Course Conditions
Today the greens are being verticut and topdressed to maintain true putting surfaces going forward. The last couple of weeks have been ideal for the growth of the turf. The recent showers and cooler nights have kicked the grass growth into high gear, making it difficult to keep up with the mowing, similar to the conditions we experience in the springtime.
The damp mornings with high amounts of dew has created the perfect environment for the onset of dollar spot disease, which can be seen sporadically around the course on select tees and fairways. A fungicide has been applied to the turf in those areas to keep the fungal disease in check. However, the spots need a little time to grow out and recover the dollar sized spots.
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| Dollar spot patches seen on No. 11 tee |
Bunker Work
Work in the bunkers has been a struggle over the past couple weeks with the frequent rain washouts of the sand down off the faces. The old contaminated sand doesn't drain well, so getting your club through the heavy material is difficult. The new bunkers being replaced this fall on No. 4, 5, 16 and 18 will show how a bunker can perform. With better sand quality and drainage, less time and effort will required the greens staff, to focus on other maintenance requirements around the property (such as divot repair).
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| Bunkers washed out contaminating sand further |
I asked the crew who normally maintain the bunkers, "What is the worst bunker on the course?" They told me the practice bunker on the left side of the chipping green down at the range is in terrible shape, and the bunkers on No. 10.
Speaking of the bunkers on No. 10, part of the work on the bunkers will be to analyse which bunkers may not be needed, to reduce unnecessary maintenance requirements going forward. That being said, a few of the bunkers along the left side of No. 10 fairway have been identified as serving no function, strategy or aesthetic value.
The muddy, contaminated sand at the bunker left of the chipping green was dug out and the drains were inspected. The sand there took quite the beating from the recent flooding down at the range a couple of years ago. The old sand was moved up to fill in the first bunker along the left side of No. 10 fairway (identified as being unnecessary).
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| Old sand from chipping green bunker moved to fill in 1st No. 10 fairway bunker |
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| New sand replaced in chipping green bunker after digging out old sand |
By Jordan Nathan, Golf Professional
Hole 13
If your tee shot ends up in the right rough short of the hazard, what is already a difficult approach shot becomes even more difficult. You may want to now think of the hole as a par 5 and play a shot short of the green to a yardage you are comfortable with.
Hole 14
Pay close attention to the wind direction on this tee shot. It is quite often from left to right, coming off of the lake. This would result in the wind helping a shot travelling left to right, and hurting a shot travelling right to left.
Hole 15
On your approach shot, to avoid being long, play to a yardage to the front portion of the green not to the hole.
This weekend on Sunday is the closing Mixed Family Tournament. There will be an 8:00am and 1:30 shotgun to accommodate play.
The following Labour Day weekend on Sunday September 6th, don't forget to join in on the Mixed Member Guest "Black and White" Tournament which was moved back a few weeks from it's previous timing for the convenience of members and guests while in Muskoka.
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