It has been great to see everyone getting the opportunity to enjoy the golf course again. With the resumption of play and more frequent visits to the course for everyone, I wanted to cover a few items that you are likely thinking about.

16 Green

The green is doing well and is close to reopening for play. With the above seasonal temperatures over the last two weeks, we have seen significant improvement following a very slow April and early May for growth.

March 21 following tarp removal

May 25 after topdressing

The seed we applied over a month ago has germinated and filled in the less impacted areas completely. Despite shade impacting seed germination on the green, we have been able to expedite the process through our usage of tarps. We also continue to maintain a high level of fertility on the green to expedite the process on the more heavily damaged areas. Over the last two weeks, we have been topdressing the green to encourage the filling in and complete recovery of the green.

Despite the appearance from a distance, it is important to note the need for healthy turf to withstand the summer stress and foot traffic before opening.

The weaker area following topdressing

With the current weather and site conditions, the 16 green will open for play on Friday, May 28. Upon opening, the pin sheet will not be in use until further notice to complete the recovery of the more damaged areas and keep traffic to a minimum in the damaged areas.

Green Speeds

With the golf course reopening, we continue to implement cultural practices to improve green speeds daily.

Last week we completed grooming, verticutting and topdressing; all of these practices help to firm up the surfaces and improve ball roll consistency.

This week we will be lowering the height of the cut. Did you know that the greens are cut at just over 1/10th of an inch during the summer? Performing double cuts and brushing the turf in the morning to achieve a cleaner cut are also options that we utilize. We are continuing to roll the putting surfaces daily to improve the smoothness and speed further.

With these practices and the weather forecast appearing favourable we will be seeing improved conditions through the next two weeks.

Rough

The rough is very healthy for this time of year. Personally, I cannot recall ever seeing it this thick. With the course being closed for the last month, there has been virtually no cart traffic coming through and thinning the turf out, typically a result of play.

We are continuing to cut the rough at the same height and frequency as previous years. We are unable to maintain the rough any shorter because of terrain and turf health.

As the early season flush of growth slows and conditions become drier through the next few weeks, conditions will become more favourable for play. Although it can be rather penalizing at times, it does keep weeds from encroaching on the healthy grass.

The team is excited to have members back and enjoying the course again. It is a welcome sight as the calendar approaches June and the main part of summer and golf season is upon us.

If you have any questions about these topics or anything else on the course, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.

Chris Bouwers
Course and Property Manager
cbouwers@creditvalleygolf.com