Aeration: A breath of fresh air for your greens
9/28/2010
Aeration is a common practice on golf course greens, and although it has benefits, it can also disrupt golf play. In this video, Dr. Larry Stowell explains to golfers what aeration is, why it is conducted, and how it is almost always a worthwhile practice, despite its downsides.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Aerification Update
Aerification is going very well. We are on schedule with the process as the front side was finished today. We are also slit seeding the tees that we shut down the fairways for aerification. Due to waiting on more seed to be delivered, we have not seeded #8 and #9 tees and fairways. We will continue with the aerification process this week thru Thursday, and finish up on the following Monday. Hopefully the seed will come in and we can get caught up on those fairways and tees. This delay will cause a little disruption in play in order to catch up with the closed fairways but please bare with us. The pro shop will let you know what holes will be closed for the day along with postings of the closings throughout the clubhouse. This is a necessary maintenance practice that in the long run will help improve the soil conditions which will lead to better turf conditions. If anyone has any questions regarding this, please stop me at any time. And as always, we'll see you on the course.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Aerification Schedule:
September 20th, 2010
Front 9 closed!
#1 – 9 greens and tees will be aerified.
September 21st, 2010
Back 9 closed!
#10 – 18 greens and tees will be aerified.
September 22nd, 2010
Holes 1 – 4 will be closed for aerification.
September 23rd, 2010
Holes 5 – 7 will be closed for aerification.
September 28th, 2010
Holes 8 – 9 will be closed for aerification.
September 29th, 2010
Holes 11 – 12 will be closed for aerification.
September 30th, 2010
Holes 13 – 15 will be closed for aerification.
October 1st, 2010
Holes 16 – 18 will be closed for aerification.
September 24th and 27th are not being used due to scheduled events already on the calendar. Please have patienc during this important maintenance practice.
September 20th, 2010
Front 9 closed!
#1 – 9 greens and tees will be aerified.
September 21st, 2010
Back 9 closed!
#10 – 18 greens and tees will be aerified.
September 22nd, 2010
Holes 1 – 4 will be closed for aerification.
September 23rd, 2010
Holes 5 – 7 will be closed for aerification.
September 28th, 2010
Holes 8 – 9 will be closed for aerification.
September 29th, 2010
Holes 11 – 12 will be closed for aerification.
September 30th, 2010
Holes 13 – 15 will be closed for aerification.
October 1st, 2010
Holes 16 – 18 will be closed for aerification.
September 24th and 27th are not being used due to scheduled events already on the calendar. Please have patienc during this important maintenance practice.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Governor's Open Weekend!
I just wanted to say that I wish everyone in the tournament the best of luck. The staff and I did what we could to maintain the turf and give the best conditions possible considering the type of season we are having. I hope everyone enjoys the food and entertainment each night, the Men's Association always puts together a wonderful weekend. Also, please take the time to thank the women of the Women's Assoication who volunteer during this weekend. They take time away from what they could be doing in order to make the Governor's Open that much more enjoyable. I hope all the golfers enjoys the course and the experience that Juniper Hill puts on for this awesome tournament.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
#3 Green Growing in Nicely
Just wanted to keep everyone updated on the new #3 green and show you how well it is growing in. We will have to do some small reseeding this fall and some next spring on some thin areas, but overall, it is growing in wonderfully. I mowed it for the first time on Tuesday, which will help the bent grass to start creeping out rather than growing more vertically. The picture is from the following day. Hope everyone has enjoyed the cooler weather these past few days, though we would rather take some rain. The Governor's Open is this weekend, and the crew has been working hard to keep the turf alive and trying to finish up on some detail work. Hope you all can get out and support this great tournament and watch some of the great amatuer players from all over the Kentucky and the surrounding states. We'll see you on the course.
Monday, September 6, 2010
USGA Article
Summer Heat Wave Facts
By Patrick O’Brien and Chris Hartwiger, Agronomists, Southeast Region
August 11, 2010
The summer of 2010 will be long remembered for its impact on bentgrass putting greens in the Southeast Region.
This summer produced many historical records for heat in the Southeast Region, and the result has been a nightmare for many bentgrass putting greens. The sad news is that probably another month of high temperatures is still ahead of us before cooler temperatures arrive.
