Heat ...HEAT... and just for good cause...more HEAT

I sit here and write this in my office catching a chill with the A/C at 78...go figure. Today's heat index reached 112 before lunch today.

The staff has been doing what I call a fantastic job for only 6 seasonal and 3 full time staff members. I'm to the point of considering the irrigation system a full time staff member. As of today is has operated 24 of the last 25 evenings. These were full on whole course waterings. So when you see a staff member, remember they are the reason why the course is looking as good as it does.

What we are doing due to the heat and humidity:

• Course has received fungicides and growth regulators applied on all playing surfaces.
• Greens height of cut increased and frequency of mowing has been decreased.
• Routine maintenance activities have been modified due to the heat and humidity, they will return to normal when cooler seasonal weather arrives.
• Hand watering of putting surfaces in conjunction with the application of wetting agents to the playing surfaces have been good at retaining moisture.
• Needle tining of putting surfaces...this allows the greens to vent gases and allows water to perk through them. Remember we are throwing a lot of ground water from the pond.
  

I had received a visit from the CDGA agronomist, Dr. Derrick Settle, mostly discussing the plight of the 14th fairway. He has made several recommendations , which include several tree removals for root competition, different variety change to the fairway turf, and a minor change to the chemical treatment program. This is along with a minor drainage project in the fairway and we will be doing some tree root pruning.

FYI, .19" rain in July...record was .89, which .76 fell in one storm.

Any questions, feel free to contact me at the course... the guy on the Gator#4, and as always, please rake the bunkers, fix your divots, and repair your ball marks.

This time of the year, due to various reasons I'm usually asking for some snow....So who's with me?

Well, It's been awhile....

Folks, it's been a while...

We've gone from WET to dry....go figure.

Just as a follow up from the last post, the maintenance building was struck by lightning. The strike came in from the irrigation radio remote control system antenna, then went through the control system, into the PC, then out to the IP based phone system, which in turn took out the phone switch, 2 phones, a network card, the onsite weather station, and the computer printer.

So for your folks keeping score this season, it's Mother Nature 3, Doug 0.....2 floods and a lightning strike....

Course is in good shape considering the lack of rainfall is dictating the nightly use of overhead irrigation. Hand watering is being accomplished during play. Any necessary additional overhead watering is done before play begins at 6AM.

Needle tine aerification is being done in the mornings to open up greens due to the use of constant overhead watering and needed gas exchanges.

The 14th Fairway is roped off again this season....dry spots, floods, root dysfunction, and tree root competition have given the fairway it's annual spanking. So we will be reseeding the fairway with a different variety of bent grass and doing a very aggressive core cultivation with the seeding. The plan is to do this the 1st or 2nd week of August, weather and Mother Nature permitting.