I wanted to use the blog to communicate one change to our maintenance practices on the golf course.  We are currently in the process of installing a "first cut", "intermediate cut" or "courtesy cut" of rough around our fairways and greens.  This is an approximately 6 foot wide strip of rough immediately surrounding the greens and fairways that is mowed at a height between typical fairway and rough heights.  Once fully established, this "first cut" of rough will provide some relief from regular rough height for a ball that just rolls out of the fairway or through the collar of the green.

First Cut along fairway edge

The process of this establishment began a couple of weeks ago with "scalping" the height of the cool-season turf in these areas from their normal 3" height of cut to the 1.25" height that will be maintained once fully established.  Following scalping, these areas have been core aerated and we are now in the process of seeding these areas to a low mow variety of Kentucky Bluegrass. 

As you might imagine given the hot and dry temperatures we have been experiencing lately, the process of scalping, aerating, and seeding the existing Fescue in these areas has been quite hard on the existing turf and we have experienced some thinning of the turf stand in these areas.  This is especially the case around the greens where traffic and compaction is concentrated from our mowers, rollers, and foot traffic from golfers.  While this is currently creating some tough lies in these areas, the thinning of the existing turf was to be expected and is partially by design. 

First Cut around greens edge

As mentioned, the predominant turf in these rough areas surrounding the greens and fairways is turf-type Tall Fescue.  Tall Fescue is not particularly suited to mowing heights as low as we intend to maintain these new "first cut" areas, which is why we are seeding in a bluegrass variety that has shown to maintain a quality playing surface at the intended height of cut.  The goal of beginning the scalping, aerating and seeding process so early (while we are still in the heat of summer) was to "thin" the fescue in these areas as much as possible to allow for a quicker transition to bluegrass in these areas.


One downside to seeding bluegrass is that it is a very slow grass to germinate from seed.  Other cool-season turf species such as fescue, ryegrass and bentgrass typically germinate in one week or less.  Kentucky Bluegrass by contrast takes 3-4 weeks before a seedling emerges from the seed.  Please bear with us for a few weeks as we transition these areas and I think you will like the results.  The quality of these playing areas should improve dramatically by the end of September. 

Have a great end of summer!

Steve