Rain: Good for Greens - Bad for the Rest of the Course

Bare soil surrounding green represents the encroachment
collar which will be sodded mid-July with TifGrand

All the rain the course has received over the past two and a half weeks has been good for the grow-in of the new greens. On the other hand, the rain has made completing regular mowing and other  maintenance tasks a real challenge.

Mowing heights are being slowly reduced

In the planning stages of the greens regressing project we anticipated being able to keep the course dry through the summer which with the help of chemical growth regulators would reduced the mowing requirement. The time saved from mowing and a handful of other tasks was needed in the initial, labor intensive parts of the project. The weather has negated any potential savings and our crew has had to work incredibly hard to overcome this hurdle. 

Density and texture improving almost daily

In addition to mowing, the rain has made weed control extra difficult. The summer season is always a challenge at Brays Island but especially so this year. Perennial problems like sedge thrives in the wet conditions we have experienced. The regular rains are now impeding the application of herbicides to control this and other weeds.

With about eight weeks remaining until the course reopens, our focus is now split between establishing new turf on the greens and preparing the course for play at the level expected at Brays Island.