Rain has been scarce for July thus far. When you factor in 90 degree days with heat indexes above 100 degrees it is just survive time for the turf and people. The greens are susceptible to disease and turf thinning so heights have been raised to a safe number for the rest of the summer (they are going to be slow).
The weeks leading into the aerification of greens on July 9th, we got aggressive with our dethatching of the surface during play and the greens had some brown and thin spots. The greens are getting older (15 years on the Front/12 years on Back ) and I have to be aggressive with my dethatching program so they can perform well in the winter. Remember, the turf grows less in the winter, but our golf play is at the peak (not really ideal for the greenskeeper). Tees and fairways were dethatched as well so brown spots and lack of rain creates a “brown spot” quick!
Reminder: Greens deep tine aerification August 20th. Tees, fairways and roughs will be aerified and verticut as well. (There will be some brown spots because of dethatching)
The picture below 93 degrees on July 17 at 5:39 pm in Vero. These temperatures are tough on turf, employees and golfers! BTW we didn’t get any rain despite the “forecast”
Shane Wright, CGCS 