Planning Ahead For Sod Availability

Reseeded bentgrass sodbeds to help guarantee future supply

It takes a couple challenging years to realize that access to good quality sod is a precious commodity not to be taken for granted.  With the winter kill on greens at MLGCC last season and the devastation from ice damage to courses this spring in Southern Ontario that caused sod shortages, it evident the timing is right to expand our bentgrass sod supply.

Over the past couple of weeks we have stripped the bluegrass sod that remained in this area and relocated it onto the course to repair some GUR areas in the rough between No. 5 and No. 7.  We installed some of it as well around the new hitting net down at the driving range.

Newly seeded bentgrass sodbed along left side of No. 15 fairway

Over the last couple of days, over 50 tons of fresh sand mix was hauled over and spread, leveled, and graded in prep for seed.  Yesterday the sodbed near No. 17 fairway was seeded to Tyee bentgrass, a high quality greens quality variety.  Today the remaining bed along No. 15 (pictured above was seeded to L93 bentgrass, a favourite variety for fairway use.

The irrigation is set up separately in this zone to water the sodbeds only.  If you see water on during the day its because it's set to come on a couple minutes every couple hours through the day until germinated.

With proper care and maintenance, and a little help from Mother Nature, we hope to have this sod available for early summer next season.  Another effort to help guarantee a better course each season!