As I sit here we are currently getting a lot of rain. Just about 1.3 inches so far and much more on the way. Overall, I feel it very timely considering the fact that yesterday we fertilized all the fairways. I am very interested in seeing the condition of the golf course after this rain event. All the fairways and certain roughs areas have been sprayed with a wetting agent to help move water through the soil profile. In the past, I have injected the wetting agents into the irrigation system. I had to water the golf course to get the wetting agent out, overall this was not the prefect means of application. Spraying the wetting agents is prefect since we know exactly where the product is going. I feel that after this rain the golf course should be firm and not overly wet, I am very excited to see how everything turns out. .
Believe it or not the roughs were also fertilized using a 100% slow release fertilizer. The interesting thing about the rough is that just about all the roughs were done using a walking type fertilizer spreader. The spreader has been modified to either spread a "normal" throw or just to one side of the spreader. What makes this so nice is that no fertilizer is applied to any of the fescue areas. We are taking a lot of care to reduce any additional inputs into the fescue. Over the last few years we have been changing out the full circle irrigation heads to part circle heads to reduce the supplemental watering. We will continue to work on moving and changing out sprinklers.
We continue to spray for weeds on the golf course as of today all the fescue has been sprayed. The roughs are also being sprayed this year, we have completed all but 3 holes on the course. The bunkers are also being treated using a back pack sprayer this is slightly time consuming and and very weather and wind dependent. All but 2-6 have been completed and hopefully by this weekend the reminder holes will be done. There is some breakthrough weeds in the fescue that will be either spot sprayed or hand pulled out.
Overall, the golf course is in great shape and is everything is preforming well at this point. in the next few weeks we will slice the fairways to work with the wetting agents to move water. We will continue to top dress the greens bi-monthly until the heat of the summer then very light rates on the weekly basis will be done.
I hope that everyone is enjoying the golf course this year and look forward to seeing you very soon
Neil