July Update

Greens held up very well during extra stresses placed on them during the 106th Rhode Island Amateur. In preparation for the event, greens were topdressed and groomed numerous times. (Grooming, a less aggressive form of verticutting, helps grass blades stand straight up, as opposed to laying over as they prefer, adding ball roll distance.) Water and fertilizers were held back. Each morning of the event, greens were double mowed at our lowest height of cut and rolled twice a day. Turf was under stress, yet performed very well. Thanks to Steven Willand Equipment of Brookfield CT for letting us borrow equipment we needed for the event!! Also, thanks to Assistant Superintendent Dan Virgulak and our wonderful staff of professionals who again went above and beyond what was asked for. You guys rock.

As your Golf Course Superintendent, our stated goals are to provide season long reliable and consistent putting surfaces for members and guests. On small (average size 4111 sq ft) Poa annua and bentgrass greens in our climate, numerous environmental issues are always in play to kill turfgrass from May through September including turfgrass disease, root eating nematodes, golfer foot traffic, insects, heat and humidity. The faster the greens, the more prone we are to turf damage and death from the above factors. Trying to add six to nine inches of stimp meter speed is not worth risking severe decline in greens' quality or the significant higher expense involved. My fellow colleague Steve Kurta uses a turf roller at the private club where he works with the phrase "Speed Kills" prominently displayed. Steve's roller speaks the truth!

BUNKER RAKE CHANGE
Beginning this week, the Greens Committee asks you to place bunker rakes INSIDE bunkers, instead of outside. Please put rakes inside the bunkers, parallel to the bunker edge on the low side of bunkers. The Committee feels it will be easier to locate rakes that are inside bunkers.

NEMATODES

We are one of a few northern courses experimenting with a new control product for nematodes, with the financial help of supplier Agrium Inc. Nematodes are small soil pests that feed on and eliminate turfgrass roots quickly during warm summer months. Today,(Wednesday) soil samples were pulled to determine nematode counts before Agrium's MultiGuard was applied to 15 green. We will sample Friday to again count nematodes to determine the product's effectiveness. (Samples will be sent to the University of Massachusetts Nematology lab where technicians physically count how many nematodes are in each sample.)

We will keep you informed how well the product is performing, or join me and observe the 15th green's turfgrass quality as you play the next few weeks!! (15 green has the highest nematode populations of all 19 greens, similar to China of world population)

COURSE UPKEEP
Finally, as we get further into the summer, we need your help to maintain your golf course. Ballmarks on greens become an issue the further we get into summer. Always repair your ballmark plus one other. Please view the following link which shows the proper method to repair a ball mark:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NiBpLs5n7I&feature=player_detailpage

Bunkers are also an area where you can help. Here is a link that shows how to properly rake a bunker. Hopefully, we don't hit into too many bunkers during a single round, but the time you take to rake a bunker affects the golf course for future players. Also, notice that the gentleman uses two hands, as a one handed bunker raker cannot provide a quality surface under any circumstance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciYITPB28Ag

Also thanks again to everyone who uses sand and seed bottles on fairways. I truly believe we have one of the best programs in the country for sanding and seeding divots and am heart warmed by our membership's grasp of the program. Please remember however, we prefer you replace a turf divot versus using the sand and seed, as a significant turf divot will heal much faster than the seed will germinate. If the sand and seed is needed, only fill divots flush with surrounding soil. A divot filled with too much sand damages delicate mowing reels and bedknives and causes poor mowing quality.

Secondly, please remember that seed included in the bottle is for fairways only! The seed has been specially selected for fairways in our climate, but it makes for terrible rough turf. Again, thanks!

Thanks for every one's continued support!! I am quite sure there is not a more supportive membership of a Golf Course Superintendent and staff than here at Potowomut Golf Club. Sincere thank yous to everyone, as we hear so many positive comments each and every day.

Back to my hose....