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.