Course opens for 2015

The course opened today for the 2015 season.  Last week we were able to roll the greens twice and begin cleaning tees, fairways, and rough areas.  We verticut the greens yesterday to remove some of the winter topdressing and begin smoothing the surfaces.  The surfaces are far from being in mid-season form, but I feel comfortable that they are firm enough to receive approach shots and tolerate foot traffic.  As the turf breaks dormancy and resumes growth we will watch the weather to determine when to mow the greens and gradually increase the frequency and intensity of our maintenance schedules. 

The harsh winter and unseasonably cool spring has significantly impacted our ability to transition from one season to the next.  The extreme cold and persistent snow cover has left some of the turf struggling to break dormancy.  Some of the damage to the leaves is superficial, and is consistent with previous winters.  There are a few other areas where the damage seems to be a bit more severe and is found on turf that I would expect to be more resilient.  Damage can be expected in shaded areas that are dominated by weaker turf species and experience extended periods of snow and ice cover.  Typically this damage occurs in late spring when the daytime snow melt is followed by extremely cold nights, causing the saturated soil and turf to freeze.  Each species of grass exhibits a different degree of cold hardiness and susceptibility to ice damage.  Traditionally bentgrass is the most resilient grass species, with Poa annua and perennial ryegrass being more susceptible to ice and cold temperature damage.  The areas of the course that were damaged by the extreme weather this winter include low areas on greens dominated by Poa annua and fairway areas comprised primarily of perennial rye. 
The areas that concern me the most are the front of the 9^th green and the depression at the front of the 7^th.  These were the first green surfaces exposed to the elements as the snow melted, and may have suffered ice damage.  The bleached areas of the fairways may have been affected by the extreme cold weather in January.  At this point there is no point in worrying what caused the damage.  Our focus will be on watching for signs of recovery and developing strategies for establishing more durable turf species so that the situation can be avoided in the future.

As the day time highs and overnight lows rise over the next couple of weeks we will have a better idea of the extent of the damage.  I have been in contact with area superintendents to learn more about what they are experiencing and discussing recovery strategies. As we monitor the recovery process and begin seeding the damaged areas, our normal spring maintenance programs may need to be modified opting for a less aggressive approach to preparing the course.  Flexibility and patience are critical to ensure the course will be healthy enough to stand up to the wear and tear and environmental stress of the summer. 

Once we are comfortable that the turf has recovered, we will resume our normal cultural and maintenance practices.  These include routine mowing and rolling, as well as topdressing, verticutting and aerating.  The plan for 2015 is to take a less aggressive approach to our cultural practices, but to complete them more often.  In time this approach will lead to less disruption from individual cultural practices, and will reduce the number of days that the surfaces are in a state of recovery. 

In the coming weeks I will be sharing updates on the blog, in the newsletter, and through the ForeTees system.  Until then, I hope you will all find time to sneak in an early season round, and I look forward to seeing you back out on the golf course.