A tiny break in temperature but summer is still here

 

The bentgrass has had a few mornings of relief this week with some low 60 degree temps. After four straight days of 100 plus again last week and getting missed by just about every drop of rain over the weekend, we were briefly rewarded by a few hours of jacket weather. We have only seen a low of 61 on the thermometer once since mid-June. The amount of any low with a 6 in front of it in the past 90 days is less than 10.

We continue taking care of the bent as carefully as possible with a variety of fungicides and nutrients. With the South closed Tuesday we also laid down a light topdressing along with some gypsum and potassium to help strengthen the plant as it enjoyed some cooler air temps. Some natural rain may cool things off again this weekend and then we will be halfway to October already which will quickly become prime time for this golf course.


The Champion on the North continues to do well through the extended summer although growth is starting to slow here. This may be out last vertical mow of the season on these greens but we should be able to get a few more topdressings in. The sand here was brushed in and debris blown off during the Wednesday closure.

We continue picking off broken trees from the storm a few weeks ago. This elm was already growing in an unhealthy manner before the storm snapped it in half.

Our ventrac machine has started to make its way through the native areas around both courses this week. A fall cut helps controls weeds and helps golfers find wayward shots heading into fall.

Some fall armyworm eggs have finally started to show up. The lack of storms from the south all summer may abate armyworm populations this year but we have already put down a preventative insecticide to the tune of 1 fluid ounce per acre of turf throughout the rough.

It was a somber end of the week for the Agronomy team as we watched Israel and Canseco sign off into retirement from Carmel. There was a combined 48 years of service from these two men and we can not thank them enough for their service to the club. The labor pool is much different than it was 25 and even 5 years ago which means finding a replacement for these gentlemen will be extremely difficult!

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