We have spent the last 3 weeks aerifying the greens, tees and fairways. We have put out 75 tons of sand on greens and collars and tees. We have started to sand and seed green surrounds, approaches and fairways. We have fertilized virtually the entire course. Why do we continue to have 20-30 unfixed ball marks on the greens on a daily basis? We do we have divots that are not repaired on every single fairway? Honestly it's quite disconcerting. The GMS crew has put in a ton of work getting us in a position of having a great season this year and we really need the help of the membership and guests to do their part. The basic golf etiquette of fixing ballmarks, repairing divots and raking bunkers is every golfers responsibility.
Ball marks
Leaving ball marks on a green unrepaired not only lowers the playing surface quality for the next golfer, but also makes the turf damage more likely for disease and weed breakouts. If you fix a ball mark after you make it, healing usually takes 2-3 days. An unrepaired ball mark can take up to 2-3 WEEKS to heal.
Replacing Divots
We have talked about this on numerous posts but here at PDS we recommend putting back the divot if the grass is intact. At this time of the year a replaced divot will almost start rooting immediately. The sand on the carts can be used when there is no grass to put back to fill the divot. Just so you know there is no seed mix in that sand, so putting back the turf is the best way to help. All the fairway divots that are sanded and actively growing is from the GMS crew filling those divots with our seed/sand/fertilizer mix.
Feeble attempt at sanding divot, intact turf inches away π
Spiking, Seeding & Sanding
Our proper sanding/seeding of unfixed divots #1 fairway
Bunkers
all the complaints we get about the bunkers........
#5 green .... light spike and re-seeding of bad spots
We continue are work on the back part of the green and surrounds on #5. The high percentage of POA(annual blue grass) on the back part of the green mixed with the close proximity of trees and their roots that have extended to the green sucking moisture and nutrients for awhile now. All these factors have caused weakened turf in that area. We have repaired the green, spiked and re-seeded bad areas. We will be renting a trencher in the coming weeks and will be root pruning around the green.
Some images from a windy March.... it's all about the clouds π₯ ⛅ ☁