Aeration update.

You may have noticed that the spring aeration is complete, and at the surface appears to be less aggressive than in years past. It was also completed a month earlier. For a variety of reasons we chose to switch from a traditional core aeration to an aggressive verticutting. This will help us achieve most of the goals of our traditional aeration program, but focuses on removing organic matter the top 1" of the profile, a problem that has been identified in recent soil tests. The other goals of our traditional program (improving water infiltration and gas exchange, and modifying the root zone) will be addressed throughout the season by completing less aggressive treatments on a more frequent basis. Scheduling the aeration earlier in the season will reduce the inconvenience to golfers since there are very few people playing relative to a month from now, and the greens are still transitioning from winter to spring.
Looking forward we expect the benefits of this process to include firm putting surfaces and increasing the bent grass population. There are many other potential benefits that mean a lot to superintendents, but not much to golfers so I will spare you the technical details. We will be watching very closely to see how effective this process is relative to our traditional program, and how it can be implemented in the future to maximize the benefits to the turf and minimize the impact on the golfers.
On another, and perhaps more important topic, Joe Starzec and I met with golf course architect Tim Gerrish last week to examine how the removal of two key trees on the 3rd/12th and 17th holes will impact the strategy and integrity of the golf course. We shared a number of interesting ideas, and Tim will provide recommendations that will help restore the challenge lost by removing the damaged trees. I hope to have information for the Green and Golf Long Range Committees in the very near future.
Thank you for checking in, and we look forward to seeing you again on the golf course.
Remember to check your calendar for the Opening Day Golf Breakfast on Saturday April 27th, and the Spring Member-Member the following weekend, May 4-5. It looks like the course is on track to be in great shape.