You can see a small patch of Fairy Ring behind the 8th green that was treated this morning. The symptoms of fairy ring appear in patches, rings, or arcs that are initially 1 foot or less in diameter, but expand in size year after year, reaching up to several hundred feet in diameter in old turf stands. Most fairy ring fungi do not infect or parasitize the turf. Instead, growth of these fungi in the soil can indirectly affect, or even kill, the turfgrass above. Three types of fairy ring symptoms are observed in turfgrasses: Type I, Type II, and Type III. A Type I fairy ring causes the soil and thatch to become hydrophobic, killing the turf in patches, rings, or arcs. In areas affected by a Type I fairy ring, the thatch and soil are extremely dry and repel water. Type II fairy rings appear as rings or arcs of turf that are dark green and growing more quickly than the surrounding turf. In a Type III fairy ring, mushrooms or puffballs are produced in a ring or arc. The type of symptom expressed by a particular fairy ring may change during the year according to weather conditions. Type III fairy ring symptoms are more prevalent during extended periods of wet weather. Type I and Type II fairy ring symptoms are most common during hot, dry weather in the summer.
Also, remember that Monday we are venting greens Monday morning with 1/4" hollow tines. Tee times are blocked off until 11am. Thank you for your understanding and support of these beneficial practices.
Finally, occasionally I get a comment about the lack of ball roll on fairways. We do everything we can to keep watering to a minimum. We focus on hand watering with hoses. In fact, 5 members (of 19) of the staff will be hand watering all day. This allows us to water specifically where it is needed. However, our irrigation system doesn't allow for precise watering. To water roughs means we have to over water fairways in order to get enough water to the roughs. That is the nature of a single row irrigation system. Hopefully in a few years, a new irrigation system will replace our current outdated system, allowing us to dial in the irrigation. Until then, we do the best we can with what we have. Also, we balance the membership's appreciation for green grass as opposed to brown grass. It would be easy to have the course firm and fast if color wasn't and issue. However, wilted Poa annua is dead Poa annua as opposed to other turfgrass species where wilt triggers dormancy rather than death. So, as you can see, there is a fine line we walk. Until a new irrigation system comes to fruition, we will continue to use the necessary labor to hand water.