Question For Tom Doak

[Bryan Tipton]

Tom:

Do you have any construction pictures of your project at Deer Lodge, MT?

What variety of fescue or mix of fescue did you use at Ballyneal.  Was a different mix or single variety used for the greens than the fairway/tees?  

Thanks

[Tom_Doak]

Bryan:

That is three questions!

We haven't taken any pictures of construction in Deer Lodge yet, but Larry Lambrecht is going to go out there next month and take some "before" shots of the holes we haven't touched plus a few of the holes we've shaped.  I will post a handful here once that happens.

The fairway and greens grass mix at Ballyneal was developed by Dave Wilber.  I don't think I should tell the exact varieties as that's what Dave gets paid to do, and truthfully, I don't remember them all.  The greens are a bit different than the fairways; one or two of the components are the same, but other grasses in the fairways won't survive the greens cutting height so we don't bother to put those in the mix.

[Bill_McBride]

Tom, that's interesting about the fairway grass being largely the same as the greens mix.  The surrounds at the Valley Club of Montecito seem to be very much like the greens, just cut maybe 1/4" longer.  Is that the same grass?  The new very large area to the right and short of #18 is incredible, a huge change from in the past where that was pretty shaggy.  There is now tremendous interest in putting when the pin is up front, even from 30 yards!

[Ryan Farrow]

Have you gotten to check out Spanish Peaks yet? I’m not sure how far away it is. I actually played hockey with the kid’s family who owns the property/resort and wondered how it turned out.

[Bryan Tipton]

Ryan:

Kent Orvik was my assistant when I worked at Sutton Bay.  He is now one of three assistant superintendents at Spanish Peaks under Bob Clarkson.  I try to keep in touch with him, but they have a busy schedule.  The last time I talked to Kent, they had completed grassing on nine holes.  The season is very short up in the mountains.  From what Kent told me, everything but greens and tees were sodded.  

Tom:
The fescue varieties I used in the past are (rescue 911) and (Jamestown II) but they were used for the rough only.  I was looking to see what varieties perform best at fairway height or shorter.

Thanks for your help.    

[RJ_Daley]

You guys should talk to Cory Crandell, formerly at Sand Hills, and Josh Mahar at Wild Horse about their experiences with fescues in those climates.  We have been teasing Wilbur around since they announced Ballyneal about what turf seed species and cultivars he was going to specify, and of course he deflects the question.  

But the differences in a 100-150 miles in those parts makes a lot of difference in micro climates and their effects on fescues, or so I"m told.

I'd like to see a comparison chart of degree days, relative humidity, and spring-fall icing storm events, between these three courses.  I'm sure that all means something in spec'ing the seed blends.  

[Bryan Tipton]

RJ:

About five years ago I did talk to Corey about what was used at the Sand Hills.  Jamestown was the variety of fesue used on the fairways at the Sand Hills.  The greens there are bent if I remember right.  

The problem is that new and improved varieties come out yearly.  Jamestown has been replaced with Jamestown II and so on.  It is always nice to talk to supers on new courses because they are usually trying the new varieties out.

As far as climate goes NE will have a longer season than SD and ND but the grasses usually perform the same.  When you get to Kansas and states below you will see some difference in perfomance because of the heat.

Thanks for the reply

[A_Clay_Man]

In my last conversation with Corey, he was very positive about the situation at Ballyneal. He cited the winter watering system as being a key to the early health of the turf there, versus that first winter at SH. Corey is a consultant for BN.