It is raining today so our second Glyphosate (Roundup) application has been postponed until Thursday.  The chemical is rainfast after one hour so the previous days spray is fine.  Everything has gone according to plan so far.  We have an excellent seedbed prepared so the only thing left is to get the seed into the ground.  Today's rain should be beneficial for planting next week by providing ample soil moisture which makes the seeding much easier on equipment and enhances germination of the seed.  We can't wait!

 

We seeded the test area below 16 tee on August 20th.  Here we are calibrating the tractor to seed at a rate of 300 pounds of fescue per acre.

 

 

This is the same area one week later.  Notice the new seedlings emerging around the sprinkler head.

 

Vertical mowing bermudagrass.  It is important that the bermudagrass is thinned out prior to seeding.

 

Blowing the debris into piles to be picked up.

David and Juan enjoying another trash can of bermudagrass.

 

 

Scalping the rough down in preparation of seeding.

 

A really good looking rough area almost ready to be seeded.

 

 

All collars will be replaced with new creeping bent. The dark green area has been treated with Glyphosate.

 

 



 More irrigation is required due to changes to our fairway design as well as some additional areas in the rough.  Here is some of our wonderful soil on the first hole.  Not the best growing medium to be sure.

 

 

We hope you were able to play in Lentz's Revenge.  If you missed it we look forward to seeing you next year.

 

 

Even though the tournament has my name on it the true mastermind is pictured here in 15 fairway bunker buried.  The next shot went about three feet.  Sweet revenge!!



 

Our fairway renovation really ramped up this week.  Forty-one acres were treated with non-selective herbicides on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It is pretty obvious where we sprayed and will become more apparent with every day that passes. Roundup is a systemic herbicide that is taken up by the leaves and is translocated through the entire plant.  It generally takes from seven to ten days to completely kill the existing plants.  One more application is required to work on the bermudagrass and to catch any misses.  This will be done on August 27th and 28th. 

 

 

  The sprayer in action. Who thought killing grass would be fun! Knowing what the end product will be makes this the best spray application ever.

 

 

Prior to the herbicide treatment all debris was blown from the target area.

 

 

Greens were tarped to prevent any residue from getting on the putting surface.

 

Erik and Dick carefully spraying the collar interface at the second green. We will establish bent collars while we are closed.

 



 

Roundup beginning to show its effect.  All ryegrass collars will receive only one application.

 

Test plot below sixteen tee after the second herbicide application.  These areas will be mowed down and seeded this week.

 



 

Four tons of tall fescue delivered and ready for seeding.

 

 

 

Prior to seeding we will be leveling areas in the fairways.  This is an old drain line in the landing area on hole 14.

 

 

Pylex herbicide application day twelve. The fescue has a yellow flashing that is temporary.

 

 

Another look of Pylex in action. The dark area is untreated.

 

 

Linear aeration was done on all fairways.  This type of aeration helps break through the hardpan in our fairways.  Over time the fairways will have much better internal drainage and better rooting.  This is a tough job as shown by this video and it is hard on the operator and the tractor.   

 

It is a big week for the golf course.  Beginning Tuesday we will close the front nine and apply non-selective herbicides to the fairways and surrounding rough.  This will be repeated on Wednesday when we do the back nine.  This promises to be the most significant improvement to the golf course that we have done and we can't wait to start! 

 

 

Prior to seeding all fairways will be sliced with the Shockwave aerator.  This process is slow.  It took almost five hours to complete the 16th fairway.  The Shockwave helps shatter the hardpan layer that our fairways have developed over the years and will help the new turf establish faster.

 

Here is a look at the test plot below 16 tee.  This will be mowed down and then receive a second herbicide application this week.

 

 

Our first Pylex application went down on Monday to control bermudagrass encroachment in the new sod around the greens.  This picture shows the bermudagrass beginning to brown out.

 

 

Bermudagrass weakened after the initial Pylex application.  After only three days some of the bermudagrass could easily be pulled up.

 

 

The greens were solid tined on Monday.  After rolling the aeration almost disappears.  The greens have really bounced back after the tough weather we experienced in July.

 

 

Residents on the 12th hole.



Great weather this week with more rain that was beneficial!  Rainfall totals have been impressive.  We have received over 18 inches since June 1st.  Lets hope we have timely rain during our renovation.  We began marking the new fairway shapes on Friday and will complete this week.  A second line will be marked to show the limits of the rough seeding.  Non selective herbicide applications will begin on August13th and conclude on the 14th. In preparation most of the fairways were aerified with solid tines and we will finish up this week.  In addition we will begin vertical slit aeration later this week.  We should have some good pictures of this work when it occurs.  The last mow before the herbicides are applied will be Friday the 9th.  We want as much leaf exposed to enhance uptake of the herbicide by the turf.  We will not mow the turf again for approximately ten days when we begin scalping it prior to our second herbicide application scheduled August 27th and 28th.



 



      Here is a progression of one of the test plots -two days after application

 

Day four

 

Day five

 

 

Day eight

 

 

 Solid tine aeration

 

 

 

New fairway shape hole 15 (inside cart tracks) 

 

 

Hole sixteen 

 

 

Crystal BlueLinks bent has been delivered! 

 

 

Excess water in the cup on 12 green Saturday morning-too much rain and poor drainage.

 

This is very discouraging. The practice green opened Saturday morning and we already have foot damage from standing in the same spot. Please do not do this!!!!

 

Vandalism 15 green Saturday morning. 

 

 

Pileated woodpecker near 15 tee Saturday morning.

 

 

Three magnificent bucks seen Saturday morning. See if you can spot them.

 

An earlier view of the bucks.