Green surround seeding

We will finally be getting our seeding done around the greens this week. We started the process last week, but equipment issues and rain delayed the project.

The rough grass around the greens is one of the most difficult areas on the property to manage. Imagine 25,000 people walking across a home lawn, all in a 5-15 foot section. Add in mowers and environmental stress and it is clearer why there can be issues with our rough.

Very few areas receive the stress of this particular zone. Every golfer who walks their round, walks in virtually identical areas. Many cart riders walk in some of those spots as well coming and going from their cart. This repeated foot traffic adds up over the course of the year.

There is also the traffic from our mowers to consider. We mow this section 2-3 times per week for 8-10 months a year. Mowing itself is damaging to turf grass. While the grass has adapted to tolerate being cut, and it is not life threatening, it still adds pressure. But the more destructive aspect of mowing is the physical driving of the machine over the grass. Turf can be beat down or torn by the tires and the weight of the mower.

Lastly, is the environmental stress. Water and temperature stress are very detrimental to all turfgrass. Coupled with the above-mentioned stressors and the rough takes it about as hard as any other area of the course. We manage the water content of the soil as closely as we can. We want enough moisture for the grass to survive, but not too much that it is wet. But being on that edge, it isn’t hard for things to get too dry or too wet, which leads to issues. There is also the heat and humidity to deal with. The heat can just directly kill the turf. The humidity leads to diseases, which are very difficult to manage 

as well.

We continue to introduce stronger, more tolerant turf grass species and varieties. We also continue to adjust our management practices to improve and sustain these areas. The seeding this week is part of those improvements.

Please note, we will be switching to once per month posts starting in November thru February. Thank you.

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please leave bunker rakes inside the bunker once you are finished.

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

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org