ROUGH

Admittedly, the rough has been extra penal this spring. Sincere apologies from your golf course staff. Let me explain why the grass is extra long and feisty and tell you what is being done.

Let's start with a mini review of the problems with rough's soils.
1. Rough soils are extremely deficient in many important nutrients. Soils are deficient in plant available calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Soil pH is low, as are soluble salts. In summary, the supply in the soil for plant available soluble nutrients, or put another way, the amount of "gas in the soil's tank" for proper turfgrass growth is on empty. Let me provide quotes from March 2009 soil reports provided us by Harris Labs of Lincoln, NE.
a. "Immediate attention is required. Root growth has stopped...resistance to heat stress is poor, and membrane function is failing."
b. "Plant functions are in jeopardy of failing. Stomate (a plant cooling mechanism) is minimal so expect poor movement of water and nutrient throughout the plant."

To correct soil nutrient deficiencies, applications of proper fertilizer materials have been made, both last fall and again this spring. As these materials are slowly released to soils, plants are using them. Turfgrass in the rough is reacting positively or negatively, depending on your point of view, by actively growing with increased vigor during April and May.

Obviously, our long term goal is to improve the chemistry of rough soils. When soil can provide the nutrients plants need when they are needed, the rough can perform by providing an excellent playing surface for our members and guests.

Combined with fertility, the wet spring also aided aggressive growth of rough turf. 7.78" of rain has fallen on Potowomut since April 2, twice the normal amount.

We have two employees who each mow rough almost 40 hours each week. On Monday, we usually begin mowing rough on #11. Going in order they complete the rest of the back nine by Wednesday, and mow holes 1 through 10 Thursday and Friday. Each week, the rough is mowed once. Rough height differs depending on what day it is mowed.

Finally, both mowers' height of cut was lowered a half inch today. This adjustment should improve the situation a bit. We also plan on adding a third machine as time permits. We will do our best to continue knocking down the rough through May and June, when warmer weather should begin to slow growth.