Counting Birdies At Links

Golfers affection for birdies is well documented. Shooting under par on any hole is an achievement worth talking about. Achieving an eagle or an albatross is even more note worthy. However, the most common birds found at Links are the kind with wings! The course is habitat for many different species of birds. From the mallards that have taken up residence in the 1st hole dugout to the swallows that swoop from their 150 yard marker bird houses, all of the fine feathered varieties of birds indicate that Links is an environmentally friendly and healthy habitat.

The swallows are my personal favorites. Not only are they fascinating to watch as they skim the surface and dart about the course in the early dawn or twilight, swallows are valuable as insectivores! Swallows eat many flying insects, including mosquitoes and other harmful species. They can cover over 600 miles per day and consume more than their own body weight of flying pests every day.

Other birds found on the course include robins, starlings and magpies.  A robin's diet consists of  bugs, worms and berries. It is one of the earliest bird species to lay eggs. Nests consist of long coarse grass, twigs, paper, and feathers,smeared with mud and are often cushioned with grass or other soft materials. Robins are also amongst the first birds to sing at dawn, with songs consisting of several distinct notes that are often repeated. The ever present starlings are also omnivorous, preferring insects but willing to help them selves to other opportunities as they arise.

Magpies are perhaps the least liked birds at Links. Members of the crow family, they are intelligent but extremely noisy. They are opportunistic feeders and can become quite aggressive in their tactics. They will eat insects when they have to, but seem to prefer the company, and garbage, of humans. At LInks magpies have built a few rather impressive nests. These can often be seen in the trees down the left side of #2 fairway. A very large example nest exists in the trees behind the club locker shed.

The presence of so many bird species at Links is a good indicator that the course is environmentally friendly and an excellent source of habitat. Golf courses sometimes get a bad rep as environmental hazards due to an alleged reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In reality, most courses strive for a healthy balance between natural and man made solutions. That so many birds call Links home, is a testament to the course's success in attaining this balance. Hopefully you will always find your fair share of birdies at Links. Whether they are on your score card or just in the trees is up to you!

Just About Time!

Last week snow - this week sunny skies!  So where were you a year ago? Chances are if you're a Links regular you were waiting on winter! It was a particularly cold wet spring and we had to endure snowfall after snowfall. It finally looks like we may have seen the last of the white stuff.

The extended shoulder season of daytime melting and over night freezing is coming to a close. This weekend temperatures are expected to reach double digits during the day and, more importantly stay at or above freezing at night!  The course is mostly bare and all we need is some sustained warmth and a little bit of rain and things will be green in no time!

Regional micro climates mean that Taylor's Lone Wolf course is always the first local course to open. Flying home from Vancouver last week, I saw that their course seems to have come through the winter well. A friend who lives in the Charlie Lake area tells me their snow has also retreated but never quite as fast as residents would like. Pictures taken Easter weekend  show we were almost snow free. We've pulled the snow blankets off the greens and had our first peek at what's beneath. Some came through really well. The others will need a little TLC but should be ready soon. Mice had a field day on some greens and tee boxes, but if the weather comes through as predicted, warm and a little moist, new growth should be popping up in no time.

From here on the news should be good!  Some continued good weather and concentrated preparation efforts will soon have members out on the course. Hopefully, the weather cooperates and folks will be able to start swinging by soon!

Roughing It Fathers Day Weekend?

Fathers Day weekend is almost here, and that means its time for both the Links Parent & Child Tournament and the US Open. The US Open is one of my favorite events of the year. We can watch some of the world's best players battling par, and each other, under very difficult course conditions. The second major of the year is run by the USGA, not the PGA Tour, under the guiding premise that a winning score for America's open championship should always be close to par. Consequently, host courses are set up to be even more challenging than usual with deep rough, narrow fairways and challenging pin placements.

The USGA Rules and Competitions Committee has strict guidelines for host clubs about how the Open should be set up. It encourages local clubs to emulate these standards for their own open or club championships. The guidelines cover everything from parking arrangements to the positioning of ball washers and water coolers around the course. They speak to how the course should be set up, what equipment is to be used, and even include contingency plans should there be an accident or inclement weather.

Some of the more interesting guidelines deal with the physical set up of the course. Fairways are to be no more than 25 to 35 yards in width and are to be cut at an angle against the direction of play. Sand traps are to have a minimum depth of 4 - 6 inches and have their facing lips newly cut so as to prevent balls from plugging in them. Teeing areas must be level, with markers set exactly six feet apart. Flag sticks are to be at least 6 feet in height and are to be clearly marked with flags of a uniform bright contrasting color for visibility Finally greens must have sufficient area so that a cup can be placed in a level area where a ball struck with force at distance may come to a stop within six feet of the hole.

Perhaps the most famous aspect of a US Open is the attention paid to the rough. The guidelines state that rough needs to be "of a a sufficient height to pose a significant problem." The USGA places a premium on shot making accuracy rather than distance, and feels that a shot into the rough should cost a player potentially at least half a stroke every time a fairway is missed. In order to get the proper height and thickness the USGA even recommends the specific type of mowers to be used (rotary rather than reel) and suggests that all cart traffic be kept out of the rough for a week before the first round of play. The US Open is an equal opportunity major moving around the United States to a different club each year.

