December 19th Update

This will be short and sweet.  Not much of any significance has changed on the golf course with respect to snow cover and the "ice" situation.  All surfaces are still frozen with about 6" of snow and some have a thin layer of crumbly ice directly on the surface.  We need to get through January without any significant rain or increase in temperature and then I'll have a better idea of where we stand, hopefully.

Fall projects are the usual equipment tear down and reel grinding for the mechanic.  Brad built a few more of the garbage enclosures that will be used on select holes to accent the brick work we will continue doing around the ball washers.

Garbage Enclosure

I like the idea of these things because they hide the garbage and they are cheap to make.  The material costs are:
1. Two packages wood panelling: $16/can
2. Wire mesh: $6.50/can
3. A quarter of a 5/8's plywood for lid: $8
4. Recycled 2x6 from the clubhouse deck for the base: $0
5. Recycled 2x10 from old shop: $0
6. Staples for air gun, glue, misc. : $5/can
7. Stain: portion of 2 cans @$50? maybe $10

Total materials is around  $45/enclosure.  We are getting a little thin on the recycled lumber but the amounts we use are minimal and having to add the extra lumber would only increase the cost by another $10 or so.  Labour?  Building and staining 5 of them took just under 60 man hours.   They are not a necessity but I think they add something.

Hopefully, you had time to answer the survey I posted a link to in the last post.  Go to Kimberley Bulletin Article to read the article that was appeared in Friday's paper.  Unofficial grapevine has things will remain status quo but we'll have to wait.  I was pleased to hear from a number of people who took the time to fill out the survey.  Again, hopefully, we will get a better representation of what people across the province really want.

Unless things get strange on the course my posts for the next month will be sparse but will start up more frequently in February when all the "Snowbirds" may be starting to think about comin' home.

We got a problem....

The "we" in that statement encompasses anyone who has anything to do with golf.  Somewhere in the cacophony of news I'm sure you've heard that the provincial government has plans to create new legislation concerning pesticides (see: Bill Bennett weighs in on cosmetic pesticides ).  This topic exhausts me but it also gets me riled up (go to the Bill Bennett link and read the comments; especially the one by Agent_Whatever.....somebody you may know).  It's hard not to appear as a single minded,  uncaring, environmentally polluting, self interested capitalist when opposing a pesticide ban.  I can appreciate peoples concerns but the debate has become entirely emotional and has turned into a pissing match between both sides and their experts.  Both sides have arguments that support their view but as anybody over 30 or anyone who follows the news knows its all about how you present your facts.
Provincially the ball got rolling, I think, with the New Democrats proposing bill M-203 (Cosmetic Pesticide and Carcinogen Control Act).  Although it was defeated, some of the points included were:

1.) banning pesticides use on non-residential areas including institutional, industrial, commercial and recreational properties.
2.) a 5 year phase-out of pesticide use by golf courses
3.) allow municipalities to pass more restrictive bylaws
and, a contradiction that that kills me every time,
4.)  does not apply to the agriculture or forestry industry!

I am repeating myself, but if pesticides are so bad then why not an across the board ban?  Economics?  Employment?  Here is some stats about golf in British Columbia you're going to see a few times:

- Golf contributes over $4 billion in gross production annually

- Golf employs nearly 50,000 people in BC.

- Tax revenue from golf exceeds $400 million annually

Here is a one fact no person can dispute and one that I promise will happen without pesticide use:

Snow Mould Damage
on a Putting Green

With the climate in our area the biggest disease issue is snow mould and the damage it causes.  There is no effective alternative to fungicides for snow mould control.  There are numerous angles to debate but in politics it is numbers, financial and votes, that drive any governmental decision.  Right now decisions are being made on assumptions that, for instance, information derived from an online survey in February 2010 is indicative of all British Columbians feelings towards a ban.  That survey had 8000 respondents with 88% supporting a pesticide ban.  The population of British Columbia in 2010 was 4.5 million.  You need to go to this link https://www.leg.bc.ca/pesticidescommittee/ before December 16th and answer the survey the way that best suits your beliefs.  I hope to e-mail out some more information before the dead line to educate people.  Remember, pesticides is a very broad category that includes more than just Weed 'N Feed and you need to understand what you're supporting, for or against, and the consequences of your choice or inaction.

Week of November 28th

I went and checked some surfaces to see how things have changed over the past couple days and things have changed a bit since last posting.

Snow Depth on #4 Green

Generally, there is enough snow cover on all greens to give us an insulating layer.  Some surfaces have remained thawed and should be good for rest of winter.  Others that were semi-thawed are now frozen and, along with the greens that remained frozen since the beginning of the season, have a pebbled ice surface of maybe 1/2  inch thick.  The ice still lacks any real cohesiveness but is probably solid enough to prevent damage to the surface during snow removal in the spring.

"Pebbley" ice and Grass on #4

Because of the greens it is on (most don't see much sun this time of year) and the fact that it is removed fairly easily all we are going to do is watch it and make sure it doesn't grow thicker and/or more dense.  If conditions change we'll begin pulling random turf plugs and decided on a course of action based on what we see.  I'll keep you updated.