A New Fountain?

Last week we finished aerifying the greens.  This fall we chose to deep tine the greens.  This process is performed with a machine that pounds 3/4" wide x 10" long, tines into the ground.  As the tines go into the ground the soil is displaced and a hole is left.  The hole is then filled with topdressing sand. 

Well, as we were aerifying the edge of #11 green, we hit an irrigation pipe just off the collar of the green.  The result was a geyser or fountain.  Very pretty, but not at all what we wanted. 

What is even more disturbing is that this was the second time this had happened to us.  It also happened on #1.  The pipes around the greens are way too shallow and, as we have found out in previous years, the fairways have some areas with shallow pipe also. 

Fairway Verticutting

Over the past two days we have been verticutting a few of our fairways. This process uses spinning, circular blades that are aligned along a shaft. As the shaft spins, the blades cut through the thatch/turf mat. The blades cut any grass blades that are laying over and also remove a large amount of thatch material. The end result is healthier turf and less grain (grass laying over).

Black Spots on Greens

You may have noticed the black spots on a few of our greens.  These spots are actually patches of moss that is dying.  We recently sprayed a product that will hopefully remove these eyesores.  It looks very promising so far. 

Cart Path Removal

Kaiser Landscaping has begun the process of removing the asphalt paths on the course.  As they remove the material we will come behind and grade the old path smooth.  Sometime after we will edge the old path and place a layer of pea stone down.  Viola!  Our new path. 

6 Fairway Topdressing

Last week we started the topdressing and aerification process on 6 fairway.  This fall we are trying a new approach.  We will topdress and aerify one half of the fairway one week and complete the other half of the fairway the next week.  While the process is going on you will be able to place your ball on the portion of the fairway that is not disturbed. 

We will do this process again sometime in the month of October as weather permits. 

 

 

County Drain Project

The county drain project through the back portion of the range is nearly complete. The contractors have been slowed by the hard clay and the depth at which the tile needs to be laid. They should be completed with our portion of the project by the end of the week.

Rain is here.....

After a couple of months with very little rain, the last week has produced 2.4".  This can be good and bad.  It's good for our water supply and for the grass on the course.  It is bad if we have hot days and warm nights, which we have had for the past month or two.  That type of weather pattern creates a perfect opportunity for turfgrass diseases to infect the grass plants.

Turfgrass diseases are fungal pathogens.  Just like a mushroom, they like warm, moist conditions.  So, for me, the rain is good and bad.