Plans for 2013 are underway and I'd like to update you the ideas we are working on to improve your golf course. We are constantly driven to learn new and utilize technology and ideas from turfgrass researchers and successful Superintendents across the world to improve your golf experience. (Not all ideas are set in stone...but most are!!)
GREENS
Greens are in their best condition since I arrived to Potowomut in 2005, and should be wonderful to begin 2013 barring potential winter issues. (Greens will be sprayed to prevent snow mold diseases during the week of Nov 26) Through persistence and research, we have learned how to control our devastating nematode population moving forward. Partly because of successful nematode control during 2012, greens performed very well during a stressful summer.
For 2013, we plan on introducing a program to provide "hormone therapy" to make greens stronger and healthier. Through natural seaweed based materials, our goal will be to fool the greens to speed or slow growth rates, and to manufacture roots throughout the growing season instead of the traditional spring and fall months. (Plant hormones are usually induced only by seasonal environmental changes but this program tells plants to behave differently than what the weather tells them.) Stronger root systems always correlates to higher quality turfgrass. Hormones will also be used to slow grass growth for increased green speeds.
COLLARS
Collars will be improved during 2013. Here are ideas we are planning:
1. Aluminum rear drive rollers on each greensmower will be sanded perfectly smooth this winter. The thought here is that after years of use rollers have become scratched and scuffed. It is quite possible these slight imperfections injure plants on collars while mowers turn on green collars during daily mowing.
2. Thinking of #1 above, greensmowers will be moved and stored in the shop on thick rubber matting that will prevent future scuffing of the drive roller from sand and soil particles in the shop. Crew members will load and drop off the mowers only from the rubber mat.
3. Many clubs with collars issues institute different turning regimens for greensmowers (the likely culprit of collar damage.) We plan on providing
mower operators pieces of plywood to place on the green collar that they will make their turns on. This way, the mowers will make their turn on top of plywood while turfgrass is never touched. This method has obvious labor costs to constantly move the pieces, but we feel the investment in the health of greens' collars is most important. This change would probably only be utilized during the stressful months of June through August.
FAIRWAYS
Bye bye Gray Leaf Spot (GLS). It wasn't nice knowing you.
Because of two infestations in two years, we have no choice but to apply fungicides to fairways and rough to prevent GLS. We can hope and wish for cold and harsh winter weather to kill disease spores that may be still present, but we will spray next summer regardless of how harsh our winter is.
Thirteen fairway is slower to recover from its GLS, but warm May and June weather will help to complete the task. (13 was seeded again with creeping bentgrass this morning (11/21) and was topdressed with leftover greens topdressing sand to protect new plants from winter weather extremes.)
All fairways were aerated by a contractor on November 12-14. (A few areas were aerated twice) Since fairways have demonstrated weakness the last few years, aeration is the best method to improving their health. This fall aeration process is again planned for 2013.
Soil casts from earthworms were present on fairways during wet spring and fall months. Although there is NO legal method to control earthworms in turfgrass, some Superintendents have observed that certain fungicide applications applied to combat northern turf diseases can reduce earthworm populations. We plan on learning more about these ideas during winter.
Thanks for a wonderful season during 2012! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and come enjoy the golf course this weekend if you can as the current December forecast doesn't look great for golf!
Patrick Gertner CGCS
