The trenching around fairways and rough areas is for root pruning. Tree roots out compete grass roots for water resulting in dry, barren, hard conditions. The trencher prunes the tree roots allowing the surrounding grass areas to improve. The same process was done two years ago around greens and tees. Root pruning is very disruptive to the surrounding area and cleanup is ongoing.

Our next maintenance week is scheduled for June 9-12 and this will involve the aerification of greens and tees. We will be using a smaller hollow tine on greens with sand topdressing to follow. On tees we will use a slightly bigger hollow tine to remove more thatch and allow for more sand topdressing. The smaller tine size will allow for a faster healing time.

 The bubblers on the course are now operational. We did not find the leak but new pipe and shut off valves were installed so we can better monitor water usage.

We recently had a Massachusetts amateur qualifier and the comments were positive all around. The northeast USGA agronomist, Jim Skorulski, will be visiting our course on June 17^th for a half day turf advisory service. We will tour the course and Jim will give suggestions and reviews of how our course is doing.

Cart traffic and the wear and tear on turf is unavoidable. The one thing I do ask is about pull carts. Pull carts should not be pulled across greens, tees or collars. If possible you should pull your cart in the surrounding rough areas. A pull cart has wheels and additional weight. The extra weight and turning of wheels creates more wear and tear on collars. The additional wear and tear will create bare and unplayable conditions.

Mike Poch

Superintendent

  I find it completely unbelievable the number of times that I have been enjoying a beautiful day, on a lush green golf course, scoring well and enjoying the company only to have it ruined by the selfish players ahead of me who can't seem play at a reasonable pace. While I notice others playing slowly and often find myself held up, especially on weekends, I am not a particularly good golfer. I play fairly consistently to a 15 handicap and have done so for about 10 years now. The peculiar thing is that I have discussed my concern with many golfers who are both much better and much worse than I and they all have similar complaints about slow play.If all these people are complaining about slow play then who is responsible for all the slow play?

I know that most of the time that you're on the course and complaining about slow play you're doing your part by keeping up with the group ahead of you and usually it appears as though the group ahead of you is also doing their part. The comment is then made from someone in your foursome that it must be a group up farther ahead that is slowing everyone down. The problem is that everyone is saying this and nobody seems to be able to find the group slowing everyone down! Here's a news flash for every golfer out there...It isn't the group 'up ahead somewhere' its YOU! The fact that everyone is complaining about slow play does not automatically eliminate them from being part of the problem. In fact it is an indicator that if everyone is complaining but nobody can find the perpetrators then those doing the complaining are the most likely source of the problem.