Parts needed

We are working on a project at the club and are in need of a couple things. We could use about 12 old baseboard heaters (do not have to be working) and a small chest freezer that we could fit in the back of a maintenance cart. I have been keeping an eye on Craig's List, but if anyone knows someone who might be looking to get rid of them, please shoot me an e-mail sdb@rivercrestgolfclub.com. I will explain the project once the contraption is built. Thanks for any help

Divot trial update

We encountered an extremely wet stretch of weather which has boded well both for the divot recovery and seed germination. Here are the updated pictures after 14 days. The divots are adhered to the soil and recovering nicely, producing thick white roots. The seed is germinating at a good clip as well, but the seedlings remain tender and the root structure very immature.

Sunscreen Trials

 As many of you probably noticed last Friday, half of the fairways on holes 1-10 are a shade different. I know I just had a picture up stating do not spray sunscreen on the turf, but this is different. It is an all natural sunscreen produced by Scott May, the Superintendent at Manufacturers Golf and Country Club in Fort Washington, PA. I am running a test on "Turfscreen" to determine its ability to help us control disease, use water more efficiently, increase plant health, and improve turf recovery in regards to traffic and divot repair. Test results have shown UV rays have detrimental effects on the plants ability to photosynthesize which immediately affects the turfgrass health. This product will help by coating the fairways with a blend of sunscreen and a sticking agent which allows the material to adhere to the plant, even in periods of heavy rainfall. I plan to continue this trial through the entire season and believe it will be a valuable tool for us to use in the future. I will keep you updated with results as we continue the trial.

Bug Spray and Sunscreen

Please refrain from using spray on sunscreen and bug spray while standing on the green as it will burn the turf. Luckily, the individual waited until they arrived at Kramer's learning center green to apply, which is where we take plugs from to repair damaged greens :)

Divot Trial

One week ago today, I hacked up 40 divots side by side in our first fairway for a trial. That is one heck of a divot pattern, wouldn't you agree Kramer? I replaced 20 of the divots, some thick and some thin and filled the remaining 20 with mix and seed. The questions I am looking to solve are:
1.Which method is better from a playability standpoint
2. Which is more aesthetically pleasing
3. Is either more beneficial to the health of the turf

We have not had any significant rainfall and we keep our fairways firm...........

Even with the toasty top, the roots are impressive for 7 days old and the divot is pretty adhered to the soil. The roots are diving, searching for that drink of water

There are many tiny seedlings starting to pop up in the mix

After 7 days here are my quick thoughts:

• From a playability standpoint I would much rather hit a shot from the fairway off of a partially healed replaced divot than a miniature bunker of seed/sand/soil
• Aesthetically, I am at a toss up for a burnt divot compared to mix - You choose
• The replaced divot has established some dense roots while the seedlings are still in the infant stage -advantage replaced divot

I will continue to keep you updated weekly on the progress with a full report in the June newsletter

Range

 The Range tee was cut for the first time yesterday. We seeded the thin areas again where the rain and wind enjoy challenging the placement of our seed. We will try to cut it 3 times per week, lowering the machine each time until it reaches optimum height. This should take about a week and a half to two weeks. Cutting the turf will stimulate growth and accelerate the plants strength. We will re-evaluate the density of the playing surface over the next week, but I am still hoping to open up the tee in mid-May.

The chipping area is at its optimum height with just a little topdressing needed to smooth the surface. The chipping green is still a week away from its first cut and will be a similar process to the tee until it can handle any traffic. I am hoping the short game is ready for play by the end of May

Hydraulic Leak

Last Friday we had a hydraulic line blow out on 17 Tee while mowing. The operator noticed immediately and moved the machine to the path. He then grabbed a hose from the shop to water it in and cool down the turf. You will notice a dark green streak with yellow blotches on the tee. We use a vegetable based oil in our machines which does not burn the turf as severely and will not contaminate the soil for weeks to come. With the immediate action taken and cool temperatures I do not believe we will see any further damage. If we do, it is nothing a pound of seed cannot fix.