Please Excuse Our Messes

 Last weeks storm set us back a couple of days when it came to mowing grass.  We weren't able to start mowing rough until Thursday and holes 2 & 3 were too wet to mow.  They finally got mowed today and you can see the result below.  

Fortunately, the clippings have been removed and looking good again.  There are still a few wet areas on the right side of two that are too wet to mow.

     On Saturday morning, we came in to find water pouring out of this hole.  What we found was another irrigation pipe that had completely come apart.  The pipe has been fixed and the hole has been filled in.  The remaining area will have to be sodded soon.  We will probably get to it during our maintenance closure.                    

Elsa

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Elsa has moved through but some of its remnants remain.  We have received 5" of rain so far and it it still coming.  Please bear with us in the coming days while we get the course cleaned up and back to our normal playing conditions.  

 

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July from the Golf Course Maintenance Staff!!

 

This Week In GCM

Both golf course's tees and fairways were treated with a plant growth regulator this week.  Applying growth regulators in the summer time helps to reduce mowing frequency.  Theoretically, this could reduce mower wear and tear, reduce fuel consumption, and minimize excessive clippings.  

Coincidentally, this was a perfect timed application considering the potential weather event next week and the possibility of not being able to mow for a few days.  

On a side note, if you ever see the little white foam dots on the fairways, these are markers to let the operator know where they have already sprayed. 

 

Hurricane Elsa

Everyone be on the lookout.  It looks as if we could get our first tropical system of the year.  It's still a few days out and things could change, but it looks like we should feel some kind of effect by late Monday night into Tuesday morning.  

 

While taking water samples from the lakes this month I noticed water bubbling up at the side of the lake on Bobcat 6.  Due to the drought, the lake was low enough that it had exposed what is normally underwater and not seen.  I took this video and then collected a sample from it just to see how it compared.  The findings were quite remarkable.

The water coming out of this spring is about 20% seawater.  These springs feed the lake that irrigates the Bobcat Course.  Fortunately, it is diluted with rainwater and runoff when it does rain.  But this is why it is so important that we get some fresh rainwater occasionally.

May 2021 was the driest May on record in Fort Myers.  The salinity levels tripled in that lake in one month.  What this means is that low mowed turf, aka the greens, will slow their growth and recovery rate.  The recent rains were so important to the success of being able to grow high quality turf on a consistent basis.

 

Morning Colors

 Captured this rainbow today from 6 Bobcat.  Unfortunately we did not get any rain from this storm.  We did get .9" rain yesterday and overnight.  We received .35" the day before for a total of 1.25" this week.  We could use much more!!