Is The End Near???

This week is rather busy for the Maintenance Staff.  We will be in the process of putting the finishing touches preparing the Golf Course for the winter season.  Below is a list of some of the main items we address before winter, there are many other little items not listed.

On the schedule for today:
- Spray our greens with a mixture of fungicides and anti transparent, this will help protect the putting surfaces from snow mold.
- Winterize the two restrooms on the course.
- Top dress tees and collars with sand.
- Continue to chop and blow leaves.
- Cut temporary green holes
- Remove fountain from irrigation pond

Tuesday:
-Winterize irrigation system, typically takes about 12 hours.
-Continue to top dress tee areas

Wednesday:
-Winterize well systems.
-May start bringing accessories in, depends on forecast.

Thursday:
-Winterize Driving Range Building
- Apply a heavy coat of sand on the greens, this protects the crown of the turf grass plant.

We will keep the greens open as long as the weather permits, at some point we will switch over to temporary hole locations on the front nine.   There will be more information to follow.  For now come out and enjoy your golf course.

Below is a picture of a Demo rough mower we purchased.  Fall is a great time to get a good machine with some very low hours on, and also a very good price.  If you ever want to check out some of the equipment we use on the course feel free to stop down to the shop.  If the weather allows you may even take it out for a drive.

We will see you on the course.
Ross

Compaction Relief

Last week was a complete wash, this week we were back on schedule to complete our compaction relief.  Greens and fairways were on schedule for this week.

On the greens we went with a 3/4" solid tine.  This provided an adequate hole to get sand into the soil's profile.  The process went like this; top dress heavy with sand, aerate, drag in the sand and finally roll the green's surface.   All this to keep the green's surface as playable as possible. 

The fairways we used our new Terra Slicer, as shown below.  It has many slicing blades going to depths of up to 8".  We currently have it set to depth of 6", this provide good compaction relief while not totally tearing up the playing surface.  With the good weathe we will be done with all fairways areas by Friday. 

If you have any questions or comments please contact me. 

We will see you on the course.

Ross

SNOW

Our first snow of the year has arrived.  It also has basically rained on and off all week.  After the long dry spell I was wondering if we would ever get adequate moisture this year.  The snow should not hurt anything, just delay any course maintenance and golfing this week.  Fun Times!

It was originally planned to start compaction relief in the fairways and roughs this week, now we will start when Mother Nature allows.  Next Week?  The plan was also to start greens aerification, now we are looking at next week.  Please be patient as these are much needed maintenance items. Once the normal weather returns we will finish in a timely manner 

I am hoping the snow will melt off soon,  the Golf Course will then be open for some great fall golf!!

We will see you on the course.

Ross