Celebration Bermudagrass-Pine Tree

[Anthony_Nysse]

Several months ago, I posted that we had approved a regrassing/renovation project here at Pine Tree. We will be regrassing our fairways the celebration bermudagrass, removing the contamination in the tifeagle approaches and regrassing our bunker faces, removing some of the eroded faces and akward edging of years past.
  2 weeks ago today, we made the 1st of 3 herbicide applications to the fairways and saw the turf to being to yellow out after 3 days. Within in a week, the turf was dead and we had begun to scalp the turf, removing as much material as possible. We are currently scalping/mowing @ .300” and they look like a desktop!  Our 2nd herbicide application is planned for next Monday.
  During the process, we have also regrassing our bunker faces. We are adjusting the edges, bulking up some of the “knots” and once the grass is establish, we will be adding sand. The bunkers we’re renovated in 2005 with a very toothy type edge and depending who you ask, was in the original Dick Wilson fashion, but certainly different than how they were renovated in 1997. Some of the height of the mounding directly in front of the fairway bunkers will be removed to allow for a slightly easier recovery shot.

Prior to 1st herbicide application


4 days after


No turning back now



Bunker work

[Bill McKinley]

Thanks for posting those photos Tony!  Looks like you guys are going to have a busy summer down there in Florida!

[Robert Emmons]

Tony,

Seems we are all moving to Celebration...At Ibis we are regrassing two courses this summer...RHE

[Anthony_Nysse]

Tony,

Seems we are all moving to Celebration...At Ibis we are regrassing two courses this summer...RHE

Robert,
  I spoke with one of your Superintendents 6 weeks ago or so. We discussed spray out and planting process. It's a better grass for color, density and it's very aggressive. AND it can outcompete previous existing grasses, in our case, common/419/tifsport. Iwill post more pics as the project contines to move forward.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I believe the Southern Four ball is going tobe there early next year, I look forward to seeing the new work.

[Anthony_Nysse]

I believe the Southern Four ball is going tobe there early next year, I look forward to seeing the new work.

Here, at Pine Tree?!

[Carl Nichols]

Tony:
Does Pine Tree close for the summer?  If so, is it closed May 1-?

[Anthony_Nysse]

Carl,
  It does not close for the summer, but we are this summer. We are officially closed May 29th-Sept 30th, but most of our membership has gone back north for the season, especially since we sprayed the fairways.
  In normal summer months, we are closed every Monday, May-October and 2 weeks in June and 2 weeks in August for cultural practices. The rest of the summer we will have 10-15 rounds a day from the local group.

[Lester George]

When Jeff Klontz and I put it in at CCF we fumigated the entire course (80 acres) to keep the contamination out.  That was 5 years ago and the place still looks great.  I am glad we chose Celebration and even more happy that we fumigated. 

Good luck with yours Anthony.

Lester

[Anthony_Nysse]

When Jeff Klontz and I put it in at CCF we fumigated the entire course (80 acres) to keep the contamination out.  That was 5 years ago and the place still looks great.  I am glad we chose Celebration and even more happy that we fumigated. 

Good luck with yours Anthony.

Lester

Lester,
  They fumigated here in 2005 to the toon of $400k. The regrassed fairways had common bermudagrass all over them in 3 years. I think that the real key to the success of Celebration is that is more aggressive than all the warm season fairway grasses-common, 419, tifsport, to name a few.

[Lester George]

Agree.

Lester

[Patrick_Mucci]

Anthony,

When they fumigated in 2005 did they roto-till and did they use methyl bromide or another chemical ?

What dosage did they use.

In theory, if the Celebration is that aggressive, why would you have to fumigate if time was not a factor but budgets were ?

[Anthony_Nysse]

Mr. Mucci,
  The fairways were gassed with MB in 2005 with the highest allowable rate. I cannot recall what that is, but I've seen the renovation/construction plans. I've also been lead to believe that the fairways were roto tilled about 4" deep and smoothed back out. Unfortunately, when a less aggressive grass in introduced into an area surrounded by a much more aggressive grass, you will inevitable have contamination, especially where common was once the main turf. I guess it would be similar to bentgrass in the south, surrounded by bermudagrass. Aerification, verticutting and divots with eventually introduce an unwanted turfgrass.
  With the use of Celebration, the toxicity of MB and the aggressive nature of the new turf, most courses are staying the course with Roundup/Fusilade applications. Cost is also a factor. Our costs for our spray outs are about $100/acre. The use of MB can be over $10k/acre, along with the fact that it’s being phased out, hard to come by and an outside contractor must apply it. There are many things that can go wrong if an MB application were to go wrong.