Solstice and the Snow is Gone!

Two things that are linked - the weather and golf course superintendents.   As a superintendent I am always watching the weather on the course, looking at the forecast for the day and the week, and checking the weather history for each day, month, and year.  Can our team apply a liquid fertility application or is it going to rain?  Do we have enough heat to dry topdressing sand?   How is the temperature affecting our growing conditions?

There is no doubt this spring has been a challenge for all superintendents in our region--late snow melt, not a lot of heat and plenty of rain.  I am hoping the summer solstice signals an improvement in the weather.   It is difficult to grow grass without sunlight and heat.   A quick look back at the spring shows some of the weather challenges we have had in the last few months.  These include:

·         A mean temperature of 9.8 for the month of June.

·         A mean temperature of -.7 for the year.  (I will try to post when the average moves above 0 for the 2011 but we are now halfway through the year and we still have a mean temperature below 0)

·          Only four days in 2011 with a day time high over 20 degrees.  (This includes the summer solstice which was 21.1)

·         22 days with measurable rain since we opened 35 days ago.

·         June 14^th was the date our last snow pile left the golf course.  I must admit this was a large pile from clearing greens but we have had snow on the golf course 10 days ago.  I believe it would have been with us until July but the rain has helped eliminate it.

·         A 45 minute frost delay today.

Snow On Third Hole - We Borrowed A Sign from the Ski Hill

With the cool wet weather we have had small outbreaks of Fusarium (Pink Snow Mold) on the collars and on some of the greens.  We have not applied any fungicides to date and we have chosen to fight the disease outbreaks by reducing fertility and keeping the greens as dry as possible.  Due to the lack of fertility as well as the poa annua going to seed, the greens have a green/ yellow look to them.  As soon as we see a streak of sunshine in the forecast we will increase the fertility on the greens and they will darken up quickly.

Example of Fusarium on #11 Green

Let’s hope the start of summer began with the Solstice.