LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Dear members of St . Johns ,
Aerification was a success at the beginning of the month and the greens are just about healed in . We used a 5 / 8 ” tine on 2 ” spacing ( tine is the implement that punches the hole , holes are spaced every two inches ) so we were able to remove quite a bit of old material and replace it with new . Thank you to all for your patience during this process .
This month we will be working on more cultural practices on the greens . We will be verticutting bi-weekly with some brushing and spiking mixed in . Weekly light topdressing will continue . The goal in these processes is to promote a tighter , more uniform putting surface . Some of you may have noticed the greens being off in color recently . This is due to rates of plant growth regulators ( PGR ) being applied to the plant . I am trying a few different rates to see if we can affect the off-type areas in the greens and achieve more uniformity as well . The off types need much higher rates of PGR to come under regulation than the ultradwarf Bermuda , so we are looking for that happy medium . The rates are not damaging the tifeagle , the PGR at high rates has a bronzing effect on the plant and it eventually grows out of it . We have finally received some much-needed rain and as usual in Florida it all seems to be coming at once . After being through many drought periods I told myself I would never complain about rain , so we are happy to have it and see the water levels in the ponds coming back up . We are working on the bunkers to try and keep them to a playable standard during these consistent heavy downpours .
Thanks ,
Mike O ’ Malley
Superintendent
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