Granite Tee Signs

 Here's the latest addition of improvements being brought to you here at Willow Fork Country Club. These are granite tee signs 12" wide X 4" thick. Many thanks to Craig Baker for working with me and guiding me to the proper individuals to complete this phase of our club improvements.

 As far as when they will be installed, it may be awhile. The ground is extremely hard, in fact we tried placing the tee sign up around the putting green but the ground was so hard we could only dig a couple of inches down and then the soil turned as hard as a rock. So we then decided to place it over by the new scoreboard area in fresh soft soil.

RAIN---IT'S RAINING

  Well, I must be back on the good side with Mother Nature, for now anyway. It has been raining here now steadily for 3 hours and still more to come according to the radar and the ground is soaking in every bit.
  This rain will help us tremendously in recovery from aerification to the greens, in case you didn't know this we aerified on June 13th. Not only will the greens recover well but the fairways and roughs will make 180 degree turn to the better.
  For all of you who I see at the course here for the next couple days don't be surprised if you see me smiling big!

Willy Plowman
Golf Course Superintendent
 

Fairway & Rough Aerification

  I am choosing to avoid this turf practice during the drought era, that we are in. Besides that I don't believe the tines would even penetrate more than an inch into the ground, it's supposed to be around 4 to 6 inches deep. The other fear factor; if i were to aerify and it only penetrates a inch down and with this blazing heat, whatever is lifted will burn up and die.
  Once the rains do begin to fall, the aerifier will be brought out and put to work. Shortly afterwards fertilizer will be applied and oh guess what; with mother nature rain and fertilizer you get a quality turf! Man am I ready to see that again. I have never been a part of such a hard time in turf management as I have faced the last three months.
  So everybody get and do RAIN DANCE!

Thanks
Willy Plowman
Golf Course Superintendent

Greens Aerification

  All righty folks, we officially have the first aerification to the greens completed and past us. I have to say I'm quite pleased with the outcome. Even during the aerification I could tell that there was a solid root structure in place below the putting surface. Knowing that, the outcome should be good!
  The first week after aerification we'll continuously roll greens as much as we can. Along with this, we'll fertilize with a granular fertilizer. This year we used a 4-5-4 (chicken s_it) and man did it smell like it to. Chicken s_it is very high in carbon and turf loves it. Usually speaking the third day after aerification we'll mow greens, keep in mind at a higher HOC (height of cut). By the mid part of the second week HOC will start to be lowered and the ball should begin to roll without a whole lot of bouncing and by the end of the second week the greens should be back on track.
  Agronomically speaking; When we aerify we should be removing some 11% of the product, multiply that by 3 aerifications and you get 33%. Research has shown it is necessary to remove 30% of the product per year to control organic and thatch buildup, so we should be right on track.
  As of now, the next greens aerification is scheduled for Monday July 18th.