Greens aerification was done the week of Labor Day and the punched holes have started to fill in. As the members have noticed, fairway aerification is underway. The sheer amount of traffic (from crew and golfer alike) over the season puts a large amount of stress on the fairways and opening up channels for air exchange, thatch removal and new root growth is essential in preparing the plant for winter. While most are just aerified, some fairways will be topdressed as well. Topdressing an entire fairway is expensive so only the ones that display the worst surface drainage and poorest soil quality are attempted.
In November, MCC's greens will be deep tined. This process, similar to solid tine aerification, is done to allow better drainage. Deep channels of sand, 7-8 inches in depth, move water away from the surface and out of the rootzone, making MCC's greens relatively firm and playable after heavy rains. A few weeks after deep tining, the crew prepares the greens for winter and the closing of the course. They again will be aerified with solid tines and buried by at least a quarter inch of topdressing sand. This topdressing sand protects the crowns of the turf plant over the winter by moving water away from the surface, where freezing and thawing can have a devastating effect on plant health. An added bonus is the greens have a large amount of sand applied that will work its way into the rootzone, always a desirable thing.
Trees, trees and more trees. Dupont's herbicide Imprelis severely damaged numerous white pines on the course. When evaluating these trees, other issues involving different species were brought to light. These issues namely involve some extensive pruning, which will hold the focus of some crew members through the month of October. Certain damaged white pines will also have to be removed as they present safety issues. A few will even have to be replaced because they protect tees from errant golf shots, but this is best done in the winter. The heavy equipment used to remove and replace a tree will cause less damage once the ground has frozen over. Another tree inventory will be performed in the month of October as well. This assessment will evaluate the current state of damaged white pines, provide information on the future health of these trees, give recommendations for pruning and ways to better improve the tree population of MCC. Trees can often take a back seat in the mind of a superintendent but at a course where they play a definitive role in many holes it is important to provide them with an environment that they can thrive in.
Re-sodding of green complexes will continue as well. 8 green complexes were stripped and replaced last year and the results and comments have been overwhelmingly positive. The crew has lost some of its man power from last fall but they hope to complete as many as possible. Not only does this process result in excellent aesthetic value, it improves the playability around the green. Poa and Creeping Bentgrass mowed above 2 inches turns into a puffy, tangled mass that is difficult to get a club under. A consistent stand of Kentucky bluegrass will allow for a better lie, rewarding a good shot that just didn't make the green.
These projects are labor intensive and are coupled with the day-to-day operations of maintaining a golf course in the fall (i.e. leaf removal). However, the MCC staff does a good job of keeping the course playable and we encourage the members to come out and enjoy one of the best times of year for golf.
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