Category: Course Conditions

Dear Member,

You may have noticed that we had a minor fish kill in the lake between #4 and #7. This is a natural occurrence and is called “lake turnover.” Lake turnovers generally occur during the summer. During the hot weather, the surface water of the lake warms much faster than the deeper water. This results in a temporary layering effect, with warm water on top and cool water underneath. This is called stratification. Because the top layer has constant access to the atmosphere, it tends to have more oxygen than the bottom layer even though it’s warmer. We did receive 0.35 inches of rain on Saturday and the winds have picked up as well. These types of events break the stratification causing the two layers to mix. Once this happens the mix action can result in low dissolved oxygen levels throughout the water column and a fish kill can occur. We also haven’t run the tractor pump on #5 to move water because of the severe drought causing the Front 9 ponds to be poorly circulated.  

See you on the course,

Shane Wright, CGCS

Good afternoon,

The bunker rakes are back! Rakes should be left ½ in ½ out for ease of retrieving.  

When entering bunkers, always enter the low side of bunkers.  This will avoid any trip/fall situations.  After playing from the bunker, go ahead and use the rake to smooth the sand in the bunker. Try to make it look like no one has disturbed the sand since the maintenance staff groomed the bunkers that morning.  Then exit the low spot of the bunker and push sand toward the center of the bunker so that there isn’t a buildup of sand near the edge. 

 

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”

We also received 1 inch of rain. Last two mornings have been in the low 50’s. A nice break for a couple days! Tomorrow’s forecast is for a high of 87.