Hermitage CC Golf Course Management

  Last Saturday the tropical storm drifted a little west and just parked over top of Manakin Sabot. We had more than a few loyal blog readers report back over 5 inches of rain all around the golf course. The bunkers held up for the most part and our continued drainage and aeration work continues to pay dividends! With some 50 degree nights and no sun all week the bermuda was not moving anywhere. We don't have many days left where we can fool around with sod so we went after 7 blue tee this week. This tee was severely crowned so level teeing space was limited. 6 Sabot black tee also benefitted as the first move was actually to level that tee as well and then move the sod from 7 blue to 6 black. The rest of the sod from 7 blue and the surround was used to patch up little spots in the rough around the Sabot. We have upgraded our laser level to a dual plane laser which makes things a lot easier in the tee building arena. Instead of a flat plane and having to adjust the receiver up and ...

  The fall temperatures are here, just in time for Manakin green aeration. The cooler afternoons afforded us the opportunity to notch these holes a little tighter, going for 1.5" spacing instead of the normal 2". About two inch deep cores were pulled out of the organic layer and then blown off and cleaned up. Grant has the fan removal process down to a science now and made all the fans on Manakin disappear by lunch on Monday. About 25 tons of kiln dried sand along with some calcium and potassium were spread and brushed in to the holes. These columns of sand provide air and water movement that is critical for bentgrass health. Check out these beautiful white roots shooting down through the aeration holes on the Sabot greens. A strong root system leads to a firmer green, one that recover faster from golfer wear and ballmarks.  The greens were rolled smooth and we are working to blow off any excess sand. We'll make a first mowing on Friday and then let the tropical storm was...

  The 5:30 am start for tournaments keeps getting darker. The lights are on and the fall weather is here. We are only a month away from the first frost! We had a quick 3 days to get both courses in shape for the Men's Member Member. A couple of rain showers have kept the bermuda growing as well as the bentgrass but the days are numbered for the bermuda. Next week will start some of our pre-emerge winter applications to prevent Poa annua. The lower humidity dropped in perfectly for the first day of Men's Member Member. The greens are trying to dry out and the more aggressive fixed head mowers are out on both courses. A double cut and roll for day 2 should have things rolling nicely. It has been almost three months since the last aeration on the Manakin greens so we are more than ready to punch some small 1/4" holes on this coming Monday and Tuesday. The holes will be filled with sand and still be able to recovery relatively quickly. Our late summer herbicide to control berm...

  This week of high 90's and oppressive humidity should be summer's last big show. Some storms over the next few days should again bring timely rain and a change in the weather. The state fairs are on the horizon and my neighbor thinks he has the new state record (1,850 lbs) pumpkin! Fall is close by! The Sabot fairways and greens continue to heal nicely after their respective verticutting and aerations. Fall is the absolute best season for golf with surfaces able to play firm and the greens able to produce more speed with the lower humidity levels. The back nine Sabot fairways were topdressed Monday. It may not be too bad that the rains made us skip verticutting these shadier fairways, they will be plenty healthy headed into dormancy. The staff as a whole continues to grind through the bunkers every day, checking depths and making sure the sand is as smooth as possible, even in 100 degree heat. With a few shotgun events on the courses this week we aimed for some shade and star...