Course Update

The greens were topdressed today continuing with our program of topdressing with sand every 7 days to smooth the putting surface and dilute our thatch layer. The fairways were again treated for hyperdode weevils which are still feeding on the roots and crowns of the Poa annua. This is the fourth generation of these insects this season due in most part to the warm winter we had which didn't kill any of the adults. The areas that have thinned out in the fairways will begin to fill in with creeping bentgrass which is a good thing although an ugly way to get more bentgrass.

My most hated enemy

FCC Change

The FCC is mandating that all golf courses switch from wide band controlled irrigation communication to narrow band communication. This process is a lengthy and expensive conversion that is required by law. For the next 5 days Storr Tractor has setup a temporary computer and antenna to record all the different radio frequency in our area to determine which 4 frequency will be best for our new FCC license.
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Course Update

All of the playing surface were treated yesterday with liquid fertilizer, plant protectants, growth regulators, and wetting agents. The greens once again were treated for the sodium build up that occurs from our irrigation water - calcium, manganese, and potassium along with a penetrating wetting agent were applied to the greens and irrigated to flush the sodium away. The Dry-Ject holes from last week are healing up and the sand has settled into the turf canopy so we will be grooming the greens the next few days, lifting and cutting the longer blades of grass allowing for a healthier, denser, and smoother putting surface.

USGA August Update

The Magic August 15 Date Is Here

By Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist, Northeast Region
August 15, 2012

The magic August 15^th date for Northeast golf courses is here, at least on paper. The days are shorter and that is a plus. It still feels pretty darn warm and humid though. It has been a long year. While it has not been as hard as some, it has been relentless. August aeration dates are fast approaching for some. It is important to use caution with this practice, especially if your annual bluegrass greens are weak. The stress from the aeration process combined with warm, dry conditions may be too much for the shallow-rooted turf to tolerate. Overseeding damaged areas should be done with care as well, particularly if the golf course remains busy. It might be best to begin some less invasive dimple or spike seeding and wait with the more aggressive tactics for a week or two longer when weather conditions are more likely to be favorable and the tee sheets open up.

The long and hot summer has brought with it more crabgrass and nutsedge than I have seen in some time. Crabgrass is having its way in non-treated rough areas and is now even making a strong presence where early spring applications of preemergent herbicides were used. Early applications of dithopyr or pendimethalin are just not holding up with the extended period of heat we have experienced. Even split half-rate applications made on traditional early spring dates are showing break through at some golf courses. The second half-rate application applied in late May or June was just not enough to hold the crabgrass back. Prodiamine, with its longer residual, seems to be holding up slightly better. The lesson learned this season is to try wait as long as possible before applying the preemergent materials. Sprayable formulations of dithopyr provide post emergent activity against young crabgrass plants so the application can be made later. Fortunately, herbicides like Acclaim Extra® and Drive® do offer opportunities to treat the crabgrass. Drive® applications are underway at many golf courses in hopes of controlling the weed before it drops its seed.

The advent of the TDR moisture meters is one of those occurrences that have a profound impact on golf course management. The benefits of that tool are most apparent in a season such as this. If you do not yet have one you are missing out on a tool that will improve your water management capabilities and make you a better turf manger. The sensors offer a quick and accurate measurement that can be used to guide water applications or monitor moisture retention. I have heard experienced superintendents more than once this year say that they have changed their minds about this tool. Although it is certainly possible to evaluate soil moisture with the traditional method of probing the soil the manual process is slower, more difficult and not nearly as precise. Make a TDR meter a must buy for 2013.

We are close to turning the corner with the summer weather, or so we hope. The annual bluegrass has performed pretty well for the most part, but it is “tired.” Superintendents and staffs are tired too. This is not time to shoot yourself in the foot with a hasty decision you may regret long into fall. Hold it together. Football season is just about here. The pumpkins are ripening at Sully’s vegetable stand which a sure sign that we have just about made it.

Northeast Region Green Section - Dave Oatis, director doatis@usga.org; Adam Moeller, agronomist amoeller@usga.org:Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist jskorulski@usga.org.

Dry-Ject 2012

Today we Dry-Jected the greens as part of our advanced agronomic program. Dry-Ject utilizes a high-speed, water-based injection system that blasts aeration holes through the root zone to fracture the soil, while using vacuum technology to fill the holes with high volumes of sand. This process relieved compaction, increases water infiltration, and oxygenates the root zone. The greens will be firmer as the holes fill in while allowing good rooting going into the fall season.

24,000 pounds of sand

Loading Sand into Unit Very Labor Intensive

Green Sand was used to Mark the Depth of Hole

5 Green Drainage

XGD installed drainage on the 5th green two years ago and the results have been great. The course took a 1.15 inch rain event today leaving puddles all over the golf course and the bunkers but the the 5th green had zero standing water.

Course Update

The past weekend was very difficult for the turf especially the Poa with night temperatures close to 80 degrees and the dew point over 75. These conditions do not allow the plant to cool down at night so the stress is constant. We have a break right now and the temperature this morning at the course is 60 degrees which is perfect for the turf to recover.

The greens were topdressed again yesterday to help smooth them out and increase the green speed without lowering our height of cut or rolling excessively damaging the collars. The green speed will pick-up this week with the low humidity unless the thunderstorms at the end of the week hit us. All the playing surfaces were fertilized with liquids and plant protectants were applied.

Another reminder that we will be dry-jecting the greens on Monday August 13th. I am hoping for good weather with no rain as this process can NOT be completed in the rain.

Rain

The course received 1.2 inches of rain with the two storms that passed over MGC yesterday. The crew will be working on mowing around green surrounds today, mowing greens and fairways as well as continuing on the rough. We have lowered the height of the rough to help keep up with the surge of growth that we have been seeing the past few days. I will have the blowers out behind the rough mower dispersing clippings. The greens will be sprayed to prevent pythium disease this morning which is caused by hot wet humid night time conditions that will be consistent the next 5 days.

A reminder that we will be Dry-Ject aerating the greens on August 13th, this is part of the advanced agronomic plan that we established after the issues last season. An example of this aeration method can be seen on the TPC Sawgrass blog located on the right of your screen.

Once the greens heal an ISTRC sample will be taken from the 6th green and compared to last season's sample showing the amount of improvement the extra aerifications have created. These results will give us a numeric target to help determine our aeration practices for next season. Our goal in simple terms is to reduce the thatch layer in the greens allowing them to drain better creating healthier turf through various weather conditions while improving the speed and playability on a consistent basis.