#5 fairway

#5 fairway is off to the slowest start of any hole or area of Bermuda grass. There are several contributing factors, though no one single majority problem. We have already used several recovery techniques and some improvement has been seen.

Several factors converge to cause issues on #5 fairway. First, it is generally laid out from the southwest (tee) to the northeast (green). This puts the dominant tree line to the south-southeast, which blocks a good deal of sunlight in all seasons outside of mid-summer. Limiting light in the shoulder seasons can greatly affect the health of the Bermuda grass, especially when it is trying to break dormancy. Next, though the first two thirds of the fairway is sloped, the last one third is relatively flat and this impacts water flow. This is not an area that we see puddles, or that stays exceptionally wet after a storm. But, again, in the winter and spring, when we need water to move away quickly, this level terrain slows that process just enough to let water linger too long. Last, though we do not know the cause, the upper level of #5 fairway is always a cold temperature pocket on the property. Again, this is not a factor in the summer, but late cold snaps (exactly like what we had this May) can set back the turf greatly.

Most of the above issues are not easily changed. The tree line provides great shape to the hole. We have adjusted some rough/fairway edges to accommodate the shade pattern of two of the biggest trees. We eliminated some Bermuda grass that consistently struggled. The orientation and topography of the hole are also not readily adjusted. Therefore, we are mostly left with mitigating the potential Bermuda grass damage and expediting recovery.

We are several weeks into our recovery program already. The fairway has received 3 extra fertilizer applications thus far, with more still to come. Providing additional food for the healthy turf and encouraging its growth is the first step to healing. We have also sliced the Bermuda grass once. This also encourages healthy grass to move laterally. We will evaluate the need for a second round of slicing in the next couple of weeks. Following both the fertilization and slicing, we add additional water as necessary to the area. We discussed excess water potentially aiding in poor health in the winter and spring, but now that we need the Bermuda grass to grow vigorously, we do not want it drought stressed. Maintaining adequate moisture is key to making sure all the other practices we are employing work to their full potential. Lastly, once we get a little deeper into the season, we will begin seeding any areas that are still not performing up to standard.

Though we are unhappy that #5 fairway is struggling this season, it is a relief to have much less Bermuda grass repair to do than in past years. We will take many of the things we have learned from those other times and apply that to getting #5 back in shape as soon as possible.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please do not climb up the steep face of the bunkers.

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