Another One in The Books!

Well, the time of year we have all come to know and love has now come and gone... Aeration!

Over the last two and a half weeks, virtually all of the turf on the course has been aerated and seeded. The process is a long and messy one wearing on the staff, the equipment and the golfing membership. The process is also a vital one, insuring a healthy and resilient turf as we head into the long marathon that is the growing season. See the cores in the picture above? The dark rings in each core are layers of thatch that result in poor water infiltration and localized dry spots in the summer months. Gotta get in and mix those layers up! See below on the many benefits of the aeration.

We were blessed with great weather throughout the aeration and this has lead to a speedy recovery. The picture below shows the 5th green just nine days following the aeration. The greens have healed nicely and we are now working on getting back the speed and smoothness that we have all come to expect. Greens will be verticut and sanded on Monday the 25th to insure this.

The coming weeks will be very busy for all in the turf department. The to-do list seems to continually expand and our focus for the remainder of March and into April will turn to raising sprinklers around greens and fairways, refreshing all bunkers with new sand, trimming all native grass hillsides, and the clean up and detail of the perimeters of the property. All of this while we train a new seasonal staff of seven and prepare the course each day for member play.

 We look forward to a great golfing season all the while knowing it may be a tough one. The average rainfall for January thru March is over 10 inches. To date, we are at 1.78 inches and hoping for more! This has a major affect on the soils we work with and remember, when it comes down to it, it's all about the soils.

 

Keep an eye on the blog for the down low on many of our practices on the course and as always, suggestions on content are welcome and wanted. Thanks and we'll see you on the course!

Spring Aeration Schedule

This coming Monday all systems are a go for our spring aeration. The weather forecast is for clear skies and temperatures in the high 60's making for near perfect aeration conditions. See the schedule below:

Monday 3/11 - Front 9 Greens Aeration & Sanding

Tuesday 3/12 - Back 9 Greens Aeration & Sanding (Back 9 CLOSED for the day)

Wednesday 3/13 to Friday 3/15 - Tee & Approach Aeration & Sanding

Monday 3/18 to Wednesday 3/27 - Fairway Aeration

There are many factors that play into a successful aeration. Equipment malfunctions and breakdowns, rain and/or cold weather, tournaments and large amounts of play can all effect the timing and efficiency of the operation. Check back here on the blog over the next few weeks for updates on the progress of the aeration.

Why must we punch holes and bury the greens in sand you may ask? Click on the link below for a short video courtesy of the USGA on the how's and why's of a green aeration. Thanks and we'll see you on the course!

http://www.usga.org/turf/articles/video/aerate_greens.html