Tetherow Golf Course Maintenance: June 2011

Course Conditions

Finally, the warmer weather has arrived on a consistent basis. This will really help the golf course get into the condition that we have been waiting for this spring. I cannot believe that it is already the second week of June. Time flies. The golf course conditions are pretty good and we expect to see the conditions get even better as the warm days continue. We have been busy with many projects since the last posting.

But first an important message to all members and guest about the upcoming MOSQUITO season. We are very unfortunate to have issues involving the mosquito population that has been experienced the past few seasons. In an attempt to lower the population, we have implemented a few strategies to decrease the possible population. The ponds on both holes #3/#6 and #13/#15 were stocked last fall with Bluegill and Black Crappie species of fish. Both lakes received an estimated 600 hundred fish. These fish will hopefully feed on the mosquito larvae before they hatch. Another strategy is to decrease the presence of any standing or stagnant water on the golf course property. The water features both on holes #4 and #5 and in front of the tees on #6 have been left to dry up and stay dry until after the mosquito season. Lastly, both lakes have been and continue to get treated with Healthy Ponds Mosquito Control. This product use a bacteria to grow and be ingested by the mosquito larvae and then disrupt their digestive system. Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis is the bacteria that help control the mosquito population. We are trying and making a strong effort to control the population. Please be prepared to experience some mosquitoes because it is virtually impossible to eradicate the entire population at Tetherow.

Our renovation projects are finally growing in and nearing completion. I expect to have all of these areas ready for play at the end of June. This should not be a problem as all of the areas are really doing well despite a cold spring. Be ready to play on the new green areas on holes #2 and #9 along with a new angle to #7 from an additional tan tee. Finally the new addition of fairway on #11 will please everyone who plays or has played Tetherow. This addition will really keep an errant ball in play. Much different than last year on #11.

#2 Green addition and green surround. Looking good

#7 new Tan tee

#7 Tan tee

#11 During seeding

#11 two weeks later

The greens are experiencing some thinning in areas predominately on the edges of the greens and on the undulations. Last year we did a combination of seeding and diatomaceous earth in order to create a favorable growing environment for turfgrass. We had some good success but not enough to solve the issue. This season we are doing something a little more aggressive.

A 1/2'' solid tine is used to create a hole in these thin areas where we fill the hole with fine fescue seed and diatomaceous earth and a little sand. With the increased amount of diatomaceous earth, these areas will definitely hold more moisture hence creating the favorable environment need to healthy turfgrass. In the past seven days we have completed the back nine greens that required this treatment and the process went very well. We have seen a lot of germination in these areas. Now comes the hard part. Maintaining the new and old turfgrass. We will use an approach that is very tedious but well worth the effort. Spot treatments of fertilizer and wetting agents will be used to "grow-in" these areas until they maintain themselves.

1/2'' Holes

Applying the diatomaceous earth

Brooming in the diatomaceous earth and seed

Before and after

Other items that have kept us busy besides the normal day to day preparations of the golf course are:

Weed eradication

Spraying wetting agent wall to wall using Aquatrols 16/90

Iron trials where we have sprayed a target green with four rates to see how the fescue holds up. We have sprayed to applications of 4 oz., 8 oz., 12 oz. and 16 oz. respectively. So far I have not seen any turf loss. The whole goal of the trials is to see how much iron we can apply in order to use it has a moss control. Our carfentrazone-ethyl applications have done very well after two applications. A third application is scheduled for next week.