Thatch from Verticutting the lower half of #2 Fairway

The above picture shows exactly how much thatch material we are removing from the fairways.  The fairway is first verticut 2 different directions.  We then allow the thatch material to dry and then we blow it all to the middle of the fairway where it is then raked into piles and removed.  If there is any question why we are doing this process this picture shows just how much excess grass we have on the fairways.  Performing this process every year will inevitably yield some nice tight, upright growing fairways that provide an excellent playing surface to play on.  It is certainly a labor intensive process but will pay off in the long run.

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

#8 Fairway

As many are aware, the 8^th fairway was verticut a few weeks ago.  The process is intended to remove a substantial amount of organic matter from the upper inch of the playing surface (see previous blog for pictures of the process), which without removal, causes a puffy, leggy disease prone fairway.  Since this process has never been done to these fairways and there is an overwhelming amount of grass on them, it is going to take some time for the recovery process to complete as it is a fairly aggressive procedure.  This coupled with the fact that the beginning half of 8 fairway is situated on about an inch of soil, (below which is solid bedrock) gives the fairway the appearance of looking worse than it is.  We have taken the steps to allow the fairway to fill in as soon as possible.  The fairway has been core aerated and overseeded as well as fertilized to facilitate a quicker recovery.  Since the weather has been relatively warm, the fairway has not come along as we have expected but once the cooler nights set in, it will fill in very quickly.

Mike O’Neill

Superintendent

The New Chipping Area.

Many have noticed the new chipping area the grounds staff has created for the membership to expand their practice possibilities.  The project took minimal time to complete and the end result I believe is very positive in that it provides the membership with additional options for practicing their short game. The grass used has the same type of grass you would see out on the golf course so we really simulate the golf course playing surface to perfection, which I feel was the whole key to doing this project right.  The new green surround has slopes and undulations just like we would see in real life shot situatios on the golf course.  Please feel free to use this area at your leisure but please remember to take a cart or a divot bottle when you go to practice and fill in the divots you create to allow the area to stay in nice shape for the long term.

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

Proper Way to fill a Divot.

As the above photo shows, the top pic is a picture of a divot filled with a dusting of seed mix, which is not the proper way to fill a divot.  The bottom picture shows the correct way to fill a divot.  Clearly the divot is filled right up to turf level, which will promote quick healing of the area as well as prevent an uneven teeing area in the future.  The big problem with partially filled divots is that the seed starts to grown a couple inches down in the divot and never has a chance to grow at the correct level with the rest of the surrounding turf, in turn creating a depression that will exist on the playing surface.  After the divot is filled up with seed mix, it is a good practice to step on the filled divot with your foot to smooth out the area.  So please take the time to fill the divot the correct way and provide an even playing surface for everyone in the future.  As a side note, the pictures look like the grass is a foot long because the picture is taken a few inches away from the divot. 

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

Replace Divot or Use Seed Mix?

This question has been asked more than once in my tenure here at Bellevue.  It all comes down to what size divot is taken.  A small thin divot will most likely dry out before it has a chance to grow in; whereas a thicker divot will have a much better chance of growing in.  So when deciding, unless you take big heavy divots, we are better off just using the divot seed mix to fill in the void.  The nice thing about the seed mix is even if the seed does not grow, the sand acts as a medium for the turf around the divot to grow laterally into and fill in the divot relatively quickly.  Also, the small pieces of soil in the green sand mix is a result of the grounds staff adding during the seed mixing process.  We use a concrete mixer to mix the sand and seed into a uniform mixture.  The sand by itself is very dusty and dry so the workers making the mixture just add a shovel of soil  to keep the mixture from being too dusty and keep the mixture from going airborne in the mixer.

Mike O'Neill
Superintendent

Aerification and Playability for the Stag Day Event.

The aeration process, as many know, has been re-scheduled for Monday the 12th.  Many members have expressed concern regarding the Stag Day and playability following aeration 3 days before the event.  As we have seen in the past, when we are finished with the aeration process and all the holes are filled with sand on Monday, the greens will actually be a lot firmer than before aeration and will actually play fine.  The date is important as we will have an outside contractor come in to "Deep Tine" the greens.  The contractor is only available this date which is a necessary process in the overall health and drainage of the greens.  The aeration process will actually start on Sunday night and be finished up by noon on Monday. We will then be working to fill all of the holes with sand; this is a critical step in ensuring the greens play well right after we are finished.  We will then mow and roll the greens for the days leading up to the event and on the day of the event to ensure a smooth surface.  As many members have witnessed, after we topdress the greens, they are much firmer and really roll well.  This is basically how the greens will be after aeration with the sand acting as barrier between the thatch, increasing ball roll.

Mike O'Neill
Golf Course Superintendent

Fairway Verticutting. Let's thin them out!

We recently purchased a verticutting attachment that mounts on the tractor to thin out our excessively thick fairways.  In the past, we would have an outside contractor aerate the fairway in late September.  The plan now is to attack the playing surface with verticutting to thin out the turf and provide a smoother, consistent playing surface.  As the pictures above indicate, the process is aggressive in removing the thatch in the fairways, the process is also known as de-thatching.  The process is quite messy so there will be some clean-up involved to get the fairways playable again.  The goal is to just do one fairway a day when weather allows, this will keep any disruption to play to a minimum.  The end result will be tighter fairways and a grass plant that will grow more upright for the time being.  This process will also help keep divots nice and neat and much less shaggy.

Mike O'Neill
Golf Course Superiintendent

Greens Aeration and Weather.

When the greens are aerated, there is an extensive process that takes place to get the end result of having all of the holes created on the greens filled to the top with sand.  The weather and moisture conditions in the greens needs to be perfect along with a nice sunny day to dry the aeration plugs out for removal.  Also, the topdressing sand applied to the greens after aeration needs to dry completely by the sun before we can begin the labor intensive process of moving and working the sand into the holes.  As a result of the current weather and a shaky forecast for the rest of the week,  Tuesday's original aeration date will be moved to Monday the 12th and hopefully the weather cooperates.  Our goal is to minimize any disruption to the golf course and create the best possible playing conditions in the near future.  The decision to move the aeration is based solely on weather and how quickly we can perform the aeration process to have the golf course back playable in a timely manner.

Mike O'Neill
Golf Course Superintendent