At Links the grounds crew frequently hear about the deep rough on the mounds found throughout the course. We are frequently asked why it can't be cut lower or just cut down period. Next time you find yourself deep in the cabbage, or rolling through a fairway, don't get mad. Instead feel honoured that the grounds crew here think highly enough of patrons to set you up with US Open-like conditions! Better yet, adopt the USGA philosophy that accuracy trumps distance. Club down a bit to something you can control, keep it on the short grass and watch the strokes come off your score. The Parent - Child tourney this weekend might be the perfect time to exercise a little more control and a little less scrambling. Unlike the US Open though - we don't have a cut! You'll get to finish what you start and hopefully have a little fun along the way!

Counting Birdies at Links

Golfers affection for birdies is well documented. Shooting under par on any hole is an achievement worth talking about. Achieving an eagle or an albatross is even more note worthy. However, the most common birds found at Links are the kind with wings! The course is habitat for many different species of birds. From the mallards that have taken up residence in the 1st hole dugout to the swallows that swoop from their 150 yard marker bird houses, all of the fine feathered varieties of birds indicate that Links is an environmentally friendly and healthy habitat.

The swallows are my personal favorites. Not only are they fascinating to watch as they skim the surface and dart about the course in the early dawn or twilight, swallows are valuable as insectivores! Swallows eat many flying insects, including mosquitoes and other harmful species. They can cover over 600 miles per day and consume more than their own body weight of flying pests.

Other birds found on the course include robins, starlings and magpies.  A robin's diet consists of  bugs, worms and berries. It is one of the earliest bird species to lay eggs. Nests consist of long coarse grass, twigs, paper, and feathers,smeared with mud and are often cushioned with grass or other soft materials. Robins are also amongst the first birds to sing at dawn, with songs consisting of several distinct notes that are often repeated. The ever present starlings are also omnivorous, preferring insects but willing to help them selves to other opportunities as they arise.

Magpies are perhaps the least liked birds at Links. Members of the crow family, they are intelligent but extremely noisy. They are opportunistic feeders and can become quite aggressive in their tactics. They will eat insects when they have to, but seem to prefer the company, and garbage, of humans. At LInks magpies have built a few rather impressive nests. These can often be seen in the trees down the left side of #2 fairway. A very large example nest exists in the trees behind the club locker shed.

The presence of so many bird species at Links is a good indicator that the course is environmentally friendly and an excellent source of habitat. Golf courses sometimes get a bad rep as environmental hazards due to an alleged reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In reality, most courses strive for a healthy balance between natural and man made solutions. That so many birds call Links home, is a testament to the course's success in attaining this balance. Hopefully you will always find your fair share of birdies at Links. Whether they are on your score card or just in the trees is up to you!

The Hole Truth about Holes in One

Last Saturday I got to experience a thrill that every golfer hopes for: a hole in one! I'd like to say it was an amazingly well struck shot, that it arced beautifully against the sky, dropped gently on the green and rolled purposefully into the cup. Actually it was hit a little thin, hit the bank above the gully trap on six, popped up into the air, and skipped twice before hitting the flag and coming to rest in the hole. No matter. There are no points for style; its the result that matters. I confess my first thought was "Oh no. No one is going to believe this!" for it was late and I was playing alone. Fortunately, the couple ahead of me on the seventh tee witnessed the event. Their excitement at seeing the ace was almost greater than mine in making it.

The odds of scoring a hole in one are hard to estimate. Many golfers go their whole lives in search of their first. Others seem to get them more often. Saturday was my second, the first coming four years ago on number 4. In 1999, Golf Digest reported, "One insurance company puts a PGA Tour pro's chances at 1 in 3,756 and an amateur's at 1 in 12,750."That same issue reported that the "odds of an amateur making two holes-in-one in a round are 9,222,500 to 1."Ireland's National Hole in One Club puts the odds a little longer for one ace: "The estimated odds of acing a hole with any given swing are one in 33,000."

One would think that talent and skill might improve one's chances of scoring an ace. While it surely doesn't hurt, there seems to be no direct correlation between ability and likelihood of scoring a hole in one. There are touring pros who have never had one and high handicappers who have achieved the feat several times. Golf Digest breaks the odds by ability down as follows:

• Tour player making an ace: 3,000 to 1


• Low-handicapper making an ace: 5,000 to 1


• Average player making an ace: 12,000 to 1

• Average player acing a 200-yard hole: 150,000 to 1


• Two players from the same foursome acing the same hole: 17 million to 1

• One player making two holes-in-one in the same round: 67 million to 1 

 Although the par 3 threes at Links are both relatively short holes, it seem the chances of patrons making a hole in one remain quite a long shot. The record for most hole in ones at Links by a single player is currently three. Sitting at 2, I'm potentially only one swing away from tying it every time I play. I like to say that if you take care of the course, the course will take care of you. I guess I'd better be extra kind to the greens at 4 and 6 from now on!

The Frustration of Frost

Its 6:30 on a sunny Saturday morning and instead of 'making the cut' I'm writing a blog. Its not because I'm neglecting my duties. I've already been to the course and been greeted by frosty fields of white grass. May long weekend and we've already had 4 cm of snow, (thankfully departed) followed up by sub zero temperatures and a hard frost worthy of any fall. Its enough to frustrate anyone.

