Preparing for Summer: May Course Update

After the warmest March on record in U.S. history, April followed with unusually warm and extremely dry conditions. While the dry weather allowed us to make significant progress on several course improvement projects, it also required increased irrigation cycles to maintain healthy turf conditions. The extended stretch of warm, dry weather accelerated early-season turf growth and allowed the grounds crew to stay ahead on many spring maintenance priorities.

May, however, has brought a noticeable shift in weather patterns with much cooler temperatures settling into the region. As we move toward the most demanding turf-growing months of the season, the grounds crew remains focused on preparing the golf course for the busy summer ahead.

Deep-Tine Aeration

Deep-tine aeration of the greens was completed on April 27th. During the process, the greens were aerated to a depth of approximately 8 inches to help relieve soil compaction, improve oxygen exchange within the root zone, and promote deeper, healthier root growth. Following aeration, approximately 5 cubic feet of sand per 1,000 square feet was incorporated across the putting surfaces to help improve soil structure, enhance drainage, and maintain smooth, firm playing conditions throughout the season.

Deep-tine aeration is one of the most important agronomic practices performed on golf course greens. By creating channels deep within the soil profile, the process allows water, air, and nutrients to move more effectively through the root zone while reducing compaction caused by traffic and mowing equipment. These improvements help strengthen the turf during the stressful summer months ahead and contribute to healthier, more consistent putting surfaces over the long term. The greens have responded very well to the process and have now almost completely healed in, with putting quality and surface smoothness continuing to improve each day.

#1 green after topdressing

Dragging in the sand

Deep-tine aerating a green

Drainage Project

The drainage project on holes #4, #6, #7, #11, the approach on #13, and valley on #15 has now been completed. The upgraded drainage system was designed to better manage excess water in these low-lying fairway areas, helping to reduce standing water after heavy rainfall and allowing the turf to recover more quickly following wet weather events. Golf Preservations installed a combination of smaller collection pipes to pull water from wet pockets and larger main lines to efficiently move water away from these problem areas.

Shortly after the majority of the spring work was completed, the course received a 2.5-inch rainstorm that caused significant washouts in many of the newly trenched areas. As a result, crews spent an additional two days repairing and stabilizing the affected sections. To help prevent similar issues moving forward, hay bales and erosion-control wattles were installed throughout the project areas. Once the fairway sod has sufficiently rooted in these will be removed. While we are hopeful that the extreme weather conditions experienced during the summer of 2025 will not repeat themselves this season, the new drainage improvements should greatly minimize future damage and improve overall course conditions during extended wet periods.

Drainage work on #15

Installing main lines

Golf Preservations at work

Digging lines

Removing sod

Installing drain tile

Installing main line on #11

A lateral line washing out on #11 after the rainstorm

Installing drainage on #13

Wattles installed to help divert water on #15

Crabgrass?

Intermediate ryegrass and bentgrass were interseeded into some of the fairway mud pits following last summer’s heat wave monsoon-like rain events. In addition, it was used to help mask dormant Bermuda grass fairway patches during the winter months when Bermuda naturally turns brown and becomes visually unappealing (click here for a previous post about overseeding bermuda grass). Intermediate ryegrass was selected because of its extremely quick germination and establishment rate, allowing damaged or thin turf areas to recover rapidly while providing improved turf density and appearance during cooler weather conditions.

Unlike permanent turf varieties, intermediate ryegrass is intended to be temporary. As temperatures rise and summer approaches, the ryegrass naturally declines and dies out, allowing the Bermuda grass underneath to fully transition back into active growth. This process helps protect exposed soil during the offseason while maintaining better overall playing conditions and aesthetics throughout the winter and early spring.

There have been several questions regarding whether the ryegrass currently visible in the fairways is actually crabgrass. The answer is no — intermediate ryegrass and crabgrass are two completely different grasses with very different growth habits and characteristics. Intermediate ryegrass is a cool-season turfgrass that grows in upright bunches with finer leaf blades and was intentionally seeded as part of our turf recovery and winter coverage program. Crabgrass, by comparison, is a lime green warm-season annual weed that grows aggressively outward in a flat, spreading pattern and typically becomes most active during the hotter summer months. In addition, a pre-emergent herbicide application was made to all playing surfaces earlier this season to help reduce crabgrass germination throughout the golf course.

