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Late Spring 2019 Update

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This is a long overdue blog that I have finally dug down deep to finish. It has been a very busy spring at the Club and we have now begun to move into June and the warmer long nights of summer. As you all know by now we came through the winter in very good condition. After some minor repairs the greens are in excellent condition and we are close to reaching desired green speeds, firmness and true ball roll. In order to maintain these conditions ongoing cultural practices such as venting and bi-weekly topdressing will commence shortly.
The tees are fine and the fairways are in fairly good condition aside from all the low spots (referred to as bird baths by some) and any area that saw water run off the green covers over the winter. All those low spots and runoff zones froze during freeze thaw cycles and killed the turf. It killed Poa annua, creeping bentgrass and even Kentucky bluegrass in certain locations. If the greens weren't covered I shudder to think of the results.
Going forward recovery of the fairways will take time. We have sodded some large approach areas and will be sodding an area of the fairway in front of 18 green and the landing area on 2 fairway. This will be completed this week for #18 and next week for hole #2. All the other areas will be verticut again and overseeded with bentgrass. But what will really fill in those areas is all the seedhead that is being produced by the Poa annua on the fairways. It is very easy to notice right now as the whiteish tinge covering the fairways. As all this seed is mowed off by the equipment and the seed settles into those low areas it will eventually germinate as the nights warm up in June. It will take time but the fairways will recover.
The branch cleanup has finally finished and the piles to the left of hole #9 are chipped and disposed of. Several holes still need limbing next winter (the brutally cold weather of last February slowed us down) and we have stump removal and some major pruning on holes 10 through 13 to undertake throughout the summer. That will complete year 1 of the 5 Year Tree Plan.
Some members have inquired as to the reintroduction of the intermediate cut of rough. Rather than wait until next year we will find the time to do it now. The plan is to mark the first cut by shrinking the fairways back to original size and letting that part of the fairway grow back to 7/8" rather than scalp the thick rough or try to move out into rough where there is limited room. That will have to suffice for 2019 and then we can modify that intermediate rough/ fairway widths in the spring of 2020. Please be patient as this will take approximately a month of growth to achieve the desired results.

On The Course Over The Next Few Weeks:

  • venting and lightly sanding greens this week
  • lightly topdressing fairways this week
  • erecting a small net section to the right of the range to protect golfers from errant range balls in a small opening in the trees near the forward tees on hole #10
  • sodding sections of #2 and #18 fairways
  • re-establishing the intermediate cut
  • bunker edging, sand adjustment and addition as required

If anyone would like to discuss golf course related matters with me my contact information is available at the office. I can be reached by email and on my cell. Of course I still use twitter as I see fit and the app has daily course conditions posted, usually by 10 am.

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