Grounds

Last month, I wrote about the “dog days of summer” and the need to lightly syringe or cool the surfaces to ensure the survival of turfgrass during the summer stress season. While fall is approaching and relief is in sight, with shortened daylight and cooler nights (temperatures in the 60s), September can still be very stressful to the turf plants, especially during sunny days when air temperatures exceed 90 degrees. The late summer months are generally the wettest of the year, with tropical storms that can dump heavy amounts of rain in a short period of time. When air temperatures are above 90 degrees, wet soil can range from 95 to 100 degrees. The combination of wet soil, that does not cool at night (mid 70s), can be especially lethal to turf. The optimum temperature for root growth of cool season bentgrass ranges from 50 to 70 degrees, with new root growth stopping at 80 degrees. After 86 degrees, root hairs die, roots begin to turn brown, and fail to properly function. If you encounter staff on the courses while playing, please do not hit from the tee or to the green until they are completely out of the way. If a staff member is unaware of your presence, please alert them before playing your shot, as the safety of our staff is of utmost importance.

In July and August, our Team repaired 28 tees on the West Course by stripping the existing grass, laser grading so the surface is smooth and level, and then resod with bermudagrass. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we completed this work. We chose bermudagrass and this specific time of the year to do this work because bermudagrass performs best in the hottest and most humid environments, which correlates with our busiest time of the year for play. We appreciate the hard work of West Course Superintendent Justin Gladhill and West Course Assistant Superintendent Zach Reid, who managed and executed the tee work along with local golf course contractor McDonald & Sons—all the while the West Course remained open for play. Fall is generally the best time to establish grass from seed due to shorter daylight hours, warm daytime temperatures, cooler nights, and less competition from weeds. Now is a critical time for divot repair on fairways and tees, and everyone can play an important role in taking care of the Club’s courses. The golden rule for your divot recovery: Once a divot is taken, the first option is, if the divot is intact and soil remains attached, it will most likely survive if it is placed back and tamped back in place. If the divot is destroyed and can’t be replaced, fill the divot with the seed/soil mix on the carts and tamp it with your foot, so the mix is level with the surrounding area. A soil temperature gauge reading 90.1 degrees on an afternoon in We appreciate your assistance and how it relates to keeping both courses in the best condition possible. ◆ August.

Tim Kennelly, CGCS Head Greenkeeper

What To Expect When It's Hot & Humid on the Golf Course

Summer is a great season for golf, but hot and humid weather can be tough on grass. Scan the QR code to watch a video from the USGA about defensive maintenance practices Superintendents use to keep grass healthy until milder weather arrives. ◀ Scan the code to watch the video