Driving Range Regrassing

Following the herbicide treatment to the upper practice tee on the east side of the practice range, Briggs Golf Course Construction arrived Tuesday to strip the existing turf from the practice tee.  Over the next two days, they will continue to remove the turf and haul it away.

                                                

Following the removal of the turf, the surface will be roto-tilled and rough graded.  A soil fumigant will be applied and watered through the profile through the weekend to ensure proper eradication of the existing turf.   Weather permitting, the tee will be finish graded and laser leveled early next week.  Once the tee is leveled, large rolls of Celebration sod will be laid on the new practice tee surface.

Celebration bermuda grass offers excellent color and playability.  Celebration’s aggressive growth rate allows for quicker recovery and healing from divots and provides better wear tolerance than traditional bermuda grasses. 

Because of Celebration’s aggressive growth rate, cultural practices and mowing will begin approximately one week following installation.  Providing cooperation from the weather, the tee should be open for use by the beginning of August.

Saturated Conditions





After suffering through a second straight year of drought conditions in South Florida, the rainy season has arrived early and in full force.  Since the first of May we have received an excess of 30 inches of rain.  In May alone we accumulated more than 20 inches of rain at the Fountains CC.  Now with the arrival of hurricane season we are seeing no reprieve from the wet weather.  Coupled with the effects of Tropical Storm Debbie, 8 inches of rain was recorded last week. 

 



#7 South Fairway

The excessive amounts of rainfall have caused the already shallow water table to continue to rise.  Water levels in the lakes are currently about a foot over their banks and have even caused some cart paths to become submerged and impassable.  The benefit is all of the lakes on the property are now full, however the ground has become so saturated there is no where for the extreme amounts of standing water to go.  At this point we are dumping water off property to assist in drainage, yet there are areas of the courses that drain slower and will remain wet for extended periods of time due to the waterlogged conditions.

Please understand we are doing everything at this time to ensure that the golf courses remain playable, but with abnormally heavy rains it has become difficult.  It seems every time we dry out we get more rain.  Be careful what you wish for. 



The Future of Golf

Thank you to the Fountains CC for donating a tee sign, as well as a foursome of golf for the 32nd Annual Palm Beach Golf Course Superintendent's Association Future of Golf Tournament at The Falls CC! Proceeds go to turfgrass research, student scholarships, and junior golf.

South Course Summer Closure

Today was the South Course was closed for summer cultural practices.  As previous with the North Course; the greens will be verticut in eight directions to a depth of 1/16", mowed, aerified with 1/2" hollow tines on a 2"x2" spacing, swept clean, topdressed, and brushed.  The tees, collars and approaches will receive the same treatment a week later.  The fairways are being aerified with 3/4" hollow tines on 3"x3" spacing with our new John Deere Aerocore 2000 and John Deere 5550 tractor. During this time the rough is also being aerified with or pull behind spoon aerifier.  Aerification is necessary to reduces compaction caused by equipment, golf cart, and foot traffic.  It also improves overall water infiltration and gas exchange.  The South Course will be closed from June 5 - July 1.  At that time we will continue the same practices on the West Course.