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 Since we are in the middle of a hot stretch of summer, I'd like to share a few of my "healthy green strategies" with you. The art and science of "Greenkeeping" involves the perfect balance of a few key ingredients: sun, water, air-above and below the soil, drainage, balanced nutrition, timely applications of fungicides, sharp mowers with proper daily adjustments, skilled operators, growth regulators, root stimulants, regular rolling, wear distribution for recovery, and the tender loving care of your local superintendent.Ok, maybe I was being a little facetious about the "few ingredients" part, but striking a balance with all of these inputs is critical for successful greenkeeping. One of the toughest components of greenkeeping is simply related to the weather. Unfortunately, this is one input I cannot control. So when Mother Nature deals you extreme heat, the superintendent has to adjust on the fly. One of the most important things a superintendent can do during extreme heat is to raise the mowing height of the greens mowers. For example, the typical daily mowing height for greens at Cantigny is .105 inches. When we make adjustments to greens mowers, we do it by 1/1,000th of an inch. Yes that‘s right, 1,000th. So if we find ourselves in the middle of a hot stressful period, I will have our Chief Equipment Technician Tom Weigand adjust all six walking greens mowers up 5,000ths to .110 inches. Just this small adjustment reduces the stress on plants that are already working extremely hard to survive, and provides a fine putting surface for everyone to enjoy. Many studies have shown that regular rolling in conjunction with raising the height of cut will continue to keep the greens rolling very true at a respectable pace. University agronomists joke about how "the greens are always rolling fastest right before they die." Smart superintendents know that when greens are mowed too low, and pushed too hard for too long in order to achieve faster green speeds during prolonged heat, turf loss is often the result. My intentions are to keep Cantigny's greens as healthy as possible through the extremes, so we can continue to enjoy them alive clear through Thanksgiving. As always, rest assured, we are striving to give you the best possible playing conditions, with just a few tiny adjustments to accommodate the extremes. Submitted by: Scott Witte, Golf Course Superintendent
 Cantigny Golf is partnering with the United States Golf Association and PGA of America to encourage golfers to take a fresh perspective on how to enjoy the game. Many amateur golfers are tempted to play from longer tee options so they can "see the course" — often taking on more challenge than they bargained for and ultimately going home frustrated. The Tee it Forward campaign provides simple guidelines for golfers to determine which course yardages would best suit their game. In one study, the Tee it Forward campaign determined that a typical amateur golfer playing a course measuring 6,700 yards is equivalent to a PGA Tour player taking on a track of 8,100 yards — 700 yards longer than an average PGA Tour layout. A recent Wall Street Journal article described an interesting experiment conducted by Barney Adams, founder of clubmaker Adams Golf. Adams used a specialized tee setup to stretch a local California golf course to 8,100 yards and invited a Nationwide Tour player — who was known as a long hitter — to take on the layout. After only six holes the pro was fed up, claiming he'd quit the game if he had to play it that way regularly. According to the article most male golfers max out at 230 yards off the tee, so by Tee it Forward guidelines (to right), the "Tour course" equivalent for a player of this length would be just over 6,100 yards. Next time you go out, have a little fun and take a fresh perspective on which tees to play from. Who knows, you might discover a whole new way to enjoy the game. Submitted by: Patrick Lynch, Head Golf Professional |
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