Aerosol sunscreen/bug spray damage

Below is a photograph of some damage caused by aerosol sunscreen or bug spray.  The propellant in these product burns the turf and leaves two perfect foot prints of healthy green turf.  The grass will recover in a couple days, but to avoid this unsightly occurrence, please apply these products over the cart path. 

New additions on your golf courses

During you next rounds, you may notice some new additions to the courses.  On the Bear course, we have replaced the Pro Tee markers with custom bear markers.  These new markers are made of cast bronze and will last many years.  We have also added divot mix stations at each restroom to allow golfers to refill during their round.  These pots contain the same green sand as the divot boxes on our cart fleet and pull carts.  This is a good opportunity to remind golfers that it is THEIR responsibility to repair any divots they make.  The golf course maintenance staff supplements this by checking and filling divots on all tees twice each week.

Green drainage 101

When considering the health of a green, the most important factor is a superintendent’s ability to manage the moisture in the soil.  Due to this fact, most new greens are built to USGA specifications which include subsurface drainage topped by 16” of sand before the green is seeded or sprigged.  The sand allows water to move quickly through the soil profile and aids in creating a firm surface that is free from the severe disease pressure caused by wet greens.  Over time, a green will accumulate an organic layer of bio degraded roots, shoots, and leaves that acts as a sponge soaking up and retaining water.  Aerification and verticutting are the most common ways of managing and removing this water holding organic matter.  As the organic matter increases, a green will stay wetter, longer.  Once organic matter reaches dangerous levels (4%-6%) the green becomes a good candidate for restoration.  

In the photographs below, notice how the new Bear greens have just a little organic matter (darker in color) while the Bobcat greens are VERY organic.  This is one reason why we have so much disease pressure on the Bobcat greens VS. the new, better draining, less organic Bear greens. 

 

                   BOBCAT GREEN PROFILE                                         BEAR GREEN PROFILE

 

  

          

 

                                                
                                                                                                                       

Is this a sign that the greens are slow?

Another great example of the wildlife here at The Forest Country Club, this Florida softshell turtle will be happy to let you play through on #15 Bobcat!  

 

 

Sod work on tees

As we continue to deal with shade issues on a few select tees, we have sodded these areas in an effort to improve playing conditions.  Specifically, the Players tee on #1 Bear and the 1 tee on #13 Bobcat have thinned out due to the lack of sunlight to a point where this is the only viable option.  This spring we will begin removing the invasive species and extensively trimming the native trees in these areas to allow for better conditions in the long run.  

 

Players tee on #1 Bear