Topdressing Greens Today

Today we will be topdressing all 19 Greens and Collars.  We normally topdress every two weeks, but with outside events, juniors program, and guest days we have not had the change to use this cultural practice for 6 weeks.  Because of this, and huge rain falls, the greens are getting a little "puffy" and will be topdressed today and several more times this season.  

Pleas see Aprils post "Topdressing Greens" to see the process.

 Plus

Check out Grounds Magazine article on Topdressing Greens

Topdressing and Ball Roll

Mid Summer Projects

This summer has been an interesting one so far.  With temperatures in the low 70's to high 90's, above average days with 60-70 degree dewpoints and  some heavy rain storms.  For the most part the course has held up pretty well, but some fairways that were under water and over saturated are now showing turf loss.  Because of this, number 12 and 13 fairways were hollow tine aerified, seeded and topdressed. With some cool night time temps these areas should recover quickly.  We have also stripped the turf on the right side of 1 and 10 approaches.  These approaches hold water and are very slow draining due to the slope of the approach.  Last week a small crew leveled the soil to drain into the ponds on each hole and sodded. Work has also begun on water damaged areas on 13 fairway. These areas are dips in the fairway and will stripped, leveled and sodded to prevent future damage. 

   Last Weeks Projects

Fertilized:   Greens: .7# N/ 1000.  Tees:  .8# N/ 1000.  Fairways: .8# N/ 1000

 -   Summer applications of fertilizer promote leaf and stolon growth

Fungicide Applications on Greens, Tees and Fairways

 -   With high dewpoints and nighttime temps, disease pressure is still very high

High-Low cup plugs on Greens repaired

Flowers planted in front entrance rock wall

Sand added to bankers as nedded

Multiple irrigation leaks repaired and leveled

Range Tees 3 and 4 Topdressed and seeded

Dollar Spot on 16 fwy

Pythium 13 rough

More Rain Tonight

The radar and forecast for this evening into tomorrow is showing severe thunderstorms with possibly up to another Inch of rain.  Last Sunday we received .50" and nearly 3.50" in Tuesdays multiple storms. The golf course is very saturated and still areas of standing water.  Most soils are filled to capacity and can't accept any more water and many times surface drainage becomes the only way to dry as high humidities limit evaporation.  Other golf courses are reporting closing for part of the day following rains because flooded areas are unplayable for extended periods as well.  Midsummer flood damage will remain visible for some time as recuperative potential for cool-season turf is difficult when it’s hot and humid.  So please respect decisions that restrict traffic and modify cultural practices.  Green speeds may slow, tee balls hit on the fairways may even plug on certain holes, so please respect the course with fixing the Craters your ball leaves on the greens and replacing your divots.  The forecast for next week is looking like mid September temps and the heat and humidity will soon be in the past.

6 fwy river from Nathan Peters on Vimeo.

Trees down in storm

  This last Sunday night the course received some very high winds and gusts up to 60 mph.  My 5:30 a.m. drive around showed 4 large trees down and a mass amount of limbs, leaves and sicks scattered throughout the golf course.  A very large Oak limb at the front entrance nearly missed the Burl Oaks sign and came to rest on the new boulder wall.  The most important tree we lost was the large Basswood on the left of 12 bunker.  Again, the tree came to rest on the cart path, with minimal turf damage.The loss of this Basswood will change the structure to this hole.  A large Ash tree between 10-12 rough was uprooted. All of the Ash trees now have an I.D. tag for Emerald Ash Borer insecticide treatment.  This tree however was a future removal tree, and no insecticide was injected to this tree.  There was also a medium sized Pin Oak between 1-7 rough.  This tree will definitely go unnoticed because the amount of trees in the area. The morning jobs were delayed about an hour the clean off the greens, tees and fairways so they could be mowed and playable again.  Course cleanup was cut short today because of a 12:30 outside event shotgun, and will resume tomorrow morning.       

Whistling Straits Grounds Department

For last years PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, I had the opportunity to work on the grounds crew.  It was a great opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at championship golf course setup. This year the PGA Championship heads to Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.  The two videos show how much preparation goes into the course setup.

July Weather Data

High Temps.

Min. 74

Max. 94

Avg. 85

Low Temps.

Min. 61

Max. 74

Avg. 67

Precipitation. 3.03 Rain