Around the Grounds: Aeration, Intern Spotlight and Practice Like a Pro

Practice Area:

I have been asked a few questions on the proper etiquette on divot removal on the grass tees. Below are a few pictures of divot patterns that are exhibited at HP. Ideally there is one divot pattern that should be utilized for increased recuperation and the most efficient use of turf, better known as a “lineal” divot pattern. The lineal divot pattern is a series of divots connected in a lineal fashion with a minimum of 2-3” of turf between each strip. The creeping Bentgrass/Zoysia grass left between the divots will grow horizontally, decreasing the amount of time for recovery.

Aeration:

A big thank-you to the entire Grounds Team for their execution of the Spring putting green aeration. The greens continue to heal well as we hit the 2nd week of healing. 

Walk On/Off #7 Green:

The turf continues to grow through the matting on #7, we are hopeful this trial of this new material will aide in eliminating resodding this area year after year.

Almost 3 weeks post installation

Intern Spotlight:

Hello, my name is Ross Greenwood and I’ve come here from Swansea, Wales. Before making the trip across the pond I had worked at my previous course (Langland Bay) for the past four years. I started my time there after going from job to job with little direction. But before long I realized that this was going to be the career for me. I started to attend college in order to get qualified in Turfgrass Management. And it was during my time at college that I heard about the incredible programme run by The Ohio State University that has made it possible for me to be at Hyde Park today.

 

I have only been here for three weeks, but have already had the opportunity to talk with so many members and staff here. I’d like to say a big thank-you for the warm welcome. I look forward to meeting more of you and contributing to a successful summer season here.

 

I see a future for myself in the turfgrass industry. After my time in the States I would love to find a position back in the UK as an Assistant Greenkeeper, and then look forward to working abroad some more in the future. After my short time here I can already tell that the knowledge and experience I’ll  gain from working with the HP Grounds team is really going to give me the best chance of achieving my goals. Away from the job I’m excited to see as much of this country as I can in my spare time. So I welcome any suggestions, from restaurants and to the best state/national parks I should visit. I’ll also be trying to improve my golf game while here, so I apologize in advance for the numerous calls of ‘Fore!’.

See you on the course.

Ross Greenwood

Taking in FC Cincinnati Game

Thanks again for the feedback and questions about the golf course and grounds at Hyde Park. 

Sincerely,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent 

Spring Blooms- Tulips

Tulips-

Another tulip season in is the books, which showcased roughly 10,000 tulips this year and over 10 different colors and patterns. The tulips over the next week or so will continue to drop their petals, I am often asked what happens to them next. A great question and to keep the landscape beds fresh and new for the following year, we pull all the bulbs out of the ground so that we do not get any unwanted colors mixed in with the new bulbs that will be planted in the fall. We also amend and till the beds in preparation for the Summer Annuals, in many cases this damages the bulb from blooming the following year.

If you are interested in recycling the bulbs to create your own masterpiece at your home we will remove the tulips and place in piles in the landscape beds with a picture of what they looked like at full bloom. Please bring your own buckets/boxes/bags and gather what you would like beginning Monday April 24th. Below, is a brief guide on how care for the bulbs.  Any questions do not hesitate to ask? Spring bulbs were a huge success, and we are getting close to planting the summer annuals. 

How to care/store/replant springtime bulbs:

• Find a covered well-ventilated area to lay out all your bulbs (leaves and bulbs still attached), making sure they do not touch.

• Once the leaves have dried out and turned yellow or brown, you can cut the leaves off all the way back to the bulb (this could take a few weeks).

• Store in a cool, dark, ventilated area like a basement or garage until fall.

• When it is time to plant in the fall, plant bulbs 3-5 inches in the ground, please keep in mind that 100 percent of the bulbs may not bloom again, so plant a few extra! 

Cheers!

Bryan Miller

Horticulturist at Hyde Park CC

Spring Aeration

Green Aeration: April-10th-12th 

Monday April 10th-12th the grounds team will be aerfiying the greens, the warm and dry weather will help with an effiecnt process. Once the greens are aerified, fertilized and rolled, it will take 2-3 weeks to allow for the turf to heal fully. The greens during the first week post aeration will be in poor condition at best due to the sand and the excessive growth of the plant. We will not mow until day 5 or 6th post aeration because we need the plant to grow through the layer of sand that has been applied.  The golf course will be closed to all play on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday the course will be open but with temporay greens while the team completes the work. 

Zoysia Transition:

The course continues to green-up,  the Zoysia grass is further ahead in the transition then last year and the overall winter injury seems to be minimal at this point. We hope to be mowing the fairways soon and this will signal that carts will be scattering to the fairways.

Matting on 7 green Walk-on Area:

A black rubber matting material has been placed on the walk-on/off area of #7. This material will allow for the turfgrass plants to grow through while protecting the grass from our equipment and the concentrated foot traffic. With this trial we are hopeful this will eliminate sodding each season in high traffic areas while maintaining playability.  For the moment this area will be marked as ground under repair.

Forward Tee #3:

The forward tee is growing in well, we anticipate to have the tee open within the next two weeks. 

As always, thanks for your feedback and questions please do not hesitate to send along to grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien 

Grounds Superintendent