The Heat is On!

Compared to last summer, our overall weather hasn't been too bad.  Everything changed this past Sunday.  Sunday was our first day over 100 degrees, coming in at 101 on our weather station.  Since then we have had 105, 104 and 105.  As you can see, moving forward the forecast doesn't look much better.

So far the course is holding up surprisingly well.  As expected the Zoysia fairways are thriving.  With everything else its a balancing act of giving the course enough water to survive without getting too wet.  You will see our staff on greens much more frequent checking moisture readings and cooling as needed.

As the course dries down, please keep carts out of the rough as much as possible.  Our preference is for you to drive down fairways other than entering and exiting through the rough.

Fence Replacement

Please excuse our mess around our shop this week.   The fence separating the shop from the golf course was damaged beyond repair during the high winds earlier in the year.  Today we began tearing down the old fence, with the new fence soon to follow.  If all goes well, we should be finished by the end of the week.

Venting and Verticutting

With the dog days of summer quickly approaching, conditioning the golf course to handle the added stress is our main focus moving forward.  One of the key practices we utilize is a type of aerification we call "venting".  Using a tine called a bayonet tine, we are creating openings in the surface that primarily improve gas exchange.  Other benefits include better water penetration, compaction relief, and thatch reduction.  Beginning in June, we will vent the greens monthly through August.  After a rolling, the slits are still visible, although there is no impact on ball roll.

 

We are using a new machine that we just purchased last week.   Our previous aerifier lasted 14 years, so as you can imagine, we were excited to use the new machine.  The speed and precision of the new unit is off the charts compared to our old aerifier.

This week we are also verticutting the Zoysia Fairways.  One of the downsides to Zoysia is the amount of thatch the plant produces.  Verticutting helps to remove the decaying plant material, creating a firmer, healthier playing surface.  Once the debris has been removed and the fairway is mowed, very little signs of the process will be visible. If all goes well, we should be finished in a few days.

Tournament Prep

With the Roundup Member Guest officially starting on Thursday all course activities over the last couple of weeks have been geared towards providing the best possible conditions for our Members and their Guests.  For the most part, what we do during the week of the Member Guest is not much different from what we do on a weekly basis, however, there are a few tweaks to the schedule we utilize for peak conditions.

The week before the tournament we worked in one last topdressing on the greens.  Fertility on the greens has been leaned out to slow the growth of the turf.  We are also timing our growth regulator applications for peak regulation during the tournament.  All of our equipment receives a fresh grind just prior to the event for the best possible cut.  Nothing out of the normal routine, we just ensure that the timing for each practice is geared for peak conditions for the three day tournament.

The biggest change to the schedule relates to water management and rolling practices utilized during the week of the tournament.  Beginning on Monday, we are slowly drying down the greens from our normal levels.  Although we typically keep the greens dry anyway, during the tournament we make a slight change in our numbers to help firm things up.  With the rolling, we typically roll 2-3 days per week.  During the tournament, we will most likely roll everyday from Wednesday until the final day of the tournament. 

If Mother Nature cooperates, we should hit the speed we are looking for with these practices.  The next step would be double cutting greens in the morning or mowing greens in the evening if necessary.  As you can see, green speed and firmness is a high priority for the week.

Although the week is usually long and hectic, it is also a rewarding week.  Watching our team execute the plan and providing our players "Tournament Conditions" makes for an enjoyable week for all.