The recent weather has been very tough on our golf course turf, especially our greens and collars. Many will notice the brown look of the collars on some greens, especially 12 and 14. Much of this is due to us not performing an aerification this past spring. The greens and collars seal up and do not allow water to penetrate through the surface and into the root zone where the plant needs it. The results of the spring core aerification are always noticed during these hot stressful periods, and since we did not aerate this spring because we were too wet, we are left struggling to move water into the root zone this time of year. These areas are also limited by morning sunlight, which is a crucial time of day when the plant is gathering its energy for the day. The stress is further compounded by the normal stresses of mowing and rolling. We have actually recently core aerated the bad areas and filled the holes with sand and seed. This will facilitate the movement of water into the root zone and should allow the area to fill back in. We also use wetting agents which are really surfactants like soap to re-wet the area.
Mike ONeill
Golf Course Superintendent
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