This update is written from the Women’s State Team Championship in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Sycamore Hills Golf Club (http://www.stateteam.org). Women from all over the country have gathered to represent their state and fight for top honors. Weather conditions have been ideal and the course superintendent, Jeff Geller, and his staff have done a wonderful job of preparing the course.

Red leaf spot also has shown its face recently due to the cool, wet weather in certain areas of the region. Remember, as a result of segregation, disease activity can take on a patch-like appearance when it actually is not. Some cultivars are simply more vulnerable to certain stresses/diseases, and when they hit, leaving surrounding cultivars unaffected, it can look like a patch. Take a close look at all the variables and send in a sample for testing.

Hopefully your course will be core aerating putting surfaces in the very near future. I know the economy has been tough and no one wants to chase way golfers. However, doing the work when quick recovery will occur, using a quality straight punch machine, and then completely filling the holes following plug removal, creates minimal disruption and insures dependable turf when things get tough down the road. More challenging conditions will eventually come, and there are much better ways of pulling back to aid economy concerns.

September and October offer an excellent time for a Turf Advisory Service visit. Whether there are economic, agronomic, or political concerns we can assist your course in moving forward on the best possible footing. If there are no concerns on the table, a comprehensive and candid review can help keep the momentum moving in the right direction. Call or email to discuss scheduling.

Source: Bob Brame, bobbrame@usga.org or 859.356.3272