Is It Spring Yet?

The Masters is over and it is time for some golf but will spring please show up?  We have seen the course green up quite a bit on the fairways and in the rough but tees and greens are still limping along with the cooler weather.  It is just a matter of time before everything begins to grow and warmer temps are here.  It is hard to believe that two weeks ago we were melting off 7 inches of snow and temps were below freezing.  In the last two weeks we have seen the turf break out of dormancy and at least act like it wants to grow.   After a slow start to spring it appears that it will remain a cool and damp beginning to the season. 





#6 fairway beginning to green up. Tee surface a little behind

 After a season last year that had carts running almost continually this season we are trying to get carts out in between rain events.  The turf is ready for some traffic but with wet conditions it has been nearly impossible to allow carts on the course.  Hopefully the rains will end soon and we can have some decent weather for golf!  I think we all got spoiled by 2012 and the type of season we had. 

We have had a chance to begin mowing on the course.  The greens have been mowed 4 times and tees have been mowed twice.  Fairways have also been mowed just two times this season.  With the cooler temps the grass does not grow aggressively and frequent mowing is not required like it is later in the season.  We will begin mowing rough this week if the rain ever lets up and we can get out on the course.  The forecast is calling for the possibility of 3 inches of rain in the next few days and snow showers!  I said, SNOW SHOWERS!!          

#12 Green and Fairway after mowing

It is a completely different year than we experienced last year and that is what makes a turf managers career interesting and challenging at the same time.  Just getting routine agronomic practices completed can be a real challenge.  Making required fertilizer and chemical applications can be nearly impossible when Mother nature chooses not to cooperate.   The timing of many treatments this time of year becomes very critical.  Pre-emergent herbicides and early "clean up" fungicide applications are based on soil temperatures and Growing Degree Day calculations.  If it is too wet to make these applications then the window of opportunity is missed and all kinds of problems may occur.  We just get it done when the first opportunity arises and try to meet our agronomic objectives the best we can.  We are at the critical stage right now for making some of these applications so some days of drier weather would be appreciated by the golf maintenance staff, and the golfers!  Sooner rather than later!!