Weather data compiled from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (www.georgiaweather.net) at the Atlanta Athletic Club, near Duluth, GA, reveals information that testifies to the extreme heat in the Southeast Region this summer. Mr. Ken Magnum, Director of Golf Course and Grounds at the Atlanta Athletic Club, passed along this information to our office earlier this week.
From June 8th to August 8th, a total of 645 hours had temperatures above 90 degrees. The average number of hours above 90 degrees over the past 12 years has been about 233. This is an increase of about 275% from the average. Even after sunset on many days, temperatures remained above 90 degrees and provided no time for the soil to cool down.
Hours 90 Degrees or Higher -Last 60 Days:
8-Jun 8-Aug Total
2010 2010 645
2009 2009 139
2008 2008 213
2007 2007 238
2006 2006 571
2005 2005 84
2004 2004 66
2003 2003 8
2002 2002 231
2001 2001 8
2000 2000 248
1999 1999 347
This extended heat wave created an almost impossible situation at most golf courses, making it very difficult for superintendents to manage their bentgrass putting greens. Additionally, many golf courses were faced with operational budget cuts again this year. Fighting the heat with fewer fungicides, equipment, and labor at these courses further added to the challenge.
Last week, the Carolinas GCSA conducted a special 48-hour survey of superintendents managing bentgrass and found the following:
•A full 84 percent say their greens are “thinning” or “severely stressed” right now
•Nearly 30 percent have had to close greens or expect to do so soon because of heat stress
•Less than a third of superintendents say they are “optimistic” about nursing their greens through the end of summer
•95 percent describe this summer as “the worst” or “one of the worst” they have ever seen for managing bentgrass.
If your golf course has bentgrass putting greens that have declined, you are not alone. Superintendents are poised to do everything possible to restore the health of their bentgrass putting greens when temperatures cool down again this fall.
By Patrick O’Brien and Chris Hartwiger, Agronomists, Southeast Region
August 11, 2010
The summer of 2010 will be long remembered for its impact on bentgrass putting greens in the Southeast Region.
This summer produced many historical records for heat in the Southeast Region, and the result has been a nightmare for many bentgrass putting greens. The sad news is that probably another month of high temperatures is still ahead of us before cooler temperatures arrive.
Weather data compiled from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (www.georgiaweather.net) at the Atlanta Athletic Club, near Duluth, GA, reveals information that testifies to the extreme heat in the Southeast Region this summer. Mr. Ken Magnum, Director of Golf Course and Grounds at the Atlanta Athletic Club, passed along this information to our office earlier this week.
From June 8th to August 8th, a total of 645 hours had temperatures above 90 degrees. The average number of hours above 90 degrees over the past 12 years has been about 233. This is an increase of about 275% from the average. Even after sunset on many days, temperatures remained above 90 degrees and provided no time for the soil to cool down.
Hours 90 Degrees or Higher -Last 60 Days:
8-Jun 8-Aug Total
2010 2010 645
2009 2009 139
2008 2008 213
2007 2007 238
2006 2006 571
2005 2005 84
2004 2004 66
2003 2003 8
2002 2002 231
2001 2001 8
2000 2000 248
1999 1999 347
This extended heat wave created an almost impossible situation at most golf courses, making it very difficult for superintendents to manage their bentgrass putting greens. Additionally, many golf courses were faced with operational budget cuts again this year. Fighting the heat with fewer fungicides, equipment, and labor at these courses further added to the challenge.
Last week, the Carolinas GCSA conducted a special 48-hour survey of superintendents managing bentgrass and found the following:
•A full 84 percent say their greens are “thinning” or “severely stressed” right now
•Nearly 30 percent have had to close greens or expect to do so soon because of heat stress
•Less than a third of superintendents say they are “optimistic” about nursing their greens through the end of summer
•95 percent describe this summer as “the worst” or “one of the worst” they have ever seen for managing bentgrass.
If your golf course has bentgrass putting greens that have declined, you are not alone. Superintendents are poised to do everything possible to restore the health of their bentgrass putting greens when temperatures cool down again this fall.
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