Course Update 6/28/13

I will begin today's post by answering two common questions that I have received over the last week.

1) What are all those white lines on the fairways and approaches?

Our Architect, John Colligan painting the new mowing lines.



On Monday 6/24, John Colligan, the golf course architect who designed the bunkers and who has worked with Ridgewood for many years, made a visit to see the finalized bunkers and to help us define our fairway and approach mowing lines in relation to the new bunkers. John and I painted white lines along the perimeter of the fairways and approaches in order to show our mowers the proper patterns. We made minor changes to most of the holes. In certain areas we expanded the fairways and approaches into areas that had been mowed at rough height - resulting in scalping. We expect the scalping to heal and to see nice definition along the mowing lines in the coming weeks.


Sergio Zapata following the new lines on #13

2) Why do our greens slow down during the summer months?

In last week's post I discussed root depth and some of the practices that we use to help our bentgrass greens survive the summer heat. With temperatures soaring over 100F for the last few days, I felt it pertinent to provide some science illustrating why we are forced to raise our mowing heights during the months of June, July, and August. The bottom line is that when root zone temperatures exceed 87F bentgrass uses more energy than it can produce. As a result, the plant begins to use its roots as a source of energy - resulting in shorter roots and a plant that is more susceptible to disease, drought, and other environmental conditions. Raising the mowing heights helps offset this physiological process and is one way that are able to make it through the summer. This week's Green Section Record, published by the USGA gives a great explanation of how and why this happens. Please take moment to learn more by clicking here: USGA Green Section Record. 


USGA Green Section Record 6.26: "There is a period during the summer months when food consumption (respiration) exceeds food production (photosynthesis). It is during this time that putting greens are most susceptible to other climatic stresses and disease. Photo Credit: Bingru Huang, PH.D."

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A few of the things that we have been working on since my last post:

The maintenance crew hard at work setting up the course for morning play

• Completed 4th successful aeration of the year on 6/17 and 6/18
• Checked and adjusted sand depths on several bunkers including: Practice bunkers and 8 through 18
• Sprayed greens on 6/20 and 6/28
• Relocated several loads of sand from the marina to maintenance shop
• Completed controlled burn of brush pile
• Disposed of large quantities of old drainage pipe from shop yard
• Painted and started mowing new contour lines on fairways and approaches
• Repaired several irrigation issues
• Adjusted mowing height of cut for greens



Disposing of old drain pipe in efforts to clean up our shop yard



Aerating the putting green on 6/17