What Happens on Closed Days?

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Today was a scheduled closed day for maintenance and fairway topdressing.  This scheduled fairway topdressing was cancelled and the funds slated for topdressing were reappropriated for the drill and fill process next month.  We still made the most of the closed day.

First and foremost, we took the opportunity to spray our winter weed pre-emergent herbicide.  The pre-emergent herbicide prevents winter weeds and specifically poa annua on tees, fairways, and surrounds.  You may see some off coloring in the tire tracks of the sprayer.  The tires lay the grass blades over and those leaf blades take up more of the herbicide.  This is normal and the grass will grow out of it quickly.  We also sprayed selected areas for the fungal pathogen that causes Spring Dead Spot.  This will be a three application process and if it works, we will utilize this method in the future.  Both of these products must be watered in and spraying them while we are closed is much more efficient.

The greens and TifSport collars were aerated between yesterday and today.  We pulled small cores out of the greens and big cores from the collars.  The collars have been historically weak coming out of winter dormancy and this is one of the many management practices we are employing to improve these areas.  This is the fourth time that we have aerated the collars this year to help relieve compaction.  The cores are cleaned up and then an organic fertilizer is applied and the collars are topdressed.  The sand and fertilizer is brushed into the aeration holes to help build a better, more durable soil.  We have been constantly aerating and spoon feeding fertility to keep the collars healthy.  The stronger they go into dormancy, the better chance of good turf next spring. 

Our new Assistant in Training, Dan Smith, leads a small crew fertilizing, topdressing, and brushing collars.  This is one of the techniques we are using to build a healthy growing environment for the TifSport directly around greens.

Reynol topdresseing behind the aeration and fertilizer.  The sand and fertilizer are brushed into the aeration holes.

The staff is also busy edging and push mowing bunkers and cleaning weeds out of canals and pond banks.  Stan Zontek was here today for an official USGA site visit.  Stan was very pleased with the golf course and as always we discussed different management practices to better all surfaces.  We greatly appreciate the closed day to accomplish all of this necessary maintenance 

Have a great week,

Jordan Booth
jbooth@willowoakscc.org