The first process we started out with is what we call a deep verti-cut. We use our carbide tipped verti-cutters that are mounted on one of our greens mowers. Here's an up close picture of the blades.
The greens are only verti-cut in one direction as not to thin them out too much. Here's a couple pictures of what a green looks like afterwards and also a picture of one of our utility vehicles filled with the grass and thatch from only one green.
Following the verti-cutter is our turbine blower that is used to disperse the clippings and try to blow them off the greens. Following the blower is our greensmower to mow the greens and pick up any left over debris.
The front 9 greens were verti-cut on Monday and we finished the back 9 up on Tuesday. On Tuesday we also top dressed the greens with a pretty good amount of sand to fill in any inconsistencies and help to dilute the thatch layer. Here's a pictures of that process as well as the cocoa mat following up to move the sand into the turf.
One of the last of our processes today was our first application this year of the wetting agent Revolution at the 6oz./1000 rate and 3 minutes of water. After a little discussion our assistant superintendent Tom got back out on the course and did a quick top dressing of the collars.
The greens will get around 50 minutes of water tonight to help work the sand into the grass canopy as well as work the Revolution down into the sand profile so it can go to work.
Even after all that work and sand, I took a few putts on the putting green this afternoon and they were still rolling very good. With our watering tonight and the chance of rain on Thursday, the sand should be pretty well worked in by the weekend. The greens will be rolled the next two days before we start to mow them again on Friday.
Another big Thank You to the rest of the guys that make up this awesome turf team. They really have been working hard to make these conditions you see in the pictures below.
- Posted by Austin Daniells, Golf Course Superintendent
