As the month begins, there is a schedule change from the past. Beginning the week of November 11th, we will aerify the South Course greens, tees and fairways.
Heading into the 2019 golf season, it was our intention to give the members as many days as possible with good greens absent of aerification holes, hence the movement of the August aerification. To promote healing this winter, we will cover the greens with protective tarps similar to covering we will employ for the Practice Tee.
Covering greens during the winter season has been the norm for climates north and south of the mid-Atlantic region. In northern climates, greens are covered to preserve the turf from winter desiccation – when turf is unprotected by snow cover and subject to drying cold winds for extended periods. In the southern transition zone, Bermuda greens are subject to winterkill due to extended periods of extreme low temperatures.
We believe by covering the South greens this winter, the turf will heal from the November coring and will negate the need to conduct the annual aerification in March. Traditionally, this coring performed in March would not heal-in for weeks due the cold spring-time temperatures of the past several years.
Agronomy/golf course turfgrass maintenance is an ever evolving science. Mother Nature is constantly dictating weather patterns and growth rates of the turf. If this venture proves worthy, this may lead to smaller, less disruptive maintenance procedures in the future. Only time will tell.
Jonathan Urbanski
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds