About 7-8 inches of snow fell across the property yesterday. This blanket could not have come at a better time. The golf course is finally in the dormant stage and growth has totally shut down for the year. This natural function is the best way for plants to fight against winter stress. Prior to winter the turfgrass stops growing and stores up carbohydrates to be better prepared for winter hibernation. Golf courses that remain open in the winter can put a lot of stress on these plants as they have a hard time recovering from traffic stress since they are not growing.
All of the fairways have been sand topdressed and deep tine vented for winter. Deep tine venting in the fall/late winter allows moisture and air into the soil profile. When water enters these channels then freeze they can frack the soil and create greater air and pore spaces in the spring for new growth. Sand topdressing on fairways is a practice that has been done for a number of years that has proven to smooth out and firm the playing surface as well as increase water percolation through the playing surface. The sand also helps protect the crown of the plant during the dormant months we are open for play. The sand is drug in with a mat to get off the surface of the plants.
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