Cart path edging

The grass is always growing. Sometimes it slows down, or even pauses (dormancy), but we must stay on top of it constantly. It even grows where we do not want it sometimes, too. This is the case with the cart paths, so we will be working on edging all of them this year.

Most of the time we are working diligently to make sure the grass is healthy and dense. Rarely do we want to eliminate grass, but along the edge of cart paths is one such instance. Over time, small amounts of soil accumulate right along the edge of the cart path where it meets the rest of the turf. Slowly, new grass starts to grow in this soil- whether it be Bermuda grass creeping out, or seeds deposited there by chance. As the grass progresses, we slowly lose sight of the true edge of the cart path. 8-foot-wide paths narrow by a couple of inches on each side, then another inch on each side, until 6 inches or more disappear in total.

Because this grass is growing just above asphalt, it does not do well. It gets too hot or too dry or golf carts and maintenance vehicles smash it. The cart path also looks sloppy, with unkempt edges. These areas along the sides can also very easily turn to mud after a storm and then the aforementioned carts can make a huge mess.

So, slowly but surely, we are working on trimming this overgrown grass back and re-exposing the covered asphalt. We gain the several inches of usable driving surface back as well as create a nice crisp looking cart path edge. We have a special edging machine with a wire brush that is designed not to damage the asphalt when cutting the overhanging turf. Then we use shovels, string trimmers- whatever tool necessary- to finish cutting the grass and removing it. Blowing the cart path clean is the last step.

As the opening line states- the grass is always growing. This will be the third time we have edged cart paths in the last 6 years! The first time we did it over the winter and it worked great: very few golfers to disrupt and much less other work to accomplish on the property in the off-season. The only problem was by early to mid-summer everything had grown back over, and it was almost impossible to tell we had done anything! So, the next time we did it during the summer and it was slower, but the results were better. We started this round a couple of weeks ago, working our way backwards.

It will be a season-long campaign to get it all done, but once complete, it is well worth it.

 

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

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org