First Aerification and Summer Tasks

The maintenance staff here at Jupiter CC just finished our first aerification of the year.  The weather cooperated and we were able to accomplish a great deal in our four days of closure.  With the aerification in the books, we can now start to focus on some tasks to accomplish throughout the summer months ahead.

Weed elimination: Signalgrass, Goosegrass, Nutsedge

Goosegrass sprayed with selective herbicide

As you may have noticed we have been going through and spot spraying signalgrass and goosegrass.  The products used to eliminate these weeds cause a slight discoloration to the turf surrounding the weed, but after the weed dies off the turf will heal and fill in the bare area left by the weed.


To aid in our weed elimination effort we have begun to apply our second bulk fertilizer application which is coated with a pre-emergent herbicide.  This will help prevent goosegrass and other weeds from germinating.

Area of Signalgrass sprayed 

Applying product mix to bunker faces

Bunker face health

With the new bunkers having longer, grassed faces, the club has purchased a specialized fertilizer spreader.  The spreader is called a "Vortex."  With the Vortex we will be able to apply a fertilizer, wetting agent, and nematicide to the bunker complexes all in one application.





Turf  health improvements

Our goal is to have all playing surfaces in the best possible conditions at all times.  Some areas always need a little more attention then others, and that is the case with some select tee boxes and areas of fairways.  We have been applying additional fertilizer to these select tee boxes and areas of fairways. We will continue to monitor the nematode levels and overall strength of the turf in these areas.

The Bunker Renovation Starts

It was an exciting start of 2015 here at Jupiter Country Club.  Last week Superior Golf Concepts began the long awaited bunker renovation.  This project, slated to be completed between 8-10 weeks, will have an effect on every bunker on the course.  Some bunkers will be resized, some removed, and some will just be slightly reshaped.  All bunkers will also have a slightly different look to them.

The old styling of the bunkers had high slopes with large flashes of sand.  This caused for a great deal of washing with heavy rains and a large amount of contamination from the surrounding turf.

 

Sod cutting area to be re-graded

 Superior Golf Concepts will be starting out by striping some sod around the existing bunker, removing the old sand, liner, and drainage.

Removal of old sand, liner, and drainage

New grade allowing better water flow away from bunkers

Some areas that were allowing large amounts of water to flow into the bunkers will also have the sod removed and re-graded to allow water to flow away from the bunker

After all the sand, liner, and drainage is removed, the bunker will then be smoothed to its new shape.  In the picture to the right you can see there is a 3 inch lip that will be carved out to accommodate the new sand.  Everything above that lip will be grassed.


 We hope that everyone gets a chance to come out and play over the next few weeks to watch the bunkers take on their new form.  Not only will they help lessen the damage from the heavy summer rains, but they will help the course take on a whole new look.