Get out here and play!

Want to have a great time playing golf?
The golf course is in a condition that we think is the most fun! 300+ yard drives, greens that won't hold chips, and contours taking balls on wild rides. It is firm and fast.
Fall is the time when we allow the plant to enter dormancy to protect itself from the winter, we let it dry out and slowly go to sleep. We don't have to worry much about plant injury (to a certain extent). We can provide some pretty cool conditions this time of year and Mother Nature has obliged.
I can't say it enough, work can wait!
It's Barney brown out here,
Turf

Why do we have to destroy the greens?

That is a great question. As a player, I don't enjoy this process any more than anyone else. I really wish we didn't have to do it. So why do we? Below I have taken several photos. Using a solid profiler, I can show you a cross section of the green. Notice the holes that are filled with the clean sand. These are a result of our aerification process. The sand creates a channel for air and water exchange and infiltration. As you can see from the photos, the root mass in these areas is much greater than the rest of the green. Strong healthy root zones are necessary for quality putting surfaces.
We are aerifying and filling holes on the red nine today. Plan on coming out to the course this week and enjoying some awesome fall weather.
Have a great day,
Turf

Collar project and greens aerification update

The red painted lines around the greens have helped us to get the collars a consistent width. We continue to adjust the mowing heights down to regular green height, this will take the rest of the fall and several weeks next spring. We are happy with the results this far.
The red and blue greens are scheduled for aerification next Monday and Tuesday. We held off a bit to extend the playing season, and now we feel it is time in order for them to heal in before winter. The white greens have almost completely healed and were quite playable following the aerification process.
Chef Dan is blogging specials now!
Check him out at www.briarridgekitchen.blogspot.com
Plan on harvest fest next Saturday, bring a neighbor, this should be a great day!
Bundle up this weekend,
Turf