Plenty of rain the last ten days-over six inches! The improvement in the way the course drains is remarkable. Can you say money well spent!  Greens aerification went great.  We can't remember the greens putting so well after this procedure.  The mowers will be back on the greens tomorrow.  Annuals and shrub planting will be going full bore this week and next.  Tis the season.  We will be grooming the course for the Member Member Championship this weekend.

DryJect aerifier in action.

Another view.  Irrigation water is pushed into the soil profile creating a void that is then filled with sand.

Once brushed and rolled this is the result.

Greens were seeded after aerification.

All collars were core aerified last week.

Yikes! Annuals have arrived and time to get them in the ground.

Honeybees are back! We are using local bees with help from a local beekeeper and are expecting better results.

This is probably the busiest period of the year maintaining our course. Just about everything imaginable involving turf and landscape management happens now.  We are still a little understaffed but relief is on the way!  We have a number of college students returning with Springfield experience over the next few weeks and boy can we use them.  Pollen has been severe this spring as I am sure you are aware.  Rain is in the forecast towards the end of the week which should help.

This has been the routine getting the course ready for play the last few weeks.  Here the guys move oak catkins from the putting surface before mowing.

An additional hazard that must be removed from bunkers before raking.

The bermudagrass has started growing on the range tee and will be ready for play by the end of the month.

Sod has been ordered to replace the back portion of the tee.

This is a disease of bermudagrass called spring dead spot.  Fungicide applications are made in late summer but are inconsistent.

The club purchased a spiffy new rough mower that so far is exceeding our expectations.  This is the first week we cut the rough twice.

Adding compost to some hard to grow turf areas in fairways.

Here's a nice improvement to the 15th tee.

Another view.

A new putting green nursery was recently seeded with Crystal BlueLinks bent and we had germination in four days!

A bed Augusta National would be proud of.

Spring has hit the fan!  Rain followed by nice warm temperatures has brought on growth everywhere. Fairway aeration went spectacularly.  Adequate soil moisture to start followed by nice sunny days during the operation followed by an inch and a half of rain to help clean things up.  We must be living right!  This operation creates lots of cores that are used to improve the rough and build up flower beds.  Expect these to be spread out and seeded this week.

Aeration made quick! This is a one day operation when everything goes right.

Plenty of nice topsoil is generated for repairs to the rough.

It was a productive week.  Here we work on the 15th tee complex to improve a long time eyesore.  Both tees were reduced in size and the perimeter was regraded to improve drainage.  New sod was installed.  This week the floor of the gold tee will be raised to repair an area holding water.

After sodding-but not done yet.

The guys also repaired ruts in the driving range fairway before the start of the par three tourney.

Bentgrass is beginning to grow in the fairways.  Here bent fills in laterally in an area with some annual bluegrass.

Annual bluegrass weevils are beginning their migration from the rough to fine turf areas.  Here I perform a soap flush to force any weevils to the surface.  Proper monitoring helps pinpoint the best time to apply insecticides.

If you look close you can see several adult weevils brought to the surface.  This was the largest count out of twenty sites-eight adults per square foot.  Next weeks warm weather will be perfect for adult activity and insecticide applications.

Bluebird monitoring has begun.  We have added more houses to the course and relocated several others.  Spring weeds are extreme due to the mild winter.  Birds help spread them too!

Serviceberries and red twig dogwoods.

Tulip mania!

Perfect dual rainbow on March 28th.

Looking for a pot of gold at the turf care center!

The roller coaster continues.  Soil temperatures are measured at 2 PM and have been all over the place.  Friday they were back at 40 degrees.   This is in stark contrast to a year ago when we were at 55 degrees.  Temperatures look to moderate this week so we can finally expect to see some growth.
Annual bluegrass seed head prevention on greens may be inconsistent due to the temperature fluctuations.

This was a week ago Thursday.

Jack inspecting the course on Friday afternoon and gives the all clear for Sunday golf.

Adding chips to the sixth hole.

An improved chip area on the third hole.

Wrapping up creek work on hole five.

Deep tine aeration of greens went great.  Tees will be done next.

Our first fairway fungicide and growth regulator application

 for annual bluegrass reduction occurred this week.

Waitea Patch disease observed on some of the greens this week.  This is a common disease of annual bluegrass and is controlled best by warm temperatures!  Fungicides were applied this week along with growth regulators for annual bluegrass seed head prevention.

Push and pull carts are not permitted on expanded collars around greens and must go around green side bunkers-never between.

Purple martin houses are out and ready for their arrival.  Expect to see them this week!

March is roaring in like a lion and a snow storm is coming.  As long as it leaves like a lamb I'll be happy.  The crew has done so much work on the course that we are a little behind in the shop so there is a benefit to the return of winter.  The course is very dry and a good snow with a nice slow melt will be very beneficial.  After charging up the irrigation system and hand watering dry areas on the course we have shut the system down and opened up some drains in anticipation of frigid temperatures.

Primary rough aeration was completed on Monday.  The course received a little rain at the end of February which gave us some better conditions for coring.

Weak rough was seeded with tall fescue.

If you look close you will see tall fescue seed dropping into the turf canopy.

Last weekend was rough if you were a saucer magnolia.  This next cold snap could hurt more spring flowers.

There is a little green in the Patriot bermuda on the driving range...or was!

The first annual bluegrass weevil was seen on Thursday.  These critters have built in antifreeze within their bodies to withstand freezing temperatures.

Soil temperatures were observed at 50 degrees on Thursday-seven degrees higher than this time last year...but that is changing now.

Richard hand watering on Thursday.  Crazy!!!

Our Crystal BlueLinks bent is looking spectacular this early in the season.  This snow will be very beneficial to the entire course.