This week at Sunset: 12-12-16




This past week at Sunset we started the week off with over 5” of rain and so this caused a shift in plans. We certainly needed the rain, but not so much at one time. It did give me a good indication as to how fast this golf course drains. I have been told by many of you how fast it does drain and so it was good to see that first hand. In dealing with push-up greens in the past I have always given greens a 3-hour window to drain. This gives the greens plenty of time to drain through the canopy and into the profile. While riding around after this rain event and determining when to open the course I was basing my decision solely on my experiences in the past. What I learned was that this golf course drains a lot quicker and so the next time we have a similar event then I will have a better understanding on when to open. Most places I’ve been would be closed all day after receiving that much rain. Trust me, I want you tee it up as quickly as possible, but when Mother Nature gets involved I want to ensure that you all are given the best conditions possible.


Last week, we collected soil samples throughout the golf course and sent those samples off to Waters Ag. Lab in Camilla. This will give me a better understanding of what nutrients we are lacking and also a plan of attack for the golf course when it comes to a fertilizer program, specifically on the greens. I plan to use a lot of foliar fertilizers and the program will be based off these soil test results.


On Wednesday, we mowed the greens and collars for the first time since overseeding. Overall, I think the overseed is coming in fairly well on the greens. We finished the week off rolling the greens on Friday and I gave them a break this weekend with the cool temperatures that moved in. This coming week we will start a more consistent mowing schedule with a day or two of just rolling in between. This week we will be mowing all short cut. I’d like to give the fairways some more time, but quite a few of them have gotten a little hairy. Just like the greens, after that first mow they will really take off even more. After last week's rain, the fairways have really responded and after we mow them we will address any areas that need re-seeding. We plan to re-seed those areas over the next two weeks to ensure a consistent stand of ryegrass.


Speaking of re-seeding, we will be adding some more seed to a few areas around the golf course. On Monday, we will add more to the driving range tee and will also topdress the worn out section of the tee. The ryegrass has germinated in some areas, but certainly is lagging behind compared to other areas of the course. The rest of the week we will add seed to the green surrounds and fairways. With the warmer for the next week(minus a few nights below 40 degrees) and the chance of rain, we should begin to see a better stand of ryegrass throughout the golf course.



Thanks for following us this week as we strive to get better everyday. As always,  please feel free to reach out with any questions/comments that you may have by using this blog, Facebook page, or emailing me at davisjoey@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading!



See you on the course!

Joey Davis



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