June Update

 With the 2022 golf season in full swing the Grounds team has been very busy in-between record breaking levels of precipitation. The Zoysia grass has begun to shine, many of the thin areas from winter injury are starting to fill in and our team has sodded other areas.  There has been a shortage of Zoysia grass in the Midwest so we have been converting the Zoysia surrounds on 3rd hole to turf type tall fescue. The turf type tall fescue will slow golf balls down from hitting the path and ending up in the creek. This area has been mowed at fairway height and will allow for a seamless transition once moved to the the fairways.

The planting of summertime annuals is winding down, with over 2200 individual flowers planted this year. Among those are over 25 different varieties, ranging from staples like begonias and petunias to some not so common varieties like cuphea and cleome. There's also a nice mix of tropicals like Banana trees, Canna, Mandeville, and Hibiscus.

In the next week or so, fertilization on the flowers will begin to ensure the proper nutrients are given and then let things heat up and have mother nature take over. The flowers will begin to fill the landscape up and put on a good show.

As always thanks for the comments and questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien

Grounds Superintendent

Spring Blooms/Practice like a Pro

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 May 9th. 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

Zoysia-

We have finally seen some green in the fairways but there are still some areas that continue to be slow to transition. Carts continue to scatter to the fairways when the soils are not saturated, unfortunately carts are restricted to the path on 18 until the turf wakes up a little more. We have yet to mow the fairways due to below-normal temperatures lack of growth and the stress the mowers can place on the turf. The Grounds team has replaced the turf on the right side of #5 where the large Oak shaded the fairway and on 13th approach. The fairway height sod is coming from behind the 3rd green and is being replaced with new fescue sod.

#5 Right Side

 

Newly Sodded

13 Approach

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.

Thanks for the feedback and questions on the golf course and grounds please do not hesitate to reach out. grounds@hydeparkcc.com

Thank-you,

Pat O'Brien,

Grounds Superintendent