Like most Golf Course Superintendents July is their least favorite month. For me this July is no exception. We have been battling extreme heat, humidity, high dew points and excessive rain. All are recipes for disaster when maintaining cool season turf. If you have played you may have noticed fans running on holes 12 & 14. Those greens don't get very good air flow and that creates a sauna like atmosphere not ideal for short cut Poa greens. We have been using the resources available to help the turf survive but still have had some weak spots show up. We have vented all the greens twice this month to give the roots more oxygen and help water infiltration but what the turf really needs is cooler temps with less humidity. The extended forecast looks promising.
You may have also noticed bunkers aren't as sandy as they once were. Heavy rain has washed silt from the edges into the traps and plugging the drain tiles. With a small staff this is going to take some time to repair but it is on our radar. The course is still very playable so come out and enjoy or if you are like me wait till September:)