The problem with frost is that it effectively closes the operating window in which course maintenance can be done. Nothing can be taken out on the course until the frost melts and the whole point of early morning maintenance is get it done before the golfers arrive in force - usually just after 8 am. By the time the frost has gone, the golfers will arrive and maintenance operations will be "in the way" delaying play and annoying golfers through much of the morning. The alternative is to let the cutting slide for a day and run the risk of golfers having a less than optimal experience.

Fortunately its still early in the season. The cold weather will have worked against there having been much growth and golfers in the north have learned to be patient with both the course and its employees. The good news the snow and frost will bring some much needed moisture to the parched areas of the course.  I don't get to sleep in, but at least I get some nice quiet time to write this week's blog!

Out on the course the washroom on number 5 is again open as the water has been turned on around the course. The restoration of water means sprinklers will again be operating at night and into the early morning. The rip rapping on the left side of number 9 has left a strip of rocky GUR between the fence and the lathe markers. Golfers who find themselves in there should take relief to avoid hitting the many loose rocks that have been left behind.  Russ is making good progress on the garden box in front of number 5 green. Dave's mower has had its reels sent out for sharpening and Doug is raring to start work on this year's rough mowing. The nets are back in place on number one. All we need now is a little sun and warmth! The spring season is up and running. Hope to to see you swinging by as we make the cut for another year!

What to Do When The Greens Aren't So Green

Anyone watching this week's Players Championship at Sawgrass can't help but notice that the putting surfaces are decidedly less than a rich verdant green. In fact, much like some of our own greens  at Links they appear to a shade of mustard brown. This is not to suggest that our greens are necessarily on par with TPC Sawgrass. There are some very different reasons why both courses have greens that aren't so green.

In Florida the reasons behind the slight discoloration of the greens has much to do with the way they've been prepared for the tournament. At a website dedicated to the Agronomy of TPC Sawgrass one can find the following explanation:

In an effort to accomplish true championship conditions for THE PLAYERS there are a number of factors that contribute to firm, fast and consistent green surfaces. For championships a lot of thought goes into keeping the turfgrass plant healthy while attaining predetermined goals.

Cultural practices entail periodic sand topdressing and light verticutting throughout the year. Height of cut is reduced close to tournament time and by design the greens receive less water and minimal nutrient levels.

This, in part, contributes to a dramatic change in color of the greens. It provides significant contrast to the surrounding turf that is maintained at a different height of cut and fertility regime. When you add double and quadruple mowings per day, growth regulators, and rolling of the greens (from 2-3 times per day) this can result in the bermuda grass taking on a different shade of green. No worries, as the professional turf team is vigilant as to the health of each and every green. 

At Links, the reasons for discolored putting surfaces have more to do with it being early in the season. While greens 2, 4 and 6 came through the winter in great shape, some of the others suffered from this year's extended freeze thaw cycle. Where moisture pooled on the greens and then thawed grass plants suffered damage at the cellular level, leaving large dry brown patches. The solution is several days of warm weather and lots of moisture.

The affected greens have been over seeded. Once the irrigation system is restored, Mother Nature should quickly take over. In the meantime the greens have been rolled, top dressed with sand and brushed in order to provide patrons with as smooth and reliable a putting surface as possible. While everyone enjoys the sunshine after a long winter, a couple of warm rainy days would really help the grass recover. At the very least, it would be nice to see the winds die down so that daily dew deposits get a chance to soak in.

You may have noticed the large mound adjacent to the pond on number five underwent a renovation this week. Russ and Len spent much of Friday converting the weed strewn pile into a large flower box. Once complete the unsightly mound should be a thing of beauty. It will still be in the way for players who lose a bomb drive or second shot to the right, but it will certainly be nicer to look at. With a little time, moisture, and higher temperatures the whole course will be looking sharp! Hope to see all of you out there as we keep "Making the Cut" this spring.

Opening Day

The new season is finally here. FSJ Links is up and running with all greens open ready for use! Its exciting to see the course greening up so nicely and especially good to see that the greens have weathered this long winter season so well. 

There are still a few spots you might want to avoid. There's still the odd snow bank lurking under the trees and in the rough. Low spots are still a little damp and there are places where a lofted shot is far more likely to plug than to bounce and roll. Unofficial water hazards have receded to locations one wouldn't normally want to be in anyways, and continued sunshine and spring breezes will have the course looking great in no time!

The greens have come through the winter pretty well. There are some thin spots, and a little bit of ice damage in low places, but for the most part they are looking good for this time of year. As conditions warm up, new growth will quickly take over. Already the mower is taking up lots of grass. During these early days of the season it is especially important to remember to repair all ball and spike marks made on the greens. If we could only convince those pesky deer to walk elsewhere too!

Fairways, aprons, collars and rough are, well still a little rough around the edges. Brown is still the dominant color but all this will quickly improve however as we work through the rest of May. For now its just great to be back and to get things going again. 

Grounds crew staff will be on the course daily so please watch out for us as you play. Most maintenance is done early in the mornings, before most golfers are on the course. Please remember that we are out there working for your benefit. Even if you don't mean it, hitting a staffer with a shot can still ruin everyone's day. We try not to inconvenience players too much, but when you see us working on the greens, tees or around the course, please be patient and careful!

