The bridge from #7 to #8 has now been replaced with new lumber.  Sounds a lot
better too!




We used all the old wood from #7/ #8 bridge to build 8 raised beds for vegetables. 
These vegetables will be used next year by Chef Jesse for Oxmoor dining.  I hope
this will help in reducing some of Jesse's food cost, while also having fresh veggies
for the members.





This is a perfect example of why we need to stay in the rough/ cart path during
extreme heat and droughts.  These are cart tracks that completely killed out
an area of the bentgrass fairway.

Course Update

Holes 2, 4, 5, 15 and 17 have been sprayed with Round-up, per the Spencer Holt
Master Plan, around the outer edges of the fairways.  These areas will soon be
seeded with fescue and next year will be apart of the new 2 "step cut.  This decrease in
bentgrass is approximately 3 acres and throughout the entire season there will be a
reduction of $6000.00-$10,000.00 in the maintenance budget. 



We attempted earlier to seed #4 fairway and had poor germination rates.  We 
attempted again and received 75% germination. With cool nights approaching we will
continue to seed these areas.  Irrigation will continue to run periodically throughout
the day to ensure proper moisture levels for germination.





A walk path has been installed behind #7 green and will soon be seeded along with
more stones adjacent to the cart path.  We will also construct a path leading to the
men's tee on #4 in the fall. 



Some of the brown areas are now showing signs of recovery.  Today, I even noticed a few seedlings germinating on #4 fairway.  The rain water we received on Saturday really helped the bentgrass out.  Though any water is beneficial to plants, rain water is more beneficial because of the nitrogen in the rain droplets.  The atmosphere consists of about 25% oxygen and 75% nitrogen.  The nitrogen in the atmosphere is not available to plants until it converts to nitric acid and then is available for uptake through rain water.  Bored yet?? Ha...high school biology.  Pictured below is some of the bentgrass in recovery.

The picture above displays some of the shoots regenerating through the thatch.




Some areas throughout the course may not show signs of recovery due to trees.
As we all know trees and turf do not grow well together.  Pictured above is #9
fairway and the tree roots competing for water with the turf.  In this case the
tree always wins and causes the turf to die. Many people think that tree roots
only extend to the outer area of the leaves or drip line.  Roots continue to spread
well beyond the drip line, though these roots are not grown for stability of the
tree, they are used to obtain water and nutrients and are known as the feeder roots.
Last year we installed a root barrier at #13 green and it has proven very successful
this year.  Later in the season, we will install a barrier here and at #17
approach to block the tree feeder roots.



Break in weather



Today we partly seeded #4 fairway to see if the pre-emergent is still active in the

soil.  Normally, we time out the pre-emergents to end around September, but
given the past few seasons we reduced the amounts in case we had another
brutal heat wave.  We hope to have germination on #4 by mid next week.
With the cooler temperatures that we are now receiving, we are seeing some
signs of recovery.  By no means will recovery be an overnight success, but will
take up to a month if mother nature cooperates. We will also seed a few collars
and tees over the next couple of days to check their germination percentages.   

  

The city water is now open to recharge the irrigation lake.  We will continue
 to replenish the water supply until we receive adequate rainfall.



The heat is on!!!

 

 The record breaking heat is back and Oxmoors cool-season turfs are showing much
stress.  I sent out an email today to go along with this blog, so if you did not receive it
please email me at mcoy@oxmoorcoutryclub.com.  If you look closely at the picture
above you will see some light purple color golf cart tracks.  The carts put enormous
stress on bentgrass and this is usually a sign of death to come to the turf.
   



As I wrote in the email, majority of the brown areas in the fairways are a result of heat and
NOT mower scalping or disease. 



 These areas are a result of Poa annua dying out due to heat
stresses. Poa is also a cool-season turf and its survival in the
Kentuckiana area is unlikely. 

The new irrigation clocks are currently being installed on the course
and should be completed by the end of next week.



We will soon be placing these signs around the perimeter of the golf course hoping
to reduce vandalism and trespassers.



We have now installed a new "Course Condition and Information" board

outside the golf shop.  Be sure to check it out before teeing off.



I have had a few members ask what these tools are that I keep in my cart. 
The tool on the left is used to cut a slice into the green.  A small portion is
removed and I then examine the soil profile for organic matter, moisture
and  the thatch layer.  The second tool is the stimpmeter.  Though many
probably have not seen it, you do recognize the term "green speed".  This tool aids
in calculating the speed of each green to get a consistent overall "green speed". 
The third tool is a soil probe, which is used quickly to check root depths and
moisture levels.  The last tool is a prism gauge, which shows the
quality of cut, grain and the true height of cut on a green.