We have had a little over 3 inches of rain the last several days and luckily received no wind or hail damage. The rain followed by these above average temperatures we are seeing is getting the bermudagrass growing. Carts will be let off of paths tomorrow as the winds have helped to dry the course back out.
We are hiring our seasonal help and any potential applicants must apply online at www.enid.org or at the city offices. The position is for four months and we are hiring three motivated individuals.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Poa annua
Most of you probably know what poa is, its the lighter yellowish grass that is very noticeable in the spring and fall. This annual bluegrass is a very big problem due to its aggressiveness. It is able to outcompete the bentgrass and there is no current option to remove the poa without killing the bentgrass. There are a few products that are currently being tested that look promising for removing the grass, and I will continue to follow these.
The way I manage the poa is to keep a growth regulator on the greens which keeps the poa from seeding out and keeps the growth in check. One of the only problems with poa (besides the aesthetics) is that it grows faster than the bentgrass and can make the putts bumpy late in the day. Growth regulators keep the growth in check and can help keep the poa from spreading.
Poa is spread by aerification among other things, especially when the aeification is pushed early in the spring or late in the fall and cant heal quickly. It also encroaches rapidly when turf is unhealthy after thinning due to summer stress. Poa cannot take the summer heat very well and can succumb to disease (anthracnose) in the summer as well. This can cause problems if there is a high percentage of poa in the greens.
The best defense against poa is to keep it out in the first place, because once it gets in you can just manage and minimize its effects and try and keep it in check. Hopefully in the near future we will have a remedy to assist us in its eradication.
The way I manage the poa is to keep a growth regulator on the greens which keeps the poa from seeding out and keeps the growth in check. One of the only problems with poa (besides the aesthetics) is that it grows faster than the bentgrass and can make the putts bumpy late in the day. Growth regulators keep the growth in check and can help keep the poa from spreading.
Poa is spread by aerification among other things, especially when the aeification is pushed early in the spring or late in the fall and cant heal quickly. It also encroaches rapidly when turf is unhealthy after thinning due to summer stress. Poa cannot take the summer heat very well and can succumb to disease (anthracnose) in the summer as well. This can cause problems if there is a high percentage of poa in the greens.
The best defense against poa is to keep it out in the first place, because once it gets in you can just manage and minimize its effects and try and keep it in check. Hopefully in the near future we will have a remedy to assist us in its eradication.
Spring
The golf season is in full swing and our staff is working hard to keep the course in good shape while trying to work on a few projects also. We have recently put out ropes in front of the greens to direct carts back to the paths and keep our green approaches and surrounds free of excess traffic. We also have just put yardage tags on the new sprinkler heads to help those of you like me that dont carry a fancy SkyCaddie.
The weather has cooled back to seasonal temperatures following our very warm early spring. This has slowed the growth of the bermuda considerably as it likes much warmer temps. With the warmer temperatures we have experienced and above average precip in the late winter/early spring, we are seeing some breakthrough with weeds on the course. Another factor helping this weed pressure is the bermuda being thin due to the heat and drought from last summer/fall.
We are mowing our fairways and tees at 5/8 of an inch and will keep this height through the middle of the summer when we may start to bump it up some. The greens are mowed at .120 inch currently and we try and keep the speed in the 9.5 to 10 range on the stimpmeter. We will likely raise the height some as summer stress sets in.
The weather has cooled back to seasonal temperatures following our very warm early spring. This has slowed the growth of the bermuda considerably as it likes much warmer temps. With the warmer temperatures we have experienced and above average precip in the late winter/early spring, we are seeing some breakthrough with weeds on the course. Another factor helping this weed pressure is the bermuda being thin due to the heat and drought from last summer/fall.
We are mowing our fairways and tees at 5/8 of an inch and will keep this height through the middle of the summer when we may start to bump it up some. The greens are mowed at .120 inch currently and we try and keep the speed in the 9.5 to 10 range on the stimpmeter. We will likely raise the height some as summer stress sets in.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Aerification is complete and the greens have healed nicely. The weather cooperated and everything went smooth. The greens will be slow for awhile as they are growing and healing. We solid tined the greens and came behind with a deep verticut to remove thatch. We used less sand because of this and the greens are less bumpy also due to this.
The stretch of weather we are in is more like a late April-early May pattern and the bermuda is greening up rapidly. We have to avoid a late season freeze which would set things back. Overall, its looking like a great spring to get out and play golf. We just hope summer isnt in a hurry to get here and we get some more needed rainfall before the heat hits.
The stretch of weather we are in is more like a late April-early May pattern and the bermuda is greening up rapidly. We have to avoid a late season freeze which would set things back. Overall, its looking like a great spring to get out and play golf. We just hope summer isnt in a hurry to get here and we get some more needed rainfall before the heat hits.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Front Sign Paint Job
Both signs entering the course have been repainted. Here is a picture of the before/after of the sign along Rupe. The job was very tedious to get the lettering and borders just right and Bill did a great job.
Before paint
After paintSpring
March is here, but the weather has felt like April and the bermudagrass is showing signs of life as it begins to get some green color. The course has been sprayed with preemergent herbicide and aerification is next Monday and Tuesday. We have been busy building, painting, grinding, trimming, etc. More than a dozen trees have been removed for various reasons. As always, there are numerous irrigation leaks showing up and being worked on.
We are looking forward to the golfing season and hoping for a mild summer and hope the course will continue to improve with the sprinkler heads all functional.
One thing that causes much detriment to the course that we want to address this year is cart traffic. Golf carts cause much compaction and lead to bare or thin areas with weed encroachment likely and hard playing surfaces. PLEASE keep carts on paths as much as possible and always around greens and tees! Use the 90 degree rule when coming onto the fairways. Watch where you drive and try not to drive in the same path as the rest of the cart traffic, this is the direct cause of the large bare areas on #4 and #10 near the cartpath by the green. Everyone can help by following these rules, including our maintenance staff. Thank you for you help!
We are looking forward to the golfing season and hoping for a mild summer and hope the course will continue to improve with the sprinkler heads all functional.
One thing that causes much detriment to the course that we want to address this year is cart traffic. Golf carts cause much compaction and lead to bare or thin areas with weed encroachment likely and hard playing surfaces. PLEASE keep carts on paths as much as possible and always around greens and tees! Use the 90 degree rule when coming onto the fairways. Watch where you drive and try not to drive in the same path as the rest of the cart traffic, this is the direct cause of the large bare areas on #4 and #10 near the cartpath by the green. Everyone can help by following these rules, including our maintenance staff. Thank you for you help!
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