2012 Overseeding schedule with course closure dates

We are almost at the time of year when we begin overseeding. Below is the schedule for overseeding along with the course closure dates for each nine. Greens aerification on each nine will be performed when each nine is closed.

Western Course - Closed from September 10 and will reopen on September 22.

U.S. Open - Closed from September 24 and will reopen October 6.

Masters - Closed from October 8 and will reopen October 20.

Please note that starting two weeks prior to each nine being closed we will be reducing the heights of the grass in all areas in prep for the throwing of the seed. The courses will take on a very brown and dry look; this is intentional.

Please keep your carts on the paths when the courses reopen until the restrictions have been lifted.

Dryjecting the greens

Aerification is a necessary turf maintenance practice that must be done for the long term health and playability of the turf.  For the summer aerification process this year, I have decided to try a new method that hopefully produces the needed health care benefits of the turf but also has less negative impact to our members and guests. This method is called Dryjecting. With conventional aerification the greens are left bumpy, slow and covered in sand for days and takes 4-5 weeks to be back to normal. The Dryjecting method leaves them playable the same day and back to normal within 1-2 weeks. Below are some video's and pictures of the process.

With a Dryject machine there is minimal distruption to the surface of the green. The hole in the green is made by a series of nozzles that have water shot at 3000 pounds per square inch down to approximately 7 inches deep. The dry sand is then sucked into the holes by a venturi effect by the water. This leaves the greens aerified and the holes filled with sand.

After the dryjecting is finished, the green is rolled and it is back in play within 4-5 hours

(above) Willy Contreras rolling the putting green

This is a photo of a finished green the next morning. It rolls smooth, fast and is in a state that would normally take a traditional aerification process to take 3-4 weeks to be in the same condition.

I don't feel that the dryject process eliminates the traditional aerification process (which removes biomass) but I do feel this process can be incorporated into our maintenance program. The greens on the Masters course were aerified with this method on August 1. The U.S.Open course will be aerified on August 6 and the Western course on August 8.

Turf Improvement on # 4 Masters

Over the last week we have been working on improving turf conditions on # 4 Masters in the fairway and rough. We have been removing the cool season grasses ( poa and Rye ) that struggle in the heat of the summer and been replacing them with warm season turf.

Area near # 4 green prepped and sod being laid with hybrid bermuda sod 

Work completed in this area

Prepping on # 4 fairway for Kikuyu sod

In total we installed 5000 square feet of Kikuyu sod on the fairway

Over the summer so far we have installed 8,800 square feet of hybrid bermuda in the rough and 5000 square feet of Kikuyu on the fairways

August Maintenance Plan

Below is what we have scheduled for the month of August ( subject to change ):

Week of August 6: Dryject greens on the U.S. Open and Western courses ( Masters course has been completed ). Fairway aerification of U.S. Open course

Week of August 13: Fairway aerification on the Western course

Week of August 20: Fairway aerification on the Masters course