Collar sod replacement

Two and half years ago we replaced our old collar turf  with a new variety. This past week we worked back through several holes to take out spots in the collar that had been contaminated with other species of grass.

Here is a Bermuda grass spot marked for removal.
Looking closely you can see the different color of the
Bermuda grass compared to the bentgrass

The work we did in 2021 was to replace our old collars that consisted of very weak turf- mostly Poa annua and ryegrass- with bentgrass. The previous collars could not handle the heat and stress of the late summer and would decline or die each season. Despite our best efforts, keeping the collars in the condition we expected was not feasible with an inferior turf stand. Bentgrass on the other hand is much more heat and stress tolerant. So, we initiated the project of a full renovation of the collars to a monostand of bentgrass.

A larger spot marked for removal.

Although bentgrass is a vastly improved turf species for this application, it is not bullet-proof. Both Poa annua and bermuda grass will grow their way back into the bentgrass collar. This is something we knew would happen and can’t really be prevented, especially with the amount of bermuda grass that we purposely grow on our property. There are a few ways to manage this contamination of the collars. The small Poa annua spots can be hand picked out, which we did, and will continue to do on a regular basis. For both the Poa annua and the bermuda grass, there are chemical options, but in the case of the bermuda grass, the chemicals are only partially effective. We also are not in favor of more chemicals, the labor required, to obtain less than ideal results. Another option is to remove spots where the Poa or bermuda grass is located and replace it with new grass. While all these options are labor intensive, replacing with new sod is the best answer for our operation.

With all of this in mind, last week we started the process of removing bad spots. Our goal is to complete several holes each fall to stay on top of the problem. We don’t plan on doing every hole each year because we also have lots of projects, leaf cleanup, and regular maintenance to complete at this time of year so we don’t want to be tied up for too long. For this year, we completed the Putting Green, holes 1-5, and part pf #6. We will pick up where we left off starting again next fall and continue until we have completed each hole. Depending on how the process goes, we may have a year gap before we start again, or we may finish just in time to start back at the beginning.

Here the old turf has been removed and new sod is 
being laid down. Notice that we only removed contaminated turf,
not the entire collar.

A section of completed new sod

While it may seem odd that we are replacing grass that is only 2½ years old, being proactive against contamination will help to keep the collars in the best shape possible.

 

Starting in November, we will shift to 1 post per month for the winter. Thank you

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please don’t stand in one place for an extended period of time to practice putting. Your footprints can be worn into the green.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org