The weather in July has been good to us. The return of some rain and cooler temperatures has been very beneficial for the turf. At this time we are verticutting the fairways and around the greens. This process consists of using vertical cutting blades set approximately ¼” into the top of the turf. This will thin out the grass and bring the thatch to the surface (enabling us to get rid of it). The result will be a tighter turf and reels on the mowers will stop gouging into the grass. This also aids air and water flow into the soil.

The greens are hanging in there—with the exception of our problem greens, which are doing better than last year. We will continue to do small aerifying holes for air movement to the roots and keep a minimal amount of water on the greens to prevent the profile of the greens from getting saturated. The mowing height of the greens was slightly raised to protect the grass during typical August stress weather conditions. September 3rd and 4th, after Labor Day, are the scheduled days for our fall greens aerification. Recovery should be complete within 4 weeks.