First snow of the season

Successful Day of aerating

Today we aerated all 20 greens.  I think that is a first in the five years I’ve been here.  Everyone on the staff really worked hard to accomplish it and Mother Nature helped out too.  Hopefully she is kind to us again tomorrow so that we can finish topdressing the last 11 holes.   The aeration process is a necessary evil for a green.  We start with a deep tine aerator which has a solid tine and goes up to 10 inches into the soil.  It fractures and loosens the soil deep in the profile.  Then we pull cores which helps to further reduce compaction, release gases from the soil, allow oxygen to reach the roots, and break up soil layering.  After the plugs are removed we top dress with a heavy layer of sand.  Some of the sand that you see on the green will work it’s way into the holes, the rest will settle into the turf canopy protecting the crown of the plant during the winter months.  As detrimental as this process seems it is very important to the health of the green throughout the growing months.

Looks like another beautiful weekend at the Vail Golf Club.  Fairway aerification was a success.  Everything went smooth and they came out great. The Course will be closed on Monday for deep tine and core aerification.  We hope to have the front nine open on Tuesday and all 18 opened by Wednesday morning.  Once the greens are finished we will aerify tees which will have little to no impact on play.  The driving range will remain open during any course closures. 

Fall Aerification

Monday we started the fall aerification process. Aerification has many benefits for the turf. It lessens compaction, allows air and water to penetrate into the soil profile and helps thatch to break down. All of this is very important to the health of the turf and help to provide great playing conditions year after year. We start with fairways during the last two weeks of September. The first week of October we hope to get greens and tees completed. Aerification is a weather dependent practice that we are not able to accomplish when it rains, or dare I say the ‘s’ word, snows. This week looks good and has started out a very productive week. By the weeks end we should have 1,9 and the back 9 fairways completed. The schedule for the rest of the season is shown below. On October 3rd we will be closing the course to deep tine and core aerify all greens. The back 9 will remain closed to finish the aerification process. During course closures the driving range will remain open.

Tuesday – Fairways 10, 17, 18

Wednesday – Fairways 12 & 16

Thursday – Fairways 13 & 14

Friday – Fairway 11

Monday 26th – Fairways 2, 7, 8

Tuesday 27th – Fairways 4 & 5

Wednesday 28th – Fairway 6

29th and 30th – These two days will be used to make up any rain day cancellations we may have.

Intern's View

As an intern you are pulled in many directions. Finding your niche can be difficult. At the Vail Golf Club I was given the opportunity to be in charge for the week. I must say, it was an unbelievable experience. As well as a humbling experience.


With the club championship two days away the weather decided that it did not want to cooperate. Almost an inch of rain fell in the day leading up to the championship, including the first day of the tournament. To watch the crew work in pouring rain for hours was inspiring. They came together as a team and I there leader for that brief time. It is an experience i'll never forget. "Attitude reflects leadership", and for that short time I was the captain of the team. I am proud to say the course was in fantastic condition. Not only for the club championship, but also for the 18 hole shotgun the Friday of that week. I am thankful that the crew respected and worked extremely hard for me. I am greatful for the opportunity that was allotted to me. Hopefully one day I can do the same for my intern.

Mike Martic

Steve's last day

Today is Steve’s last day as superintendent at the Vail Golf Club. He has helped the golf course accomplish a lot during the last six years. There have been many improvement projects completed including the installation of a new irrigation system, new bridges and the rebuild of #3 and #7 tee. He has also helped raise the standard of expectations. The staff and I would like to wish him all the best in his new venture at Pinehurst Country Club in Denver.


From all of us thank you, farewell and good luck.

On Friday we spiked most of our greens and finished the remaining on Saturday morning. The picture shows the piece of equipment that we use. It has two spiked rollers and is weighted by water to help the spikes penetrate two to three inches into the soil. In the fall when we get into a wet weather cycle it's easy for the soil to become anaerobic and the health of the turf can decline rapidly. Slicing greens is an important practice that helps to relieve compaction and open up the soil to allow oxygen in. Another benefit that occurs from slicing is stimulated root and shoot growth. Slicing is a good alternative to aerification since it is less disruptive and allows the greens to smooth out more quickly.