From Heat to Hope: Preparing for Fall Golf
After what has felt like an endless stretch of heat and humidity, Mother
Nature is finally starting to cooperate with us. This week we're enjoying
overnight lows well into the 60s, with even a couple of nights dipping into the
upper 50s. It's a welcome change that both golfers and the golf course have
been waiting for.
The courses are finally beginning to dry out and firm up—about a week
later than we would have preferred—but we're happy to see conditions trending
in the right direction.
One of the photos from this week shows an old aeration channel that we
uncovered while changing cups—a perfect example of how these channels fill with
fresh material over time and improve the soil profile beneath the surface.
The greens will be a little softer than you might normally expect this
week. On Sabot, that's primarily due to the recent aeration until the holes
begin to heal and the sand fully works its way into the canopy. We also made a
fungicide application along with a wetting agent that will help increase
firmness over the next couple of weeks.
With summer beginning to wind down, we're taking advantage of the timing
to get all of our native areas trimmed back. Once mowing is complete, we'll
follow up with a herbicide application to control any broadleaf weeds and keep
these areas looking their best heading into fall.
Whit joins us from Virginia Tech and has already built an impressive
résumé. His experience includes working at Williamsburg National Golf Club and
Two Rivers Country Club in Williamsburg, along with internships at Two Rivers
and Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Last year, Whit worked with McDonald & Sons
on Andrew Green renovation and new construction projects across the country.
This summer he completed an internship at 21 Club in Aiken, South Carolina,
while also volunteering at multiple major championship events over the past
several years.
We're excited to have Whit on board and look forward to the enthusiasm,
knowledge, and youthful energy he brings to our team.
A Couple of Reminders
With the greens a little softer from the recent rains and the Sabot
aeration...
Please fix your ball marks!
We saw some exceptionally large pitch marks this week, and repairing them
immediately helps keep our greens healthy and smooth for everyone.
We're also back on the driving range mats this week. We needed to give
the grass tee an opportunity to recover as we head into the fall growing
season. The tee simply isn't large enough to withstand the amount of daily
traffic it receives.
Please remember to keep your divots in straight
lines or tight patterns. Doing so maximizes usable turf and helps us stay on
natural grass as long as possible.
Some warmer temperatures are expected to return next week, but thankfully
it looks like they'll only stick around for a couple of days before more
comfortable weather returns.
As always, thank you for taking care of the golf course and helping us
provide the best possible playing conditions. We hope everyone enjoys the
outstanding weather this week, and we'll see you around the club!
Have a great week!