Fall is fast approaching and first and foremost we would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to play at our facility this summer. Looking back at the season so far, I am very pleased with how the golf course has performed during these summer months. Rainfall amounts on the golf course have been minimal-we are the only part of the state that has been spared the excessive rainfall that has plagued much of Minnesota. This has been a good thing for the golf course and its playability-contrary to what many think most superintendents would take drought-like conditions over excessively wet ones. While dry conditions can require more work, attention, and skill to keep turf alive, having this kind of control over the golf course’s playability is something that we value.
Starting the week of August 22, we will begin the methodical process of aerifying our fairways. This is not a cause for alarm as we only do one fairway at a time and have the areas cleaned up and playable by the time our players arrive. We perform this work both first thing in the morning and in evenings to avoid disturbing our customers. This process has worked very well in the past and I am confident that we will be able to perform this necessary process without any effect on how the golf course plays.
On a final note, I would like to thank those golfers who take the time to replace their divots and utilize the sand mix on the carts. Sadly, while we were seeding divots on 5 fairway last week we must have removed over 70 perfectly usable divots that were never replaced. Not only do the divots lying on the ground interfere with the playability of the golf course for other players but if they had been replaced promptly they would have had a chance to knit themselves in and result in a better playing surface for everyone. Remember that golf is a game of courtesy and that by respecting the golf course you are respecting those around you as well. Having worked on the golf course now for over 27 years, I have noticed that this part of golf etiquette-along with repairing ballmarks-has been lost somewhere along the way for many players.
Hope to see you out there.