Slow Spring

Greens Condition

The majority of the greens at Tuscarora withstood the ice encasement and standing water we experienced over the winter, but a handful did not. The spots of bleached turf you see do have life in them, however, just how much can only be known as more time passes.  In the meantime, the best we can do for the injured areas is stay off them. We'll be applying special fertlizers over the next few days to spark new growth. and will slice seed into these areas to encourage a tougher species that isn't as susceptible to winter injury.  We'll need your patience as we grow them back. I expect to see full recovery on all greens no later than Memorial Day if not sooner.  The next few weeks are critical. You may see covers, at times, over the harder hit areas - this is to heat the soil up to aid in recovery and seed germination.  Some holes may even require temporary greens.  In the end, it's simply going to take time as we wait for nature to warm us up and get things growing.  

Here are a few links to articles by the USGA Green Section specifically addressing this years winter conditions, and their consequences. If anything, it gives a perspective on what the northeast will be going through this spring, and why it happens.  The damage is widespread across the region and  it was indiscriminate on courses that have Poa greens on native soil.  

http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/northeast/Not-The-Way-To-Start-A-New-Year---January-2014/

http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/northeast/Winter-Weather-Continues-To-Confound---March-2014/

http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/northeast/Is-Winter-Over-Yet----March-2014/

http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/northeast/Spring-Is-Busting-Out-All-Over%E2%80%A6One-Of-These-Days---April-2014/

Project Schedule

Irrigation was installed on 11 tee.  6 tee will be finished by the middle of this week.  We're waiting for our topsoil to dry up enough to spread and work with.  11 and 13 red will be sodded the following week.  I expect all tees to be finished by May 1st.  Water to the bathrooms will also be active in the next week.  We'll be charging up the irrigation system this week to test for leaks.

Grounds Crew

All of the familiar faces are returning and we've picked up a couple of new hires from other courses and landscape companies.  We're well outfitted for the season and will have the extra bodies to put into divot repair and ballmark patrol. 

Aerifying

We've completed an initial aerifying and topdressing last week.  All greens were plugged without removing a core and filled with sand.  We'll do this again in early June, but the process will be slightly more involved, but hardly noticeable.  It will not affect putting but the greens may look a little dirty for a few days.