Greens and Grounds

PCC GOLF COURSE UPDATE

We often wonder why we do what we do, outdoors, in the elements, battling Mother Nature, especially during the cold spells wrestling greens covers. Then spring arrives and we are reminded of the pride and joy we take into molding and improving the golf course conditions throughout the growing season. The plants are waking up and the trees are budding. Color slowly makes its way back into the natural landscape. One of our goals this year much like last year, is to continue to enhance the landscaping around the club and the golf course. Back in January, we completed our bulk spread application. In this application was our wall to- -wall spring fertility, along with our pre-emergence herbicide for summer annual weeds such as goosegrass and crabgrass. Studies have shown that earlier is better for this application because although it may seem early, the product is just sitting there until soil temps warm up enough for the microbial breakdown of the controlled release fertilizer to start happening. Also, after being watered in, the herbicide has formed its barrier against weed germination in the event of a quick or slow soil temperature rise. When the bermudagrass wakes up, it’s time to get the mowers ready to go. You will see marking paint on the golf course indicating fairway and approach lines. This paint is there so we can get grassing lines dialed in until there is enough definition of the turf that we can see our lines without paint. Also as the bermudagrass is waking up, sometime over the next few weeks, we will begin to heavily fertilize the areas that have been overseeded in preparations to spray out the ryegrass for a smooth transition into bermudagrass. This fertility not only helps to jump start the growth of the bermudagrass, but also makes the ryegrass very succulent and easy to kill. As the growing season starts and plant processes begin, we also implement the agronomic plans which we have been developing during the offseason. These plans are similar year-to-year, but never the same as the variables that we deal with from year to year are never the same. Small adjustments to where resources are allocated can go a long way. This year, high traffic areas and greens surrounds will get extra fertility to combat traffic wear. Our greens fertility program started back in February with a few important soil spray applications. These applications make sure that there are nutrients readily available for the plant to take up once the plants wake up. Remember, during the winter the plants use and survive off of the nutrients/carbohydrates which are stored in the fall. Going forward, we will be applying foliar fertility, plant growth regulators (PGRs), and plant protectants on a weekly basis. We have switched wetting agent chemistries for this year with the goal being downward water movement and firmer surfaces. We have also filled a few “gaps” in our disease prevention program. Most importantly, let the countdown to aerification begin. See you on the course, MARK SCOTT Golf Course Superintendent