I have appreciate hearing from folks who following the blog. Your comments, questions and feedback are always welcome. I try to update the page weekly, with new posts going up every weekend. If there are topics you would like to see addressed about the outside maintenance of the course, or if you are simply curious about why we do some of the things we do, I'd be happy to try to provide information. Len, Russ, Gord, Doug and myself hope you have as much fun playing the course as we do getting it ready for you!

The count down has begun.....

Last week snow - this week sunny skies!  So where were you a year ago? Chances are if you're a Links regular you were waiting on winter! It was a particularly cold wet spring and we had to endure snowfall after snowfall. This year it looks like we've seen the last of the white stuff.

The extended shoulder season is finally coming to a close. This weekend for the first time temperatures are expected to reach double digits during the day and, more importantly stay at or above freezing at night!  The course is mostly bare and all we need is some sustained warmth and a little bit of rain and things will be green in no time!

Regional micro climates mean that Taylor's Lone Wolf course is always the first local course to open. Flying home from Vancouver last week, my plane descended over Taylor and I noted that the course seems to have come through the winter well. Another friend who lives in the Charlie Lake area tells me their snow has also retreated but never as fast as residents would like. Pictures taken April 21stth at Links show we are almost snow free. We've pulled the snow blankets off the greens and had our first peek at what's beneath. Greens 2, 4, and 6 came through really well. The others will need a little TLC but should be ready soon. Len was out with the seeding machine this week and if the weather is as predicted, warm and a little moist, new growth should be popping up in no time.

Some of the patchiness you will see early on comes from the presence of poa annua in many of our greens. An invasive species that is actually a weed, the poa did not do well with the extended freeze thaw cycles of the past winter. Similarly, there has been some ice damage to low spots where slower drainage caused water to stand and freeze. Fortunately, due to the forgiving nature of grass the greens should bounce back quickly

From here on the news should be good!  With the Canucks faltering in the playoffs, the golfing jokes are flying. With some continued good weather and concentrated preparation efforts members shots will soon be flying too! Opening day is projected for sometime later in the week. Hopefully, the weather cooperates and folks will be able to start swinging by before next weekend!

The More Things Change...

Just when it was beginning to look a lot like spring, winter returns for one last blast! Trade Show weekend is supposed to help get everyone excited about returning to the course. All the snow that came down over the past 24 hours will certainly generate some excitement, but not necessarily of the positive variety. Hopefully next week will see a return to warmer temperatures and the schedule for opening day will not be set back too far.

With outside preparations temporarily on hold attention turns to the equipment. Over the past few years science and technology have brought all sorts of innovations to golf.  In 2010 Golf Digest published its list of Golf's 60 most important innovations. That's a lot of innovating. My father at 75, has been playing the game for over 60 years. While he has certainly taken advantage of many, if not most of the innovations described by Golf Digest, his list of key innovations is much shorter. He cites mower technology and course maintenance as the two most significant innovations, because they determine the nature of the playing surface. Dad has never actually worked at a golf course, but as an avid player and huge fan he has seen a lot of courses over a lot of years.

As a maintenance worker (and good son) I have to agree with Dad. The modern riding mower has been a huge step forward. It now seems unthinkable that as late as the 1960's greens were still being mowed by hand and fairways by tractor drawn gang mowers. Companies such as John Deere, Toro and Jacabsen now have entire divisions dedicated to producing specialized mowers designed to groom and prepare uniform playing surfaces across a course,

Course maintenance is a broad topic that can be used to describe a lot of things. Certainly the amount of science and technology that now goes into preparing and maintaining the playing surface is at least equal to the amount that goes into the evolution of clubs and equipment. The development of climate sensitive grass cultivars, irrigation and drainage systems, stimpmeters, soil testing, course design, and hazard design and placement are just a few of the innovations that have impacted the game.

A relatively new innovation is consideration given to the demographics of persons who play the game. Recently the European Institute of Golf Course Architects put out an article suggesting that as golfers age, courses will increasingly need to consider the needs of older players. Designing and maintaining courses that are user friendly for golfers of all ages may be the next innovative challenge the game deals with. I know my Dad would certainly approve!

Waiting out the freeze/thaw cycle

April is here and with it has come increased sunshine and rising temperatures. Coupled with media coverage of major tournaments for both the men's and women's professional tours and anticipation for local opening days has begun to mount. While its nice to finally see the sun, this shoulder season is actually a high risk period  for the course due to repeated freeze thaw cycles.

The freeze thaw cycle describes conditions where warming day time temperatures produce good melting conditions, but evening temperatures remain below freezing. Situated in latitudes between the the far north and southern Canada, the Peace country experiences more of these days than the rest of BC.  The freeze/thaw cycle repeats itself more than 70 times annually, with more than forty of those instances coming in the spring.

Repeated freezing/thaw cycles are hard on everything. Repeated creation and melting of ice  causes the extreme weathering that leads to potholes and damage to course infrastructure such as cart paths and tee boxes. The real threat, however, is to the grass. Dormant under a protective layer of snow, grass is sensitive to warmer temperatures and literally comes to life. Repeated exposure to ice can cause new plant cells to rupture and the grass to die. 

Extended ice cover is also damaging.  Once roused from dormancy, grass, like all living things, begins to breathe. If ice blocks proper air exchange, the build up of carbon monoxide  can literally cause plants to suffocate. When surface temperatures rise and cause the snow to melt from the bottom up, air pockets form,  creating conditions that can produce snow molds. Where wind removes the snow cover too quickly, evaporation sucks up surface moisture and grass ends up wind burnt, dessicated or freezer burned.

