TURF TALK FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Coharie CC Members,

December 2024 is almost here, and it will bring colder overnight temperatures which will push the greens, fairways and rough into dormancy at varying rates. Our wintering height of cut for the greens is just under a quarter of an inch and the height of cut for the fairways, tee tops and green surrounds is seven tenths of an inch. The rough height of cut will remain at two inches throughout the winter. As I write this newsletter, the final fairway mowing is taking place.

As a follow up, the Pythium affecting green number one is slowly growing out of the disease and I feel confident that it will continue to grow out of it even during the winter dormancy period, as all grass continues to grow through winter dormancy, albeit at a much slower rate. Once spring comes around in February/March time frame (weather dependent) the greens will green up first, and I will pull them out of dormancy slowly.

The pre-emergent application for Poa annua control applied to the greens was applied with a wetting agent added to the solution to aid in moving the product into the soil structure and it temporarily discolored the greens in patches due to the way wetting agents gather while being watered into the soil. However, they have been growing hard and are healthy with no lasting effects. The yellowish patches are from where the spray pigment coagulated during the watering process. Normally, pigment is not watered into the soil, it lays on top of the grass blade to color whatever it is sprayed on through absorption, in this case it was the greens for dormancy purposes.

This time of year, we have frost on the course when the ambient temperature reaches thirty-two degrees, and the dew point is within two degrees of the ambient temperature. It is imperative that ALL of us stay off the greens during these low temperature days. What this means to our membership and outside play alike is that no one, to include our maintenance staff, will be allowed on the greens until the greens are cleared of frost AND the ambient temperature is above thirty-four degrees. By the time you read this email, we will have already had three days of which frost has formed and has restricted play.

Frost delay video link: https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/green-section-record/62/issue-20/frost-delays-explained.html

Have a great holiday season!

 Mike