Drought Conditions Continue

We went finished 2025 in a drought where the zoysia was essentially dormant in mid August due to dry conditions.  After some ice and snow over the winter we are right back to where we were in the fall.  The fairways woke up with some warm temperatures and a few small rains in late March.  However, we've had a few frosty mornings recently and are bone dry with just .5" of rain in April.  Zoysia is in rough shape throughout the golf course and we will likely see the results of these past 8 months for some time to come.  On the plus side, weed pressure is fairly low as a result.  Additionally, everyone prefers a firm golf course to a soggy one.  We've done more handwatering of greens and tees than in any April during my 26 years.  We've also had to apply wetting agents to areas in the zoysia and do some handwatering in those places too.  I'm sure we'll see the weather do a 180 soon and will move from irrigation issues to drainage issues.  Water is always the center of attention.  There is either too much or not enough.  

Here are some recent pictures of unhappy zoysia going through the roller coaster of temperature swings with virtually no rain...

Areas just off the green near bunkers are among the driest.  The sand
splashed out over years of bunker play is a big contributor in these areas

This is right after aeration.  Here is a head that waters the surrounding zoysia
behind 2 green.  It needs to be positioned about 10 feet closer to the green.  This
is a common issue with all our green surround irrigation.  Head placement is not ideal.

poor irrigation coverage

more poor irrigation coverage

Joel is watering in some wetting agent on 1.  This is something we've never done. 
Hopefully it helps these areas power through the drought a little better.