Patience remains the name of the game. Nature moves at its own pace and human attempts to speed the process can cause unexpected and expensive consequences. Left on its own, nature usually finds a balance. A wise grounds crew takes its lead from nature and where necessary, provides restorative assistance, rather than try to unnecessarily rush the process.

A recent walk of the course indicates that even though the calendar says spring is here, Links is still a few weeks from opening day.  Much of the snow is gone but there are still areas that are either under deep snow or spring run off. Until these areas clear and green grass returns, local golfers will have lots of time to assess their equipment, prepare for the season and purchase memberships at the upcoming trade show. 

Other signs of spring include organizational meetings for the coming commercial league season. Jeff will be posting updates to the course's web and Facebook pages. Hopefully this weekend we'll be lifting some of the blankets protecting the greens and tee boxes to assess growing conditions. If nature is kind it won't be long before we'll all be out on the course swinging for the greens and making the cut!

Building A Course is a Major Achievement

April is nearly here, and with it should come the end of the snow and the emergence of some real grass. While Links grounds crew will be scouting the course to assess early spring conditions, many golfers will be turning their attention to the first major championship of the year, the Masters held annually at Augusta National.


Augusta is a fabled course, recognized the world over for its famous holes and playing conditions. The course includes towering pines, and azaleas and dogwoods that seem to bloom on command each spring. Originally an indigo plantation, the property became a nursery in 1837. Operating under the name Fruitland Nurseries, the business imported many types of trees and plants from other countries. The business thrived for more than 50 years but ceased operations in the early 1900's. The property remained stagnant until 1931 when Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones purchased it for $70,000.Dr. Alister Mackenzie was selected to help Jones design the course, and construction began that summer.


MacKenzie and Jones shared a vision for the course that focused on the concept of risk and reward. Jones believed that no good golf hole should exist that did not afford a proper and convenient solution to the average golfer and the short player, as well as to the more powerful and accurate professional. MacKenzie shared this view stating, "There should be a sufficient number of heroic carries from the tee, but the course should be arranged so that the weaker player with the loss of a stroke or portion of a stroke shall always have an alternative route open to him."

In comparison, Links golf course was the brain child of John Holland. Back in 1988 he wanted to have a place in town where people could feel welcome, play some golf, meet some new friends and have some fun. After locating a suitable plot of land adjoining farm land and the City's Community Forest on the northeast edge of town, John set out to build his dream. Son’s Len and Jim worked with John and wife Rose, to design and build the course. Working on evenings and weekends after their other jobs were finished, they cut trees, cleared brush, dug, scratched and scraped to shape the land for the next four years. The course opened for play in the spring of 1992. Like Bobby Jones, John sought to create a course that would challenge and reward the good player while still offering a fair test to less accomplished patrons.

Rose is now the keeper of the course's history. If you'd like to learn more about how the course was built, or if you'd like to renew or take out a membership for the coming year, the proshop will be open from March 30th to April 12th between the hours of 11am and 6pm. Links will also be at the CKNL Trade Show April 13th to 15th. Here's hoping warmer weather will soon have us all out on the course soon.

A Last Blast From Winter?

Another week has passed and the calendar says we should be seeing signs of spring! Apparently the weather operates on a different schedule, as the course has collected several centimeters of fresh snow. Its what might be found underneath all that white stuff that can cause concern.

Snow mold is usually a worry this time of year. Snow mold is a fungal disease that can appear in early spring as snow melts. There are two types: Grey snow mold (also known as Typhula blight) and pink snow mold (sometimes referred to as Fusarium patch). Pink snow mold infects the crown of the plant and can cause more severe injury than gray snow mold which only infects the leaf tissue.

Snow mold occurs after an extended period of snow cover on ground that is not completely frozen. It can also happen where fertilizer or weather caused a flush of growth late in the fall. Snow mold can also occur under leaves that were not cleaned up or in long grass that wasn't properly mowed before winter set in. Those conditions are usually found in the rough or areas most golfers want to avoid. Its the tees and greens that get our attention first.

This year's lack of snow cover in February likely means the ground has freeze dried. Early freeze thaw cycles mean rather than snow mold, there's more likely a layer of ice to contend with. This layer won't disappear until temperatures stay above freezing for an extended stretch of time. When ice cover remains in place for more than 30 days cells in the grass plants will rupture and the plants will die! Hopefully the current cold snap is short lived!

In an ideal world the snow would vanish over night and be instantly replaced with beautiful green grass. While we all know that's not going to happen, it shouldn't be long now before we hear the gurgling of spring run off and bid winter a final farewell! Another sure sign of spring is Ft St John's annual Trade Show. Be sure to visit the Links booth April 13 - 15 to renew your membership for the coming season!  Can't wait till then? Call Rose or Len at the Pro shop at 250 785 9995 and make arrangements to drop by early to get the jump on pre season deals! Until next week, here's hoping for warmer weather and early opportunities to get out on the Links!

March - In Like A Lion.......

