When Bermuda Thrives and Bentgrass Survives
Well...Happy 4th!
Summer has officially arrived! Temperatures climbed over 100 degrees this week...all of us are cranky and already talking about hunting season, fall vacations, and those first frosts. We wouldn't have it any other way.
This dangerous heat was followed by some much-needed rainfall and, of course, extreme humidity. That's exactly what the Bermudagrass has been waiting for. While this weather is great for Bermuda, the next two to three weeks are survival mode for our bentgrass greens.
One of the biggest tools we have at our disposal during this time of year is air movement. My phone this week was filled with pictures of fan components that were absolutely smoked by the intense lightning storms. Most of the fans on the golf course were damaged in some capacity, but the boys did a great job getting them back up and running in a hurry. Those fans become extremely important this time of year as we do everything we can to help the bentgrass survive the heat.
Speaking of storms...our Thorguard lightning detection system is currently down until we receive some replacement parts. Ironically, it wasn't the lightning that got it. Apparently, the helicopter downdraft from lifting the new clubhouse AC units last Monday was a little too much for the main control box. Hopefully, we'll have the replacement parts soon and get it back up and running.
This heat and humidity definitely separated the men from the boys this week when it comes to bentgrass performance. The Pure Eclipse greens on Sabot actually seemed to get better the hotter it got. The A1/A4 greens on Manakin didn't necessarily get better, but they're hanging in there and remain healthy. With the recent rainfall and humidity, they're definitely a little slower than we'd like. We'll be mowing and rolling tomorrow to try to improve speeds, but you have to be VERY careful with the roller this time of year. In all honesty...this is the time of year where it's more about hanging on than chasing green speeds. Give us a few more weeks, get into August, and we'll be able to start pushing speeds again.
Some of you may have seen the robotic mower demo on holes #15, #16, and #17 at Manakin this week. These robots have become very popular at clubs like ours because they provide much more consistent heights of cut throughout the week without all of the labor involved with mowing and blowing. We're experimenting with them as a possible future capital purchase, and so far...they're awesome! They could be a great option for range areas, short game areas, and roughs that require the most labor to maintain.
Tomorrow is Tae Kim's last day at Hermitage. Tae has been a tremendous asset to the club and has done a great job helping move our agronomy operation to the next level. Earlier this year, Tae completed his MBA and is stepping into the business world to gain experience in supply chain management. Tae will always be a valued member of the HCC maintenance family, and we're going to celebrate the next step in his career the right way...the ice cream truck is scheduled to stop by the maintenance shop tomorrow afternoon!
Sabot's aeration, verticutting, and topdressing went as smoothly as possible this week. It's not a fun process for any of us, but the staff knocked it out. These cultural practices are essential to maintaining the tightest, firmest, and healthiest playing surfaces possible.
I'd like to finish by recognizing our maintenance team. These guys and girls continue to endure extreme heat, humidity, and sometimes downright miserable working conditions to accomplish everything that needs to be done to keep improving both golf courses. It isn't glamorous work, but they continue to show up every day and get it done.
They are seriously appreciated.
Have a great weekend, stay cool, and we'll see you on the golf course.