Golf Course Maintenance 2009-2010

When looking for a round of golf in Myrtle Beach it’s important to know about course maintenance. Knowing what kind of maintenance is going on at your potential course(s) is the key to avoiding disappointment when you get to the first green. There are a number of different types of maintenance that are done in the fall here at the Beach, some procedures will have little or no effect on playability while others will effect a course for as long as 14 days. Below is a list of common fall maintenance and the effect on the course.

For a complete list of course maintenance visit our fall 2009 maintenance schedule.

Overseeding:

This is the process in which grass seed is laid on top of existing grass/turf to promote new growth or to replace existing grass with a new strain for a season. This is most commonly used by courses that have Bermuda grass, which goes dormant in the late fall and winter months. In the fall, a course with Bermuda grass will put down rye grass seed, trying to time it to where the rye grass comes in at the same time that the Bermuda grass goes into dormancy. This way the course will stay green. In order for the rye grass to take, a course superintendent will keep the fairways, tees or greens damp so to produce proper germination. Bent grass greens do not need to be overseeded.

Verticutting:

Verticutting is the process by which some of the vertical growth is removed from around a grass plant. This excess for removal is often referred to as thatch. In other words, imagine a lawnmower that cuts in a vertical, rather than a horizontal direction. This process will force the remaining plant to stand up straight and produce a better ball roll, increase speed, open the turf canopy to allow for more sunlight, and allows the plant to put more effort into vertical shoots rather than horizontal shoots.

Aeration (Aerification):

Aeration of greens, tees and fairways occurs once or twice a year at most golf courses. To aerate, a course superintendent will use a piece of machinery that will “core” the ground (or punch holes and remove the soil), in a certain pattern. This is done to loosen the soil that has been compacted by numerous factors including walking golfers and other golf course maintenance tools. These holes open up growing room for roots and increases oxygen flow (along with other important nutrients) to the roots. The machinery mentioned above will have several types of tools that will get the job done. The most common sizes of the holes will be ¼’’ and 5/8” tines. These tines may be solid or hollow. The 5/8”, hollow tines are obviously bigger and take longer to heal. Once the holes have been made, sand will be introduced to help the healing process. This helps to not only fill the holes, but to help the soil maintain a better oxygen level for the roots. Grass also grows faster through sand.