Status of Golf Course Greens

The greens this spring are healing slowly for a few reasons. The first reason is due to the cooler than average spring we have had. The soil temperatures are about 10 degrees below average, which means the roots are not pushing the plant to grow. The second reason is that this year we have been treating for the Poa seed head. We are at the point where if this was not done the Poa plants on the greens would double each year. Treating for the Poa seed head slows the growth of the Bentgrass down for a few weeks after the application. The last application was made on April 17th and that will be the final one for the season. These two factors are creating a slow recovery from aerification. With warmer temperatures forecasted for next week we should see more growth out of the Bentgrass. Thank you for your patience.

Spring Aerification

As most all of you have noticed our spring aerification process has been completed over the past two weeks.  We pulled cores from tee boxes and greens, and performed a solid tine aerification to our fairways.  Our goal during this process was to remove 10% of the organic (or thatch) layer that is just beneath the surface of the greens turf.  A ¼” tine, which has been pulled from greens during every aerification process in the past, removes 5% of the organic matter within the green.  During three aerification processes throughout a season, only 15% of the organic matter had been removed.  This year we are attempting to remove a total of 20% of the organic matter, 10% being from our ½” coring early this month.  The USGA recommends that 20% of organic matter be removed for each year.

Our first aerification process is key to helping the greens roll more consistently and smoother through the summer months.  We are trying to avoid the soft feel that we can get on greens during hot and humid weather during the summer months. This process will be continued over the next several years until we have removed our desired amount of organic matter. Removing a ½” core from greens also allows us to fill more of the green surface with sand.  The topdressing sand is intended to help create a smoother surface, while also firming the surface to help them roll more consistently.  The sand also gives the bentgrass a good base in which to grow on.  Bentgrass grows in a fashion that is more sideways, as opposed to vertical like our rough areas and intermediate rough areas.  Another main reason for aerification is to alleviate soil compaction, which is common in high traffic areas like putting greens and tee boxes.  Pulling the cores from the green surface also allows oxygen and water to reach the compacted root system of the bentgrass plants, which is key for springtime growth.

To aid in the healing of our greens, we have been fertilizing on a weekly basis, and mowing when possible.  We have been rolling greens in the afternoons on dry days to help create as smooth of a surface as possible.  We will be continuing to monitor the healing process of our greens and overall greens turf health to help them heal as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience during these first few weeks of our golf season.  Please remember to repair your ball marks on the putting surfaces.