Labor Day week was the most stressful period of the summer for our course.  Above normal temperatures along with stifling humidity made course renovation challenging.  Thankfully cooler weather is now with us and the course can rejuvenate itself.  We have plenty going on at this time so bear with us as we move into fall.

 

We have had two recent outbreaks of Rhizoctonia Blight in the fairways.  This disease is also called brown patch and favors hot and humid conditions.  Fairways are sprayed every two weeks but sometimes disease pressure requires more applications.  Our most recent fungicide application only lasted nine days before the disease reoccurred.

 

We have also seen some decline in annual bluegrass populations in some fairways.  This is not a bad thing as we continue to push for more bent in these weak areas.

 

 

With the juvenile bentgrass we decided not to use a preemergent herbicide to prevent crabgrass in the spring.  Here crabgrass invasion can be seen in one of the fairways.  This was expected and will be prevented next season. 

 

 

All of the fairways are receiving solid tine aeration.

 

 

When conditions are right this is how the fairway should look after aeration.

 

 

Specific greens were verticut and seeded after aerating and topdressing.  This is really the only time to successfully seed cool season grasses.

 

 

Seeding is done at perpendiculars to ensure better germination.

 

 

Seeding the green.

 

 

After the green has been seeded it is rolled regularly.  This requires the putting surface to be dry or sand is picked up by the roller-and then you have a big mess!  The greens may not be mowed until the turf has grown through the sand which requires patience.

 

 

Seeding of weak rough areas around fairways has begun.  Please avoid driving golf carts through any newly seeded turf.

 

 

Some new irrigation was added in front of the fifteenth tee as we prepare to move the nursery.  This will be seeded this week.