Radio interview, Venting Greens, and More

I am a proud member of the GCSAA Golf Course Superintendents's Association of America which is our national trade association. The association has a weekly segment on the PGA Network on Wednesdays at 5. With the Olympic Games originally scheduled for next week, I was asked to be on the program to speak about Glen Echo and our place in Olympic history. As we all know, Covid has since delayed the Olympics for a year but it was decided to go ahead with the interview.  Below is some information regarding the weekly broadcast and how it can be located on satellite radio.  There is also a podcast that is made available after the interview that I will put on the blog when it is ready for those of you without satellite radio.

Listen to GCSAA on PGA Tour Radio Network

“Katrek and Maginnes On Tap" Wednesdays on SiriusXM radio

GCSAA has joined forces with the PGA Tour Radio Network to feature superintendent and GCSAA-related topics weekly on SiriusXM radio. Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. (Eastern) on Sirius channel 208 and XM channel 92, the subject matter will be part of the popular show "Katrek and Maginnes On Tap.”

The program is hosted by Emmy-award winning broadcaster Brian Katrek and John Maginnes, a former PGA Tour player, who spent more than 15 years playing professional golf before starting a second career as a golf announcer in 2005. He won several times on the then Nationwide Tour and had a second-place finish on the PGA Tour at the 1996 B.C. Open, where he was paired with a young rookie, Tiger Woods. He got started on television for the USA Network and then the Golf Channel. He joined the PGA Tour Radio Network in 2005 and has been a fixture there ever since.

We have had a pretty warm July with over 20 days of 90 degrees or better. Our average for July is normally 14.  Timely rains have kept the course green from wall to wall so we have that going for us which is nice. Of course a little quote from 'Caddyshack' which had its 40th anniversary the other day!

Its that time of year for where we try to get a Needle-tine venting of our greens. This process is completed for the following benefits:

• Exchange of gas.  Oxygen into the system and hopefully the removal of some harmful build up of carbon dioxide which can build up in the soil
• Movement of moisture into and out of greens. Some sections of greens are dryer and or wetter based on their location, irrigation head set up and other factors. The drier sections of greens will accept water more readily with some holes in them and the wetter areas will dry quicker with more air entering through the holes.
• Root growth is at a minimum but root life is essential. These small narrow channels provide optimum growth potential if the plants are able to respond.

Our process includes mowing the greens, doing a light topdressing since temperatures are to be in the 80's, needletine, than roll to smooth down the holes. We usually roll the next day to reduce the potential for scalping than start mowing again on the 3rd day. We were able to complete the PG, 1-9, 12 and 18. We will complete the remaining greens this morning.

We had hoped to get some bermuda sprayed on fairways but weather and timing did not allow us to do this work. We will begin spraying in the next week as weather and time allows. Hopefully will get a 2nd application completed to where the effects will not be seen for Member/Guest at the end of September.

We will also begin spraying collars to reduce bermuda competition. More blogging on this work as it begins over the next few weeks.

Hopefully we will see you on the course over the next couple of weeks.