soil around the greens. At least this surface is smooth and predictable. Overseeding is nearly impossible and past attempts have resulted in tufts of cool season turf. Putting on this surface was like Plinko on the Price is Right. Once again, not an enjoyable challenge.











Our goal is to replace these collars and expand the greens. We have been making progress the last few years, but it may look like the opposite. I get a lot of comments about the paspalum creeping into the greens. We are actually cutting into the collars and expanding the greens. The crew members have  been very aggressive, mowing into the collars during the cleanup pass. We then spray the paspalum with a herbicide that does not kill the bentgrass or Poa annua. The photo above is an example of this application. The light, six inch band next to the collar has been sprayed and most of this paspalum will die. The photo to the right shows a collar that has been scalped down to green height. The collar is now only three feet wide in this section, but the reclaimed green will need to be converted or sodded to the proper turf type.

We have shrunk many collars down to 3 feet, but some are still very wide. Eventually, we would like to reduce the collar to 18 inches and return the rest of the area to putting green. We may complete this task with one major project, installing bentgrass sod that will transition to a blend of bent and Poa like the rest of our greens. If this does not happen, we will continue to convert this turf using our current methods, plus sodding from our nursery green. Some sections are transitioning on their own, like the front of #15, shown here, where Poa annua has filled in most the collar which is half the size it once was. The paspalum will still need to be removed or killed because it will come back during the summer.

We have made progress and I assure you that the paspalum's days are numbered. I look forward to the day that nobody mentions collars when discussing course conditions. Usually, no word is the good word.

Check out our new equipment

We've finally broken in all the new toys we got last spring. Most were put to use right away, like our new fairway mower, new rough mower, and large utility vehicle. A new shipment of equipment is exciting for all of us. A vehicle or mower that drives smoothly and is comfortable makes for a happy operator. It's really a big deal when you ask somebody to spend the majority of a day on the same machine. Giving them a brand new mower with a comfy seat, tight steering, ergonomic controls, and a quiet, yet powerful engine will make them more productive.











The new rough mower replaced a pull behind unit that was 12 years old and wearing down quickly. I was really getting tired of the constant repairs, down time, inconsistent cut, and Jorge complaining daily. Now his only complaint is the fan on the canopy is too strong and makes him cold, so he leaves it off.

Our new aerifier replaces two 12 year old units that had their limitations. First off, they were slow, which is why two could be replaced by one. The Toro unit can also be adjusted to go deeper in the soil profile. Just a few weeks ago, we pulled the deepest cores in years, breaking through a layer that formed after too many aerifications at the same shallow depth.

We have a backhoe now, which attaches to our largest tractor. We've used this machine many times in a short period, installing drain lines, digging up bad cart path, and exposing irrigation pipe for multiple repairs. The native soil at Bernardo Heights resembles concrete. Hand digging for main line repairs is a two day affair with a couple of employees. Now it's a two hour job. We save time and no one has a sore back.

Our sweeper has already saved countless hours of labor. Last year, we gathered leaves in piles and then bundled them in burlap tarps to be piled into carts. We didn't have a better option, but now it seems crazy that we were doing that, what a waste of time.

Lastly, we have a new verticutter that replaces a very old unit that had been used and abused for well beyond it's useful life. This one is simple and powerful. That's all we really need and the overseed result on the driving range tee is proof. Can you see the rows of ryegrass? Without a verticutter, it is very difficult to get the seed established into the dense hybrid bermuda that makes up the majority of this tee. Next year, we will use this unit to control thatch in the fairways and push density in our relatively young stand of bermuda.

I can still think of 20 more machines I would love to have. Trade shows are an endless parade of dream equipment, a candy store for any turf geek. I'll keep asking for more, but I'll admit that we are better off now than I've ever been, at any course.

The greens are great!! Must be time to aerify.

Aerification time is here again and just when the greens are healthy and rolling true, we're about to tear them up. I know it seems strange to punch thousands of holes into a surface that is smooth, green, and dense. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

I subscribe to this thought regularly, but not with greens. We need to be out in front of the problems and complete all the mandatory preventative maintenance that keeps our greens in the best shape possible. The fact is, they are not perfect. They need an injection of oxygen after a long season of traffic and poor quality water. Sodium has piled up in the soil and air porosity has decreased. We are not seeing any symptoms from these problems and we don't want to. So we punch some holes and make it breath again.

