After a solid stretch of wind and 90 degree temps through the weekend we have cooled off nicely Wednesday and Thursday, before the blast furnace turns back on this coming weekend. The North greens were ready for a quick breath of oxygen so we ran the needle tines over them quickly on Monday. A light sand topdressing along with some gypsum and potassium were washed into the profile and they were back putting nicely for the week. On July 6th the North will close for 4 days for summer aeration. The greens will be dryjected and then solid tine aerated in order to incorporate sand into the upper profile. All other short grass will receive a vertical mow and adequate topdressing. Plenty more info to come.
The North approaches received a light topdressing Monday as well that was brushed into the canopy. These light topdressings help keep the turf tight and prevent scalping during hot and humid periods.
The roots over on the South bentgrass greens are hanging on as we trudge through summer over on the cool season. We are enduring the longest daylight times of the season at over 15 hours. These greens are using up to a quarter inch of water on a sunny day to help cool themselves and keep their root systems in tact. Most of that water goes down at night and in the morning in order to ensure the plant can survive the day.
The aggressive fixed heads greens mowers are still running on the North but the more gentle floating head mowers are now mowing the South greens. Keeping these greens healthy through the peak of summer means that we can step back on the gas sooner as days get shorter and night time temperatures gradually drop in a few months.
As we continue to grow in the new sod around the bunker renovation on the South sometimes it is easy to pick out the disadvantage to having bermuda bunker edges. Bunker sand supplies bermuda with extremely hot temperatures and no competition so it does not take long to see horizontal runners push down into the sand.
The bunkers were edged this week with a weedeater in order to establish a clean edge and cut any runners off. This is a tedious process that is almost required weekly in season.
Edging, cleaning up and raking takes 10 people an entire day, sometimes longer, on each course. Bunker size, amount, shape and grass type all dictate the labor required to keep things looking fresh.
The Clubhouse Grounds team got their fair share of keeping things fresh this week as well. Here at the main entrance the uglier Palisades zoysia was replaced with newer hybrid bermudagrass. This bermuda will match better with the turf on the adjacent sides of the entrance and will provide a cleaner look year round.
James and his team also worked to rejuvenate some of the edges along the exit lane and parking lots.
The Palisades zoysia does much better in the shade among the trees.
We filled up James' sod truck with some extra bermuda that the North used in a few different areas. This oak on #1 North was pruned up and with the discovery of two sprinklers that were buried in the bushes we hope to keep this bermuda alive as opposed to the tall fescue that struggled here.
With the sod all laid James and the team took on their next task of setting up the Wimbledon demo grass tennis court on the event lawn for Friday. The forecast looks a little steamy for the players over at the all England Club this weekend. The grounds team there will be wishing they were playing on bermuda instead of ryegrass when its 100 degrees.
Enjoy the weekend!
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