Fall Has Arrived!

The chill is in the air again, it finally looks as though fall has arrived. On the course and around the grounds of HP the staff and I have been busy with preparations for next season. The putting green aerfication on 9/11/17 went extremely well, the turf healed nicely and your feedback was appreciated on the putting quality that was noted so early in the healing process.

Over the next few weeks the staff is focused on many processes that need to be completed to have a successful 2018 season. We are currently working on:

• Mowing and herbicide applications to all high rough areas
• Fungicide applications to the fairways
• Solid tine aeration to fairways, tees and rough
• Leaf clean-up
• Herbicide applications to all primary rough area
• Legacy Plan preparations
• Fall plantings

We are also hoping to sneak in a renovation of a tee or two!

As always thank-you for your feedback and comments on the course and the grounds, it is greatly appreciated!

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien
Grounds Superintendent

Fall is near!

Like any other summer the Grounds team continues to press forward with a very full fall agenda ahead which includes:

• Ladies fall invitational
• Construction of the whiffle ball field for Labor Day celebrations
• Founders Cup
• Fall Aerification 9/11-9/12
• Various small course enhancements

As all of you know there are big changes coming to the pool and surrounding common areas. As part of The Legacy Plan, the Grounds staff is currently involved with relocation of irrigation, construction of temporary parking lots and various other minor details to help with this significant undertaking. Over the next few weeks Bryan Miller (Horticulturalist) and Natalie Selker (Landscape Architect) are collaborating to develop landscape plans for the pool area. Thus far, it has been exciting for me to observe these professionals brainstorm to come up with a plan that will make these areas shine! We all know it has been well overdue!

Due to the proximity of the pool and the scope of the construction golf cart traffic and playability near the 16th green will be impacted, please observe signage and we will send updates out as the project progresses.

Rough Sketches of Pool Landscape

Of recent, there have been many great questions raised about the smoothness of the Zoysia grass fairways. The fairways were aerified in late July. One of the challenges with Zoysia grass is that is a slow growing Turfgrass, thus the healing process has taken slightly longer with the cooler temperatures. The aeration holes are completely grown over, but the Turfgrass plant is not as upright and greener where the hole was made compared to the non-aerified turf. This is typical in the recovery process, however these turf conditions have not been seen in almost 5 years since the last Aerification occurred. Most Zoysia golf courses core cultivate annually, I have chosen not to because; organic levels have been low, it is expensive and most importantly it slow to recover in the Northern part of the transition zone. However, this season the fairways seemed softer thus it was time to aerify.

 

Close up of Zoysia

Wide shot of the 18th

I don't anticipate to aerify the fairways next year, however in the future we employ a couple different strategies

• Smaller aeration hole to help with recovery
• Spot aeration of areas that have higher levels of organic matter
• Solid tine aeration
• Slightly higher nitrogen levels following the process

Thanks again for the questions and feedback on the course!

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

 

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