Fall aerification is my favorite of the year. There is little chance of rain to spoil the day and soil temps are very high. This promotes excellent growth and quick healing. We are always healed up in fall in a week's time. Spring is another story, sometimes needing up to 3 weeks to fully recover, especially in shady locations.

So next week, expect some sand on the greens and a few more maintenance workers getting in your way. We send staff out to make sure that each and every aerification hole is filled with sand. The crew will be working with buckets and brooms to fill the holes and to remove any excess material. The topdress will be pretty heavy in order to "cap" each hole. This makes for a smoother surface later on and prevents the dimple pattern that most golfers know all too well.

Nearly all the holes will be healed in a week and the greens will be firmed up and sped up within two weeks. This time of year, working in the predictable San Diego climate, we know what to expect and how the greens will respond. By late October, you'll be playing greens that are smoother, greener, and healthier than what you see today.

Thank you for your patience during the next couple weeks. We enjoy making a mess every once in a while and you'll enjoy the results when we clean things up.

Course Condition Update: Fairways

#5 fairway

I'll start by saying that the fairways at Bernardo Heights are in the best condition they've been for a long time. Gone are the clumps of ryegrass from many years of overseeding that hung around summer after summer, creating tough lies and poor looks. Over the last few years, we've sprayed out nearly all of this rye grass. That was step number one. Late last summer, we were still spraying holes 1, 13, and 15. All three of these have filled in nicely besides a few sections that have other problems.


These fairways have a host of problems that the staff are working to overcome. The main issue was the wrong type of grass, which has now been corrected. Another obstacle is the sodium found in our well water. This is causing the majority of the thin spots on holes 13, 15, and 18. You can see the sodium quite easily when it wicks to the top of the profile.

Sodium at surface of #18 fairway

The dark green stripes are drain lines where the sodium can leach out of the soil. Unfortunately, the native soil is so thick that the drain line has little affect just outside of the drain itself. We have no choice but to sod these locations and have been doing so 1500 square feet at a time. This is as much as our staff can handle and install before it burns up in the summer heat. We have already replaced over 6000 sq feet of bermuda sod this year, most of it in traffic zones and fairways. I ordered more today for next week.


I'm happy to say that the major trouble locations are limited. We have a great stand of bermuda out there that is filling it very well with the first full summer of good growing. Last year, only a few fairways were already clear of ryegrass and they had to endure a 5 month construction program that required heavy traffic, intermittent irrigation, and an unusually cool August. This year, warm temperatures just showed up a few days ago and the change is certainly noticeable.

#6 fairway

#1 fairway

Young bermuda in the  sections that were  previously thick with ryegrass, are being treated as a grow-in, getting bi-weekly shots of fertilizer. Wetting agents, which make the most of our precious irrigation source, are being applied monthly. It's expensive, but an increased budget is making this possible. We are spot aerifying where necessary and sodding any areas that do not show progress. 

#11 fairway

#8 fairway

The hard working staff will continue to improve the fairways and the entire course every single day. This course hardly resembles itself compared to 3 years ago. We have 12,000 new plants, 35 less acres of turf, bermuda fairways, bermuda tees, and greens that are healthy and rolling beautifully. We can always make it better and we will, one day at a time.

#14 fairway

Bunker Renovation is Complete

Conditions are improving at a rapid pace. Every bunker on the course has now been renovated with proper sub-surface shaping, new drainage, and new sand. The bermudagrass is waking up, the cool season turf is fading away, and our new drought-tolerant landscape is starting to pop with color.  

We've turned our attention to cart path repairs and spreading out some new mulch.  Green aerification went well and tees are up next, this coming Monday. After a long winter, the crew is anxious to get back to converting this course to dense, excellent bermudagrass.  

Below is our before/after shot of the left green side bunker on the 10th hole. There was nearly 2 feet of compacted, old sand in this bunker. Now there is 6 inches of firm, new sand that is consistent and drains well. I hope you enjoy the change as much as I do!!

Bunker Renovation

Our friends from United GLI are back on site to continue with bunker renovation.  We will be finishing all greenside and fairway bunkers throughout the course, a total of 28 bunkers remaining from our previous renovations.  So far, 11 of the 28 bunkers are fully completed with new edges, sand, and most importantly, drainage.

Bunkers need sand replaced every 5-7 years because of contamination.  Soil from trimming edges, dust from winds, and washouts from rain can bring silt and clay into the sand.  Eventually the bunker will turn into concrete.  Adding a few inches of sand every year is not a solution to this problem.  The common saying, "there is no sand in the bunkers" is not correct.  There is way too much sand in these bunkers and it is all old, contaminated, and unplayable.

The most important component of a bunker, and maybe an entire golf course, is proper drainage.  When water does not leave the bunker and forms a lake, all the silt rises to the top and contaminates the sand.  This is the beginning of the end for good, playable bunkers. Covering the contaminated sand with fresh, expensive sand will only result in deeper, useless sand.

So, it should be no surprise that the #1 goal of this renovation is to install proper drainage in all the bunkers. We are checking and double-checking all drain outlets to make sure they have proper fall and are not clogged or damaged.  Yesterday, the BHCC staff installed a new stretch of outlet drainage from the fairway bunker on #2, across the fairway to an existing drain.  The previous outlet fell into a gravel bed which did not allow for effective drainage.  Other drainage problems we have encountered include crushed pipes, tree root clogs, improper slopes, and high spots that cause water to back up. We are being very careful to get this drainage installed just right.

Another priority with this renovation is returning bunker edges closer to the original design.  Of course, the original might not always make sense, so we are making some adjustments to fit our players and the bunker's location.  For instance, on the fairway bunker on the par 5, 4th hole, we eliminated a lobe of the bunker that pinned the golfer behind trees.  You're already in trouble, so why make it that much harder?  Also, we are raising some floors and lowering some lips to provide a better view and a more reasonable shot.  Many bunker faces, especially in the fairways, have grown much larger than originally intended.  We are cutting these back and expanding the view of the course.

Finally, I'm sure you noticed the nice brown sod we are laying around the bunkers.  We do not want to introduce more Rye grass that I will have to kill in a few months.  The dormant bermuda sod will root down and green up in a few weeks, matching our end goal of solid bermuda coverage.

Thank you for your patience during this construction period.  More improvements are on the way!!

El Niño Cleanup

A few weeks ago, Bernardo Heights Country Club recorded 4.35" of rain over a 72 hour period.  Much of that rain came down in a few short hours and made quite a mess throughout the golf course.  Our average annual rainfall is just over 10 inches, so collecting over a third of that amount in three days created some problems for the entire region.

January 8th,  #7 Fairway after 4.3 inches of rain

There is some good news, of course.  The mulch zones faired very well and require little cleanup.  Also, the greens received the flush of salts we've been waiting for since last winter.  We have been flushing the greens with well water into the first week of December to try to buy time until the rain started to fall.  The sodium is now back to manageable levels and should stay that way until mid-summer when we will have to start the flushing process once again.

January 20th, #7 Fairway

Our cleanup duties will continue for the next couple of weeks and I am very pleased with the efforts of our staff, working day in and day out with sore backs and shovels in hand.  Our first point of attention was cleaning the cartpaths from mud and sand so golfers could get around safely.  We then turned to bunker repair and completed that task in a week's time.

A few fairways became rivers during the storm after large drains were plugged with debris.  We have examined each drainage location and installed barriers to protect the drains from future problems.  The fairways that took on some sand are not severely damaged, just consider this an unscheduled topdressing.  We will continue to clean them and encourage the grass to peak through.  You can see how much better they are two weeks after the storm. 

New French drains on #5

We are now turning our attention towards the decomposed granite areas that need the sand redistributed and raked.  Nothing is broken out there, it just needs to be cleaned up.  We'll go spot by spot and day by day to get everything back in order. 

We will continue adding drainage wherever it is needed and I suspect we'll never run out of locations that could use more drainage.  We also will work with some soil stabilizers in areas we expect channels of water to form to prevent new erosion.

A little cleanup is to be expected every winter and a storm of this magnitude has the whole county using shovels, rakes, and brooms to tidy up.  The rain is certainly worth the trouble.