For example, “How did you get the ‘Big Cups’ into the green?” We used a “Big” cup turf plugging tool like the one pictured below.
It took a lot of brute force and effort. My arms, shoulders were sore for a few days afterwards. The real take home message I found was the exposure of the subsoil for several greens was just awful to put it politely. (#14, 16 and 9.) I'm amazed we're able to keep growing not to mention alive on those greens. Talk about inconsistancies between putting surfaces. Thank explains a lot.
Do we have to spray chemicals on the course? Here’s a picture of a test plot at the University of Wisconsin’s OJ Noer Turfgrass research Station on a section of a Poa/Bentgrass putting green surface when they decided to “Go Green” by eliminating chemical inputs. The picture was taken 07/29/10. We spray to keep the turf alive and this has been a terribly stressful one to date.
You think our greens are bumpy and slow when the Poa is seeding, they’re REALLY SLOW when the Poa is missing! BTW, This is where your generous $5 contribution on your annual Bull's Eye membership dues statements goes. As budgets have been slashed, the turfgrass research center, no different from other non profit organizations, has too seen a fall in donations. If you like golf and the turf the game is played on, please consider making an annual contribution. New restrictions and regulations enacted by our legislators will place an even greater burden on our ability to grow and maintain golf courses in the future. Research conducted at the OJ Noer Center and others will help us along that way.
Speaking of rain, we’ve received 14.99 inches of rain since June 2nd with more rain predicted through the 31st of July. Carts>NOCARTS>Carts>NOCARTS. Sheesh!
And with the rain, humidity and heat I offer this photo.
It has been suggested that I cut roughs once per week at a lower height of cut. With all the rain, heat and humidity we've seen this year, corn growing weather, the plant growth has been out of this world. The photo above shows the clipping mess in an area that receives one mowing per week. At a lower height of cut, we would be removing too much of the plant in one cutting injuring the plant. We've stood by our two times per week schedule to mitigate having a wall to wall mess.
Mk
