Closing in on it

As we approach the end of summer the turf looks as haggard as the staff sometimes. It is a grind starting at 5:30 AM all summer. This time of year is can get depressing as it is pitch black at 5 so no more getting a jump on the day. We are still trying by hosing in the dark but then the dew settles back down on the grass and we are all out on mowers and the golfers have started to fill the place. Just one of the late summer frustrations. Like when the flock of turkeys find an easy meal of the driving range tee divots. The cow birds are doing the same all over the tees. They must be gearing up for a lean fall or something.

how much grass seed can a flock of turkeys eat in an hour?

Then we have the deer doing there nightly romps through the place and we know the skunks are going to start digging for grubs soon all over the fairways and rough. Makes you think there is a conspiracy afoot.

couple sets across putting green Friday night

big guy pretty deep prints

Add to that the weak state I described in the "house of cards" and it is no wonder the staff gets cranky this time of year. Another couple of weeks and the temps will change, mostly at night, the turf will begin to push some roots down and begin to recover fully from the summer stress. The greens continue to be solid and rooting depth there is great, so they will just continue to be good. They are in need of a good topdressing, however to alleviate some of the puffiness they are showing. We will be deep tine aerifying them the day after Labor Day so they will get what they need then. We may do tees in august this year simply because of staffing issues and the reduction we will have in September.

no roots so the turf just peel up when turning sharp or spinning tires when wet.

I did apply another gypsum application on fairways Friday evening to help flush the sodium build up. Unfortunately we did not receive any rain to help in this flush. We really do not need more rain but the sodium is also helping to keep the surface slimy, soft and wet. So I will have to add the water myself and hope the well has dropped in salinity so we are gaining 100% instead of adding more as well. We took soil and water samples this week and will get results next week to see how bad the levels are from the summer. The last time I checked the well, Friday night while rinsing in the gypsum, it was good so hopefully it stays that way through the fall.