Our crew knocked it out of the park this week.  After Monday's deluge we were able to seed all but three fairways along with our routine course maintenance.  I am really proud of our crew.  This summer has continually tested them and not once did they not meet the day to day challenges.

 

Warm nights and hot days have continued this week.

 

Drainage swales are soaked again.  All really bad areas in the collars and fairways were aerated and seeded this week.  We are crossing our fingers that everything will still be there after this wet weekend.

 

 

Richard watering collars that have been seeded.  We won't be watering much after today.

 

 

Pylex herbicide applied at a quarter ounce per acre turning common bermudagrass white.  Unfortunately this will not kill the bermudagrass.  Additional applications hurt the bentgrass.

 

 

What the Pylex does kill is goosegrass and the reason it was applied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Ground Hog Day.  More rain and course closure.  We just completed seeding the third and fifth fairways, watered it in to start the growing cycle and BAM!  Over one inch of rain fell fast and furious ending what had been a great day.  The good news (I think) is the damage is not too severe and shouldn't require much additional seeding.

 

Monday morning and the seeding has begun.  That's Luis on the tractor.

 

 

The start of a long day.  Rony and Max begin seeding really bad areas with our walk seeders.

 

After seeding Josh used a metal drag mat to breakup the crust on top.

 

The result is an absolutely perfect seedbed.  The sprinklers are on in the background.

 

More irrigation.

 

Early afternoon we encountered this.  Look familiar?

 

 

This morning these fairways looked better than expected.

 

 

A closer look.

 

 

The course is recovering.  This is last Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning.  One step forward, one step back.  The golf course just will not dry out.  Another half inch this morning closed the course until at least one today.  We finally have cooler weather which is half the equation.  Sun and plenty of it is now needed to begin seeding.  If we receive no more rain Monday looks like our day to start.  Once the worst fairways are seeded these will be marked MANDATORY GROUND UNDER REPAIR until further notice.

 

Finally some cool morning temperatures.

 

Deep tine aeration of tees Monday before we opened for play.

 

A closer look of Francisco in action.

 

Bayonet aerification of fairways on Tuesday.  We hope to complete this by the end of next week.

 

 

The fans are off!  We turned them back on today to facilitate drying after the morning rain.

 

 

One of the unfortunate circumstances of too much rain-poorly repaired ball marks.

 

This is the same mark after I repaired it properly.  It's not perfect but will recover rapidly unlike the pancake.

 

 

Three fairway this morning.  We were prepared to begin seeding today.

 

 

Four green looking as good as ever.  Better days are coming!

 

 

More heat and humidity have been the story since the last blog.  However the cavalry is coming as really nice weather is in the forecast! We are ready to attack the worst areas in the fairways next week.  We had planned to start today but of course it rained.  Fortunately we weren't in the crosshairs on this one but more is expected before the cold front arrives.  Next week looks busy!

 

Our greens have performed quite well through the heat of the summer.  Perfection is the goal but unrealistic.  Richard and Jose Nunez detailing all weak areas on Friday.

 

 

Seeding followed by light dimpling to set the seed in the soil.

 

Purple magic. Five days later! 

 

A closer look.

 

 

We began knifing poor fairways on Tuesday.  We'd like to seed these beginning Monday. 

 

Let 'em breathe!

 

 

If there was ever a year to show the value of circulation fans it's this one.  Our weakest greens are some of the best this summer.

 

Four green.

 

Without the fan the fifth green might not of survived this summer.

 

Three green showing off.

 

 

Nice sedge control.

 

 

Goosegrass is starting to show up on tees and fairways.  It illustrates that preemergent herbicides have about worn out and seeding may soon begin.  It has been so hot we have stopped applying postemergent herbicides fearing damage to the bent.  Now that temperatures are working in our favor we will resume applications. Bermudagrass in the rough will also be treated before we begin rough seeding.  Expect some brown bermudagrass later this month. 

 

 

Gill keeping a watchful eye for foxes Wednesday night.

 

 

 

 

The course did not receive too much damage from Hurricane Isaias.  Approximately three inches of rain fell but we never experienced any extreme wind so that is good.  The course needs to dry out so we may begin repairing it.  Weather permitting we will begin venting the fairways and tees next week using bayonet tines.  These tines will help provide some needed relief to these stressed areas.  Once completed we will begin seeding the worst areas.

 

Getting ready for Isaias.  All fairways were mowed on Monday.

 

Greens were aerified as well.  Our timing was perfect!

 

Josh applying fungicides and a wetting agent to the tees before the deluge.

 

 

All hands on deck.  As much of the rough was mowed as possible. 

 

 

Tuesday morning. Our poor fifth fairway.  Most likely there will be minimal turf loss this time due to lower temperatures.

 

 

Only one tree down on hole 11.

 

 

Fifteen approach

 

Wednesday morning removing downed oak at 11 tee.

 

The nicest morning in over a month. You can almost see the turf breathing life again.

 

With the course closed a good opportunity to repair and detail the bunkers.

 

Pulling weeds and filling divots with seed mix on all the tees.

 

Our tomatoes are not liking all the rain either.

 

It is always disappointing when winter rules are posted. 

Ugh, ugh, ugh.  I feel compelled to apologize for the course condition but what more could we have possibly done to prevent this mess?  One thing I can assure you is that we will do all that we can to get our course back in shape.  Unfortunately just when we think it can't get worse it can.  The possibility of a hurricane is very real and we will just have to wait and see.  Here's a look at the horror.

 

Three fairway swale. 

 

Three fairway. 

 

Contrast from the fairway to the rough.  Fairways and tees have taken their lumps but our rough is having a great year so far.

 

Five fairway.  I believe it is time to consider another type of turf for our fairways.  Bentgrass just can't handle the heat extremes we are experiencing.  Drainage was installed to this fairway before we regrassed in 2013 but more is required.  The growing environment in this fairway will always be a challenge.

 

Another example of a nice stand of fescue/bluegrass in the rough versus bent in the fairway. 

 

The difference from six fairway and five is striking.  It's easy to see where all the water goes...and stays.

 

 

When the turf is struggling bunker maintenance increases.  Here Jose B. and Francisco vibratory compact new sand added to bunkers requiring sand.

 

 

A completed bunker.

 

 

Perfect ninety degree cart etiquette. 

 

 

In the middle of a pandemic there is also an epidemic attacking oak trees.  Oak borers are devastating our native trees.  The light area is saw dust from the borer in a white oak.  Fortunately this is in a weak tree scheduled to be removed.  We have not seen any other damage from this serious pest but will begin spraying insecticides to prevent future problems.  All oaks will be sprayed by our staff beginning the next two weeks.  Insecticides are applied to the trunk up to about twenty feet and repeated in about a month.