When I decided to write this blog, I thought maybe every week would be the correct timing. Last week my computer decided to show me who was the boss. On Friday it sent my green committee agenda into cyberspace never to be seen again as I was trying to print it. Saturday morning as I was going to write this blog, it locked up and I spent all my writing time trying to figure out what went wrong. Hopefully it has accepted my apologies and will be my friend again.
The National Weather Service says we are stuck in this pattern where about twice a week a front comes in and causes abundant rain and some severe weather. According to their predictions this pattern may last two to four weeks. It may get worse as folk lore tells us that if it rains on Easter, it will rain for six weekends in a row. With a better than even chance of rain for Easter this Sunday, I do not want to even contemplate the ramifications.
With the abundant moisture and mostly above normal temperatures, the golf course has blossomed early this year. The tees and fairways are way ahead and look good when we can get them mowed. Herbicide applications are lagging behind on these areas and a few weeds are showing through but not too bad except around the tees. The new collars expansions around the greens are adapting to their new cutting height and losing that "wow, I just got buzzed look". The rough is loving the moisture and is growing like a weed and generally outpacing our best effort to keep it under control. Equipment malfunctions are not helping the matter but Mother Nature has been more of a limiting factor. The bunkers are just not very good right now. The heavy rains wash the sand off the faces, contaminating the sand with soil and debris, and clogging the drainage tiles. Some weeks the cycle is repeated even before we have a chance to move the sand back onto the faces. It is frustrating for the grounds staff but not a new problem. Some years it just doesn't rain heavily but it seems this year every rain is going to be a gully washer. The remedy is to renovate each bunker making sure the drainage functions properly, install a liner/barrier to protect the drainage and the sand from outside contamination, and then refill with fresh, clean sand. In the interim staff removes contaminated sand, fixes the washouts and as time allows adds fresh sand.
The programs for the greens are slowly beginning to come together and produce the quality surfaces desired. It has been hard to keep to the schedules with the weather and staff training, but the greens are starting to respond to the growth regulator application of 10 days ago. It will be time for another application on Monday. As the turf slows its vertical growth and topdressing is added weekly, the surface becomes smoother and less resistant to ball roll. Throw in rolling and mowing and with luck the greens will become the object of much conversation among golfers.
There is much for us to do to catch back up but the weather forecast does not sound promising for this weekend into next week. There are herbicide applications to be made both in the fairways and rough along with fertilizer treatments for the fairways. Our new golf cart policy was unveiled last Tuesday and it promptly stormed overnight and carts have been restricted to paths since. The early feedback on the new policy was positive and I observed good compliance with it that day. (The pro shop is handling the implementation of the new rules.) Hopefully this new idea will help protect the turf and create better playing conditions for you. The sun has come out now as all green side bunkers have been shoveled just in time for the possible severe storms tonight. Maybe the area will catch a break but either way we will cope with whatever Mother Nature throws us as we try to provide you with great playing conditions.
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