Perfect Fall Weather
I have shared many many times about the Fall Equinox being a key time for our golf course and this year above all others have illustrated why we in golf course maintenance look forward to it. The turf conditions at Granite Bay are currently as healthy as they have been after the summer season and midway into the fall. Part of these conditions are due to added resources in our golf course maintenance program in 2016 that helped to prevent summer cool season turf thinning and losses. Another contributor is the absence of severe drought restrictions this year. However the weather during the month of October has been PERFECT for the recovery and further establishment of cool season turf and again is evidenced by the thick and dense turfgrass conditions we are experiencing.
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| Thick conditions on #12 resulting from a perfect storm of seed, rain and mild temperatures. |
Rainfall is a large part of the October weather we've experienced this year and the local accumulation is by some accounts historic. The last12 years of rainfall data accumulated by our own weather station here at GBGC shows we received 5.48" of rain in October, the most we have received in October, ever. This rainfall, combined with earlier in the month aerification, the application of over 8 tons of ryegrass seed and high temperatures in the mid 70's and lows in the mid 50's, created the perfect storm for some thick and lush turf. No one is complaining, however it was a bit of a challenge to get the course mowed down and playable prior to the Jones Cup on November 3rd and 4th. Forecast for the first part of November is dry with temperatures remaining in the high 60's and low 70's as well as night time temps in the 50's. This means we have more thick turf in our future but drier and better playing conditions.
