The fifth fairway has been roped off to help speed the
recovery to the turf damaged during the recent stretch of extreme heat and
humidity. Please keep all carts out of
these areas until the area has recovered enough to tolerate increased traffic. The area is open for play and walkers may
bring push carts through the openings.
The damage to the fairway was caused by a fungus called gray
leaf spot. This fungus typically arrives
in mid to late August, and is carried from the mid-Atlantic by large weather
systems. This summer the disease appears
to have spread from the Midwest, arriving a few weeks ahead of schedule.
Gray Leaf Spot is a fungus that only attacks perennial
ryegrass, is found in areas prone to high traffic or compaction, and thrives in
high heat and humidity. Damage is more
severe when nitrogen is readily available and turf remains wet for extended
periods of time. During the week before the Men's Invitational we spent extra time watering areas that were struggling with heat and drought stress, and applied fertilizer to all areas the course to produce a uniform green color. These applications were made at the onset of infection, when the symptoms resemble heat or drought stress.
Our course was the first confirmed case of Gray Leaf Spot in
Connecticut, and we initiated our control and recovery efforts as the disease
samples were being dropped off at the pathology lab at UCONN for diagnosis. We applied a combination of fungicides to
stop the progression of the disease, and initiated cultural practices to
correct the conditions that contribute to the problem as well. We have seeded the area twice with the latest
varieties of disease resistant creeping bentgrass, and will continue to do so
until the recovery is complete.
The remaining fairways that are predominantly perennial
ryegrass (3,7,8,9) have been sprayed with fungicides to prevent the spread of
the disease, and we will resume our fertilizer applications once the heat and
humidity have passed and cooler nights have returned. The worst of the situation is behind us, and
I am already seeing signs of improvement.
Soon we will be wearing long sleeves in the morning, which will indicate
that conditions are in our favor for the course to recover from all the heat,
humidity, and other summer stress factors.
As we transition the turf from weaker grass species to more durable
alternatives, conditions will improve and the area will be more durable, and
damage from stressful conditions and the wear and tear of summer play will be
less noticeable. We have seen this
progression on the fourth approach that suffered from the same disease a few years
ago and on the greens that have been transitioning from weaker annual bluegrass
to resilient creeping bentgrass in recent years.
I apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your
support. It has been one of the longest
summers I can remember in the 20+ years that I have been working on golf
courses, and I am looking forward to fall weather and the best playing
conditions of the year.
