September is arriving and fall course maintenance is ready to begin.  The course had a great summer and the new turf should really shine this fall.  Core aeration begins on Tuesday September 2nd and we hope to have the entire course open for play on Friday afternoon if the weather cooperates.   

 

This is beautiful.  After a dry period that required purchasing water for irrigation we received 2.25 inches of rain on August 12th that filled the lake.

 

 

Bermudagrass control with Pylex herbicide has started in the rough.  Pylex bleaches out the leaf blade preventing photosynthesis which will eventually kill the bermudagrass.

 

 

Different rates are required on bentgrass and tall fescue.  This is sixteen fairway at .25 oz/acre every two weeks and the rough at 1.5 oz/acre after one application.  Another herbicide is added to the rough spray to kill any bentgrass as bent is an undesirable grass at rough height.

 

 

We had some pretty good yellowing of the tall fescue from our first application.  We will adjust our rates accordingly to reduce this with our next spray.

 

 

Four days later the yellowing is much less.

 

 

Bentgrass selectively removed from tall fescue.

 

 

Whoops.  Bentgrass damage in the fairway from overspray in the rough.

 

 

Common bermudagrass taking it on the chin. 

 

 

Damaged collar on two green.  The operator spilled gas in the bed of his cart and it got on the lattice used to protect the collars when mowing and this is the result. He is awaiting his trial.

 

 

Not many offices have this view!

 

We continue to enjoy marvelous summer weather.  Unfortunately we have entered a very dry period and the course is showing some drought stress.  A nice soaking rain would be perfect right now.  We started purchasing water this week and are hoping there is rain in the forecast.  Thankfully the temperature has been moderate.

 

We use different wetting agents on the turf to make water more available to the plant.  This is the previous days cup illustrating a nice uniform wetting of the soil.  The white column is a sand filled aerification hole.

 

 

We appreciate everyone's help in care of the course.  Repairing divots in this manner does not help the course.  Sorry to keep harping on this....

 

 

The same divot once it has been leveled.

 

 

A repaired divot recovering nicely.

 

 

We have lowered the height of cut on the collars and it looks great.  Here you can see four distinct heights of cut behind the 7th green- green, collar, step cut and rough.

 

 

Man versus nature!  Fox urine damage on the 12th hole.

 

 

Bermudagrass is not the only weed invading the rough.  Here bentgrass is growing amongst tall fescue.  This will be controlled with our combo herbicide application that was applied this week.

 

 

Pylex herbicide lets you know how much bermudagrass you have!

 

 

Suppressed bermudagrass in the 15th fairway.  The next application is next week.

 

 

An unusual site.  An owl seen on Friday morning on the 10th hole.