Update...Aeration Plan and Spring Notes

Greens aeration is going to have to be modified to contend with this rain.  Much like washing a car, scheduling aeration causes rain.  We need things to be bone dry in order to get the sand brushed into the aeration holes.  As it stands now (Tuesday, April 25), we are going to move forward today with step 1 which involves a deep tine aeration.  We'll move steps 2, 3, and 4 back one day.  The course will be closed until 10:00 Thursday when we will open just the front nine.  The entire course will be up and running Friday....we hope.

The contractor is working through the rain today

PRACTICE TEE

The practice tee grass will soon be ready for use.  We typically open it up around May 1st which is a little ahead of when it's really ready, but close enough to manage.  We still have a lot of divots from last fall waiting on warmer weather to heal.  Adding more divots before the grass is growing would leave us with very little turf.  Thank you for your patience.  We are trying to ensure that you have grass to practice from throughout the growing season.  

GREEN UP

The course is getting greener every day and will soon be in peak condition.  We experienced a very dry stretch that was finally broken with last Thursday's rain.  The warmer temperatures and this rain have created a flush of growth and color.  The zoysia, which is still coming out of hibernation is now starting to produce it's annual crop of seed.  This is not something we enjoy as the seeds are difficult to mow off and are somewhat unsightly.  This seed phase will last a few weeks and then things will settle in for the summer.  The rough is growing at a rate that is well beyond what we can keep up with.  It is not our intent to toughen up the course, but the spring flush is a fact of life.  This flush, like the zoysia seeds, will soon settle down and we'll be back to normal.

STAFF

We are still searching for an Assistant Superintendent and/or a Spray Tech.  The golf market is such that many of the qualified candidates for this position have left the industry in the past few years.  Consequently, there are a number of very nice courses in the Richmond - DC market that are in the same boat we're in.  I have a great group of people now, but we are in need of one more skilled person to assist with all the technical aspects of the job.  We are slowly getting some interest and working through the interview process. We have a great opportunity for someone passionate about the golf course business.