Course Update - Sept. 25
- matthewbehl
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
The days have become noticeably shorter and fall is now upon us. Our work day now starts under the full cover of darkness. While there is still a lot of golf to be played, the agronomy team has already started prepping for the winter ahead and the 2026 season.
Approaches were recently aerated with a 3/8 inch coring tine. Cores were collected and the approaches were topdressed with sand. After topdressing a variety of soil amendments were applied with emphasis on potassium. Approaches most likely will be solid tined and topdressed one more time in October.
A few pictures from approach aeration:
The agronomy team recently vented/spiked greens with a 1/4 inch solid tine down to a 3 inch depth. This was done ahead of some much needed rain. This venting will promote water movement during the rain event and will also help with pushing some of the accumulated sodium from our irrigation water out of the root zone. Our irrigation pond is high in sodium and while we utilize applications to flush it out, natural rainfall is the best remedy. This practice of venting also causes virtually no disruption to play and also allows for gas exchange and oxygen to enter the root zone.
The agronomy team has begun tee aeration. Unfortunately, some aeration problems this past Monday slowed the process. Tees are being core aerated with a 1/2 inch tine, plugs collected, and tees topdressed and rolled. Thus far 33 tee have been aerated and cleaned. Only 16 of these tees have been topdressed. We are hoping to have all aerated tees topdressed by the end of the day on Friday, Sept. 26. Soil amendments will be added to tees and certain tees will be overseeded during the aeration process. Goal is to finish all the tees during the week of September 29th.
Tees being aerified:
The range tee was extensively overseeded and topdressed and is currently growing in well. The range tee should be in good shape to start the 2026 season. While the grass range tee is closed, please take advantage of the short game area. It is really a great practice area that is seldom utilized.
On the project front the area behind the white tee on 3 was sodded with fine fescue sod. Once established and allowed to go to seed this will match and blend into the fescue area behind the second green. This area was once an overgrown mess.
Some pictures of the sod installation:
The large area between the first tee and short game has been prepped and seeded with fescue. This area has just begun to germinate. We do have irrigation in this area which was updated and will be utilized during the grow in of the fescue. The long range plan for this area is to have this be a high grass fescue area, but we do have the option to irrigate it and keep it closely mowed if we so desire. Once grown in and established we will most likely do a blog post on just this area as we have a good timeline of photos from start to finish.
Our next project will also be in the first tee area. The worn area/high traffic area next to the first white tee where some trees were removed has started to be prepped for sod. This area will be finished and sodded in October.
As we move further into fall we will be starting the never ending cleanup battles. While the pine needles, pine cones, leaves have not started yet, the acorns have been relentless. Acorns in my opinion are the worse! They easily become embedded in the turf, one acorn can damage a reel mower and send it out of adjustment, they are a pain to cleanup and blow, and they hurt like heck when one hits you while driving around the course. Virtually every acorn has to be removed from the surface before mowing takes place doubling the staff needed to complete a task.
Over the past few weeks, I have been asked repeatedly about the first pond on the 6th hole virtually being dry. This pond is not an irrigation source. We have had substantially below normal rainfall starting in June and this pond is dry solely from evaporation.
Some pictures of your course and wildlife from the past few weeks:
