Preventive Growth Regulators

    We have started our Preventive Growth Regulator (PGR) applications on greens, tees, fairways, and roughs.  Theses applications have many positive benefits to the overall turf health.
     The applications made on greens reduce the amount of grass clippings which in turn reduces the amount of thatch produced.  It also narrows the leaf blade of the plant which makes for a smoother, faster putting surface.  The PGR also causes the to grow laterally instead of vertically making for a more dense turf canopy.
     The PGR sprayed on tees, fairways, and roughs greatly reduces the amount of grass clippings generated from regular mowing practices.  This saves man hours needed to clean up behind the mowers.  It also encourages lateral growth making for a more dense turf canopy. 
     I just want to say it's an honor for me to have joined the staff of Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club as Assistant Superintendent.  I am looking forward to meeting the members and using my knowledge to improve this beautiful facility.


Jonathan Patronas
Asst. Superintendent

More before and after pictures from spring and summer improvements

removed existing plant material and replaced with summer annual flowers

plant material additions between holes 4 and 5

bunker renovation on select greenside bunkers to the Better Billy Bunkers



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Recent spring and summer before and after pictures





landscape additions behind 18 green



Bridge work on 16 and 10

March Green's Aerification

 

    Aerification of greens in March is not a desired cultural practice in northwest Florida, especially after the cold, wet winter we've had.  The aerification was however a necessary practice based on the ISTRC soil test results we received last year.  The ISTRC test takes a soil sample 12" down in soil profile of your green and gives you two sets of data, the physical evaluation of the root systems, and the measurement of the organic matter by layer.  The second set of data contains the textural and particle size analysis.  We took samples from greens 1, 4, & 13.  The ISTRC results were very conclusive that our greens are very unhealthy, especially in the top 4".  We had a very large build up of organic matter in that top 4" and water was not readily moving through that layer to the next two layers.  The greens water to air porosity which should be a 1:1 ratio, was actually 4 or 5 : 1, water to air.  We these results in hand we made some decisions to become significantly more aggressive with our aerification program to remove this organic layer build up.  We aerified with quarter inch tines in September and October and March was also part of the plan. March is not an ideal time but a necessary cultural practice given the information that we have. We also plan on aerifying greens with 1/2" tines in May and August and 1/4" again in June and July.  The greens organic layer didn't get like this over night and it will not be remedied over night.  I do have a hard copy of the ISTRC test results if any members would so choose to read.  I hope this information answers some questions but if questions remain please feel free to reach out to me.  Thank you for your continued support.

Root Prune

Santa Rosa golf course maintenance has contracted Southeastern Turf Grass Supply for a root prune of problematic trees in turf grass areas.  Root pruning is necessary to help sustain healthy turf grass.  Tree roots compete for the same sunlight, water, and nutrients that turf grass does, so pruning those roots back to the tree lines and tree wells out of the turf is sound agronomic practice for healthy turf grass.  The lines that are left from the root prune will heal with rising temperatures and growth.  I have attached an article from USGA senior agronomist Todd Lowe that goes into a little more detail.  Thank you for your continued support.

Kelly Barker

http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/florida/Tree-Roots-Underground-Menaces---January-2012/

Pre-emerge application

Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club will be having a fertilizer and pre-emergent applied on Monday, March 24.  This application is being applied to all areas except for greens.  The application is in the granular form with the pre-emergent herbicide sparged on the fertilizer prill.  The target of this application is to not allow for the emergence of certain summertime weeds (goose grass & crab grass).  The application will be going down in the regularly scheduled maintenance gap on Monday the 24th.