A Warm March and the Effects on Golf Courses

The link below is a good article from the USGA on the effects of the early warm weather on golf courses across the country.  March of 2012 has been officially recorded as the warmest March on record.

http://gsr.lib.msu.edu/article/usga-warm-3-30-12.pdf

Range Divots Headed Right Direction

We are seeing more members use the correct method when hitting practice shots, but there are still too many who choose to dig craters while taking divots.  Please take a few minutes to watch the video below if you have not had the oppotunity.

Someone is Looking For China

Oh The Beauty!


Straight Line Divot Video

Aerification Update



As mentioned in course conditions, the entire course was aerified as of April 13th.  Today we were able to get our first cut on the greens since being aerified on April 9th.  We wait this long to allow all the sand to work its way down into the plant canopy.  Studies have shown this sand layer helps pevent anthracnose, while adding speed and smoothness to the greens.  We greatly appreciate the memberships patience during the week we don't mow allowing the sand to settle into the plant.  You will also notice that the holes have begun to recover despite to the cooler weather.



Day of Aerification

1 Week After Aerification



 



Who Would Have Thought!

After a season as wet as last year, who would think we need irrigation running in April.  Well, other than 3 and 6 green nothing is really in need of water yet.  While the sprinklers you may see running on the course are not for turf health, we are just being proactive with the dry weather we have received thus far.  It takes a lot to get a irrigation system as old and obsolete as ours running properly, so we have spent the last week repairing sprinklers, leaks, and electrical problems to ensure all is ready when the time comes to irrigate the turf.

Greens Aerification

As you speak to different superintendents, it seems that we all have our own process to complete a project with the same objective.  Here at LCC we begin with two walking aerifiers to pull the cores from the green.  We choose to go at 2"x2.5" spacing, 3/8" wide holes, and 4" deep.  The greens have reponded well to this approach, so we will continue to use it until we feel the greens may require something different.  The plugs are then blown to the collar where they are collected with shovels.  Once clean the green is then covered with a blanket of, fines free kiln dried sand.  This sand is important because it is free of particles small enough to create a choker layer, that would prevent the greens from draining properly.  The sand is then dragged, brushed, and blown until all the holes are filled, and a light blanket of sand still covers the green. We will continue to drag these daily until enough sand has fallen into the plant canopy that mowers can cut the turf without removing large amounts of sand.  With proper growing conditions these holes heal in 2-3 weeks, and the green is back to its previous condition.