AERATION

AERATION OF ROUGH
Taking advantage of the great warm fall weather we have been able to aerate the majority of the golf course. The greens, tees and fairways have all been core aerated. Now we are "solid" tine aerating the rough, in particular the high traffic areas. The photo to the left shows the heavy traffic location just off the pathway on hole #4 being aerated with a unit mounted to the tractor. While this process does not remove an actual core of soil/turf it does open the rootzone up, to a depth of 4", to alleviate compaction and allow for water, air and nutrients to more easily enter the subsurface. Come springtime this will allow the turf a better chance to begin the year more healthy.

Aeration: A breath of fresh air for greens

This video provides an excellent explanation to the logic and process of aeration. Be it the greens, tees or fairways this process is a much needed function for a golf course to provide the best playing conditions. Whilever the timing is never viewed as ideal it significantly improves conditions in the long term.

SEPTEMBER SNOW

Despite the below average temperatures for September we have managed to keep the golf course open for play every day. However, when it snows it is no longer a test of golf as evidenced in this Friday morning photo of Hole #1. The only ones out on the course are the elk.

ELK WALLOW

So this is not the type of wildlife activity we like to see. An elk wallow is a scarring or tearing of turf by either the antlers or the hooves of an elk. This was taken this morning on #3 tee and was a combination of both. It could have been worse though as they can be bigger when the elk want to create a "bed" or "tub" to lay in. So far this fall we have had 10 such wallows throughout the golf course.

WILDLIFE

What has become very handy these days is the combo cell phone/camera. You never know what you are going to see while out on the golf course. This shot was taken a week ago early in the morning. The sheep were not too concerned with what I was doing and instead posed perfectly for a good shot. So instead of scrambling for a camera the cell phone worked just as well.

GREEN DISCOLORATION

Why do putting green grasses turn red, blue or purple in the fall? The cold temperatures causes the turf to reveal a different color in the leaves. During the day sugar production in the grass blades is stimulated. When nights are cold and frosty the sugars do not completely move out of the leaves. The sugar then attaches to a pigment which causes the turf to look another color. The turf is still very healthy and plays well but is simply a physiological process that the greens go through. Interesting.

VANDALISM

Whether it our golf course or another's I am always disappointed when vandalism takes place. In this case a golfer decided to tee off from #10 green late one evening for us to find in the morning during our mowing programs. Left behind was severely damage turf, golf tees and shoe prints. Clearly this was a golfer, wearing spikes and left handed. It is one thing when we are repairing damage caused by wildlife but another when it is by a golfer. The turf has since been mended.