In an area of the country that does not receive rain for six months out of the year, drought management is an ongoing concern. At Stockton Golf and Country Club, we have been working on saving water regardless of the wet season’s rainfall or the Sierra Nevada snow pack. In the last 5 years, we’ve slowly made the move to common Bermuda on a handful of fairways, reducing irrigation requirements by roughly 50 percent on those holes in the summer months. The moisture in our greens is monitored using a hand-held moisture meter to eliminate over watering. In 2009, we replaced all of our intermediate nozzles on our Rain Bird 700’s with a new ‘spreader’ nozzle that has greatly improved uniformity. Finally, each year we use more and more wetting agents to make the most of our irrigation. If water restrictions are imposed, we have a simple guide to follow by cutting irrigation in out of play areas, the driving range, the rough, and if need be, the fairways. The tees, approaches, and greens would be spared any shortage until absolutely necessary. Our drought restriction zones have been clearly identified and these are shared with the green committee and management. When the time comes to implement the plan, and someday it surely will, our first step is a PR campaign using blogs, e-blasts, the club newsletter, locker room bulletin boards, and personal communication to the members to explain the necessary changes. Water is not a renewable resource, but the rough can always be brought back to life with a little seed and a little water. Jim Alwine is superintendent at Stockton Golf and Country Club in Stockton, Calif. Check out his blog at http://sgccturf.blogspot.com/ or you can reach him at sgccturf@sbcglobal.net |
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