This past week about 75% of the greens surfaces have opened up, revealing the beauty that is virgin fresh green leaf blades. The initial burst of growth is an amazing thing to witness after 5 months of snow cover. There is one blemish on what is overall a great emergence on the greens. The one green with problems is the putting green where 50% of the surface has mold damage. Samples are being sent off to the lab for confirmation of my belief that it is a complex of snow mold, and pythium root dysfunction. The fungicide arrived today, as did more snow so that application will wait for the sun to melt off what we were not able to blow off yesterday, and what is falling from the heavens today. The recovery of the putting green is going to take time and a lot of TLC. Covers, additional fertilizer, seed, and some dark sand to heat the surface will be in the recipe for recovery to this damaged green.
The majority of the maintenance staff will be brought on next Tuesday in concert with a forecast that is promising highs in the yet to be experienced 50's. The stubborn weather pattern is evident in a jet stream that has been persistently strong and reluctant to move a little more north where it belongs this time of year. The abundant strength of the winds coming at an advantageous zonal direction are keeping things cool and moist. Why can't this happen in July, I beg??
Well we will continue to work with patience and dedication to the thought that things will continue to improve and soon, very soon, these gray wet days will be a memory.
Kevin
