Course Update

This week was not the greatest week for playing golf in Northern New Jersey with over two inches of rain and mostly cloudy humid conditions but it looks like the unofficial weekend start of the summer will have much better weather. Last season we made changes to our agronomic plan including the removal of trees, drainage improvements, equipment changes, and additional greens aerations for situations just like this week. The tree removals have allowed for more sun and air movement keeping the disease pressure lower and the additional drainage has improved bunker play and general course conditions. The additional greens aeration have given the greens a better chance to move the water from the surface through the soil profile allowing for healthier roots. I must caution that we are nowhere near the percolation rate (rate at which water moves through the soil) on the greens that we should be but we are better then last season. These additional aerations will continue for the foreseeable future. The equipment changes that we have made reduce the severity of stress while mowing greens under wet conditions in addition to using our roller instead of mowers during really wet periods. The weather has made it difficult to get our plant protectant sprays out on the golf course so we are seeing some leaf spot on the fairways but that should be cleaned up with our next spray. I hope everyone comes out and enjoys MGC for this holiday weekend and let's not forget all of our brothers and sisters in the armed forces this weekend.