What a difference a few days can make. After commenting last week about how little snow cover was left on the course, this weekend has reminded everyone that the snow tires will need to be out a while longer! Looking outside this morning it looks pretty white out there, but spring is coming and the grounds crew are ready. As previously mentioned last week I'll be looking forward to pulling the protective covers off the greens and tees and assessing the course for winter damage.

When it comes to covering or uncovering grass timing is very important. To survive winter temperatures grass needs t to "harden" off and acclimate to colder temperatures back in the fall. Pulling the blankets at the wrong time can also result in weak or damaged grass. Anyone who has spent any time in the Peace country knows that our wildly unpredictable weather can make it a challenge to determine when its the right time to pull the covers.

Moisture is the principal culprit when it comes to winter damage. Too much too early leads to ice cover and winter kill. Too little too late and plants dry out and die. Snow cover that provides insulation through the winter and valuable moisture in the spring can also provide good growing conditions for snow mould. Grey snow mould is a common disease of turfgrasses in areas where there are over 90 days of continuous snow cover during the winter. As with most problems, its better to prevent mould than to have to fix it later! Hopefully Len's work last  fall  will see us get off to a great start this spring. The wild card this year has been our bouts of warm weather. The freeze thaw cycle, usually reserved for late March and April, came early this year, and the return to more seasonal temperatures now, leaves the course facing icy conditions!

While waiting on Mother Nature golfers can ease the anticipation by upgrading their equipment or purchasing a membership for the coming season. Come see the Links staff at the trade show April 13 - 15 at the Pomeroy Sport Centre, or call Len or Rose at 250 785 - 9995 to check out deals at the pro shop. Whether we work outside or in,  Links staff are looking forward to the new season!

Welcome to A New Season

Welcome to a new year of Making the Cut! This year the blog will continue offer information about what's happening outside at the Fort St John Links Golf course. As the guy who cuts the greens (most of the time anyways) it will be my pleasure to keep you informed about whats happening out on the course. This year Making the Cut is expanding its focus to include news from the inside staff as well. I'm hoping to make the blog a one stop information center for members and friends of the Links!

Right now whats happening is a whole lot of very little. In early March the course is still solidly under layers of snow and ice. Parts of the course have been exposed by warmer weather and steady winter winds. That's not necessarily a good thing though. Snow provides some valuable moisture to promote spring growth. Last year at this time there was still several inches of the white stuff all over the course. This year, the freeze thaw cycle has already begun.

When the last of the snow does go the grounds crew will have a lot of work ahead. Blankets will need to be pulled from the greens and tees and turf condition will need to be assessed for winter damage. This year the concerns will be over wind burn and ice damage. In some places cross country ski tracks may also have left their marks. If all goes well though opening day should come towards the end of April.

The inside staff are gearing up for another season too. Jeff has already sent out the first notice for the planning of this year's men's commercial league. Rose and Len are preparing for this year's membership renewal and registration drive. The 40th Annual CKNL Trade Show being held  April 13, 14 & 15 usually signals the unofficial start to the Links season. Be sure to get your membership then or by contacting Rose at the clubhouse between 11 AM and 6 PM, March 30th - April 12th.

The clubhouse is already open for preseason shopping weekdays from 5 PM to 6 PM or on Saturdays from 1 PM until 3. Check the Links website at fortstjohnlinks.com for more details and information.

Weekly blog updates will be posted on Sunday's from now until opening day, and then more frequently through out the season. Its great to be back. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone out on the course just as soon as there's a need to be Making the Cut!

Good bye to Another Season

The curtain has finally dropped on another season. I haven't been at the course much these last few weeks. The weather and leaves have turned, and temperatures have fallen below my comfort level. (That and my other job is currently keeping me a tad busy). I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Hollands once again for giving me the chance to work around the course. As always its been fun, entertaining and a great learning experience.

This week the flags are all coming down and the greens will be prepared against the inevitable winter snows.There will be one more furry of activity on the course as tarps are pulled out of storage and carefully laid out across the greens and tees. Soon enough winter snows will pile deep across the course and the countdown will be on for the return of the spring and another seasons play.

Winter golf will be restricted to sunnier climes or virtual games and the mowers will sit quietly stored in their sheds. Making the Cut will also be taking a break with only a few updates about the course in winter! The good news is there are only 5 1/2 months until spring! Until then I hope you can all find suitable pursuits to keep you busy.  Hopefully the time will pass quickly. See you next spring when its time to start making the cut again!

Clean up Laps

The changing and falling of the the leaves, the dwindling daylight, and slowly declining temperatures provide ample evidence that this golf season is close to an end. Determined golfers are making the most of the time left taking advantage of a sunny September.  The cooler darker days are limiting grass growth and mowing schedules have been cut back, and on course maintenance is shifting from summer maintenance to autumn hardening and preparations for winter.

Greens and tee boxes have been aerated and top dressed in order to strengthen root structures. Trees have been trimmed and cut. Potential deadfalls have been felled and removed. Several small scale maintenance projects are also underway that take advantage of the reduced play and traffic on the course, and preparations are underway for putting the course to bed in October.

A lot goes into prepping the course for winter. There is much more to closing than just pulling out the flags and gathering up the tee markers. Greens and tees will need to be chemically treated against winter moulds and diseases. Blankets and covers need to be acquired and sized for installation before the winter snows arrive. 

