August Course Update

The long pause between updates is a sign that we are battling hard to keep up with all the routine challenges of summer and have had minimal desk time.  Days have been very long and days off have been scarce.  I just reached the 25 year mark and this has probably been the toughest year for grass in that time.  If this summer had happened in 2000, I don't think I would have made it to 2001.  I've learned a lot over the years and continue to learn more every season about how to get through the rigors of summer.  I am optimistic that we will make it to another finish line and have a fantastic Fall golf season.  However, there is still plenty of summer left and we can not let our guard down.  

The excessive amounts of rain in the presence of extreme heat and humidity hit us hard in several ways from May through July.  Weed prevention did not hold up nearly as long as we would expect.  Disease pressure on all the bentgrass tees and greens was, and still is, off the charts.  Bunkers took multiple beatings in heavy storms.  Rough has cooked in some places and in others, it's just plain tired of the traffic.  After 22.6" of rain in May, June, and July we have had 0" over the past 16 days.  July and August are always tough.  September can go either way so hopefully this season it takes our side.  

Here is a rundown on some of the things you may have seen recently and wondered about...

• Some weeds, primarily goosegrass, have turned white where we applied Pylex.  Unfortunately, but totally expected, that also causes some bleaching to bentgrass, bermuda grass, and zoysia.  The weeds may need one more treatment to control but the bleaching to the other grasses is purely cosmetic and will disappear soon.  
• Cicada killer wasps have only bothered us on hole 15 this summer.  They typically get us on at least 8-10 greens a year.  I don't know why we are seeing this change, but I'll take it.
• Green speeds have been much slower than hoped due to the humidity and July rain.  We are playing defense for now, but you should see speed increase over the next week or two with the drier weather and slow down in growth.  
• Wet wilt is evident on some tees where soil was saturated during the hot spell.  Unfortunately many tees have areas that need water right next to areas that are too wet.  When we go through dry spells and need to irrigate there is no way to avoid overwatering or underwatering.        
• A new and slightly lower spillway pipe was installed in the pond behind 3 green.  The original spillway was too high and allowed water to back up into the green drain during heavy rain falls and wet spells.  It also caused some issues in the neighboring properties.  Now the pond will not get so full.

A section of the collar on 10 with significant bleaching.  The turf will 
green back up soon and hopefully the weeds will not.

Coming Soon...

After years of relying on hope as a strategy to conquer the unrepaired ball mark problem, we are starting an Adopt A Green program.  Stay tuned for an announcement and please consider signing up.  We can have much better greens with your help.