Syringing Greens

Summer is officially here and the temperatures have climbed fast.  We have been in the triple digits since Saturday, and it seems that it will stay that way for at least a few weeks.  You will notice a lot more hand watering in the afternoon during this time.  Light, frequent applications of water, or “syringing”, is the most effective way to cool down the turf during most stressful time of day.  The agronomy staff asks that our members, and guests, please excuse us during this time.  We will do our best to stay out of the way.  Thank you.

Divot Patterns at Range Tee

I've been noticing more players using the proper divot pattern at the driving range since my last post.  Not sure if it is coincidence or if the blog is having an impact.  Here is a picture of someone using the proper technique at the range.  Notice how little surface area is disrupted.  This will heal much faster than a larger scattered pattern of divots.  As practicing on the tee continues to increase, it becomes important that all players help keep as much of the tee box healthy.  This will keep the practice tee as nice as possible.

Practice Tee Use

Here is a great article from the USGA regarding proper practice tee use.
http://gsr.lib.msu.edu/article/mcclellan-practice-6-8-12.pdf

Deep tining greens

This week the agronomy staff will be deep tining greens.  The purpose of deep tining greens is to improve drainage and increase oxygen levels within the root zone.  A well drained, healthy root zone translates into a healthy, firm, and smooth putting surface.
As the summer gets hotter and we are forced to hand water more, we will be completing this process every 2-3 weeks to keep the greens profile draining and full of oxygen.