Above, fairway topdressing is underway. In total, 300-400 tons of sand will be applied. This is an annual procedure that is done following verticutting and aerification.
I mentioned in another post that under-brushing is consuming a large part of our winter. There are many areas on the golf course where rhododendron are either overgrown and leggy or even dying back. Pruning them back allows them to return with vigor, in a dense and more attractive growth habit. It's important that we continually prune this native shrub to avoid having to do a lot at the same time. If we do a little each year, it goes unnoticed for the most part.
The pond area on #6 has been deteriorating and was in major need of an overhaul. Leggy, dying rhododendron covered the whole creek as sediment continued to build on the banks. Behind the pond (between pond and Cobb Road) were numerous dead trees that had fallen into one another and looked terrible. We now have a cleaned up area to work from. In the next few weeks, the plan is to get in here to clean up and fix a lot of the banks. Stay tuned for progress on this.
Below are before photos of other areas we are working on:
Below #5 ladies tee, we will be pruning one clump of rhododendron that is infested with Bittersweet vine. We will then be able to remove the vine and allow the rhodos to recover.
On #6, above, we are pruning these Rhododendron back to a height of 4-5 feet tall. You can see below how unhealthy these shrubs are and they are in dire need of being cut back.
