Long Overdue

This entry is long overdue.  Seems as though over the last three weeks I'd sit down and start putting together something but only to be taken away to tend to something on the course.  The end is in sight!  Looks like we are going to begin experiencing some recovery weather for once, cool days along with cooler nights.  This summer continues to stack up astounding numbers except for one important category, moisture.  Dry is the theme here at BCC.  We were fortunate to receive some rain a few weeks back but it wasn't even enough to put a chip into our deficit.

Second week in August is usually the time over a hard season where you see things starting to gasp for relief.  We are there.  Most areas throughout the golf course are making it through but others are limping their way to the finish line and this relief period couldn't come at a better time.  Throughout 2012 the new greens have performed as we had hoped.  I dismiss from my mind the thought of how the old greens would have handled this summer.  Minor bumps and bruises have developed but for this being their first year I'm very pleased with the performance. 
We see areas that we need to make improvements, such as air flow and circulation on the 4th green.  We'll be addressing some brush clearing along with trying to fit a portable fan into the budget for next year.  The 6th and 13th greens again, similar like 4 have trouble with air flow.  The slightest breeze can make the biggest difference in how turf makes it through hot, humid days and nights.  The two fans that have been in place on 6 and 13 have helped but we can make things better.  This fall we'll be removing the mound to the back of 6 green as well as the mounds to the back left of 13.  Summer winds tend to prevail from the south and southwest, all these mounds do is block any sort of natural airflow that could possibly hit the greens.  Bigger and more adequate fans for these greens are also trying to be worked into the budget.  These will be permanent fans to be used on days where air flow is needed.  These changes can make the biggest difference in turf conditions and the health of these greens. 
Some collars around greens have also shown signs of stress.  Collars or "fringe" battle heavy traffic from numerous machines and practices, plus environmental stresses as well causing them to be a management battle.  Plans are being put in place on how we are going to strengthen our collars to be able to handle stress better, a start is having them become more mature.  This new turf just endured one of the hardest summers weather wise but also a great deal of traffic.  I anticipate a full recovery, but we'll be helping it along through practices and some additional seeding.  Here is an article published in 2009 regarding the phenomenon of struggling collars around greens: http://www2.gcsaa.org/GCM/2009/june/feature2.asp&sa=U&ei=l6caUNWcH8jx0gG4z4GYDg&ved=0CBMQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNFO8To41zSDwdJkVKZ1US8TwxYxMw
Tees and fairways have been a handful this season as well, basically trying to keep moisture adequate.  This season we've utilized a great deal of hand watering on tees as we have patching conditions with hydrophobic conditions, not letting water pass through to the roots.  Utilizing solid tine aerification along with soil penetrant we've made some headway but a good fix would be rain.  Rainfall just has a way of cleansing the soil and getting things to react in the way they should.  Fairway edges have also been a battle throughout the season.  A great deal of this is caused by poor irrigation coverage, along with trees to close to the fairway taking any available moisture away from the turf.  Down the road we are going to need to investigate serious root pruning or removal of trees to help fairway turf remain healthy and strong. 
In all it has been another season of learning more and more about BCC.  It would be nice to enjoy a good comfortable season here at BCC, been 3 out of 4 years now with record breaking climatic seasons.