Keeping ice out of the irrigation system is always a challenge, especially at the junction where the city supply connects with the course's system. Shutting the water off is easy, as are blowing out the courses lines with air. The hard part is preventing gradual seepage from ground water or spring runoff that will alternately freeze and thaw through out the the system and potentially cause delays in restoring the irrigation system in the spring.

Once mowers are retired for the season they need to be serviced and prepared both for winter storage and for easy start up in the spring. Some reels are sent away for sharpening, other parts are serviced on site. All equipment needs to be assessed for wear and tear and a determination made as to whether or not it can be prepared for another season or whether it should be retired and replaced. The shops are currently not well heated or insulated so the window of opportunity where work may be done comfortably can be pretty narrow.

In terms of competitive play, there are very few functions left this year. The men's commercial league wind up was played Sundays and the playoffs have come down to a winner take all face off between the first and second place teams. Only the closing day Die hard tournament is left on the fixtures card. My work year at the course has also drawn to a close.

Sadly, Ive had to park my mower and return to my week day job at the school district. As always its been great fun to  make the cut this year. I'll continue to update the outside blog through the fall and into winter, though entries will likely be limited to one or two a month. I've enjoyed writing this blog and hope readers found it interesting. When I started back in March my target was to reach at least 100 hits per month. The site will reach its 700th reader sometime this week, so that goal will be reached. Hopefully you can get out to the course a few more times in the next two weeks but if I don't see you out there I'll watch for you next spring when we start making the cut once again!

In the Loop

This past weekend saw Links host its 2011 club championship. The outside crew faced a few challenges in getting the course ready for this event. A broken water line on Thursday and a broken belt on the greens mower Friday, meant some hurried activity and improvisation were needed  to have the course set up for the championship. Fortunately the weather was fabulous both days.

As it turned out most of the grounds crew sat out this year's event.  There are many reasons why we might skip a tournament. Len might tell you the event is for members and most of us are staff. Russ might say that he doesn't care to hear comments about where he sets the pins, and I'm not partial to comments about how the greens are running. I think really, we just like setting up the course better than competing on it.

I did get to be part of this year's championship in a different sort of way, however by caddying for the eventual winner, Jeremy Clothier. A year ago Jeremy had lined up someone else to be on his bag for the club championship. Plans had even been set for sport appropriate costumes, but somehow the plan went awry. When the topic came up this year I volunteered for the job. I'd have to say it was both interesting and kind of fun. The costumes were restricted mostly to Jeremy's John Daly-like pants and my Bagger Vance hat, but the competition in the championship flight was tight and intense and came right down to the last three holes before a par birdie birdie run  earned Jeremy the title.

The fact that Jeremy brought a caddy likely raised a few eyebrows, and I know a few folks wondered about why I'd consent to lug around Jeremy's extra large staff bag, but the facts are that's how caddying is done. Most folks are familiar with the sight of caddies on the PGA tour, and Jeremy and I were trying to simulate that look as best we could.

The role of the caddy historically dates back to the 17th century when the nobility would have young military officers carry their clubs for them. These cadets, pronounced cad - days, eventually morphed into more seasoned course workers at Scottish golf clubs. These caddies (cad - deez) worked in pairs and would for a fee, carry a member's clubs and scout ahead to ensure that a member's ball could be easily located for the next shot. The caddie who went on ahead was called a fore caddy. When a member hit, the carry caddy would shout "fore" to alert the fore caddy of the incoming shot. This tradition has carried on in golf etiquette and is the reason golfers still yell fore when a shot threatens to come too close to players on ahead.

In the 19th century caddies were truly the first professionals to work the golf circuit. The game was played mostly by amateurs and the caddies, as course workers were the only ones who could make their entire living from the game. As the 20th century progressed and golf became an increasingly professional game, caddies were less and less commonly used by average golfers. Today they are almost exclusively found at the professional level and at some elite private courses.

The modern caddy's job is both simple and complex. Sometimes described as "Show up, keep up and shut up" the caddie's real job is to give his golfer what they need, when they need it. Whether its yardage, the right club, encouragement, water, a snack or just a helpful word or two to keep the golfer focused, caddies need to be in the right place at the right time. They keep the equipment clean and in good working order and tend to the flag around the green. Almost invisible when they do their job well, caddies only make the news when they make a mistake or, as with the recent case of Stevie Williams, they are let go.

This weekend there were two caddies found at the Links club championship. I was carrying for Jeremy and one of the juniors had a rather diminutive younger associate pushing his cart. Ironically we both got offers to abandon our golfers and work for other competitors at higher rates of pay, though neither of us did. I don't know if having a caddy was instrumental to Jeremy outlasting the competition to win the club championship. Certainly to win, a golfer needs the talent and ability to hit the shots that the course demands. I'd like to think my caddying helped to some degree. At least I can claim to be the caddy with the best winning percentage at Links. Until next year I'll just take my 1-0 record and go back to my regular job making the cut around the greens!

The Hole Truth About Aerification

You may have seen that over this week tee boxes are being hole punched. This process is known as aerification. Aerification achieves three important objectives. It relieves soil compaction, it provides a method to improve the soil mixture around the highest part of grass roots and it reduces and prevents the accumulation of too much thatch.

The quality of a good playing surface is more than what golfers see at the surface.  In fact, what the golfer sees at the surface is greatly impacted by what goes on below the grass. In order for grass to grow thickly enough to produce a quality green or tee box, it must have deep, healthy roots. Good root systems need to breathe. In good soil, they get the oxygen from tiny pockets of air trapped between soil and sand particles.

