ESAGCS superintendents...

Great turnout for the first day of the Eastern Shore Golf Turf conference. Thanks to all the coordinators and sponsors for a fantastic lineup!

September 30th...

The newer variety of bermudagrass on #5 approach is keeping its green color longer than any of our other varieties throughout the course.

They're back...

McDonald and Sons Construction started some maintenance on the ditch along #11. They should be here a couple of days replacing the collapsed pipes going under the cart path. Please follow the cart signs around the area of work.

Verti cut greens...

A light tickle verti cut was done to the greens today. This will help stand the grass up and get a more upright growth pattern. The greens really held up well this summer. They should continue to get better and better as they mature.

#1 approach...

During aeration last month we had some hard pan areas in the fairways where the aerator could not penetrate. One of these  areas is seen here on #1. On Monday last week we brought out the deep tine machine to open up these areas. That combined with the heat stress and some fertilizer burn has turned these areas very unsightly. With the cooler temps and traffic regulation, the turf should bounce back over the next couple of weeks. The damage is mostly cosmetic. With the root system still intact the effect to playability should be minimal.

Hot & Dry...

The fairways took it on the chin during this past week's heat. Notice the healthy turf in the aeration holes. With some cooler nights and more moderate daytime temps, we should see some good recovery.

Traffic patterns...

It's easy to see which sets of tees are most popular at OP.

Fairway seeding...

The first round of seeding on the fairways is complete. Over the next couple of weeks we should see some germination in the thinner areas. Our next round will pick up after that point.

Kyllinga...

A funny name to a persistent and ever growing weed problem here at the OP. The first post emerge application of sulfentrazone was applied Wednesday. You will begin to notice some brown spots in the fairways and on the teeing surfaces as we battle this weed.

Be sure to looks this guy up...

Welcome to our friend on holes 12/13. This bald eagle has been hanging around  for the past few weeks. The squirrel population has been shrinking steadily. Be sure to look him up the next time you're in the area.

Latitude sprigs on #18.

It's been a busy month, sorry for the delay in posting. The golf course has come a long way in recovering from the storm and heat of July. Here, we at trying out the latest and greatest bermudagrass for this region. We aerated and saved the plugs from #5 approach and then spread them in this low area of #18 fairway. We ran over them with a spiker to try and get better soil contact. This will be a great test for how this grass performs in low lying areas.

Wet wilt.

Apparently, Kyllinga is not susceptible to wet wilt... The low area leading into the fairway bunker on #4 fell victim to the excessive rain last week followed by the extreme heat this week. We will be aerating this and many other low areas in the coming weeks to help speed the recovery of the turf. Syringing fairways during the day is also required to help keep the turf canopy cool.

5 approach...

Now that's a nice playing surface in July.

Low spots...

Can anyone point to the low spot? The rain puddled at this point, then the sun came out and boiled the turf.

#9 at the fairway bunker

The golf course is closed today due to the cart paths being impassable on holes 9 and 11/12. All in all though the course held up well. The crew will put in twelve hours today and probably 8 tomorrow. Bunkers are being worked, trees will be cut, and debris will need to be cleaned from some fairways.

Hingham Lane

Those pipes would work better in the ground.

Tree down...

A leaning tree at #14 tee finally gave way with the saturated conditions.

Hole #11

Waiting for the water to recede...

Pond #18

8 inches of rain over about 30 hours... The ponds on #9 and 18 take water all the way from Windjammer.

Drainage 101 at sea level... It's all about capacity.

#2 in the rain...

Ball marks...

Tim, one of our fantastic greens mowers, had to repair 64, yes sixty four, ball marks on #3 green this AM before he could mow a blade of grass.
In the words of Chris Berman, "C'mon man!"

#5 approach

Bermudagrass loves 90 degree weather and matching humidity. This variety made it through the winter pretty well and had a slow start with the coolness of spring. It is loving life on a day like today.

An inch of rain between 11 and 1 o'clock...

Water standing in the low areas on #9 fairway after a substantial rainfall. High temperatures and standing water do not mix very well for the growth of turf. These areas will thin out.

New pump installed...

The replacement pump on the back nine is installed and online. We will be able to pump at full capacity now. Instead of flooding the place over a couple of nights, we will slowly get the moisture levels up to the desirable amounts over the next couple of weeks. Any help from the sky will just be a bonus.

Middle of the green...

Who says Rich can't find the middle of the green???

Summer is here...

The annual bluegrass in the low spots of the fairway is always the first to show signs of stress this time of year.

Irrigation woes...

Sometimes irrigation and construction don't mix.

Poa, poa everywhere...

The yellowing turf in some of the fairways and tees is drought stressed annual bluegrass. The weakening of this turf will allow more bent grass to spread.

Hot, dry, windy.

Hot, dry and windy conditions along with being down a pump station have forced us to water the golf course during slower times of the day. The lack of the pump station on the back nine has decreased our pumping capacity at night therefore lengthening our water windows into the day. We will continue to work around play as best we can!

Cart traffic.

Divot on the 12th green...

Is missing a putt really worth this???

Billy loves to tell a story...

Billy's visit...

The start of a great day!

Now that's rolling a fairway!

The soil is starting dry out enough to get a bigger roller on #11 & 12. Thanks to the Public Works Dept for lending their small asphalt roller. We will try and roll these two fairways for the next few days.

Bunker work continues...

The dynamic duo returns.

Irrigation work is constant...

Back at it again.

Definitely have to keep those soils loosened up and air circulating in the root zone.

Big Mike getting it done...

Welcome back!

Teeing off #12...

Anybody recognize that follow through?

Can somebody say, "tee it up!" New look into the green on #11.

Installing irrigation #12, getting ready for grass!

New irrigation crossing #4 bridge

This bridge crossing is being replaced with HDPE pipe to better weather the freezing temperatures in the winter.

#12 tee is in the works...

#12 landing area is taking shape...

March madness.