About Me

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Los Gatos, California, United States
Kevin is currently the certified superintendent at La Rinconada Country Club. Kevin was the Director of Maintenance at Lahontan Golf Club for over 14 years. Some of the responsibilities over the expanse of his career include the daily upkeep of multiple golf courses, natural resources, environmental compliance, and roads and streets. The wide ranging expertise has come from a combination of education and experiences. Degrees in Meteorology (1987 University of Nebraska/Lincoln), and Horticulture (1992 Colorado State), complete the formal side of this important combination of qualifications. A lifetime of experience around golf courses, and the game of golf was provided by Kevin's father.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Fall Maintenance Update

I am happy to report that fall maintenance is going very well after 2 days.
The following work is complete

Greens
Aerated with .5 inch tines
Aeration cores cleaned off
Gypsum and mineral package applied
Topdressing sand applied and drug in
Aerated with .25 inch tines
Aeration cores cleaned off by hand on 9 holes
Greens being aerated the second time with .25 inch tines
Tees
Remove yardage plates
Aerated with .5 inch tines
Tee tops verticut with graden
Organic material raked out of the surface
Seed applied

Tee box aeration and selective pruning of trees on #16
Fairways
Aeration with .75 inch solid tines on 4 inch centers 75% complete

Roughs
Aeration with .75 inch hollow tines on 6 inch centers 65% complete

What is left to do?

Greens
Hand broom finish filling any remaining aeration holes
Planet air
Verticut 2 directions
Apply lime and fertilizer
Roll


Tees
Topdress edges with sand
Drag
Apply fertilizer
Re-install yardage plates

Fairways
Finish .75 inch tine aerification
Seed rye
Topdress at 25 tons / acre
Drag in topdressing
Clean topdressing sand from around sprinkler heads

Roughs
Finish .75 inch tine aerification
Seed rye in select areas
Topdress at 25 tons / acre

Miscellaneous
Prep the event lawn for a wedding on Saturday
Clean the parking lot where the 1,000 tons of topdressing sand resided
Get the course ready for play Saturday morning when we re-open. Cut cups, put out signage and ropes / stakes, etc.
Selective tree pruning is also done this week while the course is closed



I really enjoy this week of work and the coordination it takes on my part. Of course none of this happens without the hard work of my staff, and I greatly appreciate the hard work and long hours. I also appreciate doing this work with the course closed and the patience that the Membership exercises during maintenance week. In the end we all benefit from giving a little to have a great conditioned course.




Kevin

1 comment:

Andrew Doyle said...

Kevin,
Really enjoyed reading the process in which La Rinconada CC carries out fall aerification processes. Being a student majoring in turfgrass at Iowa state, it is extremely beneficial to turn to blogs to see how superintendents from around the country carry our cultural practices. Your course looks awesome, keep up the good work!
Andrew Doyle