Reel to Reel

I find myself uttering this phrase many times in a given day. It helps to keep things in perspective when trying to grow perfect turf in imperfect conditions. In a given day, golf course superintendents deal with many more variables out of their control than in their control. The daily plan I start with rarely comes to fruition. A good superintendent needs to be as proactive as possible to the ever-changing environmental and turfgrass conditions. I have compiled a short list of variables that affect turfgrass health. As you can see by the list, many of these are not controllable. CONTROLLABLE Irrigation inputs Nutrient inputs Mowing heights/frequency Cultural practices UNCONTROLLABLE Temperatures Wind Rain Relative humidity Solar radiation Evapotranspiration Microbial activity Disease activity Insect activity Age of maintenance equipment

There are some definite advantages to getting an early start to the day. Here's a sampling of this season's sunrises.

Soil compaction is a continuous problem that requires constant attention. Management of traffic flow on the golf course is one way we try and limit compaction. Soil becomes compacted by foot and vehicle traffic. As the soil particles are squeezed together, the pore space shrinks. The lack of pore space prohibits air and water movement which hinders plant growth. The green and white stakes located throughout the golf course are moved routinely to help divert traffic. Please refrain from driving through the stakes, as they are in place to help reduce compaction. We appreciate your cooperation in avoiding these areas.

Greens are recovering beautifully. It has only been four days since aerification and the holes are healing nicely. A steady dose of rolling, nutrients and great weather have all helped the cause. A close-up shot of the holes on #7 green. (Pen shown to provide perspective.)

Twenty-one campers from KCC Kids Camp stopped by for a tour of the maintenance facility this morning. The kids and I discussed the type of work and equipment involved in maintaining the golf course. They had some great questions and their knowledge of the game was impressive.

Perfect weather conditions helped the aerification process run smoothly yesterday. It was a productive day as my staff did an amazing job. Thanks, guys! We still have additional brooming, rolling and final clean-up to finish today. The greens are rolling nicely and will continue to smooth out over the next couple of days. The healthy plants we'll see this fall and next season will be well worth the time and labor. Aerification Stats: - 6.5 million holes created - 32 cubic yards of soil removed (enough to fill 1 garbage truck) - 90,000 pounds of sand used to fill the holes (45 tons, think 10 elephants) - Overseeded with over 480 million bentgrass seeds

Weather permitting, the aerification schedule is as follows- Greens: 8/22 - 8/23 Tees: 9/6 - 9/7 Fairways: 9/7 - 9/30

Extreme weather conditions this year have wreaked havoc with our maintenance schedules. Heavy rains this spring and unrelenting heat this summer have made it difficult to get into any kind of routine. Yesterday, we were able to topdress greens with a light application of sand. Topdressing is one of our most important cultural practices. Topdressing: - Produces a smooth firm putting surface - Dilutes thatch - Allows for lower mowing heights - Protects the crowns of the plants - Increases ball-roll distance

I can not stress enough, the importance of the turf having a healthy root system. During the last six weeks, the heat has severely hindered root growth. In an effort to aid the plants in this endeavor, needle-tine aerification has been an active part of our maintenance program. As you can see from the photo of #7 green, the roots are growing down the aerification holes.

And more on the way. I toured the course this evening and it is extremely wet. The rain that fell this evening came in a hurry. More rain is forecasted for tonight, as well as tomorrow. I will assess cart availability first thing in the morning.

-Bentgrass vs. Poa annua- We have seen a good percentage of bentgrass germinating in the thin areas of greens that were stressed during the heat this July. The new bentgrass will be highly competitive with the existing Poa annua, and it is much more heat tolerant and disease resistant. The picture below is of a thin spot on the right front corner of #8 green. The new bentgrass plants have just emerged.

Yesterday's 35 mph winds and 1.25" of rain added some additional clean-up to this morning's list of tasks. Numerous greens, tees and fairways were covered with branches. All of which had to be picked up before the mowing and rolling for the day.

Weather conditions finally cooperated, allowing us to verticut greens this morning. This process removes excess organic matter and benefits the turf in many ways. Verticutting: Promotes plants to put more energy into growing upright Opens turf canopy to allow in more sunlight and air Increases green speed

Last month was the hottest July the National Weather Service has recorded in the last 134 years. Here are a few of the highlights: - Seven-day heat wave (July 17-23); first one in 17 years! - Eleven days over 90 degrees - Fourteen additional days over 85 degrees Although the golf course is far from perfect, I am pleased with how the turf has held up to the unrelenting heat. Cool-season grasses, such as bentgrass and poa annua, were not designed to tolerate the sustained high temperatures and humidity we faced last month. We will continue to be as proactive as possible to Mother Nature's surprises.