Let the greens breathe!

It's been very wet the past few days, and with more rain forecast this week, you'll see that many of our superintendents have implemented venting programs so our greens can continue to breathe and function as well as possible.

While most of our old pushup-style greens lack internal drainage, even modern sand-based greens benefit from this important practice.  As thatch builds up just under the surface of the green, the amount of air flow between the surface and soil is reduced, and by venting the greens once or twice a month, we are able to keep a good supply of oxygen to the root zone.  The tiny holes created by this operation also allow us to better incorporate very light amounts of topdressing sand into the green that have numerous benefits as well such as thatch dilution and reduced incidence of insect and disease problems.

We are committed to continuing to provide excellent playing conditions for our wonderful golfers, and we have been having a fantastic year thus far.  By venting greens and performing other important cultural practices throughout the year (core aeration, topdressing, vertical mowing, rolling, etc), you'll be sure to have a more consistent, positive experience every time you come out to play!