Holes N More Holes

It's been another busy and very productive week.  We again had a list of goals set for this week.  Cultural practices are beginning to set in, mostly aerification, soon to follow up with verticutting.  Along with cultural work we have begun detail tasks, increased mowing frequencies, and wrapping up on some native seeding projects.  Again, we are finishing up the week very pleased with how things sit for this time of year.

Fairway aerification is always a big task to tackle.  Numerous implements are used requiring extensive labor and overtime to get finished in a week.  This was our first time to utilize some of our

Fairway following aerifcation.  Holes hardly noticeable.

latest equipment purchases too.  Over the years we've worked at building our fleet to address aerificaiton.  This year we added our last few pieces that have worked out great and will show great results.  All fairways are being aerified with 3 different machines which aerifiy with 3 different methods.  One machine is designed to go deep and fracture soil; one is designed to go shallow and poke a clean hole, the other is designed to slice and fracture.  All these methods will aid in root growth, drainage, and plant health.  Along with aerification is topdressing.  All fairways are have a layer of sand spread and dragged into them.  Filling these avenues created through aerification with sand helps maintain pore space; reducing compaction, mitigating thatch, increasing drainage, and increasing root growth and structure.  In total we will be adding about 768,000 pounds of sand.

Grass has become slightly more active, at least the rough.  Other playing surfaces like; greens, approaches, tees, and fairways are growing but not aggressively.  Mowing frequencies have been increased, almost to peak season rate.  This is mostly due to use continuing to lower heights of cut, necessitating the need to mow more frequently.  We are not to mid season heights yet but working our way there.  Heavy frost last week really stunted some turf but looking at the extended forecast, things should wake up over the weekend and next week.  Efforts have been made to try and wake the greens up.  We are trying to recover a few greens after a negative reaction from our fall fertilizer application.  We are unsure exactly why we saw results we did, we've made this same application for 5 years now and have nothing of the affect.  We believe it could be due to; contaminated material, moisture getting in the bag and letting product release early, or timing of watering cycle and not getting water on product soon enough due to irrigation system out put.  Bottom line it will recover, just need some warmer temperatures to get the bentgrass growing.

Lastly we are about to finish our seeding of native areas.  Couldn't ask for better timing either as next

Native between 13 and 16 prepped and seeded

week shows some rain that will help aid in germination.  Areas between 2 and 7, 13 and 16, as well as left of 14 fairway and right of 16 tee will be seeded by the end of the week.  These will be seeded at a light rate of fescue blends to make thin to allow finding a ball but yet hard to play out of.  Areas will take a few years to get establish, so please don't expect perfection right away.  This goes for all the native seeding we've done this spring.  It take a good 3 years or so for areas to get establish and for our programs to help keep out unwanted plants.