At WHCC, goosegrass has proven to be a more significant challenge than crabgrass in certain areas of the course. Goosegrass is a late season weed (typically germinating in late July or early August) that thrives in compacted, stressed turf conditions and can become more visible during periods of summer heat. Our maintenance team will continue monitoring conditions closely and will make additional herbicide applications as needed throughout the summer to help control goosegrass pressure and maintain healthy playing surfaces.

Intermediate ryegrass mixed in with bermuda grass and poa on #10 fairway

A picture of crabgrass on the left and goosegrass on the right. Notice the difference between these two weeds and the ryegrass above.

Robotic Mowers

The new Husqvarna robotic mowers have now been fully installed and are currently operating on the driving range. These autonomous units are designed to provide consistent, daily mowing while helping improve overall turf quality and appearance. Because the robotic mowers cut smaller amounts of grass more frequently, they produce a cleaner, more uniform playing surface while reducing stress on the turf. 

In addition to the turf benefits, the robotic mowers improve operational efficiency by allowing the maintenance staff to focus more time on detailed course conditioning projects and other agronomic practices throughout the property. The units operate quietly, use significantly less fuel and labor than traditional mowing equipment, and can maintain consistent mowing schedules even during periods of rapid turf growth. As we continue to fine-tune their operation and coverage areas, we expect the robotic mowing program to provide long-term benefits in both course presentation and maintenance efficiency.

Robotic mowers at the driving range

Thick Rough

The spring months always bring a variety of opinions regarding rough height on the golf course. While we work hard to manage growth and maintain consistent playing conditions, the reality is that rough grass naturally becomes longer and thicker during this time of year. In May and June, ideal growing conditions—including warmer soil temperatures, increased rainfall, and longer daylight hours—create a surge in turf growth. Cool-season grasses commonly found in the rough, such as Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescues, thrive during these mild spring conditions. Increased sunlight also boosts photosynthesis, allowing the turf to grow aggressively and fill in areas that may have thinned during winter dormancy.

Spring rainfall plays a major role in this rapid growth cycle as well. Unlike the heat and drought stress often experienced later in the summer, turfgrass during the spring is rarely lacking moisture. Combined with seasonal fertilization programs designed to strengthen the turf for the upcoming golf season, the rough quickly becomes lush, dense, and healthy. Since rough areas are maintained at a significantly higher mowing height than greens or fairways, the grass naturally appears thicker when growing conditions are ideal. In addition, late fall and early spring overseeding programs help fill in bare or thin areas, particularly under tree lines, leading to even denser rough throughout the course.

The purpose of the rough is to challenge players by making recovery shots more difficult, but during late spring the rapid growth can occasionally make the rough more difficult than intended. Managing these conditions can become especially challenging during extended wet periods when saturated turf limits mowing opportunities. Without frequent mowing, the rough can quickly become overly thick and impact pace of play. May and June are some of the busiest months for the grounds crew as rough mowers are often operating daily to keep up with growth. As summer progresses, however, hotter and drier conditions—combined with competition from tree roots—typically thin the rough considerably, leading us back into our overseeding programs again later in the fall.

Summer Annuals

The horticulture team has been extremely busy over the past two months transitioning the landscape beds from spring into summer color. The tulip displays provided outstanding color through the Easter season before naturally reaching the end of their bloom cycle. Once the spring bulbs finished flowering, crews began removing the spent plant material and preparing the landscape beds for the installation of summer annuals and tropical plantings.

With the arrival of May, summer flower planting is now well underway throughout the clubhouse and pro shop areas. This season’s ornamental displays feature a wide variety of colorful and tropical plants, including cannas, petunias, New Guinea impatiens, crotons, majesty palms, zinnias, euphorbia, and many others. After planting is completed, fresh mulch will be installed to help retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperatures, and enhance the overall appearance of the beds. These seasonal improvements will help beautify the clubhouse and pro shop grounds for the summer season.

Tulips blooming

Star light rose zinnias by the entrance

Roses in bloom

Birds of paradise and petunias

Brad Piecuch
Grounds Superintendent