Dollar Spot Disease 2009

Did you ever wonder what these areas pictured were on our greens this year?
2009 was a tough year at Rolling Hills and many other courses in the St. Louis area for this disease called "Dollar Spot".


Our fungicide program here at Rolling Hills is based on the "as needed" concept. During optimum disease pressure months we are continually scouting for signs of any disease.



Normallly fungicide applications for Dollar Spot can keep you free of disease for 14-21 days. In 2009 however there were occasions where at the 10th day we started to see disease outbreak. Low fertility and abnormally wet conditions only aided in the disease outbreaks.



Although there are advantages to low fertility based golf course greens, such as smoothness and green speed, the low fertility in 2009 worked against us. For more information regarding Dollar Spot you can read on it at www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-105-W.pdf

2009 Irrigation Winterizing

Here is a picture of the air compressor used to blow the irrigation lines free of water.


Hose runs from compressor in to pumphouse


Air hose attached to main irigation line that heads out to course


The first step in winterizing the system is to plug into all of the quick couplers seen above on the course and blow them free which will ultimately empty most of the main line water.

Here is another quick coupler being blown out. These quick couplers are located at all greens, front nine tees, and some landscape areas.



We have to ability to fill the back nine irrigation lake by pumping from the front nine lake. Pictured above we are forcing water out of 4" fill line into lake.


Another picture of 4" fill line from front nine lake to back nine lake being blown out.


Once quick couplers are blown we then move on to the regular irrigation heads. Pictured above we are blowing out the clubhouse grounds.


#14 Fairway heads being blown out...


#16 Fairway heads being blown out...


#16 Fairway heads again.

Winter Cart Covers For Our Golfers

Pictured here is one of our new RXV EZGO golf carts with cover ready for your Winter enjoyment. We have up to 20 of these covers so come out and see us.

Re-Sodding of Tees

Our tee sodding in the Summer of 2009 started with #2 White and Red Tees. Because of the stress that golfers impose on a golf course, from time to time grass replacement is necessary. Some other tees that were re-sodded in 2009 include....



#9 Red Tee



#11 Red Tee



#12 Red Tee



#15 White/Blue

Pierce Ln./Stamper Ln. Road Construction Update

Here is an update on the road construction on Pierce Lane. They were hoping to allow access thru by 1/1/10. This picture is from bridge back toward Rolling Hills
There will be a sidewalk on the left.



The left half of the road has been poured looking South from the bridge.



Looking North down towards the bridge



A look from the Stamper/Pierce intersection which is open. Sidewalk to be on right.

#17 Tee Renovation

Graded and leveled tee on #17. Picture from the front of tee back toward #16 green. Notice the shade on the back left of tee. The tree that creates this shade will be removed to allow more sun since we are converting the tee from a cool season grass to a warm season grass-zoysia-which needs more sun.



View toward #17 green with newly sodded tee in forground.




Dan drenches new sod in for the final step.



Picture of finished product with now dormant Zoysia. Bottom left of picture is where the old oak tree was that provided too much shade.

#12 Tee Renovation

The first step the this renovation was removal of old sod and leveling of tee.




Jordan, Jordan, and Dan admire zoysia sod during installation. A starter fertilizer was applied to tee prior to laying of sod




In the foreground is the Kubota tractor used for rolling out the 30 yard zoysia rolls. The rolls are picked up then rolled out backwards.




Sod is immediately drenched in and kept closed until sod has tacked down. In this instance tee was sodded in the middle of August and was open by the first week of September.




A picure of the finished tee after the Zoysia has gone dormant.