This past week proved to be rather productive. We completed our greens topdressing and solid tining on schedule. We also managed to install the burlap bags in the fairway bunker on #17, again to create a bullnosed edge that will hold up to the test of time. The wet weather has made mowing difficult, we are trying to get a couple last mowings on our fairways and tees before we apply our snow mould protection and late fall fertilizer. This week looks promising to complete the last mowings of all the short stuff. Greens will be mowed today (Saturday) and again on Monday. Following the mowing on Monday, we will be applying another healthy application of topdressing sand on greens and approaches. Once the sand settles into the turf canopy we will be applying our snow mould protection to greens as well as some late season magnesium and manganese fertilizers. Once we close the golf course, we will be applying our dormant fertilizer to greens. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will be winterizing the irrigation system. This takes us about a day and a half as we also winterize the halfway house, course washroom and range shack. The pictures above show our work on greens this past week. the rain that we recieved on Tuesday night worked the sand in nicely, making room for some more this week....
Last fall we utilized a “new to us” method of revitilization for our practice tee. Our contractor TDS, fraize mowed the surface of the tee to remove organic matter as well at to aid in leveling. The tee was then aerified and seeded to a new variety of creeping rye grass. We chose this type of turf grass as research shows rapid recovery and a low growth habit. We were able to get some great growth in the fall, but the tee is still not ready for traffic and full use. The plan is to utilize the mats until growth has filled in some of the voids etc. We will then begin to slowly set up hitting areas on the grass tee. For a while we will alternate between grass and the mats with a 50/50 ratio of use. Once the grass tee is established and is in adequate recovery mode, the practice areas will be back to normal. As always our membership’s patience is appreciated as we try to improve these areas for use.
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