We wanted to remind you that we are opening the Driving Range today, and it will be open all weekend. Spending some time on the driving range is not a bad idea for this Presidents Day weekend. Winter has been cold and snowy, so we are going to take advantage of the warm weather while we can.
Since we are opening the range, we thought it would be a good idea to give a quick overview of proper Driving Range etiquette when it comes to the turf. Walking up to the range and not being able to find a spot that has enough grass to hit from is no fun. It also makes it harder on the grounds crew to keep the driving range tee in good shape. So, what is the correct way to take divots on the driving range? Should we scatter our divots? Should we be taking one big concentrated area of sod?
The answer to the question is to take a linear divot pattern as shown in the middle of the picture above. According to the USGA, the linear pattern is preferred because it removes the least amount of turf. A player will want to place the next ball behind the previous divot for about 15-20 shots, then move sideways to create another line. Leaving roughly 4″ of turf between the linear patterns provides for a timely grow-in of the turf canopy. This will provide for a much cleaner driving range tee.
We hope to see you out here this weekend!
Greetings from the Superintendent, July 30, 2019!
Well, here we are at the mid-point of the golfing season. As does the weather change this time of year, so do a few things around the golf course and maintenance shop. But first, let’s reflect on a few things up to this point…
The 2019 season has been wet, to say the least! One look at the surging Polo Creek around June 30 and we knew that this would be one of the wettest years on record. Good for us, really, as there is nothing better than rainwater for growing grass. Our mowers were busy and so was our staff, taking advantage of this wet weather to shape the course and focus on a few other items.
One item that comes up around our shop every spring is the green speeds. During the cooler, wet weather of springtime, soil temps fluctuate and soils are saturated more often. This creates slower putting conditions overall, and the L-93 bentgrass waits for some consistent heat before really responding to any treatments. We still topdress, verticut and roll as frequently (or more) as we do in the summer, but the bentgrass has the final say as to when it will speed up.
After a few days of warmer weather, it’s almost as if the greens come into shape overnight. We always plan a fertilizer application and a reel grind right around this time to ensure peak playing conditions. As complex and detailed as turfgrass science is, we try to keep our approach simple…consistent practices and a little patience ensures that by mid-June, our greens are in optimal condition. This article from the USGA provides some more great information on how and what affects green speeds… https://www.usga.org/course-care/forethegolfer/why-can-t-green-speeds-remain-constant-.html
Our staff has also been busy completing the landscaping around the brand new Miller Creek Pub, due to open this weekend! Our part is to ensure that the landscaping around the pub blends in with the existing landscape and driving range tee, which also saw another slight expansion during the process. Over 30 trees and shrubs, 80 tons of rock, and 7500 square feet of sod went in to this project, which hasn’t reached its end quite yet…
The last main project we await this summer is the completion of our new 12,000 sqft. putting green complex. Mid-America Landscapes from Kansas City, MO, is constructing the green complex, and we take over as soon as the seed goes down. This will be another amazing feature for Elkhorn Ridge when complete, and we look forward to updating you on this soon.
Well, back to work, see you out on the course!
Thanks for playing,
Greg Brandriet, CGCS
greg@golfelkhorn.com
(605) 722-4659