Over time, the traffic on the course compacts the soil - particularly in high traffic areas like greeen and tees, or areas where the soil contains a lot of clay. When soil gets compacted, air pockets are crushed, and the roots are essentially left without enough air. Without oxygen, the grass plants become weaker and will eventually wither and die.

Aerification is a mechanical process that creates more air space in the soil and promotes deeper rooting,  helping the grass plants to stay healthier. It's often done by removing half-inch cores from the compacted soil, allowing for air and water to get in and promote a resurgence of growth. The spaces are sometimes filled with sand - "topdressing" - to help the soil retain air space and makes it easier for roots to grow.

Older courses often are constructed on soils with significant amounts of silt, clay and may be prone to compacting over time. Filling aerification holes with sand improves drainage and resists compaction. The periodic introduction of sand can, over time, avoid or postpone expensive rebuilding or renovations of areas like greens or teeboxes.

Growing turf also gains organic matter on the surface. Frequent cutting produces clippings. While clippings are routinely carted away on the greens, they are left on the tees and fairways to contribute to a layer of organic material. This layer, called thatch, is an accumulation of dead stems, leaves and roots. A little organic matter makes for a good playing surface, but too much invites diseases and insects. Topdressing with sand can prevent thatch buildup, Aerification is one of the best ways to reduce an existing layer and prevent an excess of thatch from becoming established.

Often aerification techniques use machines with "tines"; or knives that simply poke holes through the soil profile. Verticutting greens is such a process. A new technique even uses ultra high-pressure water that's injected through the soil profile to create small holes that relieve some compaction but heal quickly.

Many types of aerifying machines have different attachments to deal with different sorts of problems. So the next time you're ready to comment on all those little holes please remember that a little preventative maintenance brings out the best in the course over the long haul.

The F's of September

The calendar now reads September and there's abundant proof around the course that fall is truly here. September is a month full of f's, and no, I'm not referring to a certain expletive known to occasionally escape a few frustrated golfers lips. September is a month were fog, frost, fertilizer and falling leaves and trees can be frequently found!

As the days shorten and night time temperatures fall two phenomenon begin to occur. The first is fog. Fog forms when warm air moves over colder land. The result is the formation of a low layer of cloud. Fog is tough on golfers and maintenance crews. It is damp and cold and reduces visibility to the point where it is impossible to track the flight of a golf ball or safely transport equipment. A heavy fog usually keeps golfers off the course but it can slow down or stop maintenance as well.

The second phenomenon is frost. Frost is basically frozen dew, deposited on the grass in the form of crystals. Grass itself holds a lots of water so often, with a heavy frost the pant is frozen too.  Frost is is found most often in the shoulder seasons of early spring or late fall. It happens most frequently when clear nights allow the surface temperature to drop close to freezing.

Walking on frosted grass causes the brittle frozen plants to break and crushes the plant at a cellular level. Once broken frosted plants cannot repair themselves. Frosted grass that has been walked on will die. It takes between 48 and 72 hours for harm to become apparent but the resulting damage, especially late in the season, can seriously affect the plant's ability to successfully survive the coming winter. A good rule of thumb is if its frozen, don't play on it!

With the end of the season approaching September also means time to fertilize. The grass is nearing the end of its seasonal growth cycle. Fall fertilizing helps keep the plants green and growing to the end of the season and, in combination with verticutting, helps the pants deepen and strengthen their root systems as they prepare for winter dormancy. At Links fertilizer on the greens usually looks like small green grains or dots. The trick is to lay down the fertilizer at the best time. Just before it rains is optimal. A good watering helps the fertilizer dissolve and soak in. Without a good soaking fertilizer can burn the grass and much of it can be picked up by the greens mower, limiting its effect.

Perhaps the most obvious messenger of fall are the trees. The deciduous trees around the course will start to have their leaves turn and fall. Balls that may have already been tough to find in the rough or edges of the fairway will soon be further obscured by leaf litter. While many home owners dutifully rake and bags the leaves that fall on their yards, the sheer volume of leaves that fall at a course make pick up impossible. The decomposing leaves also play a role under the coming snow in protecting and naturally fertilizing the turf beneath them.

You may have noticed that course staff have been falling a number of trees around the course. This is because, in most cases, if we don't fall them, they may fall themselves. The trees that are being culled at this time of the year are diseased, dying or already dead. The best example in the beetle killed pine that had been guarding the left side of number 3. It was sad to see the old tree have to go, but better it be taken down safely than by the wind or nature exposing golfers to risk. Tree maintenance can elicit strong reactions in golfers. Some are quite attached to the trees and find removal of even one quite hard to take. Other members are only too happy to recommend particular trees as potential victims for the chainsaw. Most og  the have had instances where they wish they had a Husqvarna in their bags. The lone branch overhanging the left side of the sixth tree box is a frequent nominee for pruning!

With fall upon us winter must certainly be approaching. Whether it be be frost, fog, fertilizer, failing daylight or falling leaves or branches, the autumn is certainly has its challenges  The days, and season may be getting short, but there's still a little time left to get out and cut a few shots off your handicap. And while you're doing that I'll be counting down the days I have left to still make the cut!