Tee surface contamination

As our tee boxes age they have started to get some bent grass contamination. We try to keep the bent grass out. There is a chemical called Mesotrione to help us with that.  

Over the next few days you will see the grasses start to yellow. The bent grass should turn a whitish color, while the blue and rye grasses will yellow and recover to a green color. We may need to apply another application to get the desired results.  There will be areas that will require some seeding to get desired grasses established. 

If you have any questions feel free to contact me. 

We will see you out enjoying some great fall golf!!

Ross

Fall Compaction Relief

 All of the sudden it's the middle of September.  We have had a busy season, and some extra cart traffic.  This has our Golf Course feeling a little tired and wore out.  As the fall moves along we are a mission to improve the plant health.  We will accomplish this through various methods including; compaction relief, fertilization and raising the heights of cut.  All these will have very little effect on the play ability of the golf course.  

Yesterday we started with some compaction relief of cart path entrances and exits.  This was accomplished with a wobble tine machine to a depth of 4".   We will use this same machine for the driving range and practice facility.  

The plan next is to hit the tees, collars and aprons.  We will use a 3/4" solid tine machine followed by a top dressing of sand.  Getting the sand down in the holes will help control thatch and organic matter. 

Next will be the fairways.  Again this year we will be using a slicing tine machine.   This machine can go to a depth of 8", giving us some good compaction relief.  Best part is there is very minimal disruption to the turf surface after one or two mowings.  

 Finally the greens will get their compaction relief on October 6.  We hired out a contractor to come in with a deep tine machine.  9-10" deep is common.  This is the same process on the greens as last year, with very good results.  This will require a heavy top dressing of sand to fill the holes.  All this will allow more air and water to move through the soil profile.  

Timing of all these events will very over the next three weeks, working around tournaments scheduled.  

Through all this there will be very minimal disruption to play.  

Come out and enjoy some great fall golf!!