Crane Field requires intensive maintenance and advanced horticulture practices to maintain a playable surface areas.  The more you know about local conditions, it will make more sense what you are seeing on the ground. Below are some descriptions of practices we commonly get asked about 

Variation in the grass color

There are a few causes for variation in turf grass color. First, many spots on Crane field golf course are native wetlands with high salinity and tight clay soils. Grasses that grow in these areas tend to have a sage green color. You might notice the sage bushes and Russian Olive trees around the edges of the course. Those are the native colors in the area.

Second, depending on the time of year, some of the native grasses go dormant and turn yellow. These are usually high salinity areas that are being conditioned aggressively with calciums and gypsums and over-seeding to establish a healthy that will eventually be green all summer. (Many areas have shrunk a lot, but we anticipate more seasons to completely get rid of them.)

Third, fertilizer and other amendments like gypsum are fed through the irrigation system periodically which can leave a harmless white residue on grass blades. This washes off completely during the next watering or rain fall.

Fourth, you may see color variation depending on the humidity and amount of time it has been since the last watering has taken place. In the morning after the sprinklers have watered you would expect a darker color from moisture on grass blades and in soil. After windy or dry down periods grass can take on a white dusty look or even look purple or brownish. The grounds keepers watches for these signs on a daily basis.

Lastly, you may see color variations due the the different species of grass on the course. Because of the tight clay soil and salty conditions we over-seed often with native grasses, rye grasses, fescue, and seaside grass seed where the bluegrasses cannot survive.

Trees and Shrubs on the Course

There are not many trees that thrive in our tight clay soils and high salinity. Delicate care and soil amendment are required for most trees to survive more than three seasons. We have planted Honey Locusts, Box Elder, Ball Willows, Golden Willows, Green Willows, Australian Hybrid Willow, Weeping Willows, Russian Olives, Cottonless Cottonwoods, Cleveland Peach, Chokecherry, Austrian Pines, Cedars, Poplars, and various bushes. These have shown the most promise but still have a 90% mortality rate.

High Water Table

Crane Field is on the west side of I-15 and the Wasatch mountains where it gets very flat. The slow march of runoff and storm drains end at the great Salt Lake, and travels through and around the course. This flat terrain is welcome for walkers on the course, but causes dramatic fluctuation in water levels during storm events in our ponds and channels. This slow drainage amplifies the high salinity levels in our soil and water by mingling with salty subsurface waters, which can cause salts to rise to the surface, damaging turf grass, and turning things white. Because of the water challenges, drains become critical in fairways and other key locations to keep players high and dry. We have implemented a multi-season plan to add drains and cement cart path to improve pace-of-play and cut down on wear and tear to fragile areas.

Ropes and ground under repair.

Some of the most common reasons include repairing summer heat die-off or winter freeze. There may also be cases where we are adding drainage or repairing leaking irrigation. This work will result in much better turf and greens in the future, although it does require some player inconvenience right now. It is helpful if golfers try avoid them with their golf carts even if they are unmarked.

Conservation Effort

Crane Field Golf Course was build around natural wetlands, drainage channels, and native grasslands. This makes for interesting terrain with lots of wildlife and riparian plant life, but requires diligent attention to maintain.

When the course was built these areas were closely protected so they would not be compromised. Meaning, we were careful not to dredge or deep disc these areas to protect the native wildlife and biodiversity. This careful planning worked and a diverse bird and wildlife population still remains, in addition to the pleasant wetland plant life such as cattails.

As part of our on going commitment to conservation efforts, a perpetual Conservation Easement has been placed on the course property to protect it from future development. This is designed to ensure it will be available for public recreation for generations.

Sustainability

We are committed to using environmentally sustainable practices. This includes standards set by Audubon International Certified practices (specifically ACPS for Golf ). However, we cannot accomplish our goals in a bubble. It takes the patience of the public to understand the issues and continue to support courses that practice sustainability, and bear with temporary inconveniences like turf discolorations and so forth. Thank you for your support!