Verticutting and Topdressing

If you played golf today you noticed that we verticut and topdressed the greens. The topdressing was not the typical form that is done in conjunction with aerification, but rather it was a dusting of sand. Our Poa Annua greens are verticut and dusted with sand on a frequent basis during periods of active growth to promote surface trueness and firmness.

The golfer controversy over greens trueness and firmness has been ongoing for many years. The following quote from the May 1947 United States Golf Association’s “Timely Turf Topics” illustrates the persistent focus on firm and true greens:
Putting surfaces should be firm to avoid foot printing and should be resilient so that a properly played shot will hold, but should be sufficiently solid so that a poorly-played shot will roll over. The surface should be smooth and true as a billiard table. Density of the turf should be so great that individual grass blades are crowded to a true vertical position. “Graininess,” “sponge” or “mat” destroy the accuracy and Fun in golf. Governing factors include: choice of grass, soil texture, drainage and aeration, fertility level, and watering practices.

Not much has changed in the desire of golfers for a firm and true greens surfaces since 1947. Today quality greens are based up on how true the ball rolls and if the green is the proper firmness to accept a well executed shot. Greens are also graded upon speed. But talking about green speed deserves a whole separate posting, so we will save that till summer.

The process of verticutting and topdress is labor intensive and merits some explaination:

First the green is veritcut in two directions. Then it is mowed with a walking greens mower. The sand is then spread on the green with walk behind type fertilizer spreaders. Finally the sand is brushed into the canopy of the turf using push brooms. The greens are irrigated that evening to help settle more sand as to avoid picking it up with the greens mowers the next mowing.

Rough, Rough and More Rough!

Over the past two months we have had ten inches of much needed rain, two weeks ago we made a fertilizer application to the roughs and now we have had a few days where the high temperature has hit 80 degrees. The end result of the these three things is that our ryegrass roughs are ACTIVELY growing.

In preparation for the AT&T classic we have raised the cutting height by a 1/4". We will be mowing the rought at this height till next Wednesday and then we will raise the cutting height another 1/4". We will then be at the desired cutting height of 2 1/2" for the tournament. We plan on maintaining this height through the tournament and then lowering the height back to our normal height of 2" as soon as possible after the tournament. The cutting height of 2 1/2" is slightly lower than has been requested in years past. This change will hopefully benefit speed of play in the Pro-am tournaments on Wednesday and Thursday of tournament week. This lower cutting height will also allow us to return to our normal standard in a quicker time frame.

This photo shows the three different cutting heights that are currently in place. The active growth of the ryegrass allows for better visual definition of the three different cuts.

In the picture from left to right you are looking at the fairway which is mowed at a height of 1/2", then the intermediate rought which is mowed at 1" and finally on the right is the primary rough which is currently being mowed at 2 1/4"

The tip of the day and for the next month is: Keep it in the short cut.

Here comes another AT&T Classic

In two and half weeks we will once again be hosting the best of the Champions Tour. For us the event marks the beginning of Spring. The trees start sending out their leaves, the flowers seem more vibrant and the ryegrass starts to grow faster than we can mow it. It is about that this time that our grass growing philosophy changes for the next few months. It is now that we begin to feed the turf nutrients to maintain a dark, sexy green color, but not encourage excess growth. We also focus on culturing the turf to develop an extensive root system that will help it survive the summer heat. One of the keys to our success in nutrient management is spoon feeding the turf with the use of soluble and foliar fertilizers.

We utilize a 300 gallon sprayer to precisely apply specific nutrients in the needed amounts. Using this form of fertilizer application requires frequent re-application but is the most envirnomentally responsible way to fertilize. While we are applying the needed nutrients we are also allowed the ability to apply growth regulators when appropriate. We use growth regulators on the turf during this time of year to encouarge the plant to devote its energy and resources towards root growth and not towards excessive shoot growth.

The picture shows our sprayer in action. The markers on the end of the booms drop a little ball of foam to allow our applicator, Gregorio Morales, to see exactly where he has sprayed.

A Fresh start to communicating

Here we go! Time to try something new or as others have said, "get into the 21st century." I am creating this blog in an effort to better communicate with the members of Valencia Country Club. Over the past year I have done a poor job in keeping the membership current with the happenings on the course. This is partly due to the fact that things have been going so well and partly due to the fact that Craig has done a great job in his weekly e-mail comunication. If there was something I needed communicated (or rant about) I had Craig slide it in his "Weekend Release."

My hope and intentions with this blog is to provide a forum for our members to be able to see weekly updates regarding course conditions and maintenance practices, be kept up-to-date regarding projects, be educated as to why and when we perform certain practices with there desired outcomes and most importantly provide a forum for open communication. I have come to realize that every member at some level is interested in the golf course and this line of communication will allow us to satisify this that interest.

Here is how I envision this process working. Hopefully once a week, or possibly more frequent, I will put a posting on the blog. The posting will cover any special maintenance practices taking place on the course, update any unique course conditions, provide updates on projects, show photos, or just be a forum to answer questions or voice opinions. It is my hope that members would read the posts, look at the pictures and post feed back or ask questions. It is my intent that questions will be asked to spark interesting dialogue and education. What is blog will not be is a forum to complain or compare. I am reserving the right to edit all posts and will do so in order to provide a postive environment.

So here we go the first posting and pictures are on the way!