Hermitage CC Golf Course Management

  The warm humid weather has finally made an appearance and our bermuda is back in action. Growing degree days are basically a measure of heat units needed to grow grass, the more the better for bermuda. Look how we fell behind last year at the beginning of May but we are projected to catch right back up now. Don't mind the cold start to the year either! The last of the winter damage is being patched up this week. The color in the bermuda is here and we can finally look forward to a great summer. The blue and black tee on 13 Sabot have been sodded out to Zeon zoysiagrass. These tees don't get more than 5 hours of full sun even in the longest days of the year like we are in now. The zoysia can handle the shade and wear much better than bermuda. This week we ran right into our scheduled post Men's Invitational cultural practices on both courses. All 39 greens were topdressed at a medium rate and then solid tine aerated with 3/8" tines. This is the last chance we will hav...

Usually by June we are pretty happy with how the property has shaped up. A few more 49 degree nights this past week has put us behind on the bermuda but the greens really could not be better. The rollers and growth regulator are out and our cool season turf is loving life. The Manakin short grass got a dose of Nitrogen on Monday but these cool nights still has the Latitude behind where it could be. We will continue counteracting the cool weather some more nutrients next week. The native areas are just now going to seed and the guys have the bunker surrounds dialed in nicely for this week. When the sun is shining both sides give some hints at good a season ahead. We made another lap around the property cutting dead pine branches out of damaged trees from the winter. Our final load of sod will come next week and maybe then we can put this past winter behind us. Our seed is starting to pop up on the dredged material on 16 Manakin. This is about the only area that is enjoying the moist coo...