Part Mother Nature/Part Preparation



For the past week or so and leading into the next month, the maintenance staff has been very busy with many inputs on the golf course.  These inputs have ranged from aerifying greens/collars with a solid tine, fertilizing all areas of the golf course, applications of growth regulators, control products, fungicides, bio stimulants, seedhead control on Poa Annua, broadleaf weed control, crabgrass preventer, and micronutrients. What we do now will set the golf course up for a successful season. As you can see in the picture below, what the team did throughout the year last season, set us up for a successful spring. It's all one big cycle and we are always planning for the month ahead and sometimes even the year ahead. If you ever see us out on the golf course and are curious on why/what we are doing, please don't hesitate to ask!

Cart Traffic

In my short time here at Butler's, I can see that we are going to have to put forth much effort into cart traffic to help the playing surfaces from becoming, for a lack of a better word, unplayable.

One of the main cultural practices we will do each spring, is apply extra nitrogen to the heavily trafficked areas to help promote quicker growth and better recovery. We will also go out and aerify these areas, when possible, to help with compaction. Adding cart traffic control ropes and stakes, although ugly, are a necessary evil and will be rotated liberally every couple days as wear dictates.

As you can see below in the picture of #15 Lakes course, carts like to play "follow the leader." What can you do to help, as a golfer? You can start by never following the same path off of the cart path as your playing partners. You can also take the "path less traveled." For example, taking your cart an extra 15 yards up the cart path and then coming back to your ball. All these little things can go a long way in improving the playing conditions of the golf courses.

Thank you and Hope to see you out there!

Poa Seedheads

This past weekend, It was time for us to apply our first "plant protectants" of the year. For this application, we used two different growth regulator products that do a few things for the plant (and golfer.) The first and most obvious thing they will do is improve green speed. The second and more important (long term) result of this application is they will improve turfgrass health and stamina in the summer by reducing Poa Annua seedheads. Our greens are made up of both creeping bentgrass (Agrostis Stolonifera) and annual bluegrass (Poa Annua.) Only the Poa Annua produces those pesky white seedheads in late spring, that cause poor putting conditions. Research shows that with this application, in addition to faster and smoother greens, the energy the plant puts forth toward manufacturing shoots and leaves is reversed. Simply, instead of pushing out shoots and leaves, the turf grows more prolific roots. Deeply rooted turf can pull more nutrients and water from soils when summer heat usually causes root systems to die off.

Happy putting!

Welcome!

My name is Jon Schriner and I am very excited to be the new Superintendent at Butler's Golf Course. I have spent the last 4 plus years as Golf Course Superintendent at a course in Cleveland, Ohio. I am originally from central Pennsylvania and I am an Alumnus of Penn State University with a Bachelors Degree is Turfgrass Science. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone at Butler's and am glad to be back closer to home!!!

I also wanted to welcome everyone to the Grounds Management Team Blog at Butler's Golf Course. Here you will be able to obtain information about course conditions, projects, and the staff. Our goal is to provide a place where guests can find answers too many common questions about the golf course and keep up to date on course happenings. Please check back frequently as we will continue to post updates throughout the season.