Course Care - Divots and Ball Marks

With Memorial Day approaching, the weather is warming up as well as the activity on the golf course. Each season, we look forward to this stretch as tournament preparations are in full swing, the weather is perfect and the members are excited to play the golf course! 

Expectedly, with more activity, comes more wear and tear on our turf. Specifically, the accumulation of divots and ball marks becomes more apparent. And while we embrace the idea that our turf is prepared for usage and enjoyment, there are things that we can do to protect the presentation and sustainability of the golf course. 

1. Divot Care 

From the inception of Kinloch Golf Club, divot care has been a collaborative effort between the turf department, the professional staff, the caddie and finally, the member. Throughout the golf course, the turf team maintains divot stations which are stocked with freshly-filled, divot bottles. While playing a round of golf, following a stroke from the teeing ground or closely mown turf, the caddie should immediately fill the divot with mix from the divot bottles they are carrying. If the turf pelt remains in tact, the player and/or caddie should place the pelt in an unfilled divot near where the pelt landed. Using this protocol, the fresh divot is filled with mix and an unfilled divot is covered with the turf pelt. Under no circumstance, should a divot be left unfilled... especially on the teeing grounds. The maintenance team will ensure that the divot stations are fully stocked throughout the week. Additionally, for any events or tournaments, the maintenance team will fill all divots throughout the course in concert with Prep Week. When starting a game of golf, the professional staff will kindly remind the player and the caddie about divot and ball mark care. 

In an effort to enhance divot care, Eric Rule commissioned our facilities manager, David Garner, to construct new divot stations that will be presented at the standards of The Kinloch Experience. Please see the photos below of the unfinished stations. Once David has added the top and stained the wood, these divot containers will blend in seamlessly with the other accessories around the property. 

As you can see in the photos, these new divot containers will have separate compartments for the stocked divot bottles, bulk divot mix and an area for garbage. Please remember that while these stations will be a nice upgrade, there are and have been stocked divot stations throughout the golf course. Please help us work collaboratively to keep our divots filled and replaced. 

2. Ball Marks 

Green Speeds are an important piece of the Kinloch Experience. To achieve the green speeds that you expect, we mow our turf very low. When a golf ball impacts the turf and a ball mark is created, it is very important that we locate and repair these marks. Unrepaired ball marks: (1) affect the players behind you; (2) become an eyesore when mowed the next morning and (3) contribute to the general decline of the putting surface. Please take the necessary time to locate your pitch mark, repair it and if possible, locate and repair an additional pitch mark. 

Kinloch Golf Club is a special place and we are excited to prepare the course during the most active stretch of the season. We are passionate about your enjoyment and look forward to a collaboration in divot and ball mark care. Thank you in advance for your support of these practices and enjoy the remainder of what has been a great spring season! 

Bermuda Grass Eradication Project

 As the golf course rounds into form and our members enjoy the firm, spring conditions, we continue to plan for our biggest project of the season... the eradication of common Bermudagrass within our fairways. Aside from our planning, we want to increase our communication so that our members understand: (1) expectations; (2) methodology; (3) timing and (4) final outcome. So, as we approach 9 weeks from the first herbicide application, please visit this blog for regular updates. 

1. What to expect: On or around July 10th, we will surgically apply herbicide to all of the common bermudagrass within our fairways. Within 7 days of this application, you will notice sporadic areas of "burnt" turf. The herbicides that we will apply are non-selective, so any turf within the spray boundaries will perish. In total, we have mapped 2.3 acres of infestation throughout our 32 acres of fairways. Throughout July and August, areas affected by the herbicides will be treated as optional, ground-under-repair. And while this is a very exciting improvement project, several of our fairways will be significantly impacted. However, most of this impact will involve aesthetics and not the playability of the fairway. 

(An example of Herbicide kill from 2019) 

2. Methodology: This past winter, while the Bermuda was dormant and very visible, we used a drone to photograph the fairways. Those photos were then uploaded into specific software that allowed us to draw boundaries around the Bermuda. That software then integrates with our sprayer software and we are able to tell our sprayers where to spray. 

After 4 applications (mid-July, August 1, mid-August, September 1) the Bermuda will be killed past the point of return. On Monday, September 4th, in concert with our contractor, Landscapes Unlimited, we will strip all of the dead turf and replace with new, bent grass sod. By the time the golf course reopens in mid-September, all of the affected areas will be sodded and establishing. Aside from lingering sod seams, the golf course will look very nice when the membership returns in September. 

3. Timing: From mid-July through our closure in late August, members will see the sprayed areas as they play the golf course. From mid-September through October 1, the sodded areas will be beautiful, but apparent. As the sod matures through October, the golf course will be aesthetically pleasing and playing very well. 

4. Final Outcome: Once we execute this project, Kinloch will have uniform, pristine fairways. Although the current infestation only accounts for 7% of our fairway surfaces, the Bermuda must be eradicated. Using non-selective herbicides and sod is the very best strategy to achieve this objective. We are sensitive to the aesthetic issues that we will face in July and August, but the final outcome will be well worth the discomfort. 

As always, if you would like further explanation or more specific details, feel free to email or call with your questions and/or concerns.