The Sand Man was here Monday to help us put the finishing touches on our spring aeration. Thanks to some hard work and a few long days, spring aeration was completed Monday after two long weeks. Due to equipment issues, staffing difficulties and having to push back the aeration and sanding process because of weather, we started behind the 8 ball this year. With a busy tee sheet looming this week, we made the call to put all the fairway sand out on Monday instead of the usual Monday and Wednesday. This made for a long day and heavy sand but it's done. 600 tons of sand. Done...
Greens have healed up nicely and we have resumed normal mowing and rolling procedures as of Tuesday this week. In case you were wondering, the process on greens was as follows:
- 5/8" coring on 2" spacing
- Soil amendment application
- Sand applied at 18 tons per acre
- Sand and materials blown into holes
- 1/2" solid tine aeration 8" deep
- Drag and blow sand more
- Apply bent grass seed
- Roll twice
- Organic fertilizer applied
- Water
Lots of steps involved on greens with the timing and scheduling of the process being critical to achieving the desire goals. The tees, approaches and fairways receive a similar treatment as follows:
- Seeding of Chewings Fescue (250 lbs per acre)
- 3/4" core aeration
- Dragging of plugs and seed
- Calcium Carbonate application (1000 lbs per acre)
- Water
- Sand Applied (20 tons per acre)
- Organic Fertilizer Application (500 lbs per acre)
- More water and if the forecast holds up rain!
Over the next few weeks we will work on the many tasks that take a back seat during the aeration process. Cutting and trimming natural grass areas, solid tine aeration in roughs, edging cart paths and sprinkler heads and training new seasonal staffers are just a few of the items on the to do list. A list that never ends... Thanks to a good winter and these "preventative maintenance" practices, we are well on are way to another great golfing season at the Claremont Country Club!
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