Great article from the USGA about drainage

It's hard to think about drainage after a summer like this, but now is the best time to start working on a plan. Drainage is never an issue until you need it, and it doesn't work.
Some of the problems we experienced toward the end of the summer are directly related to drainage, more specifically the lack of it. The 3rd, 4th,5th, and 6th fairways along with the 5th green all suffered turf loss after a thunderstorm dumped water onto stressed turf, and the temperatures soared into the 90's before the playing surfaces had a chance to drain. The high temperatures literally cooked (Scott might say simmered) the turf, damaging the proteins almost like an egg white dropped into boiling water.
Wet soils and turf absorb and retain heat more readily than when they are dry. Adding drainage to the areas of the course with heavy soils and minimal surface drainage will significantly improve the appearance, function, and health of the turf.
Follow the link to an article that will share more than you can imagine about the importance of drainage on golf courses.

http://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/ticpdf.py?file=/article/skorulski-o'brien-drainage-9-2-16.pdf

Peter Gorman shared a link: Take the Course Care Aeration Quiz

Take the Course Care Aeration Quiz from Ridgewood CC Grounds's Tweet

Download the Twitter app

Peter Gorman

Golf Course Superintendent 

Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club

2 Club Parkway

Branford, CT 06405

203-483-9948

Tweet by Ed Vallee on Twitter

	Ed Vallee (@EdValleeWx)
9/8/16, 5:10 PM It was the hottest August on record in PA, NY, MD, DE, NJ, CT, MA, and RI; the hottest August out of 122yr database. pic.twitter.com/AHNXyqCcdm

Peter Gorman

Golf Course Superintendent 

Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club

2 Club Parkway

Branford, CT 06405

203-483-9948

High tide on 18

Many people wonder why there are bare spots on the 18th fairway around the drains.
Here are two photos that show how close the tidal waters come to the surface of the fairways.
The water is still rising in the creek, and is only 2" below the surface at the lowest portion of the fairway. The roots of the grass are definitely in the brackish water, and we are working to promote salt tolerant grasses to the best of our ability.
We have made progress over the last few years with alkali grass, and will continue to top dress and seed the area this fall to further reduce the damaged turf.