Nursery Green and the Beginning of Winter Projects

Friday, November 18, 2016

It is hard to believe that November is over half-way over and Thanksgiving is less than a week away.  Our team is knee deep in leaf removal and the beginning of winter projects.  It is hard to know or predict when we will be finished picking up leaves but with cooler weather on the way, project season is upon us.  You may have noticed some lines painted on #9 fairway.  We have marked the irrigation in preparation for drainage installations next week.  We have two projects...

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Collars

Friday, October 21, 2016

You have probably noticed that the collars directly around the greens have lost their color over the last few weeks.  This is due to the fact that the collars are a different variety of bermudagrass than the rest of the golf course.  Over the last few years, our team has changed a lot of the collar square footage from 'TifSport' bermudagrass over to 'Patriot' bermudagrass.  The collars have had a history of very poor performance when breaking winter dormancy.  The majority of...

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Nematodes

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Plant-parasitic nematodes are unsegmented, microscopic roundworms that feed on plants.  As plant-parasitic nematodes feed, they damage the root system and reduce the ability of the plant to obtain water and nutrients from the soil. Nematodes cause a reduction in the fine feeder-roots that are important in water and nutrient uptake by the plant. When nematode population densities get high enough, or when environmental stresses such as high heat and humidity occur, above-ground symptoms may become evident. Symptoms include yellowing, wilting,...

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Battling Mother Nature

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Mother Nature has not been kind to us over the last 8 days.  On Tuesday, July 19, the golf course received a harrowing storm that deposited 1.5" of rain and knocked down or damaged over 25 trees.  In the following days, the heat was turned up and we sustained 5 straight days with a heat index over 110 degrees.  Today and tomorrow don't look much better.  During this time, the putting greens started showing real signs of stress especially where they are not impacted by fans.  The...

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Course Update

Thursday, July 14, 2016

It has been a while since I have updated the blog and we have certainly been busy.  Record rainfall in May and a very wet June have helped parts of the course flourish and has hampered progress in others.  The rain certainly highlighted the benefits of the drainage projects we have completed and identified next winter's priorities.  The two closed days this week allowed our team to verticut, aerate, and topdress the warm season tees and fairways.  These are necessary practices...

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Recent Questions

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Spring is here and even though night time temperatures have dipped below 40 a few times this week and even below 30 last week, the golf course is starting to break dormancy.  Next week brings warmer temperatures and the golf course will really flush out with new growth.  Refurbished and new amenities including our 'in-season' set of wooden tee markers are back on the course.  The wooden acorn tees, used for special occasions, were also refurbished this year.  Our team has mowed...

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Spring Aeration Part 1

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The three closed days this week has allowed our team to accomplish a lot of work in a short amount of time.  Our team completed the deep tine and solid tine aeration of the greens.  Soil amendments and sand were applied and dragged into the holes.  These holes, full of sand, will provide perfect avenues for water infiltration and root growth this season.  Outside of aeration, our team sprayed the golf course wall to wall with pre-emergent herbicide to prevent winter weeds.  The...

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Winter Progress and Spring Aeration (Long Read)

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Every winter season, our team prepares a project list based on plant health needs and recommendations from the Green Committee.  Normal projects include tree work, drainage installation, refurbishing course amenities, and fan installations. This year included a new bridge installation on 16 as well.  Despite the poor weather, this winter has been productive even beyond our stated goals.  Our project season really wraps up April 1.    The project list: Tree Work 1.  Remove dead trees from the property on holes...

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Winter 2016

Monday, February 01, 2016

To say that the winter weather has slowed our team down this year would be an understatement.  We have been locked down by both ends of the spectrum.  December brought warm weather and great golfing conditions.  If I remember correctly, it was 72F on Christmas Day.  Our team was busy preparing the course for winter and golf at the same time. January brought on a new set of circumstances.  Cold weather and snow trapped our team inside and slowed progress on winter drainage...

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