Today we started our 3 week rotation of spraying fairways. This includes a growth regulator that slows the turf growth rate down and adds turf density, a fertilizer and a fungicide. Our main disease problem on Fairways is a fungus known as dollar spot. It is very active when days are warm and nights are cool. Sounds like Highlands! This disease starts showing up between Mid May and June 1. By staying on a 21 day fungicide cycle, we are able to prevent it for the most part. Tees are also on a 3 week rotation. Greens are sprayed every Thursday with a fertilizer and every 14 days with a fungicide.
Today also marked the start of our rolling/double cutting schedule. As I mentioned in the previous post, rolling is with held until the greens are actively growing. While we mow greens 7 days a week, rolling is done 4 days a week. This combination allows us to maintain our greens at 10.5-11 feet on the stimpmeter. We are currently mowing our greens at .130 inches. Next week, we will lower them to .125 inches. I typically to not go lower because of the 'law of diminishing returns'....for the amount of stress put on the plant, it simply is not worth it to gain 6" in green speed. We deal with a lot of shade at HCC and a higher mowing height makes the turf more efficient is this environment.
