Greens

The greens here have always been a challenge to care for and generally behave unlike most other greens not only in the area but the midwest.  Many programs have been tried searching for that "silver bullet" that would ease their care yet produce fast, firm putting surfaces.  There are many products that are marketed as "cure alls", and many have been tried through the years.  Hardly a year has gone by where our greens management program has not been changed from the previous year no matter how successful that year was.  I guess you would say that perfection is being chased.

This past winter after attending two seminars and visiting numerous vendors at the Golf Industry Show, the decision to add one product and change the rate on another was made.  The product added is OARS or organic acid removal system.  Organic acid tends to coat individual sand particles in the greens mix making them repel water which is not a good thing and is the cause of most of our dry spots on the greens.  Application of OARS on a monthly basis is said to help prevent the sand medium from drying in spots.  The first application was made a couple of weeks ago and I would say that it is helping as I believe the greens are drying more on the surface (what is desired) while still holding moisture deeper in the sand where you want the  roots to be.  It is a new experience letting the surface dry (which allows for better putting).  In the past this would have caused numerous localized dry spots that would need hand watering.  It has not eliminated hand watering but it has reduced the need so far.

One green that has given us trouble in the past was the back right of #16.  Today I had Adam Hunerkoch put some plugs in a bare area there from the nursery green.  When cutting the bad area out, Adam noted that it felt like he was cutting through roots.  When he was finished he examined the soil taken from #16 green and found it contained a whole bunch of tree roots that I figure are from the sycamore behind the back bunker.  (See photo below)  Those roots are the cause of the turf loss but because of the proximity to the bunker and the green, root pruning might not be available.  That would mean removal would be the only remedy to the situation.

The other product that we tweaked in our program was the growth regulator Primo.  In the past the industry feeling was that the use of this product would help the bentgrass but also increase the poa annua (lighter green colored turf with seedheads).  New research out of Wisconsin shows that the benefits of Primo can be obtained without the negatives if the application timing is reduced to 200 GDD (growing degree days).  This was the course of action decided upon and it does seem to be working.  The poa annua is still seeding but the plant is diminished in size in relationship to the bentgrass.  One of the benefits of Primo is reduced need for water by the plant which may be helping to keep the surface drier.  The bentgrass is definitely finer textured with Primo which was one of the drawbacks with other growth regulators we have tried.  Unfortunately, applying by GDD has added more sprays to our routine.  Reviewing past weather records leads us to think that in the summer the Primo sprays will be once per week.  Every other week then it will be combined with our regular fungicide application easing the burden slightly.

The only disappointing feature of the greens since aeration has been the speed.  Now that mowing and rolling schedules are stabilizing, the speed has been consistently between the high 8's and middle 9's.  The target is between 9 and 10.5 so they are on the low end of spectrum.  One possible factor is one of the fungicides we regularly use.  It is an organic compound that seems to leave the leaf feeling sticky.  I think I can feel it on a golf ball for a couple of days after application.  Removal of this product from the application schedule may be tried in June to see if it really is having an effect on ball roll.  Overall, the texture and smoothness of the putting surfaces are good and continuing to improve each week.  If the surfaces can remain drier throughout the summer without massive hand watering and the speed can be tweaked slightly, then the goals for the year will be met.

mass of tree roots #16 green

Summer already?

With almost a week of sunny weather, the golf course is returning to normal.  The ground is drying up in most spots and we now know where more drainage needs to be added in the fairways.  From record rainfall we have emerged to record high temperatures.  Hopefully the temperatures are just a brief interlude before spring ( a normal one) arrives at least for a couple of weeks.

The bunkers continue to take the lion's share of the labor hours.  The load of bunker sand that was in the parking lot has been used in the bunkers for repair and probably at least two more will be needed to bring the depths back to normal.  Of course that is one more load than budgeted for and at this point the sand is unavailable because of flooding at the sand plant.

