Summer Draws To An End

With the last day of summer having past on the 21st of September maybe now summer will come to a close.  The last few months have been very dry, hot and non typical for August and September.  As we enter into fall we can only hope for some cooler temps and some needed rain.  This was like a summer in reverse with July being milder and September providing us with some of our highest temperatures of the year.  The real challenge has been the lack of rain.  Mother nature does a much better job of applying an even distribution of moisture compared to the best designed irrigation system.  When you have to rely on irrigation as the sole supplier of water on the golf course then there are some potential issues that can become problematic.  Since the first of July through today,  on our course we have seen a total of 3 inches of rain while our evapotranspiration (ET) number is at 14 inches.  (see May 24, 2012 blog post for ET definition)  The 11 inch deficit has become a major concern for turf managers. 
In Central Illinois some courses have been put on restrictions while others are simply running out of water in their irrigation ponds.  Thus far we have been fortunate with our water supply and have had no mandates placed on us like last season.  It felt like this season was going to be a decent year to grow turf with limited challenges but in the last 8-10 weeks the challenges have been numerous and very unseasonal.  I guess that is what makes the job of being a Golf Course Superintendent  challenging, rewarding and stressful all at the same time!  It seems every year Mother nature likes to remind us that she is in control and she allows us to grow turfgrass.  Each year is different and you have to roll with the punches.
As we enter into fall we have completed aeration of greens,tees, approaches and 4 of the fairways.  The fall season is busy for the Golf Maintenance Department as we prepare the course for the upcoming winter and next season.

Crew member Sonny Jordan  processing cores on #1 fairway

In addition to aeration there are numerous other agronomic practices that must be completed before the snow flies.  Fertilizer applications, fall herbicide applications and seeding and sodding projects are all on the the agenda.  Add in the annual war on leaves beginning in a few weeks and things will be busy around the course. 
Give the aerated areas a few weeks to heal and come out for one of the prettiest times of year on the course.  The fall colors are always impressive and it appears the temperatures will continue to be favorable for some golf.  Hopefully summer has drawn to a close and now fall can move in!