Spring time

We have had our usual up and down spring season thus far. The golf course is slowly waking up, but we are still in waiting mode for regular maintenance. However, there are several key jobs that must be accomplished over the next few weeks for us to have a successful season. So, despite the lack of regular maintenance, the upcoming weeks are no less busy or important.

During the spring we must treat the greens extensively with plant growth regulators (PGR’s) to prevent seed heads. We also make our initial pesticide application for Annual bluegrass weevils (ABW’s). Our preemergent weed control will be applied to all rough and Bermuda grass. We will also make an herbicide application to the Bermuda grass and rough that will eliminate any remaining weeds from over the winter. Timing is key for all these tasks and without them, the entire season would be an uphill battle to maintain quality conditions.

PGR applications have been ongoing for a few weeks now, but we are entering the most crucial time. Annual bluegrass, the predominant grass type on our greens, will be setting seed over soon, and without the use of PGR’s, these seedheads can adversely affect playing conditions.

Another grass-specific pest that we must deal with is the Annual bluegrass weevil. As the name suggests, this weevil particularly likes to eat Annual bluegrass. Adults hibernate over the winter and in spring move towards shorter cut turf to mate and lay eggs. Targeting these adults as the migrate out is the surest way to lower populations for each successive generation, but missing the timing can lead to infestations throughout the season.

Weeds are a part of our property simply because we have so much area and no need or desire to treat everywhere. However, we do focus on the main playing surfaces of the golf course to keep weed-free. Timing is key again, and just like with everything else, getting the material out now is important. The products we use are pre-emergent, meaning they must be in place before the weeds emerge or they are useless. We will be covering the main sections of rough- about 25-30 yards around fairways, greens, and tees, as well as all the Bermuda grass.

One of the last things we will do is to spray herbicides to kill any weeds that were already present before the pre-emergent applications. These are the “clean-up” applications. We will spray the Bermuda grass as well as the rough, with separate products, that will kill anything that survived the winter, and that we don’t want to still be alive. Eliminating the competition will allow whichever grass we are supporting to grow and thrive through the season.

Even though we aren’t regularly sending out mowers or in full maintenance mode yet, without the above-mentioned tasks taking place, we would be playing catch up all year. Getting spring right allows everything to fall into place.

 

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

Golf Cart tips

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org