GenNext Observations Week 5

We are 5 weeks since our initial application of the GenNext Complete A&B. Since the last update we haven't noticed any more progressions. What we have noticed is that the "GenNext sprayed" greens had less poa seed heads on them. In the last week or so we have had a big emergence of poa seed heads on those greens. We had initially applied the seed head suppression application of Embark at 35 oz./A. We decided since we had the emergence of some seed heads and that the greens have been slow to heal from aerification with the weather and the growth regulator we would forgo the second Embark application

The "GenNext sprayed" greens have a great look with color and growth compared to the check plot areas and the "non GenNext sprayed" greens. The overall color is not as green as what we had seen for the first four weeks but they are still a bit greener than the "non GenNext sprayed" greens which are at the same with fertility. Aerification holes are a little more closed up on the "GenNext sprayed" areas compared to "non "GenNext sprayed" areas at this point in time. We will be applying our third application this Wednesday at the 8 oz./m rate.

6th green with GenNext Complete A&B applied

Check plot area on the 6th green

Sod work

The right side of three fairway that had run all the way to the green is now gone. The bentgrass fairway has been removed and used in other areas of the golf course in such areas as tees, and fairways. This has saved us a considerable amount of money to be able to use what we have removed. Bentgrass sod is triple the cost of what the tall fescue/bluegrass mix that we have replaced it with on the 3rd hole.

We have chosen to remove the small section of fairway because of the difficulty to keep this small section alive in stressful times of the year and with the increases cart traffic this area has seen. The old fairway on the left had to be removed for the same reason years ago and it was now time to make some continuity between the two sections on the hole.

Course Projects

Right now we have a few course projects that are currently being worked on and completed.

We are in the process of removing the section of fairway cut that runs around both sides of the fairway bunker on the third hole. We are taking the existing bentgrass turf and re sodding the blue/gold tee on 10, the gold tee on 17, two thin areas on the fifth fairway and some areas on the fourth tee and seventh tee. The two areas on three will then be re sodded with bluegrass and made rough height. We have also made the area between the green side bunker and the fairway bunker on three from rough cut to a fairway cut now.

We are also starting to incorporate more ornamental and native grasses called love grass and little bluestem throughout the golf course. These grasses will add an aesthetically pleasing contrast with the brown color of the grasses from the green fine turf areas of the golf course and will help with reducing water and labor to keep these areas as fine cut turf. This is also going to help decrease the amount of acreage of rough that needs to be mowed. With our sandy soil and severe slopes these grasses will do great. Most of these areas that are being done are out of play areas that will not affect the playability of the golf course but will enhance the aesthetics. One area that is completed is the gold tee bank of the third hole.

Love grass and bluestem plantings at 3 gold tee

Installing fairway cut sod between bunkers on 3

Area on 3 fairway to be made in to rough cut

Sod work completed on 3

GenNext Observations

Looking at some of the greens a little more closely this morning where we have applied GenNext Complete A & B, I have made a few observations.

So far the "GenNext greens" have had a total of .8# N/m applied to them and the check plots are at .3# N/m. This is much more nitrogen then we are use to applying at this point in the growing season. We are typically around .3#-.5# N/m at this point. With that said, we have noticed the greens where we have had a moss infestation, such as holes #2, #3, the moss in the check plot areas seems to have a green color and only has a few bentgrass/poa plants emerging through the moss. Where as the rest of the green surface where the GenNext has been applied is showing more bentgrass plants especially emerging through the moss. The moss also seems to be "suppressed" and not as active as the check plots. This can be attributed to the increased level of nitrogen that the greens have received that we tend not to apply at this point.

The second observation is the rooting depth in both the check plot areas and GenNext applied areas appear to be the same at about a 3-4" depth.

The third observation made is the clipping yield from the "GenNext greens" to the "non-GenNext greens" is approximately the same. The "non-GenNext" greens have a total of .675# N/m applied to them of ammonium sulfate. With .8# N/m applied in one month you would expect a dark green color on the greens which we have seen. However the growth seems to be more lateral then upright which is desired to help encourage more bentgrass into the putting surface.

Our last observation made is with the warmer temperatures we have had we have had poa annua seed heads emerge on the putting surfaces. Even though we made a seed head suppression application 3 weeks ago, our timing has seemed to be off, which is disappointing. However, the "GenNext greens" have significantly less seed heads then the "non-GenNext" greens. The only difference in applications besides amount of nitrogen is the applications of GenNext Complete A & B.

To also note the soil temperatures in the greens as of today is 60 degrees at a 2" depth and 58 degrees at a 4" depth.

Moss in the GenNext Complete A & B area on #3 green

Moss within the check plot on #3 green

2nd Application of GenNext Complete A & B

Today the second application of GenNext Complete A & B was applied to the two acres of greens. This was the second application at 16 oz./m of both A & B. We have made the application three days ahead of the every two week schedule because of the upcoming weather forecast that has rain for Friday and increased wind speeds. Second application observations to follow in a couple days.

GenNext Complete A & B Update

A few pictures of the greens with GenNext Complete A & B 11 days after initial application. (Initial application was applied at 16 oz./m of each Complete A & Complete B for a total of .25# N/m)

GenNext Complete A & B 1st Week Results

Here are some pictures of our check plot areas on the greens that have had the GenNext Complete A & B fertilizer. The only noticeable difference is that we have seen is a color difference. Greens with GenNext have a great green color. The check plot areas the bentgrass has a dormant look and the poa annua is a lime green color. Aerification hole healing between the two nines with GenNext and without is not significantly different at this point in time. The Embark application for the poa annua seed head suppression is one obviously reason for the slow healing.

Aerification

Our aerification of the playing surfaces throughout the golf course is "officially done". This past Monday and Tuesday we have finished aerifying the tees and driving range tee. Our fairways and greens were completed during the first two weeks of March.

Our healing process has been slow so far on our putting surfaces and there have been a couple of factors that are delaying that healing process. First, the soil temperatures in the greens did not reached 50 degrees until Monday. Temperatures for optimal root growth is 50-65 degrees and optimal leaf growth occurs between 60-75 degrees. Unlike at this time last year we have not had the same temperatures to give us a warm up. This has been our typical March. The second reason for the slow healing is from an application of a plant growth regulator that we have applied to the putting surfaces to inhibit the poa annua from producing seed heads and creating a bumpy and less desirable putting surface. Unfortunately the timing of when the putting surfaces needed to be treated fell right at the same time we were aerifying greens. We could have delayed the aerification but we felt this would provide less impacts to play.

With the warmer weather in the forecast we should a dramatic increase in the healing process. Before July 1, we will be solid time aerify the putting surfaces to help better prepare the putting greens for the most stressful period of the summer for us, July and August. This will be less intrusive and playable immediately after completing. So please bear with us and remember what we are doing now will allow is to provide the best playing conditions possible. You can't win the World Series without a great Spring Training.