The staff completed the renovation to the front of the white tee on 7 today. It was backfilled with soil, 3 drain lines were dug across it to reduce water pressure in the bank to hopefully stop the hillside from sloughing off again. Sod was laid on it today.
To our young walkers, please stay off this area or you might end up injured from wet and soft conditions. Should be good to go in 2-3 weeks.
Skip using a mini-excavator to trench across the bank.
Laying the sod. Decided to use Bermuda grass due to its ability to deeper rooting and survive the summer heat.
Greens were vented today by the staff. We use our deep-tine machine with 5/16" venting tine which places a hole about every square inch or two in a little over 2 acres of greens/collars. Venting is performed to exchange good gas for bad. 02 oxygen good, CO2 carbon dioxide in higher levels bad if green surfaces are not opened up to allow the bad gas out.
The venting also helps improve water infiltration into drier areas and evacuation of water in wetter areas. Rooting is also improved with this process as is microbial activity which has a very positive effect on the plants. There is a battle going on in our root zone between harmful pathogens and those tiny creatures that help offset disease. Holes are not disruptive to ball roll for the most part and will closed in just a few days.
As we push through some early stressful weather, a reminder that turf, especially 1/8" height greens can be impacted severely as summer stress continues into July and August. Pushing greens to their limits is a razor edge margin between success and failure. I tend to want to be on the side of success, not death. There are things we do to reduce stress. Roll more, now less. Slightly raise heights to provide just enough safety, needle tine or vent greens to improve oxygen content in greens. Nice article from @usga below.
Michael McLaurin was hired this season as a seasonal employee. He received tragic news over the weekend regarding his son being shot and killed on I-70. Michael was a good find for us this season and has helped Skip and Tom and the rest of the staff a great deal so far. I went and spoke with him this morning and he said he had to come back to work, could not sit around at home anymore. There are not many words to help someone facing this terrible situation. Our thoughts are with Michael and his family. Video below.
