As we approach the 1st of May, the golf course is rounding into beautiful shape. The putting surfaces are firm, quick and true while the fairways are rolling out. The azaleas are in full bloom and gorgeous spring weather has become the norm.
As for our primary rough... although beautiful, it had become a bit too challenging... both challenging to the golf shot and challenging to finding the golf ball:) So, this past Monday, we began bringing the rough down in height from 3" to 2.5". This height will be more playable and make locating golf balls much more enjoyable. We will also increase our mowing frequency from 1x per week to 2x per week. This mowing schedule will remain in place through June. Make no mistake, the bluegrass/fescue blend will still provide a penalty to errant tee shots, but our overall golf experience will benefit.
While the rough is "blowing out of the ground", our L-93, creeping bent grass is a little slower. While it is tight, very healthy and extremely playable, our fairway turf lacks the "fullness" of our rough. This growth cycle is perfectly natural for this cultivar and the time of year. Our bent grass tolerates heat very well. Conversely, if a plant tolerates heat, it will be less active in cooler weather. As soil temperatures reach the mid-60's on a regular basis, the bent grass will take off. In no time, we will be applying plant growth regulators to settle it down.
All in all, Kinloch is in wonderful condition and poised for a memorable spring season. We hope you enjoy the shorter rough and be patient with our L-93 - it's in great condition and will be in full growth mode soon enough!
Enjoy the golf course and feel free to email or call should you have any questions.
Trevor Hedgepeth, CGCS
