8 Green Winter Damage

Those of you that have played this spring have noticed the damage on the front left corner of the 8th green. This damage was caused by ice formation thus suffocating the turf. The reasons behind the damage only happening on this particular green are based on the location of the green itself, a low shady spot that has a colder micro-climate than any of our other greens. I did not aerate this green along with the others as I was afraid of causing more damage to the turf during a period when the turf was not actively growing. The last few warm days have really got the turf growing so now was the time to begin aerating the 8th green. I used a different type of tine called a Bayonet Tine, which is a wonderful resource to benignly sever roots releasing growth hormones and thus creating a fuller and deeper root system. This process would not have been possible if we did not purchase the new aerator last fall. I will continue to aerate the 8th green until we have complete recovery although I will tell you that it will be a slow process. I will also be using these tine on all the greens various times during the year to "vent" them. More on that later.

Winter Damage on 8th Green