Bacterial Wilt on Turfgrass

There has been many questions concerning turf decline in the Ohio Valley. Many people have asked what is Bacterial Wilt? This video from Pace Turf (2010) does a excellent job of outlining this difficult issue to deal with on putting greens.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Innerseeding and Golf Cart Traffic Routing

With the recent innerseeding of the rough there are new turf type tall fescue seedlings beginning to germinate. In order to preserve the new growth, the cart traffic will be confined to the Zoysia grass fairways, in order to get to the fairways an entrance point and exit area has been designated to concentrate the wear. These entrance and exit points are marked with pink flags and a cart sign. Once the seed has matured to a stage where the plant can handle the traffic, carts will be able to return to the regular cart rules, which still prohibits driving or parking the cart in the rough.

Only the holes that have been seeded have entrance and exit points, the remaining holes to be seeded and aerified are #10,11,13,15, and 16. We hope to complete these holes by Wednesday August 31^st.

We appreciate your patience through this entire process. There has been a tremendous improvement in the roughs and the turf-type tall fescue populations, even after one year of the aggressive innerseeding program.

Thank-you

Pat O’Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Summer Patch

The extreme weather conditions over the last months have been a challenge for the staff and turf alike. The putting greens, specifically the Annual Bluegrass populations are exhibiting signs of Summer Patch. Summer Patch, is a soil pathogen that causes root dysfunction on mainly Annual Bluegrass, which generally shows signs and symptoms in July and August when the turf is under a tremendous amount of stress. In order to reduce summer the effects of summer patch we have a comprehensive strategy that includes:

• Promoting Creeping bentgrass (the ideal grass for greens in this region)

• Aggressive aerfication and cultural practices to improve drainage

• The addition of subsurface drainage

• Reducing PH with acidifying fertilizers and added Manganese

• The last line of defense is the fungicide program that includes monthly preventative applications beginning in April and continuing until August

On #6 green we have treated only half of the green curatively. We are going to continue assess how the treated area responds versus non-treated and how rapid the decline will be on the Annual bluegrass. Our goal is to investigate strategies to encourage the bentgrass populations long-term; this project will be only one of many options that will be laid out over the next year.



Thanks,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Turf Type Tall Fescue Inner Seeding

Beginning the week of August 22nd the grounds staff will begin the annual inner seeding of the roughs with turf type tall fescue (TTF). Please operate the carts in the fairway and be aware of instructions on the signs of entrance and exit point to reduce wear on the new seedlings. TTF is the ideal grass type due to its increased drought tolerance and reduced disease susceptibility. Building upon last year population increases of TTF we will incorporate another 6-8 thousand pounds of seed across thirty acres of rough.


Thank-you,

Pat O’Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Tee Aerification

Over the next 3 days the Grounds Staff will be taking adavantage of the cooler days and nights by completing the aerification and topdressing of the tees. The process will commence on the front nine on Wednesday and will be completed Friday afternoon.

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent