Spectacular Fall Colors and October Golf

What a great time of the year to be out on the course.  Not only is the course in nice shape but it is also one of the most beautiful times of the year and the Fall color scenery is an added bonus to your golf day.  We are well underway with our annual leaf war and for the most part we have been able to keep up with leaf debris.  We use a number of different approaches in dealing with leaves on the course.  Where possible we mulch with riding mowers but if the debris is just too heavy then we sweep them up with a Toro Versa Vac pulled behind a tractor.  Mulching helps return some nutrients to the turf and stimulates microbial activity as the leaves are decomposed, both of which are good for the turf  We also physically rake them up in many locations and take them to the dump area.  It is truly a battle that we take on annually when it comes to leaf removal. 

 
 The look of the course changes daily as the different species of trees begin to change leaf color.  It is a great time to see the course in it's natural beauty of Fall.  The dark green canvas of turf provides a great back drop to the vibrant Fall colors.  It is spectacular!

With almost three inches of rain last week the course is currently playing soft.  With shorter days and lower temps we do not see the course dry out as quickly as other times of the year and the amount of water being utilized by the plants(See prior post on Evapotranspiration) has dropped off significantly so we stay wetter longer after a rain event.   



Fall colors on the course are spectacular

Come out and enjoy the some golf and take advantage of the bonus scenery.  It is a great time of year to squeeze in those last few rounds for the season and the course is in great shape. 



Fall in Full Swing

We are in full swing with the Fall season as we enter into October.  We are seeing the leaves turn with some beautiful color and also some are beginning to drop.  It appears after a long hot, dry summer the trees are showing good color but dropping leaves shortly there after.  This is more than likely a result of the stress they experienced during the season.  If you want to see fall color on the course get out  in the next week or so to enjoy it.  Fall is happening fast!!

We have also been working on aeration of all areas of the course.  Greens and tees were done 10 days ago and are well on their way to recovery.  We have been working on fairways over the last week and should have all of them completed by Monday October 8th.  Aeration is a very important aspect to preparing the course for next Spring and provides many benefits to highly managed turfgrass.  Water and gas exchange are two of the primary benefits along with organic matter removal or thatch.  Excessive organic matter build up can lead to many issues when managing turfgrass so this Bi-annual process of aeration is critical to providing you with a quality playing surface through the season.  We know it is sometimes viewed as a hassle to the golfer but it is well worth the disruption in the long run.  The course will continue to recover and soon will be back in shape to finish the season.



Fairway aeration Nearing completion

Don't put the Clubs away yet as there is still some golf to play in what has already been one of the longest seasons I can remember.  We came through the summer challenges very well and the playing conditions are very good for some fall golf.     


#1 Fairway after being aerated

 

 



Aerator pulling plugs on green



Sand being brushed in on green

 







Core Sweeper used to pick up cores on greens