Fall Maintenance and Paspalum Removal

Fall maintenance has nearly wrapped up for 2017. We aerified greens less than two weeks ago and they are healing nicely. For this round, we went with larger tines than usual and punched as deep as we could. The greens will appreciate all that oxygen and fresh sand and we appreciate your patience and support during this process.

We still have some select seeding to accomplish in the rough, but all tees and collars are finished. Soon these areas will be a carpet of dark green. The fairways will also be greening up soon, with the help of our winter pigment that provides the color golfers enjoy without destroying the bermudagrass base we worked so hard to build.

Finally, a project we planned months ago is the removal of any remaining paspalum in the greens. We timed a herbicide application to coincide with aerification, so all the ugliness happens at once. The herbicide works great this time of year and produced the results we were looking for, dead paspalum.

Most greens have some brown paspalum around the edge. The majority is less than a few inches wide, but some is larger. Our Assistant Superintendent, Heather, has been leading the sodding effort on the green edges. We pull the sod from our nursery green that we rebuilt two years ago and replace the dead paspalum while coring out any remaining roots and stolons.

The sodding project should wrap up next week. Any small spots that remain will heal on their own and we will finally be paspalum free. Thanks to all the members who complimented the crew during the last few busy weeks. I've had many reports from my staff of the encouragement and thanks they receive from passing golfers. They notice when you notice, so thank you.