GROUNDS | JON URBANSKI, DIRECTOR OF GOLF COURSES AND GROUNDS
As we move into the late fall season, we are through the majority of our aerification practices. We will continue to move our operations with a keen eye towards the 2026 season. We have raised mowing heights to allow our turf plants to naturally protect themselves from the winter temps and winds that can lead to desiccation. In addition, our maintenance team is focused on several important projects that will help prepare the golf courses, grass and clay courts for next season. Fall Aerification We have completed aerification of the greens, tees and fairways on the North Course. For the last several years, we have not conducted a full-out coring of these playing surfaces. With the recent news regarding the master plan for this layout, it was necessary to conduct an invasive aerification as we had taken a pause for these types of activities for the last four years with the possibility of grassing new bentgrasses to these playing surfaces. It will take a few aerifications for us to return to a stage of normalcy so these playing surfaces react in a manner that fall under the guise of “firm and fast.” Looking to next spring, we will return to injecting sand into the greens profile to aid the firming process, altering the native soil sub- base for drainage purposes, and coring to remove organic material that leads to soft green tops. Our aerification program for the South Course was hampered a bit due to rain, and will require additional time to complete. Throughout the month, we will continue with tasks to wrap the process on Mondays while the course is closed for play. Our aerification practices, a necessary evil, are essential for maintaining healthy turf by relieving soil compaction, improving air and water movement in the root zone, and promoting strong root growth. How we conduct each aerification is based upon data that we collect and analyze to determine what is needed. Rules of Golf – Fall Golf…Aerification & “Leaf Rule” You have hit your ball into a pile of leaves that has been amassed for clean-up by our vacuums, what are your options? In this instance, this example falls under “loose impediments,” where any unattached, natural objects (stones, loose grass) that can be easily removed –and yes, leaves are included. As far as the often used “Leaf Rule” where one might not find their ball because it has come to rest in an area with an abundant amount of scattered leaves, do you get free relief? Well, this depends. The Club or Golf Committee has the authority to enact Local Rule F-14, which allows areas with temporary accumulations of loose impediments (like a pile of leaves) to be treated as Ground Under Repair (GUR). This means that you can take free relief from this area, including for a ball that you know is in the pile, even if you can not find it. We have recently conducted aerification and your ball happens to land in one of the coring holes. What are your options? Aeration holes are not considered GUR, so relief is not allowed. However, as in the case of the “Leaf Rule,” relief may be permitted if a Local Rule (E-4) is in effect by the Club or Golf Committee. Check in with the Golf Shop to see what your options are as we grow-in from aerification and continue our clean-up efforts from the fall leaf drop. Bunker Renovations This is not a full out renovation of the bunkers on the South, but a simple strip, move/add sand, and re-grass the bunker edges. We began on the fairway bunkers on 14 South and will continue through the entirety of the winter season. All the bunkers received a face-lift in 2020, and it is time to address the sand splash on the faces of the bunkers. As we do this, we are also enlarging the bunkers back to their original size. Clay Tennis Courts — Preparing for Winter As temperatures drop and daylight shortens, moisture retention increases on the clay surface. We are: Reducing daily watering to prevent the courts from staying overly damp. Allowing the top dry naturally on sunny days, which helps firm up the surface for play. We have begun the seasonal closure of courts as play has moved inside. By Thanksgiving, all the outdoor clay courts will close and winterized. Looking ahead to spring, when temperatures begin to rise in late March or early April, our spring preparation will include:
Rehydrating and rolling the courts to rebuild firmness. Refreshing the surface with new Har-Tru as needed.
We hope you all have a great month and have a happy Thanksgiving!
Jon Urbanski
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