Miscellaneous ramblings

Some people have heard me say that I am never happy with the weather between May and November. That statement is untrue, as I was thrilled with the rainfall we received last Saturday night. As the precipitation continued on Sunday and Monday, I again turned anti-weather thinking of possible disease outbreaks caused by excessive soil moisture.

We went through an very hot and dry period from July 14 until August 6. In July, the irrigation system pumped 5.11 million gallons, the most ever in a month at Potowomut. (Some was used to water in July grub insecticide applications.) Increased heat promotes more damaging turf diseases to all areas as parts of two fairways were hit with minor outbreaks of pythium blight, a turf killer that visits Rhode Island only once or twice in ten years because of continued 95 to 100 degree heat needed for its development. Lower temperatures and fungicide applications stopped its progression but some damage was done on 7, 14 and 15. Patch diseases were also seen on fairways despite three preventative fungicide applications.

With cooler temperatures of late August approaching, the golf course is poised to be in great condition for fall golf. Thin areas of intermediate rough will be seeded soon, as will areas of 14 fairway. Greens will pick up significant speed with lower height of cut and cooler morning temperatures. Fall greens aeration doesn't happen until October 4th or 5th, so September will be a great month to enjoy your golf course.

If you haven't, please sign up in for the Green Committee's "Adopt a Hole" program. You can sign up on Foretees or in the Pro Shop for a single hole that you and your family would take a few extra minutes and repair ballmarks, replace or seed divots in fairways, or rake a bunker needing attention during your round. Thanks!!!

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Tidbits.....Insecticide applications (greens, tees, fairways and roughs) for grubs were completed on August 3rd...Nematode counts are WAY down in samples sent to UMASS this year; experimental control methods seem to be working. Many reports of courses in the Northeast are seeing high populations this year....Pumped 11 million gallons of irrigation water through August 11....Diesel engine in the rough mower failed and is being rebuilt; we are renting the machine we are using now....Thanks to Mike Kirejczyk and Matt LaCroix for their efforts this summer as they return to college....