Article

Below is a link to an article written on topdressing sand.  Findlay Country Club is highlighted in the article.

http://www.golfcourseindustry.com/gci0113-turf-maintenance-topdressing.aspx

Happenings lately

The past couple weeks we have been able to get a lot of work done out on the golf course.  We started taking down trees that were scheduled to be removed this winter.  We've been able to get to a few of the trees that were damaged in the storm this summer, taken down a few of the dying Ash trees and the 2 Spruce that were damaged by lightening on #17 have been removed.

The 2 Spruce on both sides of #17 approach.  Both were dying due to a lightening strike a few years ago.

We have also been trimming and limbing up all the trees on the property.  We have trimmed almost half of the trees already and will continued to go around the property looking at every tree.

#16 looks like a war zone right now.  There are a few limbs waiting to be picked up.

Today we topdressed all the greens.  This will give the green a protective blanket over the winter.  The sand will help cover the crown of the plant and aid in preventing winter injury.  In the spring the sand will be dragged into the canopy and will help smooth the green out before we open.

Topdressing sand

We have made a change in topdressing sands.  The sand that we were using was a good sand, but it wasn't a great sand.  Why?  The old sand was very uniform in particle sizes, meaning most of the sand particles were around the same size.  The new sand is less uniform.  It contains small, medium and large size particles.  Why does this matter?  With different particle sizes, the sand fits together better, the small particles will fill in the cracks left by the larger particles.  In doing this, the sand is more stable and less shifty.  You will notice in the long term through years of topdressing that the greens will get firmer.

Double click on the pictures to get a closer view.

Old sand

New sand