The golf course continues to be busy.  Thank goodness for Monday closure now more than ever.  Props to Groody's Groomers who filled fairway divots on Monday.  Ten members helped and a different ten will help next Monday.  Thanks to all!

 

Finally getting caught up on our mulching.

 

 

We groomed our greens last Wednesday.  This promotes more upright growth and a truer putting surface.  Notice this is done in two perpendicular directions.  

 

We are using light rates of Acclaim herbicide on our fairways to suppress common bermudagrass.  As this picture shows it is working quite well.  We will lay off the next application to allow some of the stressed bentgrass to recover.

 

 

This is the result of an application of Turflon Ester to suppress common bermudagrass in the rough. These areas will be extensively seeded in August.  This is done every thirty days if  weather permits.

 

Our new wildflower beds are ready to explode.  This is behind six tee.

 

 

Greens are lightly topdressed with sand every two weeks. Light sand topdressing really helps smooth the putting surface.

 

Knocking weeds down in chipped areas.  Finally!!!

 

 

Perfect weather for cool season turf and golf.  Currently we are a little dry but it allows us to get a better cut on most of our turf and nice roll for golfers.  The course is very busy with play.  Nearly five thousand rounds occurred in May! 

 

We are vertical mowing the fairways to remove some lateral growth and promote more upright growth and density.  This work should wrap up this week.

 

The course is playing fast due to the lack of rain and low humidity.  Here some drain lines are drying out on the 4th hole.

 

 

The fairways were fertilized in May and we had a problem with the spreader setting.  The result was some striping.  The turf will grow out of this along with some special care.

 

 

Checking the sand depth in green side bunkers and shifting it as needed.

 

Herbicide applications in the rough to suppress bermudagrass and bentgrass as well. 

 

Finally getting some beds weeded and ready for mulch.

 

Meet our new red tailed hawk.

 

We have seen quite a few snapping turtles on the course this spring.

 

Daisies in abundance on the third hole.

 

 

It has been a busy week on the course.  Mondays continue to be the cat daddy for maintenance.  This week our crew edged all the green side bunkers, installed annuals in the large bed behind 18 green, sprayed all the fairways and the practice green, worked with a tree contractor removing dead or dangerous trees, began applying a preemengent herbicide and mowed some rough.  Whew!

 

Edging green side bunkers.  We also tamp the sand as needed.

 

 

This is the same bunker later in the week.  The player walked up the face of the bunker and collapsed the sand.  Never walk in or out the high side of a bunker.

 

 

A bucket truck was required to remove the tree at the 6th tee.  That is a 480 volt 3-phase power line that feeds the pump house he is working over.

 

 

Notice anything different?

 

 

Dead oak on 8 gone!

 

 

Two more oaks between 2 and 8 removed.

 

 

One of our last scrub pines and a sourwood removed between 3 and 16.

 

 

Cleaning up the area left of 12 green.

 

 

Hauling away the logs.  This represents three days work.

 

 

Annuals going in 18 green bed.  The start of a long day.

 

 

Josh spreading our second application of Dimension herbicide in the rough.  Split applications work better with this herbicide.

 

 

Working on some weak turf in our short game area.  Richard using an aerifier to create a seed bed.

 

 

This is a success trial.  We broadcast some leftover wildflower seed on the bank of 4 tee last winter and bam!  We will do the entire bank this coming winter.