First off I know that it has been a while since my last post but this summer has exhausted everyone on my staff when it comes to dealing with the weather. Wow, what a summer! We have been thrown every curve ball you can imagine and have for the most part dealt with each and every challenge head on. We have really discovered how bad the air flow is on a few greens and have been desperately trying to get air to these locations by either trimming trees or placing a blower on the green. It is all about water management in these locations and with the past thunderstorms we have not been able to dry the greens down as I would like them to be. Just a quick piece of information on why we keep them dry, when there is excessive moisture in the profile heat transfer is at a rapid pace which increases the soil temperature. I have gotten readings well in to the 90's and when that happens roots die back causing the plant to loose its over all health. There by leaving feeder roots at the surface where it can dry out quickly and the plant begins to wilt at a rapid pace. There fore we have been cooling off the greens on these hot days as well as treading lightly when it comes to mowing and rolling them. The more mechanical stress we put them under the faster they will decline. So speeds have been slower which is a necessary thing we have to do.
Here are a few pictures, note then one on the left, this is the same picture that is our website picture. The one on the left was taken today and the main picture above was taken in the spring.
This next week we will be embarking on our second aerification for the year. On August 16-18 the course will be closed. The Driving range will be closed on Monday August 16 and will re-open for normal operating hours on Tuesday August 17 at 1pm.
Also at this point in time we have been aggressively taking actions to control the Bermuda in the roughs and the intermediate. You will notice areas that will be slightly off color and thin. This is what we want so that we can seed into these areas. The Bermuda in the fairways will be sprayed with round-up and removed and be replaced with contaminate free bent grass. This process is by no means quick and there will be some unsightly areas but you may play these areas as ground under repair. Once we lay the sod they will be back to normal within a few weeks. As for the rough this will take even longer because of the amount of acres we are going to seed in to. We actually were able to take advantage of the heat allowing the poa to die. The object is to quickly get a stand of grass in these areas before the poa seed bank has a chance to germinate in the fall once the temperatures cool off. The intermediate around the fairways and greens has been lowered to help us in our transition from invasive grasses to the stand that we desire. This to will be seeded as well.
Please stay tuned for future plans in September. One of them will favor our women golfers!
