First Cut of Ryegrass

The Rye grass has come up nice with all the rain.  Now that the sun is out and cooler temperatures are on the way the rye grass should really begin to fill in.  The second application of 25-30lbs of rye will be completed next week.  This will not delay playability.  This is our normal program and has worked well for several years.  Fertilizer will be applied using a 25-0-0 (50% slow release and 50% quick release) during the next two weeks,

Francisco mowing approach at 18.  We are going to mow more of
the approaches with the walking mowers to help the Bermuda grass. I believe
the bigger fairway mowers cause more damage in these areas because of the extra turns they have to make. The tires continually dig into the ground causing repeat damage to the rye and the Bermuda grass.



Claudio mowing 16 approach

Number 5 fairways being mowed. First cut .825 inch

Number 2 fairway being mowed first cut

Overseeding rye

Drop seeding rye to the fairways at a rate of 275lbs/acre
We will follow up with a 25 lb rate during the first week of
October.  It will allow us to fill in any weak areas.
This rate is 50lbs/acre lighter than last years rate

Jay is drop seeding the middle tee tops only.  We are
using the 300 lbs/acre on the tees.  Only one tee per hole will be seeded this year.

Seed rate on the fairways

Aeration and Topdress Greens

Aeration with .50 inch hollow tines 2.5 inch spacing

Finishing #1 green

Removing the thatch and plugs from the surface and blowing
sand into the holes.  Recovery will take a couple weeks.

Topdressing and Greens Edging

Light sand topdressing being applied to the putting surfaces

Half the green top dressed.  Picture illustrates the volume of
sand.  A typical light topdressing to 3 acres of greens at the Foundry
uses about 15 tons of sand  

Number four green with top dressing complete

Watering in sand

Manuel is edging and removing Bermuda Grass from Bent Grass collar

The staff has done a great job with edging greens this year. The definition
between the Bermuda Grass and Bent Grass is sharp



Greens edging.  Great Job!







USGA Weekly Update

Weather In The Eastern Transition ZoneBy Stanley J. Zontek, director, Mid-Atlantic Region


August 31, 2011





The transition zone, the climatic region where the northern extreme in the adaptation of warm-season grasses (e.g. bermuda grass and zoysia grass) meets the southern extreme in the adaptation of cool-season grasses (e.g. perennial rye grass, Kentucky blue grass, creeping bent grass and Poa annua) is recognized as one of the most challenging areas to grow grass in the United States. That reputation is intact this summer.



(1) Record heat. The month of July was the hottest July on record and May was record tying.



(2) Record rainfall. As of August 26th, the month of August is the wettest in history with more than 13 inches of rain measured at the Philadelphia airport and that doesn’t count the contributions from Hurricane Irene. If this were snow, we could have more than 13 feet.



(3) Hurricane Irene. Hurricanes that hit the Mid-Atlantic Region are a rarity, but here we go with all the consequences that go with it.



(4) An earthquake. Who have guessed it?



All of this speaks volumes to the challenges facing golfers and golf course superintendents practically every year that they try to grow grass and play golf. It is less well known to the average golfer, course official, course owner or any golfer who wonders why the golf course is not in perfect condition at the end of the summer in Philadelphia, Baltimore, metro-D.C. or Richmond, VA. Prolonged periods of high temperatures, high humidity, drought or excessive rainfall causes problems with grass.



Gray leaf spot, a devastating disease to perennial ryegrass, and to lesser extent turf-type tall fescues, tends to be more severe following a hurricane. The spores of this disease are carried by the wind from the south. In addition to cleaning up debris from Hurricane Irene, turf managers need to be attentive about gray leaf spot affecting the ryegrass this fall.



The Mid-Atlantic Region agronomists are part of your agronomic support team. If you have a question or concern, give us a call or send an e-mail. You can reach Stan Zontek (szontek@usga.org) and Darin Bevard (dbevard@usga.org) at 610/ 558-9066 or Keith Happ (khapp@usga.org) at 412/ 341-5922.