We are trying to get caught up this week in our applications but in reality it will take several weeks.  Greens were sprayed with a fungicide and Primo Monday.  Today the last of the tees and the greens surrounds and zoysia fairways were sprayed for large patch disease.  The bermuda is not sprayed as it will grow out of it quickly and it appears that is already happening.  Tomorrow if the wind is low enough, greens surrounds will have a herbicide applied for nutsedge and other weeds.  The wind has to be low though as we can not take a risk of the product drifting on to the greens.  This same product needs to be applied to fairways and they also need fertilizer and then a growth regulator application.  Look for  those to be done in the next couple of weeks.  That leaves broadleaf weed control for the rough and the clubhouse area.  When, I can not say but as soon as possible.

Details have been non existent the last several weeks and with most areas under some semblence of control, staff will be able to concentrate on them.  This includes trimming around trees, trimming around bunkers, trimming around ball washers, and trimming around the ponds.  Additionally the Har-Tru courts needs resurfacing and lining that is a two week process though not every day.  With a break from the heavy rains, we hope to start being able to meet our scheduled routines of turf care.  That should translate into a course that you will not be able to stay away from.

May Flowers?

April was an interesting month weather wise and not many people will be sad to see it leave.  An incredible amount of rain fell leaving the area threatened by floods and cowering with the next prospect of bad storms.  Fortunately, the Country Club of Paducah sits atop one of the highest pieces of property in the county and is not subject to floods like some of the other courses in the region.  Two weeks ago the National Weather Service warned that this weather pattern might persist for a month.  With a projected 3 to 5 inches over the next couple of days, there does not seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.

What does all this moisture mean for the turf?  In an ideal situation, soil is 50% solid and 50% pore space.  That pore space is then filled evenly with half air and half water.  That provides the best growing conditions for plants.  In reality, compaction (traffic by equipment or people) reduces the pore space to somewhere in the mid forties which is why aerification is necessary.  When the ground gets saturated like it has been lately, the air in the pore space is filled with water causing plants to look like they are drowning which they actually can be.  Plants do not only take in air through the leaves but also through the roots in the soil.  When there is nothing but water, the roots can not breathe and start to suffer.  Since spring is the major root growing season, having a period where the roots can not grow optimally but may actually be declining is not a great situation with the summer stress period looming. 

Another negative in saturated soil is its propensity to compact easily with traffic especially the native soils that tend to have fine clay particles.  They react just like molding clay would and when they dry, the pore space that has been lost does not come back without mechanical disruption or a freeze/thaw cycle.  Fortunately our greens growing medium is sandy and drains extremely well.  The rest of the course though needs to be protected as much as possible while still maintaining some semblence of a golf course.  Our mantra is to "do as little harm as possible".  That is why I have refrained from mowing fairways since the 21st and rough has only seen mowers one afternoon since then.  The turf is getting long especially in the rough but heights of cut can be raised and worked back down to normal when conditions allow.  If equipment is sent out and ruts are made, that damage will linger for a long time.  Sometimes the operation has to happen such as spraying of greens and we have to live with the damage that the sprayer makes in the rough or around the greens but generally caution rules.

Right now besides the grass getting tall and the weeds flourishing, my main concern is for the bunkers.  They are suffering mightily under the deluges.  With each heavy downpour more sand is washed and contaminated with the underlying soil further compromising the bunker's drainage capabilities.   Additionally, the contaminated sand needs to be removed and thrown away increasing the amount of new sand that needs to be added.  While the new sand has better drainage and staying capabilities, it is expensive and takes labor to get into the bunkers.  On several holes the sand has washed so badly that the gravel surrounding the drain pipe has been exposed and mixed with the sand and clay.  On #17 the wash was so extensive that about 10 feet of pipe was completely exposed and had to be removed, cleaned out and reset in new gravel.  Once the gravel becomes mixed with the sand it is very hard to clean and the only real remedy is to remove all the sand.  This a tough situation, but rest assured we are trying our best.

On a cheerful note, the greens continue to roll smoother each day despite the fact that we have not been able to topdress and rolling has been mimimal.  The growth regulator Primo is slowing growth, tightening the turf, and creating a plant that has less resistance to rolling.  The trick has been to stay on schedule with the applications and if the weather patterns continues that may become the limiting factor.  Will May's flowers be as abundant as April's showers?  I have no clue but know that whatever is thrown at us by Mother Nature will be dealt with.  See you on the course hopefully needing sunscreen.