Collar Renovation

I don't think I've ever had a more important topic to share with the membership.  This project is going to be very aggressive and will take some understanding from you, the golfer.  Next week, the course will be closed for fall maintenance.  One of the many projects planned during this period is the overseeding of the paspalum collars.

This year, we will use a sod cutter to remove all the leaf tissue and some thatch of the paspalum, exposing the underlying soil.  This will allow the seed to be sown directly to the soil.  We also will correct the height difference between the paspalum and the greens to improve playability and surface drainage.

The photo to the left is an example of previous attempts which was aerification followed by a vibratory plate, or wacker.  This worked in some locations, but our new strategy will be much faster and more effective.  However, it will be a bit shocking for the first week or so.

This method of overseeding comes with proven results.  The seed gets direct contact with the soil and germinates quickly to produce a good stand of ryegrass for the winter months.  As temperatures warm in the spring, the paspalum's stolons and rhizomes will begin to grow, overtaking the ryegrass and giving us our summer turf.  Sounds good, right?  First, it will get a little ugly.

To the right is our trial on the nursery.  We sod cut at a very shallow depth to remove the top, but preserve the stolons and rhizomes.  We then veritcut, topdressed with sand, leveled the surface, and mixed in the seed.  Just four days later the seed was beginning to show(lower pic).

The course reopens on Saturday and some collars will be seeded just two days prior to opening.  We ask that you minimize the traffic on the collars, do not stand on them and do not play on them.  You get relief from these locations and a little understanding will go a long way.  The result will be improved playability, healthier greens and collars, and a beautiful dark ring of ryegrass that will border the greens all the way to spring.  I'll have many more updates on this renovation including some video clips of the actual process.  I want everyone to know about this so it's not a surprise when you return to the course.  Tell your friends and playing partners and do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.