No-Play Mondays

On Monday, July 11th, the course was closed and no shotguns were scheduled.  This was fortuitously timed because the Detroit area had just experienced it's 9th 90-degree day and MCC was showing signs of stress. The closing was welcomed and the crew had the opportunity to accomplish tasks that the presence of golfers would have hindered.  Here is a list of completed tasks made possible by the day off.

1. Lightly Topdressed Greens: A light application was made because of the severe heat the past couple days.  This required the greens to be dragged only once to work some of the sand through the canopy.  
2. Fertilized Greens with a Ca/Mg/K Granular: Potassium is an essential nutrient for the plant in times of stress because it helps with recovery.  Calcium was applied to deplete the sodium bicarbonate content of the greens (a toxin to turf).  This fertilizer cannot be sprayed and has to be watered in, making it a time consuming process, one not accomplished with golfers. 
3. Heavily Hand Watered Greens:  This worked the granular fertilizer and sand into the soil to reach the root zone.
4. Watered Greens with the Irrigation System:  The extensive watering was in the hope of flushing the salts through the rootzone, which are detrimental to turf health.
5. Hand Blew Greens:  In order to clear them off of any leftover debris or large sand fragments that could damage mowers.
6. Rolled Greens.
7. Sprayed Greens: The spray consisted of fungicide and more fertilizers.
8. Sprayed Tee's: The spray consisted of a fungicide specific to the disease Pythium which is prevalent in 90 degree and 90% humidity weather. 
9. Watered Tee's with Irrigation System: Banol, the fungicide, needs to be watered in to reach the turf roots.  This is were Pythium inoculation of the plant occurs. 
10. Checked/Fixed Sprinkler Heads:  Perhaps the most important task accomplished yesterday, the crew was able to determine the location of malfunctions within the irrigation system.
11. Maintained Club Grounds/Annual Beds/Perennial Beds.
12. Cleaned Duck Weed from 6 Pond.
13. Mowed Problematic Fairways in case of a Rain Event.
14. Mechanical Checks on Machinery.

All of these tasks were accomplished before the rain we received around 11:30 am.  It is an amazing benefit to have the course closed for a day.  We know course closings will be few and far between with the current state of the economy so the crew took advantage and we hope you enjoy the results. 

<====== K/Mg/Ca Granular Fertilizer applied to greens (not recommended for legs)