Hot / Dry Spring

One of the exciting aspects of golf course maintenance is adapting and dealing with the changes presented to us by mother nature and how every golf season is different from the last. Right now we are going through a very dry spring. Last year in the month of April we received 4.25 inches of rain and irrigated 5 times the entire month of April. This year in April we received 1.25 inches of rain and we have been irrigating similar to July conditions. The recent hot dry weather has really put the pressure on our maintenance staff to get our old irrigation system operating efficiently right away this spring. It has also put a shock on our turf. During the spring we are trying to produce the healthiest plants with the deepest root system that we can. Getting them ready for the long haul of June, July, and August’s 100+ degree weather. Now with the plants coming out of winter and jumping right into the low 90's, it does not give them a chance to build up to the heat and the turf does not develop as strong as we would like to make it through the hot summer.

Fortunately, it does look like the next few weeks will get back to normal with a few rain showers and highs in the 70's.